Wild Aster and Gold Squash

Remember the climbing wild aster I showed you the other day? Well I was inspired to make a set of wild aster plates, or perhaps they are bowls. Anyway I hope these turn out a little more vibrant than in the photo. I never know with these stains and colored slips. We shall see, but that's part of the fun and mystery.

I've also been thinking I'd like to develop a line of plates and bowls where part of the clay is left natural, without glaze, on the reverse. I decided to texture the reverse of these wild aster plates with a pattern and see how that works out. Perhaps having a textured bottom will aid in the firing process too. Let's see now, where will I sign my name?

The other day at the produce market I saw one lone gold squash. It was similar in size to a green acorn squash but a beautiful gold color. Sorry I should have photographed the skin for you to see. The outside is a beautiful matt gold color and scalloped in a perfectly symmetrical pattern. I happened to look at the label for this squash and it was distributed by Superior Sales in Hudsonville, Michigan. I don't see the gold squash on their recipe page. Perhaps I'll email them with this quick and easy recipe.

I decided to cut it in half, scoop out the seeds and bake it like my mother used to do. I add a pat of butter and brown sugar, place in a baking dish, fill baking dish with a cup of water and bake at 350 F for half an hour. This squash took much less time to bake than a green acorn squash would take.

I started to mix it all up and dig in, then I remembered I needed to take a photo for you to see the cooked squash. It's just like a dessert cooked and eaten this way. Every once in a while a little sugar can't hurt, can it? Perhaps this is the way my mother got us to like eating vegetables when we were kids. Please give it a try. That cold front and storm moved through very quickly last night and I don't think we got a stitch of rain. I may have to get my rain stick out. This post is part of the Mud Colony what's happening in the studio, check out the link for other potters around the globe. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

Little Things Like No-See-Ums

The other day when we went to the fish market, Gary went inside to get the fish and I walked around to harvest some leaves. While I was walking around I saw these wonderful climbing wild aster blooming.

The large heart shaped leaves are kudzu, the aster has the smaller darker green leaves.

Later I noticed some bamboo bark lying on the ground. I collected these three pieces to bring home with me. As I was getting in the car Gary said he had been bitten on his legs by no-see-ums. They itched him for over a week. I was spared as they were near the water and I didn't go over there. When we got home, I had Gary rub baking soda water on his legs which helped with the itching, and he used some lavender spritzer which also helped. Gary counted 92 bites on his legs; only Gary would count them. Ha.

At home out by our pool we noticed this strange spider and found out it's a spiny backed orb weaver.  Sometimes the little things in life are just what's needed like flowers, other times not, like no-see-ums. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.