The hearth

The hearth in this house is another interesting spot.

Along the mantelpiece are some bits of pottery - my favourite being the raku pot with its gorgeous coppery colours - some wooden carvings from Africa and the simple candelabra.

The three masks are part of Drummond's collection of African art, all from different tribes and countries within the continent, and all bought in street markets in Paris. I wonder if he brought one back from this latest visit...

Then, of course, there's the stove, which provided me with a lovely heat every evening, once I got it going. I wasn't always successful at the first attempt.

I have now collected my friends from the airport, brought them home to an ecstatic dog, and am once again back in my own flat for a while. It's quite a novelty!

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