Saturday, May 19, 2012

WISH ME LUCK

I don't know if it is from nurture or nature or a combination of the above but many of my gender seem to have a problem asking for help when needed. We will hurt ourselves moving things that are too large or break things that are two awkward before admitting defeat. Since we last talked I have tried things both ways.

Putting a 22 inch bowl in a 24 inch kiln seems simple until you try to get your hands out and by then it's too late. I should have called a friend and used a sling to put the big bowl in the kiln. The last move of sliding my hands up and around was tighter than I expected. I may have heard that telltale plunk of breaking greenware but I can't find a fracture so I'm firing today. Wish me luck.
Project number two has been something I wanted to do since I built the barn. The building sits on fill with a a bank dropping off behind it. I have been wanting to build a retaining wall, fill behind it, and put more usable space behind the barn. Last week fortune smiled.
I talked to a crew that replaces utility poles and ended up with 11 of them in my front yard on the condition that I move them out of the right of way immediately.Usually workers around here just cut poles down and the cut them in 2 or 3 pieces. That's what I was expecting anyway. I found out these guys had a crane that would pull a 26 ft pole straight out of the ground. These suckers were BIG.  I started the tractor, checked the chainsaw and called my brother. This was HE MAN work. Most of the poles we cut in half but some we skidded whole. The little tractor did an amazing job and thanks to lots of help from Norris, we had everything moved in about 3 hours. I even managed to stack some of them with the loader bucket! here is a shot of about half of them.


Next week my friends Josh and Marie have their annual Memorial Day picnic. The extra fun parts- Josh brews beer and they are both medieval reinactors. Armor, clubs and swords all around. It's a spectacle. I'll try to have pictures for you. Have a good week and thanks for stopping by.

3 comments:

  1. Whew! I was tired just reading this post! That's some mighty heavy work going on:)
    Good luck with that bowl, that's something you will never see in my kiln!

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  2. i often help Jeff move big pots into the kiln and i am always nervous about it! hopefully you imagined that plunking sound and all is good with the big bowl.

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  3. One consolation-it'll be easier to lift out!!

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