Silence is Golden

Silence is Golden

Hi there

Thanks for popping in. Good Friday. Call me ignorant, but I’ve never really felt that Good Friday was particularly Good or something to celebrate. Good for who?! Perhaps Good has a different meaning than the one I’m familiar with, because Dark Friday or Black Friday feels more accurate to me. But hey – what do I know.

So I kept busy with my hands today. Worked in silence at my pottery wheel most of the day.

Threw some mugs, taught myself how to collar and throw a little vase, did some slab rolling using the oh-so-easy-to-use Slab Roller, built a couple of funky pots out of grogged porcelain slabs, and prepared the stoneware slabs, ready to turn into tiles tomorrow. All this jargon!

I had to laugh at myself. I do something, like use the slab roller. Then – AFTER I’ve done it – I google “How to use a slab roller”. I worked out how to colour clay with stain, then – AFTER I had done it – I looked up “How to colour clay”.. Luckily I did it right, but I really must learn to do the research BEFOREHAND !!!

Do you do that too? Same with recipes. Cookery recipes. I am rubbish at following recipes. The only two I can follow to the letter are Delia and Jamie Oliver!

On that note, I must dash. Got a leg of lamb roasting and have to fire up the vegetables so it’s all ready at the same time.

There is a German expression I have mentioned before: “wunschlos glücklich”, which literally translated means “Wishlessly happy”, so roughly translated means Completely Content. I haven’t had that wunschlos glücklich feeling for quite some time. But today it’s back.

We went for a walk through the woods this afternoon, and it occured to me, that everything is exactly as it is supposed to be. Not necessarily as we would like it to be, but certainly as it is. It is what it is, and that is how it is supposed to be in the universe right now. Once I accept this 100%, my mind calms down, adapts to what is, rather than whatI think it should be – and I am content.

Stay safe

Love always

Barb xxx

27 thoughts on “Silence is Golden

  1. Pleased to hear you are content and happy with your day’s potting.
    I thought reading the instructions AFTER doing the job was a man thing, it certainly is Ray’s, he put a unit together only to find the accompanying units bits were not all there. After looking at the picture of the units it still didn’t make sense to him so we rang the manufacturer and eventually got it fixed.
    Finally cracked the Easter Egg hunt, took me long enough!!!
    Enjoy your weekend.

  2. Glad you had a good day, enjoying your pottery. Got a couple of things sorted in my head today so that was good, for the first time this week I realised I had your ‘washing machine’ head. I don’t usually struggle like that but this week was different. I’m down to finding one egg now so will be going back in this evening in front of tv ! Thanks for the competition. Oh and I had a little word with Grace today which was nice. Have. A good weekend x x

  3. Marvellous pottery in hand. Pleased you have had a good day. Been picking daffodils on my allotment. Looking forward to my birthday with you in the Shak shack on Wednesday. Another birthday in lockdown but okay as lots of virtual friends there. Lots of love

  4. So pleased you had a good day, I popped over to see my daughter this morning, which was lovely see her and the grandkids, son in law was at work though , spent afternoon in craft room
    Thanks for the Easter egg hunt , found all ten , enjoy rest of your weekend x

  5. Apart from my crafting, music helps to put me in that “completely content” frame of mind. After making some birthday cards for family today (the new Clarity glue runners are brilliant!), this evening I am treating myself to a live online concert of beautiful meditative and calming music. Cares and worries are floating away ….

  6. So glad to hear you have a had day just for you – just what the doctor ordered. Like you I think the only cook you book you ever need is Delia. OH has an apron with ‘what would Delia do’ on it – brilliant. Enjoy the rest of your evening.

  7. Well Barb, I totally agree with your take on why is it called Good Friday? I just can’t see it myself and can’t bring myself to wish people Happy Easter today – I do that on Easter Sunday, as that makes much more sense to me.
    I’m please that you have had such an enjoyable time doing your pottery and that you now have that wonderful contented feeling – perfect!
    I’ve been in danger of ‘losing it today’ – I am still having trouble seeing the computer and crafting with new glasses – it just isn’t clear. This is after having a 2nd eye test and new lenses put in! It’s just so frustrating! Sorry.
    I have only managed to find 8 of the eggs so far, so I shall have another look later – eyes permitting.
    Hugs, Gilly xx

  8. Blimey – this is a bit deep for my butterfly mind. If I make some flat pack furniture I look at all the bits first – THEN I read the instructions.
    Looking forward to the city dies you have been tantalising us with on the website.
    Love
    Maggie (Bendy Yorkite)
    PS I LURVE my backdrop stamps, what a great/good idea. Thank you.

  9. Today I used a stamp on a card that said ‘Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful’ , and though ‘how true’. I’ve enjoyed so much about the last year, made new friends and found new purpose in my crafting (in large part, thanks to the Shac) . Today I walked the dogs in the woods and although now cooler, found bluebells in flower, wood anemones and celandine -and was deafened by the multitude of birds shouting at each other! Indeed, life doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful. I’m so glad you, Barb, have found your happy place, and wish you many, many more happy hours there.

  10. Today I used a stamp on a card that said ‘Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful’ , and though ‘how true’. I’ve enjoyed so much about the last year, made new friends and found new purpose in my crafting (in large part, thanks to the Shac) . Today I walked the dogs in the woods and although now cooler, found early bluebells in flower, wood anemones and celandine -and was deafened by the multitude of birds shouting at each other! Indeed, life doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful. I’m so glad you, Barb, have found your happy place, and wish you many, many more happy hours there.

  11. Glad you managed to achieve complete contentment today it refreshes.
    I’m a compulsive reader of instructions and follower of instructions but with a few adaptions were necessary.
    Only found 9 eggs so far but at least have 2 offer codes so not a total loss.

  12. I think experimenting is a great way to learn, so don’t always look up how to do things first. Glad you’ve had a relaxing day though. I’ve been doing some hand lettering – very mindful, but need to practice more!!! X

  13. I am glad you have found content. I guess we will have to adapt or die out. Anyway, I hope you keep that feeling for a good long time.
    It is good in the sense of holy, like the Bible being ‘the good book’. I wouldn’t wish believers Happy Easter until Sunday when the Resurrection is celebrated.
    I often make things without instructions but it depends if it is critical. I wouldn’t learn CPR or rewiring a house by experimentation. I learn better working things out.
    Thank you for the hunt and for all the other ways you keep people happy and busy.

  14. Hi Barb,
    Lovely to hear that you’ve had a good day doing what you love. I managed to make two cards ,now that I can actually get to my craft stuff! Still a lot of tidying/ sorting to do but a bit stuck until we can get to the tip! Love and hugs,Alison xx

  15. I’m so pleased you have managed to have a “me time” kind of day which should have refreshed you somewhat. Apart from basic essentials like make the bed and have a quick tidy, I am afraid I have nothing else to report as I’ve been egg hunting the rest of my day and still no.10 eludes me! Never mind, it’s all good fun and tomorrow is another day!!! Night night all……

  16. Glad you had a good day on Good Friday! Today is good for so many reasons:
    Good because through the cross we are reconciled to God.
    Good because we are free to enjoy the hobbies we love.
    Good because through all your hours of leading us you have built a wonderful community.
    Good because we can walk in the woods and appreciate the beauty of creation.
    Good because just knowing it’s good makes us feel good.
    Good because it’s Friday today….but Sunday is coming!
    Be good, do good, feel good!
    Lots of love xxx

  17. sounds like you had a wonderful day and that is lovely to hear, have a good weekend. I’m pleased with myself I’ve found all the hidden
    eggs 😂😊, hugs take care xxx

  18. Glad you had a pottery day and all’s well. Looking forward to seeing the finished tiles. Hope you enjoyed the lamb and have a Happy Easter. Xx

  19. I am glad that you had a contented day to yourself, doing what you love. It is good for the mind and the soul. I hope that the rest of the weekend is enjoyable and relaxing and that you and Dave have fun with your grandchildren. Hugs. Annette X

  20. So pleased that throwing a few pots has worked for you. I had a lazy day pottering and resting in the garden as it was lovely warm and sunny. Another egg hunt search – just last one to find. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

  21. It sounds like you had a perfect day Barbara. It is so good that you have the fantastic hobby of pottery. Creating is so good for us all. Do you have the Jamie Oliver 5 ingredient book? I can recommend it. It is the cookery book I have made more recipes from than any other I have owned, it is over 30 in fact. Have a lovely Easter. Take care. Hugs xxx

  22. So good that you had a good day yesterday doing your pottery and a lovely peaceful relaxing walk (well maybe not quite peaceful with the birds shouting at you) but that’s still great. We hardly see or hear any birds here which is sad. At last found all the eggs on the hunt but not the codes, but nevermind I ordered quite a bit a week or so ago so will be content with that when it arrives for now at least. Much cooler here today should say fresh but at least not raining. Enjoy the rest of the long weekend.xxx

  23. Realised I had read your blog but not commented, too busy looking for eggs !! which I found & emailed the answers off last night before I forgot.
    Hope today has been as productive & enjoyable as yesterday seems to have been. Look forward to seeing the finished items when they have been through all the necessary processes. Isn’t jargon a wonderful thing – it appears in all walks of life. We even had to google some whilst watching Line of Duty so that we could understand what they were talking about & it would appear we weren’t the only ones having watched Gogglebox last night !!

  24. Hi Barb, wow that is some pottery done. I love to see how enthusiastic you are about it. I do have a bad habit of trying something and then googling the how to, so you are not alone. Hope you enjoyed the lamb. Bx

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