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.
Ahhh, artichokes, surely one of the most delicious foods possible, along with avocados, of course. :) Yes, Thistle and Squirrel is a gorgeous name for a company . . . also for a line of pottery . . . I think it would be great to put a squirrel and a thistle on creations . . . I have a friend who monitors a web cam some lady has that's on her porch just to capture what the squirrels do! Thanks for the FB follow, Linda! I hope you'll include photos of your pottery -- just writing stuff would be boring -- need some "pretty" too. (PS: After an uproar last year, they lowered somewhat the property taxes they'd raised here.)
ReplyDeleteHi Kittie, thanks, I miss the mini artichokes we got on the west coast and in florida haven't seen them here, amazing you got your taxes lowered it pays to speak oout
DeleteWe grow decorative artichoke here. I wonder if that would work in the mountains. You won't get the food but it is pretty.
ReplyDeleteHi Lori, thanks, I'll have to check the zone and see if they'll make it here, it gets fairly cold at night, the structure of the leaf is nice too and the blue gray color
DeleteLovely thistle tray. Looks like the squirrel is having a great time! They are so much fun to watch!
ReplyDeleteHi Pam, thanks, they can be destructive too, eating car wiring so we need to keep an eye on them.
DeleteYes to beautiful trays...and wildlife of any form!
ReplyDeleteHi Barbara, thanks, I'm having fun using my new mason stains without the slip much smoother surface.
DeleteKeep an eye on the squirrel! We have one that has chewed a good portion of our porch railing. I finally starting smearing the rail with red pepper to keep him away. He nearly chewed through the railing.
ReplyDeleteHi Michele, thanks, and they can chew car wiring too. first time I've ever seen one on the deck. if the cat had been out there he'd have been long gone. wow the pepper spray is a great deterrent to them.
DeleteLoving your thistles - and your squirrel.
ReplyDeleteHi Sue, thanks, lots of cuteness in the squirrels as long as he doesn't become destructive.
DeleteLike the thistles!
ReplyDeleteHi Milissa, thanks, who knew a weed could be so beautiful I do love seeing them in nature.
DeleteThat tray looks very pretty. So is that squirrel.
ReplyDeleteHi Gigi, thanks so much,, loving my colors this winter.
DeleteHow lovely...the tray and the squirrel. :)
ReplyDelete