What happened to August?

The end of August is just around the corner and I am shocked at what we've been able to accomplish and cram into the last few weeks. Our six weeks of summer back in Canada flew by, suddenly six weeks doesn't feel very long at all. But both Robin and I feel as though our time in the Kootenays was well spent, our goals met and our presence welcomed.  Thanks to all our friends and loved ones that made us feel at home this summer. 

And we are totally grateful to both our families for making great efforts to come to us, making for some great cousin time and to enjoy a little piece of the farm life with us.

 

Our only regret was that we'd had more leisure time to spend with them. Despite our best efforts to kick back at the river during the daytime and sip wine with friends and family well into the nights, we also put in a fair number of hours of productive work. I am undoubtedly more versed in the way of gardening than I was when we first arrived, although still a novice at best. 

Taking my friend Sue's lead, I learned a fair bit this summer. Some of my accomplishments included making Bread n' Butter pickles, canning peaches, blanching and freezing a variety of veggies, and don't forget the pesto! I am sad that I will miss the making and canning of spaghetti sauce, but thankful I did get to taste vine ripened tomatoes and the sweet corn before our time on the farm was up. 

Robin's productivity was also incredible. He

managed to make a kiln load of pots and fire them in his kiln in just short of a month - a work cycle that used to take a minimum of six weeks. His efforts were worth the long days he put in, the body of work intended for a studio tour and sale he participated in on August 15th. The tour was part of a larger organized event sponsored by a regional funding organization, the Columbia Basin Trust. www.cbculturetour.com 

Robin commented that it was likely the most smooth load and firing yet in his kiln, thanks to the unfailing firing crew. Grandpa Wes has not missed a single firing of our kiln, since it was first built in 2005. He is as committed to the process as the potter himself, a significant contributer in moving, chopping and stacking wood, passing brick and pots where needed and hands down the supreme wad-maker. Cam Stewart, our fantastic friend and caretaker of our home was also an integral part of this firing. He too participated in the culture tour, which made for a great few days of teaming up to both clean and set up the place for the tour. (Roscoe made sure to get in on the action too!)

The event itself was a success and turned out to be another opportunity to see lots of the folks we'd hoped too while we were back.  And as we had vowed earlier this summer to do, in memory of our good friend Tom that passed away, we made sure to enjoy our friends, good food and those beautiful objects that seem to inspire us to bring them all together in that celebratory way that makes memories. 

Here's a few of our memories from this summer........

Now it's off to Utah for Year 2!