Autumn 2020

Autumn 2020.

This will probably be my last post as my vision has deteriorated with macula degeneration and I am finding it hard to use my camera or to prepare this blog.

Seasons Greetings

    My best wishes for Christmas and New Year and may 2019 be a Peaceful and Happy one for you all.

        This photo was taken in the spring of this year after a wetter than normal season.   My gardens have been looking lovely with having the extra rain.

This year my blossom trees have been very beautiful.  The top image is of a single bunch of flowering cherry. The other image was taken by my pond when the azalea were flowering.

It is a long time since I posted a new blog - I am not able to get about to take photographs very easily but I have some of my gardens which I will post over the next few weeks.  My white dogwood flowered beautifully this year as did the other blossom trees.  The long view is from my dining room window towards my driveway.

Interesting Aeroplanes

Sometimes the most interesting replica or restored WW one and two aeroplanes arrive at my neighbours place.  I think this is a Fokker Triplane with a modern engine and other fittings.

Blue Iris

These blue iris have flowered wonderfully well this year.  The rain we had earlier on seems to have helped them.  It is now very dry and my gardens are looking a bit sad.

Smoky Fires

An early morning picture of smoldering fires from tree rubbish left burning over in a nearby golf course.  Just as well we are out in the country or the authorities would be out in force.  These fires went on for three or four days.

Kakaimon Dish

This little dish is about 200 years old and was given to Estelle and me when we were in Japan in1978.  It has the "Happiness" mark underneath which was recently shown and remarked upon on the Antiques Roadshow on our television.  It was made before the more colourful enamels were used.

This Monarch Butterfly was just resting on the wall of my house before flying off into the garden.

Sometimes it pays to get up early.  I was rewarded with this lovely sunrise as I opened the back door of my house.

Enduring Architecture Award

The Late John Scott was last evening presented with an Enduring Architecture Award which I accepted on his behalf.  Estelle and I had John design our home in 1970 and it is now 46 years old.  The citation says
"A delightful and inspiring home with playful use of volume, light and the relationship between shared and private space. Architectural and construction skills are clearly visible throughout and provide evidence of the enduring nature of the home".

Just a couple of photographs taken in my garden this spring.  Seeds on a maple tree and my mystery garden with this lovely self supporting wisteria.

Moon Pictures

The new moon picture was taken in my garden earlier this year.  The full moon is from the Moon Watchers site which was forwarded to me recently.  It was taken by Carlos A. Perez and I think it should be shared widely as it is such a great image.

Anagama Fired Hanaire

Recently I had to find some photos of Hanaire for someone who wished to purchase a pot on line.  These are two of Estelle's that she made a long time ago that I still have in my collection.  All the colour is from the ash from the long firing and no glaze or other colouring has been used.

Special Anagama Effects

These two pots show some very special anagama firing effects.  The top picture shows the white edges that a very hot firing can produce although it does not always happen.  The blue/grey on the second pot is from carbon trap colours where the embers have come up against the pot during the firing.

Anagama Firing Effects

The top picture is of a large floor vase made by Estelle and fired near the front of our anagama.  It has a wonderful flow of ash which ended well before reaching the base and sticking the pot onto the shelf.  The other image is of a square platter of mine showing the flame patterns written into the clay.  This only happens with a long firing and very consistent stoking routines.

Close Ups of Anagama Firing Effects

These are close up photographs of the anagama firing effects we achieved from our kiln.  Not everything came out so spectacularly  More next time.

Two Round Images

The Chinese tenmoku bowl with the leaf is a wonderful example of this type of pottery.  I am not sure whether it is modern or ancient but I wouldn't mind owning it.  The sun picture is a still image taken from a TV screen.  It just seemed to be so unusual.

More NZ Potters Work

These two works are by local or ex-local potters.  The small pieces are by Annette Bull from Clive who hasn't been potting for very long but is doing some interesting work.  The sculptural piece is by Liz Earth who used to live in Hawke's Bay but now lives in Waikanai in the Wellington district.  Liz has always done interesting although sometimes strange work.

More from NZP Exhibition

Two more images from the NZ Potters Exhibition.  The sculptural piece with cranes is by Yi-Ming Lin from Leeston in the South Island of New Zealand.  It is one part of a group of three which made a beautiful set.  The black and white pieces are by Jenny Shearer from Paraparaumu Beach near Wellington.