Firing Number Two

We had our second firing and it went smooth. We are still having issues with these weird bricks I got cheap and we used for the grate, but we will replace the gate again and we should be in good shape. Eric rigged up some hardy board with kao wool to insulate the kiln walls and part of the door and it really did the trick. We got come 12 flat on top and bottom in the front and 10 flat in the back. I wadded a few bottle forms across the fire entrance toward the back and I think it slowed things down a bit back there, but we still had good results. The kiln cooled much slower then last time, again Eric's insulating panels really worked. The kiln isn't as cool looking, but firing efficiency is far more important. We opened it yesterday and we had lots of happy results. I would have a few pictures of results, but our memory card decided to have problems so I'll have to retake a few shots of the results.
-happy firing

The pictures show very tired potters, stokers, and the different sides of the kiln with the new panels.

Where does time go?

I wanted to get some more shots of the last firing results and maybe shots of what happened to the grate, but time keeps slipping away from me. We actually had some nice weather today so we spent it transplanting roses. Eric and I also celebrated our 4 year anniversary recently so we of course didn't get anything done then. We are planning our next firing in late Feb so I've been making pots, which is what I should be doing right? I'm also working on some changes to my Ceramic Showcase booth and taking pictures for a clay interpretive display at the show. This is a picture of one of my casseroles with beer bread in it...yum!