A Pope has been chosen!

Well the first smoke came out the stack of Lord Baltimore the anagama this afternoon. The Devil's choir have gathered around to feed the flames of hells fire.  We are escorting our pots through a long hot journey to hell and back.  We are one with the process. They will either be blessed or crucified depending on so many variables- wood, weather, stoking pattern,  packing density, the moon, a slight wind out of the east or maybe the stare of a hawk from the nearby maple tree. Wood firing is so magical in so many ways. The serendipity that can happen to your pots is beyond anything I could ever think to do to my work. But most of all it is about learning to be a dependable part of a team. To be part of a group that needs one another to pull this process off.  I also love hard physical work. It is so much more pleasant than hard mental work. I love to split wood! I love the smell of smoke! I love the crackle of the wood! I love the people I have surrounded myself with. I love you Mr. Hawk. Watch over my crew these next 5 days will ya?