Mid Century Modern Inspired Platter

Yesterday I was inspired to make a colorful platter inspired by mid century modern aesthetics. Since it was sunny most of the snow is melted . I think the next three days will be good for firing, not too cold. Thanks for reading and for all your comments..

Beans, Opossum, and More Snow

Yesterday I made my big pot of beans, speckled butter and black bean combo. The tomato broth turned a rich mahogany color when they were finished cooking. I neglected to take a photo though.

Overnight we got another seven and one half inches of snow. Just about everything shuts down in town when it snows here. This time the snow hasn't melted off of our driveway so we're not going anywhere. Our driveway is too steep and long to shovel. Besides we sold our snow shovel in Florida of all places. A gentleman from up north bought it. He's probably using it this year. Luckily we have stocked up on plenty of food and fuel.

Lots of critters are hungry out there. The opossum came back last night looking for cat food in the outdoor bowl. He even looked inside the french door window.

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I put a little food out for him but he hasn't come back. I think he has a regular route he takes looking for food. He'll probably be back tonight. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

Winter Wonderland

 What a difference a day makes; we have a winter wonderland.

Today there is a freezing fog advisory till 9 am. Never heard of freezing fog, yikes.

And we're expecting more snow today till tomorrow.  Over night I've soaked a pot of speckled butter beans and black beans. I'll cook those up today.

One of these days I will fire my kiln. Next week we're supposed to get up into the 60's F. Until then I'll keep making pots, cuddling the kittens, and try and stay warm.

Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

Colorful Joyful Bird

A few days ago when it was warmer lots of birds were joyfully singing. Yesterday I looked out the window and saw a small bird digging in the ground. It kept digging in the ground in the same spot for so long I thought it might be digging a nest. I wondered if a bird would dig it's own nest on the ground. I learned that a Veery is one such bird.

I tried taking a photo but my zoom wasn't good enough to capture the bird at that distance and the bird blended into the hillside. Later I went outside to distract the bird from the location because it's a place my cats routinely pass by. Perhaps it was only foraging for food since it didn't return. If a bird's song could be painted I'm sure it would be very colorful. I was inspired to make a colorful joyful bird. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

Nothing Ventured, Chicken Little

This piece, a chicken planter is quite wacky, chicken little even. Part slab, part pinched but somehow the head's too long and low, the tail's too small, the neck collar too big and so on. I knew as I was making this it would not be what I had in my mind's eye. But I kept going since I hate to give up so easily. The saying 'nothing ventured, nothing gained' comes to mind. A trite expression but sometimes I think trite expressions are something to live by. So it's back to the drawing board and studio for me with my chicken planter idea. What about you, if you know something isn't working do you keep going or stop and forget about it? Do you try again? Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

Transport Winds & Salmon Patties

Yesterday morning I looked out the window to see some beautiful transport winds moving quickly across the sky. This first one looked like a man with a beard flying with his arms outstretched (the darker cloud in the center).

 Can you see the man with the beard in the dark cloud. If not what do you see?

 A few seconds later the clouds spread out looking like waves.

 Then the clouds blended even more as they flew by.

Have you ever had salmon patties? My mom used to make them so I thought I'd give them a try. Sometimes they're called salmon cakes but I've always known them as patties. It takes about half an hour to prepare and serve these and they're really delicious. I always keep canned salmon in my pantry because I like to make a cold salmon salad in the summer; I'll add salmon patties to my wintertime meal list. The asparagus spears were canned I prefer fresh, then frozen, over canned.

Drain one can of salmon well and put in a medium sized mixing bowl. Next add one beaten egg and some bread crumbs, sprinkle in some cardamom and red pepper flakes. No need to add salt, canned salmon already has salt added. Mix well and form into patties.

Melt butter and add some olive oil to a frying pan on medium high heat. When butter and oil mixture is hot (I sprinkle a couple of small drops of water in the oil and when it pops I know the oil is hot), gently place the patties in the frying pan. Turn over when brown on one side and turn down the heat and cover and cook till brown on the other side and cooked through. Serve immediately. One can of salmon made four generous sized patties. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

A Few Pinch Pots

Yesterday I made a few pinch pots. Click the link to see more details on how I make pinch pots. Basically I take a glob of clay and pound it into a round shape with the inside of my palm. Then I push my thumb in the center almost to the bottom. Then with my thumb on the inside and my forefinger on the outside I start pinching the excess clay from the bottom to the top of the bowl. Eventually I make the bowl shape and then I smooth it out. I like to make my pinch pots with a few pinch impressions and depressions, not so perfectly shaped.

I usually make the foot rings incorporated into the pot. This time I added them on the bottom. I think I like the incorporated foot rings better. I had a tiny ball of clay left over and I made the tiny pot in the first photo on the left. It's about 1/2 x 1 inch. Not sure what I'd do with such a tiny pot but you never know.

It's supposed to warm up the next couple of days even though we got snow last night. Hopefully it will be warm enough for me to load my kiln since I have lots of pots waiting to be fired. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

Temporary Broken Tooth Repair

About two years ago I had a really bad toothache. The dentist said I needed a root canal and a crown. I got antibiotics and it finally quit hurting. We didn't have the money for the root canal let alone the crown. Killing the root of the tooth to get a crown didn't sound right to me. If the tooth got infected again how how would I know if I couldn't feel the pain because the root was dead? I thought about having the tooth pulled but that didn't sound right either.

Just before I got sick with the flu recently I ate some popcorn and a hard kernel broke another part of that same tooth. The next day I got the flu and I started coughing and have been ever since. The jagged tooth irritated my tongue so much so that I couldn't swallow anything unless it was through a straw. I even ate my soup with a straw. My tongue got worse and worse and I could barely talk. I wondered what ancient people did to fix their teeth. Or folks who didn't have dentists nearby. I thought about super glue but that seemed scary and foolish. 

Low and behold the pharmacist told Gary about an old folk remedy for a broken tooth repair. Using beeswax as a repair to cover the broken tooth. Basically you cut a couple of pieces of wax off of pure beeswax. Candle wax is not the same, don't use that. Put a small dish in the bottom of a pan with water and slowly melt the wax. Then when the wax is melted you stir it till it starts to harden again. Don't touch the wax till it's warm and not hot. When the wax is soft enough to touch, form the wax into a small pad big enough to cover the tooth and place on the tooth firmly. Let the wax harden before you bite down on it. So far this temporary fix is working just great for my broken tooth. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

UPDATE: Have had several inquiries of where to purchase the pure beeswax I got my at my local hardware store. I am not sure beeswax candles will work. I'd stick with the pure beeswax compressed large tablets of beeswax. Hope this helps.

NOTE: I am not a medical professional, use reasonable and prudent caution and please consult your own medical professional with regards to dental repair.

More Cowbell

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After making a few bells yesterday I thought of making cowbells this morning. The world needs more cowbell; click the link to see the Saturday Night Live skit. 

Yesterday I felt like pinching some clay so I made some bells. For the bell with the holes I plan on stringing some leather cord and using a ceramic bead to make the ring tone and perhaps string some other beads around the bottom edge. This type of bell can be hung from an overhang on the deck or in a tree. In the photo the hole on top doesn't look centered, Hum, I did think I centered it, we shall see if it's a crooked bell. Ha.

Then I thought of the table top bells or chimes from the Victorian era which led me to make a couple of bells with a handles. On the inside I added an attachment where a bead can be strung to ring this type of bell. We shall see how these work out.

We finally got a light dusting of snow yesterday. Lots of birds were in our yard trying to find food. There was a whole group of robins. I fear they started flying north too early. If only they had waited a week or two.

I know you can barely see him but that's a pileated woodpecker. If I open the door he flies away so I have to take the photo from inside. I've decided to wait till it warms up a bit before I fire my kiln so it's back to making more work. I've been reading about bells used at weddings which say, "Ring for a Kiss". Must check into that custom. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

Rabbit Rabbit

You know how the first day of each month I try to remember to say rabbit rabbit. Well I thought I should make a few rabbits to commemorate those dates.

Everyone seemed to get snow with the last storm but all we got was ice. You can see the frost, really ice on the mountain across the valley. Today may be a different story. We shall see. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

The Cat's Meow

Finally got into the studio yesterday and made this cat jar, the cat's meow, about sixteen inches tall. The paper is to keep the top from sticking to the bottom till it dries. Wondering if the top is fired on the bottom of the jar will it explode if there isn't a hole pierced somewhere in the head? Meanwhile we're hoping for some snow rather than ice pellets. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

Valentines Miracle - Betty Girl Returned

Breaking News - a Valentines Miracle - Betty Girl returned. At 4 am this morning I thought I heard meowing outside but thought it was my imagination. Then I looked down at the deck out the french door and it was Betty. I opened the door and she ran in. She was very hungry, then thirsty, and now she's sleeping.

I put her right beside me on the desk on a pillow. I covered her up with one of my blouses. She likes being covered up. All I can think is she must have been locked up in someone's garage or barn all this time. She's been gone for six days, poor little thing. She's gotten skinny again. Must not have had any food or water the whole time. She came home just in time since Monday it's supposed to snow and mid week it's supposed to get down to a low of 1 F. Welcome home Betty Girl. Happy Valentines to you all. If you missed it scroll back to the previous post of an opossum on our deck. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

Opossum on our Deck

 Last night I finally got a photo of the opossum that occasionally visits our deck. Look at the feet.

You know I'll be making a platter today honoring this fine visitor. Happy Valentines Day to you all. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

Missing the Ballet - Sergei Polunin

Missing the ballet this morning, Sergei Polunin dances to Hozier's 'Take Me to Church' in video by David LaChapelle Studio. Click Sergei's name to be taken to video. (Sergei is wearing tights). Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

Fish Cheeks with Smoky Horseradish Sauce

This morning I had a bit more energy so I thawed out some fish cheeks. Fish cheeks are tender morsels of encapsulated meat located just below the eye. If you can't locate the fish cheeks see the diagram below. Even a small trout has fish cheeks.

I first learned about fish cheeks years ago from a fisherman while fishing in a stream high in the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. These fish cheeks were obtained from our fish market in Florida probably from grouper and snapper. Later I wasn't sure I had the stamina to cook the fish cheeks. But then I remembered how delicious they are. I cooked up a whole batch of the fish cheeks and we'll have them for several days.

I sprinkled spices on the fish cheeks and then breaded them with beaten egg and gluten free bread crumbs. Gary made up some tartar and horseradish sauce. The horseradish sauce was the best. It was ketchup and smokey horseradish mixed together. Quite a nice flavor. Gary had also purchased some whole frozen asparagus spears which weren't that bad.

Meanwhile no sign of Betty girl, so sad not to know. In the studio I rolled out a slab hoping to make a cat sculpture. While I waited for it to dry I made several vases. Then it was time to make dinner so I put the slab under plastic for tomorrow. Some things are better left for the next day. For the rest of the week we're expecting really cold temperatures, so we're stocking up on food and fuel and planning to stay put. I hope I have enough energy tomorrow to load and fire my kiln. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

Crustless Quiche

Luckily I made this quiche before I got ill and had it in the fridge and could warm it up to eat. I'm sitting up typing now since sometimes if I'm lying down I can't stop coughing. I am totally worn out from coughing so much. Soup and tea is about all I'm eating. Gary got me some store bought flan and some apricot mango juice both of which I love. No sign of Betty I fear she has gone to kitty heaven but it would be so nice to know for sure.

To make the crustless quiche, melt three tablespoons of butter and pour butter in bottom of 9 x 13 inch casserole dish. Chop fine 3 tablespoons of red onion, one teaspoon of fresh ginger.  Chop medium 3/4 cup mushrooms and half of a bell pepper (or six of the mini peppers). Saute the mushrooms and set aside, then saute the onion and ginger and then add in the bell peppers and saute them. Meanwhile sprinkle the bottom of the buttered casserole dish with shaved Parmesan cheese.

Beat six eggs and 2 cups of half and half. If you use an 8 x 8 pan decrease eggs by 2. Slowly pour half the liquid on top of cheese and butter trying not to displace the cheese. Then sprinkle in the onions, ginger, mushrooms and peppers into the liquid, Sprinkle in spices of thyme, tarragon, marjoram and a few dashes of cayenne pepper. Then pour in remaining liquid. Sprinkle in about 1/2 cup of crumbled goat cheese and top mixture with more shaved Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 F for 50 to 60 minutes, Let cool before serving. The quiche comes out without sticking to the pan and is so delicious. You can serve this for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or even dinner. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

Betty Flew Away

It was warm day with lots of sunshine yesterday so we let all the cats outside to sun themselves. Betty was enjoying herself all day long. She knows her way home and has always come back meowing at the back door. But when nightfall came we called and called and she didn't come. We looked in the woods and under the decks and everywhere we could think of and she didn't come. We called her with her special call, a high pitched MEOW, meow, meow over and over again but no response. It didn't freeze last night but tonight it will. We hope she either shows up or has flown to kitty heaven.

Meanwhile Gary and I both have a terrible cough which is probably the flu but no aches and pains just complete exhaustion. It doesn't help we're worried about Betty now. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

Thistle and Squirrel

Yesterday I made another serving tray with thistle. It's about eight inches square. Most thistle are weeds but they're also beneficial to many species of butterflys who feed on their nectar and goldfinch love thistle seeds.

Then there's an edible thistle, the artichoke, which I love. It's too cold here to grow artichoke here but in California I grew it. You can see why, when it started to go to seed, I didn't have the heart to stop it. I like to use canned artichoke and spinach, drain them well (squeeze the spinach to get as much liquid out as possible), add sour cream and paprika for a quick to make and healthy dip.

 I used the same cutouts on the corners for this tray as I did with the cone flower tray the other day.

One day this squirrel appeared to be eating something off of the deck boards. He went all along the underside nibbling lightly. Then he moved to the top but preferred the underside. I wonder if some sap was exuding from the wood?

Doesn't the title of this post, Thistle and Squirrel sound like an intriguing company name? Like Black and Decker, Dooney and Bourke, Sherwin Williams. Well you get the picture. There's no accounting for what that squirrel was doing just like there's no accounting for where my mind leads me. Perhaps I should have painted a squirrel nibbling on the thistle. Ha. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

Flower and Leaf Serving Trays

The other day I made a serving tray with leaves. When I pushed up the sides of the form which was rectangular the corners were higher than the other part of the sides. Then it dawned on me that I could cut the corners out and miter them as I've done in sewing.  So that's what I did for this serving tray with flowers.

After I cut out the squares from the corners I decided to add them to the corners as an embellishment. I thought about adding some handles to these but couldn't come up with an idea I liked. I'll have to do some research on handles. Any suggestions?

Here's the first serving tray I made with the water color leaves. You can see from this angle but the corners are higher than the sides. I suppose I could have cut off the corners but I left them. I might go back and add some definition to the leaves on this one.

 I also made a few more of my window sill mini pots.

And here are a few heart ring dishes, hopefully I'll get them finished before Valentine's day. I'm working at the gallery in Hiawassee today and tomorrow is my caning class so I'll be busy the next few days. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.