Janet Kaiser on sat 25 aug 01
The clay bit first... How do potters dry pots in the
UK? The inference being it is so wet here clay could
never dry? As your prejudice is based on a few weeks
back in the 1970s, I can assure you that conditions
here are ideal for making and drying pots... Slow,
uniform drying is guaranteed since we do live and work
indoors and have adequate roofs.
There are periods when it is a tad too slow, but these
are few and far between. There are many places around
the world where the heat and humidity make drying pots
much more difficult then in this temperate country.
Arid countries where pots dry too quickly are also much
worse for potters.
In answer to your other question: Why would anyone be
"laying in the grass"? Good grief man, unless you have
turned into an egg producing creature, you will not be
"laying" there or anywhere else...
Of course there is the Americanism, when the verb to
lay, (laying, laid) also indicates the human activity
of a sexual nature between two consenting adults.
Adolescent behaviour and language comes to mind when I
hear the expression, so would a bit of wet grass really
matter? I seem to remember there are more uncomfortable
places and conditions than wet grass... Obviously the
elderly among us will have forgotten such behaviour...
On the other hand "lying in the grass" would indicate a
more passive action... Allows time for watching little
teeny weeny fellow earth creatures like ants. In which
case wet grass is not ideal because ants like all
insects are not too partial to rain. But you will not
dissolve and our gentle rain is a wondrous thing. Mock
all you like, but it is what makes this a green and
luscious land. We are extremely lucky to live in this
temperate climate with plenty of rain.
We call it liquid sunshine and give thanks for it,
especially when we see the parched lands of the world
where there is not enough, or other disaster zones
where there is too much...
It is nice to know we are supplied with rain water in
our homes - not thrice recycled water. Or even worse...
taking so much water out of the environment that once
great rivers like the Rio Grande are reduced to a mere
trickle and huge areas of land have become ultra
saline.
And of course we have had prolonged periods of sunshine
since your experience way back when... Funnily enough a
potter from Israel whose brother recently came over to
London to escape the oppressive heat at home, was
bitterly disappointed to find temperatures in the
90-100s when he got here.
Janet Kaiser
The Chapel of Art . Capel Celfyddyd
HOME OF THE INTERNATIONAL POTTERS' PATH
Criccieth LL52 0EA, GB-Wales Tel: (01766) 523570
E-mail: postbox@the-coa.org.uk
WEBSITE: http://www.the-coa.org.uk
> But why would I by laying in the grass, over there
it'd be wet grass?
> How do you potters over there dry out your pots
anyway?
> > It's YOU who is lying in the grass! Earl. What are
you doing there?
> > Ah, mugging up on English grammar?
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