Friendships, fractals and panto!

Had a chilled evening with good friends Ilona and John last night - great food and much putting the world to rights - well our worlds anyway.  It was so good to catch up, especially as they'd just returned  from Greece, the Peloponese to be precise, one of my favourite places in the whole world.  The tzadziki dip hit just the right spot -  from the first taste I was transported to a Mani mountain covered with thyme, cyclamen and autumn crocus overlooking the sea.

Ilona is a ceramicist who makes large raku pots informed  by time spent living with women potters in Somalia.  The geometric designs are  intricately decorated with fractal patterns. For those who aren't already fractal fans, these are fragmented geometric shapes that can be split into parts, each of which is a smaller copy of the whole.  Note for knitters - fractals provide endless design inspiration. Anyway just had to show you one of Ilona's fabulous pots - if you get the chance to see her latest installation at Burton Constable Hall in the New Year, don't miss it!

Fractals in nature

Fractals in art

Have to admit that Christmas is just round the corner now after getting tickets for the panto. Berwick Kaler's thirty-three year stint providing festive fun in York must be something of a record.  Heard a rumour that this might be his last one so had to get Izzi and Ava to experience at least one of these whacky occasions.  Haven't been for ages, in fact since Felix was little, so it'll be nice to get reacquainted with the Waggon Wheels.