Step Two

My knees,back and neck remind me that I spent yesterday with Meir and Pnina at Pardes Hanna loading the anagama: we got up to the second step,with 5 still to load. Excitement mounts,as do piles of wood for the firing: Meir claims to have around 30 cubic metres already,but is waiting for another 30 just to be on the safe side [the firing takes 20 cube,but the wood takes a year to dry/season properly - green wood takes heat out of the kiln until it reaches its combustion point,whereas dry wood gives up its heat much more quickly and efficiently]. Back next week for another round of loading: firing starts the Monday after that.