Mud

Mud must be one of the most commonly available, cheapest, reusable resources on earth. It has been used for thousands of years to build everything from humble shelters for animals, to a thermally sound home, to triumphs of ancient architecture and design - palaces, places of worship and learning, a resting place for the remains of a nomad and walled cities affording a degree of protection.

It can be fired to make a longer lasting product or simply mixed with dried grasses or grain husks and other readily available materials to give it body and bind it together, then baked in the sun and used in construction. It can be easily mended or replaced when it falls into disrepair or plastered over to help it last longer.

For me it's also aesthetically pleasing. I love the texture, the colour and the way it can blend into the landscape - coming from the earth and yet remaining embedded in the earth.

(Warning - this is another heavy picture post, but I make no apology as they are as much for me as for anyone along for the ride.)

(And believe it or not, I did cut a lot out........)

Of course, there are also ceramics but I'll save them for another post.

Sue xxxx