昨日係燒窯之前其中一個我好鍾意嘅慢日子 。

由朝早開始，我地就開始入窯場準備。過去幾個月柴堆亂七八糟，我地用咗成個朝早劈柴、分柴，同重新堆好新一批桉樹同果樹柴。斧頭落落去嘅聲音、新劈開木頭嘅香味，每一斧都見到木紋……呢個過程對我嚟講好似冥想一樣平靜。我好鍾意清楚知道今次燒嘅係啲乜——每條柴有幾乾、陳咗幾耐、邊啲燒得快猛、邊啲會慢慢悶燒變灰。每條柴對我嚟講都係一個細細嘅承諾，等緊窯還返啲乜嘢。 食完午飯之後，我去搞窯。掃走上次燒剩嘅灰，檢查火箱，清潔入柴口，確保煙囪透氣順暢。每次打開窯門，總會聞到上次燒完留低嘅味道——炭、還原、淡淡嘅甜煙味。呢個味道每次都令我心入面暖暖地，好似窯喺同我講：「我仲喺度，等緊你。」 

食完午飯之後，我地就去搞個窯。掃走上次燒剩嘅灰，檢查火箱，清潔入柴口，確保煙囪透氣順暢。每次打開窯門，總會聞到上次燒完留低嘅味道——炭、還原、淡淡嘅甜煙味。呢個味道每次都令我心入面暖暖地，好似窯喺同我講：「我仲喺度，等緊你。」 

之後再檢查棚板、支撐同軟墊，調咗幾件作品嘅位置，確保一切都妥當。做完之後，我捧住杯茶，坐低靜靜望住個窯好耐。呢一刻我突然覺得好有感覺：我花咗咁多時間做作品，花咗咁多時間準備窯，最後就要將一切交畀火……心入面有期待、有緊張、但更多係信任同愛。 

到黃昏，一切都乾乾淨淨、堆好、同安靜落嚟。柴準備好，窯呼吸順暢，我感受到燒窯前少有嘅平靜——就係要放手之前嘅感覺。 

跟著就開始點火。 

而家，工作室好靜……但我心入面已經開始興奮。 

Yesterday was one of those slow, satisfying days that only happen right before a firing. No throwing, no glazing, no big decisions - just the steady rhythm of getting everything ready so the kiln can do its work.

Started early with wood. The pile had grown messy over the last few months, so I spent the morning cutting, splitting, and stachking fresh batches of eucalyptus and fruitwood. There's something meditative about it: the crack of the chain-saw, the smell of fresh-split timber, the way the grain reveals itself with each strike. I like knowing exactly what's going into the fire this time - how dry each log is, how long it's been seasoned, which pieces will burn fast and hot, which will smolder and ash. Every stick feels like a small promise for what the kiln might give back.

After lunch I moved to the kiln itself. Swept out the last traces of ash from the previous firing, checked the firebox, cleared the stoking ports, and made sure the chimney was breathing freely. There is always a moment when I open the door and smell the ghost of the last load - charcoal, reduction, faint sweet smoke. I love that smell. It's like the kiln is reminding me it's alive and waiting.

I also double-checked the shelves, props, and wadding. Rearranged a few pieces that were still waiting to go in, made sure nothing was too close to the flame path. Then I sat with a cup of tea and just looked at the kiln for a while. It's funny how much trust is involved: you spend days (or weeks) making the work, hours preparing the kiln, and then you hand everything over to fire and hope it comes back better than you left it.

By late afternoon everything was clean, stacked and quiet. The wood was ready, the kiln was breathing, and I felt that rare, calm certainty that comes right before letting go.

Next week the fire starts.

For now, the studio is still.

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