Borland Lodge Pottery School - Wynnis & Judith, "Besties", various years

Photos of Borland Lodge area, taken by tutors & students at classes:

Image 1 - Judith Day at the front is showing how to put on a very ‘proper’ look, all while making pottery! (We are unsure of the other person, can you help?) Borland Lodge Pottery School, 1980
Image 2 - Wynnis helping out a fellow pottery student in the class. Borland Lodge Pottery School, 1985
Image 3 - Judith Day (left) and Wynnis Wesney (right) in the Borland Lodge Pottery School kitchen, 1991

Judith Day and Wynnis Wesney, both of the OPC or Ōtautau Potters Club were well remembered by all the still living tutors as marvellous hosts and cooks. Zola Ayson, another OPC member and one-time Secretary, recalls how herself plus Judith and Wynnis used to run the kitchen at the Pottery Schools.

In fact, several of the old Pottery School tutors remarked on the hospitality shown to them by Wynnis, who would put the tutors up at her house, both before and after the week long school. Steve Fullmer recalls bunking in a cosy room with fellow tutor David Griffith and enjoying the quaint town of Otautau, a far cry from the bustling America Steve had left. Darryl Robertson also recalls being cared for extremely well and bunking up with fellow Tutor, Ross Richards at Wynnis Wesney's in her spare room and you can read more below and in the 1988 year entry, the year Darryl tutored at the school.

Interestingly, both Wynnis and Judith's daughters spoke of growing up next door to each other, with their mum's being best friends and the children also having a lot to do with each other. There was apparently a gate through the garden from one property to the other, and if 'mum' was not at home, she could always be found at her next door best friends!

Best friends, next-door neighbours, and pottery club pals – Judith Day and Wynnis Wesney - These two would feed the crowd and joyfully join in the fun and feels. All part of the beauty of the Borland experience. Pot and RIP Judith and Wynnis, you lovely ladies, you are very much missed, by your pottery mates and especially your families. We hope you are both honoured by this commemoration done in your names.

Also on the same street at one time, was another past Secretary of the OPC, Jan Lowrey. The 'girls' (Wynnis & Judith's daughters) remember the Ōtautau Potters Club Christmas hi-jinks taking place here some years. We are hoping to still get photos of this too, they could be very interesting!

CLASS ATTENDEE CONTRIBUTIONS:
"The meals are my drawcard!" announced previous Invercargill potter Frank Checkets, who in 1986, had attended 5 of the 8 Borland Lodge Pottery Schools so far. This was proof that not all the students only came for the potting. NOTE: Frank was also a willing carpenter, ready to lend a hand to built shelters for the many kilns erected over the years, often to keep the sun out, not the rain as once might suspect.

"I am not sure about all the people who were involved with setting up the Borland Pottery School but I do remember Wynnis [Wesney] and Judith Day. They also visited me in Tasman some years ago. The huge organisation and initiative it takes to create a legend like the Borland Lodge Pottery School is amazing and I am grateful to have been a small part of it. So many of my friends and colleagues in NZ pottery have also shared the experience.” Steven Fullmer - Borland Pottery School Tutor

“A small crew of about 6 core people as I recall who put it the massive planning together, did a stellar job. Wynnis Wesney’s place where we stayed and Judith Day next door are two who spring to mind, with Peter Johnson. But there were others… who worked hard and organised so much in order for these events to happen. The kiln building and firings by the awesome Peter Johnson always on hand.

At the end of the school Wynnis took us back to her place and Ross and I had a bit of a rest, then we went on tour in the car. It was such lovely end to the week, a quiet restful drive right though Tuatapere and around the centre bush a wonderful loop. Those who needed the real rest were those Otautau wonder people who made something special happen in those years." Darryl Robertson – Borland Pottery School Tutor

MID-WEEK DAY OFF:
One of the highlights of the week long Borland Lodge School Pottery Classes was the Wednesday ‘Day off’, where they students could do whatever they wanted. Many went off to explore the surrounding wilderness, hiking up trails to lakes and rivers or mountain peaks. Others would sit quietly at the Lodge and ...
Central and Western Murihiku Southland Archive via DigitalNZ

http://api.digitalnz.org/records/52946257/source

#BorlandLodge #BorlandPotterySchool #BorlandBush #WesternSouthland #Arts #NativeBush #NatureWalks #NatureActivities #Social #JudithDay #WynnisWesney #PotterySchool #AotearoaNzPotters #Central #PotteryClubs #WaiauDistrict #Pottery #Nature #KilnBuilding #Ceramics #DigitalOnlyImageInArchive #DigitalNZ

Birding, & eating what the birds eat

A very nice bird walk in a village near Mukteshwar.

Highlights many - the special one was the song of a Grey-bellied Tesia.

End of main walk break consisted of peaches (cultivated) and the round fruit of wild Myrica esculenta, locally Kaaphal.

The Indian Cuckoo sings Kaaphal Paako..., Kaaphal Pakiyo. (& not surprisingly the local name is simply "Kaphaal Paako")

#Wildberries #fruits #birding #nature #naturewalks #IndiasNature #Himalayas #Uttarakhand

Spring Guided Nature Walks in the Toronto area.

https://zunaidkhan.ca/guided-nature-walks/
#naturewalks #guidednaturewalks #torontoparks #torontoravines #toronto