rain glazing pots and poking them into Iris's raku kiln.

The weather did improve somewhat, some very beautiful pots came out of the kiln, we roasted wieners and marshmallows and gorged cu selves on delicious home-baked cakes and cookies, drank gallons of coffee, and had a wonderful time.

Incidentally, the archers went out the next day and shot all day in the rain. If we had a two-day picnic no doubt the potters

would be out there, too. Ruth Meechan

FOOTPATHS (June '69)

Footpaths - an unusual key that opened up the chance to do some raku with friends, the Sheldons, at their home, Great

Henny Mill House, Suffolk, England.

While pondering over a map of footpaths in the local area, T noticed an ancient Roman pottery works marked on the map. With farther investigation of the site little was found of the Romans, of course, but there was good clay by the ton there. The place was now a gravel digs, but the clay had been slurried anc channeled off into ponds just waiting there to be used.

There and then, plans were made to do some raku in the near future, but first I had to return to London as my present stay

was now exhausted. During this time I managed to pick up some glaze materials and alsuo made a pair of tongs. Having getten all these things together and the warm weather of June upon us, I returned to Great Henny to continue the raku.

The first major step was the kiln. The construction was of com- mon red brick for the firebox and cylinder (design a la Reigger, Whonnock '68) and the arch of an old rubbish bin lid with 50-50 clay and earth packed on top.

It was built into the bank of the river which ran at the back of the house. This turned out to be a most suitable location for the

wind always seemed to blow through the firebox giving a natural draft.

16.