Iron Pour

Stephen Coles is a sculptor with an MFA from Alfred, New York State, and now has a studio on his dad's Dorset farm. A couple of weekends ago Mr Kite and I went over to help him with an iron pour. My role was pretty safe and easy: take photos. Everyone else was kitted out in full leathers and visors; sand and water easy at hand. 

  The moulds ready for molten iron

  Pouring. 

Exciting stuff! I think the next pour will be bronze; casting a mince pie among more practical things. More on that later. 

Photographic Update

Okay, so I realise that I've been pretty slap-dash about updating what's what over the past few months. So here's some pictures describing the last two months of stuff that's been happening, late october-november's adventures not yet uploaded/ included. 

Cuthays Farm, near Axminster. Mary was interested in buying this dilapidated farmhouse and 28 acres of beautiful land. But it was falling down a little bit too much, and she wants more acres to plant her nut crops and forest garden. Still, it was very interesting to view it. The place wasn't connected into mains water, only having a well, it was all really well set up in an old fashioned and very sensible manner that we'd label permaculture nowadays, but then it was just good old normal common sense. 

Cuthays fields with plenty of wild food. 

Less wild food from Mr Kite's greenhouse, tomatoes grown by my fair hand.  Still cropping right into late October. 

Tay from Cherry Wood with puppy Kaia, ours for such a brief flash of time. 

Kaia's dad is Pippin, and her mum is Mooty of Cherry Wood. Perfect parentage! 

Kaia

Kaia lived with us for two lovely weeks before going on to a new home. We miss her! But I don't miss her mess. 

This is the cabin before Kaia came:

 And here it is during her stay. Very different:



My veg garden back in September. Love it!!




Walking near Mr Kite's place.

The River Stour. 

My allotment in september

Volunteer

For me 2011 has been a year of volunteering for things, getting involved in the community etc. I unintentionally found myself as the president of my local WI; on the WI committee; a co-organiser of Storyslingers, my writing group; a member of two other writing groups, plus a writers’ network; a member of a Local Action Group for a funding body; a voluntary press officer; a member of a reading group, and a few one off things.

Out of all these things, the only group that has given anything positive back to me has been Storyslingers, and the writing network. The others have simply piled stress onto me, demanded more than I am capable of, and even insulted me.

I now realise why a lot of young people don't get involved in community things; life is in too much of a delicate balance while you're trying to establish a career, not living in your own house and with more money going out than in. These community things are better for retired people who have security, have already ploughed all their effort into their own lives and careers and can comfortably give something back. I'm not there yet! 

And if you ever come across some gullible youngish person willing to volunteer their time to help the community, please consider the fact that they are still learning, they are likely to be struggling financially, and the last thing you should do is to rant your discontent at them. 

2012 is going to be a year for me, for focusing 100% on my career, on spending some time with people of my own generation.