love is in the air

Jack with his friend.

This morning while feeding the animals, I looked out in the pasture and witnessed the strangest and yet most endearing display of affection. Jack, the shetland wether and this young, previously unattached goose have apparently taken up together in a gentle, though odd love affair. Nuzzling and rubbing each other, they seemed quite content to let others of their own species go about their business, while they kept company. When I went back out with camera in hand, Ms. Goose seemed a bit shy of flaunting their relationship in front of the paparazzi even though Jack had no such qualms. And you can see him here gently rubbing his face against her shoulder while she coyly looks away. Very sweet.

winter doldrums suggestion #8: visit the American Craft Council show in Baltimore!

suggestion #8: look at great art!

One of my favorite things to do in the last couple of years is to go to the American Craft Council show in Baltimore. The largest juried indoor craft show, it is held at the Baltimore Convention Center and this year will run from Friday, February 27 - Sunday, March 1. Over 700 artists will be exhibiting jewelry, furniture, clothing, home decor, mixed media, and more! Materials range from glass to ceramics, wood, fiber, metal, and almost anything you can imagine.

Check out the web site for more information, and if you have a free day this weekend, GO!

seed-buying for 2009

Okay, so I went a little crazy. My only defense is that I kept finding more interesting plants to try. I mean, how can you not love a Thai Golden round melon that's supposed to yield six pound fruits that look like a pumpkin but taste like a combination of pineapple and papaya? Or Chinese Red Noodle Beans, the pods of which are 18" long and deep red; a cucumber that looks and tastes like a lemon; and a pumpkin shaped like Cinderella's coach? Then of course there are so many wonderful heirloom tomatoes in all shapes, sizes and colors who can resist them? Not me. And what about mustard? Several years ago I found a recipe for and made my own grainy mustard. Now, I've found three different varieties and hope to try out that recipe once again, but this time with seeds I've grown myself. Then of course, there is lemongrass, basil, dill, hot and sweet peppers, lettuce, spinach, beets, cabbage, and carrots.

My real downfall was when I decided to pick out just a "few" flowers to plant. Of course I had to have sunflowers (do you have any idea how just many varieties of sunflowers there are, for crying out loud?), sweet peas, bachelors buttons, hollyhocks, cosmos, and zinnias.

There's more, but it's ridiculous.

My only hope is that I can keep up with the garden this summer.

winter doldrums suggestion #7: visit the tropics

suggestion #7: go see the tropics show at Diddywopps & Keeffers

Tami of Diddywopps has arranged a group show of about 20 artists centered around the theme of the tropics. It runs from February 19 thru March 30. An opening reception will be held Saturday February 21 from 6-9 p.m. Everyone is welcome and invited to come and join us for the opening - it should be fun and a good break from the cold weather while being surrounded by tropically-themed art*. 

*(I also hear there may be caribbean-themed music and umbrella drinks, but it's an unsubstantiated rumor.)

maple syrup

Today I am boiling down my first ever batch of maple syrup! Wahoo! I am using a standard grill-type propane tank and an outdoor cooker (like a turkey fryer). I started it outdoors because apparently the steam contains quite a bit of sugar and that's not really something you want all over everything in your house. Unfortunately, it wouldn't boil. Maybe too cold out there, or too much wind, but anyway I brought the whole contraption into the garage, and so now we have boilage! Yeah, the garage might suffer from a coating of sugar, but really, who cares? It's a garage. I started out with 10 gallons of sap and am down to three. By the time it's done I expect it to yield about a quart. A side benefit of doing it in the garage is that now it is warm, steamy, and smells slightly sugary out there. Sort of like a confectionery sauna. Mmmmm, nice.

Perhaps next year I'll do it out in the wood shop. After all, there is a small wood stove out there that really cranks the heat out. I could fortify myself with a thermos of coffee, a good book, and some sculpture projects to work on. You know, that sound so incredibly appealing that I may just have to do it next weekend!

happy valentines day!

winter doldrums suggestion #6: grow something

suggestion #6: grow some sprouts!

What's not to love about fresh sprouts? I especially love alfalfa sprouts. The problem is finding some in the grocery store that are fresh and not half wilted or dead looking. Taking the matter into my own hands, I decided to try to grow my own, because seriously - how hard can it be? There's a great resource online to get you started. The company is called "The Sprout People" and their web site address is www.sproutpeople.com. You can get everything you need there from seeds to containers in which to sprout them. More seeds than you can imagine. I decided to start with some that I knew I liked (alfalfa and mung beans) and also one that would be new to me, at least in sprout form (peas). I also got three lid/screen combos that will fit on wide mouth jars to do the sprouting in. You could also go to your nearest health food store for the seeds and just use canning jars and rings with some cheesecloth. This doesn't have to be an elaborate or expensive proposition. 

So hit back at winter and give it a try - truly fresh alfalfa sprouts on a salad or sandwich, or mung bean sprouts in a stir fry are great!

First Friday In Lancaster

Not to belabor a point, but if you get a chance, try to get out to First Friday tonight. Galleries are having openings and shops are staying open late. Many times there is street music and everyone strolls down the sidewalks talking and laughing. It's like a giant block party. I'll be at City Folk so stop by and say hello!

the making of a toucan

Diddywopps is having a multi-artist show in February with a tropics theme and so I decided to create a piece called "The Toucan's Flight".

Please excuse the poor photo, but I finished him just in time to deliver him, but without leaving myself any real time to take a good photograph. However, along the way I took photos of the various steps taken to create him and so here is a little photo essay...

Several pieces of tulip poplar were glued together to make a block of wood thick enough for the bird's body.

And another piece of wood was planed thinly for the wings. The drawing was transferred onto the wood.

The rough shape was cut out on the band saw,

and further shaping was done on the belt sander.

A dremel was used for final shaping and to add the wing and feather texture as well as other details.

A base coat of gesso was painted on and sanded, then wire legs and feet were attached with epoxy. After the epoxy cured for a day, the bird was painted, then given a hand-rubbed wax finish. 

Now onto the tree which will hold the suspended toucan in mid-flight...
Holes were drilled in a branch and heavy aluminum rods were inserted and epoxied in place. The rods were then wrapped with multiple aluminum wires which make up the smaller branches and leaf outlines. About 17 wires were used.

The wire branches were then almost totally covered with epoxy to add stability, thickness, and texture.

Then the leaves were covered with old dictionary pages using matte gel medium, wrapping the wire with the paper.

One of the last steps, and the last one that I took a photo of, is wrapping the branches with matte gel medium and tissue paper. This completely covered up the wire and epoxy, providing a nice texture and smooth surface to paint on.

After that, the branches and leaves were painted with multiple layers of acrylic mixed with matte medium and matte gel medium to achieve the look I wanted.

Finally, the toucan was hung from the tree with thin black wire to give the look of him swooping through the branches.

winter doldrums suggestion #5: go antiquing

Suggestion #5: spend some time in an antique mall

Winter is the perfect time to go antiquing because there's absolutely no guilt about being indoors on a perfectly nice day. Yesterday morning I went to Renningers Antique Mall in Adamstown, PA. The place is huge and I knew I'd be able to find good stuff there. That's my haul in the photo above. Not sure yet what I'll do with most of it, but it'll get used somehow. I especially like the red-painted turned wood knob-type thingy. 

I did end up using one of the watch faces for "The White Rabbit's Mirror". I made a new heart - this time out of wood - and painted it red, then attached the watch face to it and hung it by a chain to the frame. Much better than carrots and the ceramic heart that I originally had. Still a bit sweet, but not quite so cute. 

oh my ears and whiskers!

"Oh my ears and whiskers how late it's getting!"

Do you know that line? It was uttered by the white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland because he was late for a meeting with the Duchess. In the spirit of all things Alice, here is a looking glass I did for the show at City Folk which will open Friday, February 6 - just one week from tomorrow. For a tiny little preview, check out their web site. The opening reception is from 5 - 9 p.m. And don't worry about being late, the Duchess won't be there.

Addendum: After having this hanging in my house since yesterday, I couldn't stand it anymore and I took off the carrots. They just caused the whole piece to veer dangerously close (maybe/probably even crossing over the line) to a "ducks-in-bonnets" aesthetic, which makes me vaguely nauseous. For now I'll leave on the heart, but what I think the piece really needs is a scruffy vintage pocket watch. I may have to go to an antique store tomorrow or Sunday to see if I can hunt one up.

winter doldrums suggestion #4: visit a conservatory!

Suggestion #4: visit a conservatory on a sunny day

A wonderful treat for the senses in the middle of winter is to take a day and go to Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA. They have the most wonderful conservatory. According to their literature, it shelters 20 indoor gardens with 5,500 types of plants within 4.5 acres of glass-enclosed space. 

I hope you enjoy the following photos nearly as much as I enjoyed being there!

the lawn in the main building - sort of makes you want to take off your shoes and walk on it

the silver garden

phalaenopsis in the orchid room

a collection of orchids and bromeliads

a display of spring flowers

hydrangea

the tropical room

carnivorous plants, beautiful but deadly if you're an insect

Doesn't it feel more like spring already?

making bread

"Without Bread all is misery." —William Cobbett, British Journalist (1763-1835)

My Aunt Ruth makes the best bread ever. Amongst all my aunts, uncles, and cousins, no one else can touch her. Several years ago she gave me her recipe and I've been making bread off and on ever since. It still doesn't quite match her level of deliciousness, but it's pretty good. It's your basic soft white bread, good with just butter or some home made jam - especially when it is still a bit warm from the oven. And since this recipe was freely given to me, I thought I'd pass on the love.

I use my KitchenAide mixer with the dough hook, but Aunt Ruth sure never did. So feel free to mix and knead the traditional way.

Aunt Ruth's Bread Recipe

Into a large mixing bowl, add 2 cups warm water (about 110°F).

Start the mixer on low speed and add the following:

1 3/4 tablespoon shortening (butter, lard, or crisco [ick])

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon yeast that's been dissolved into 1/2 cup warm (110°F) water

6 cups flour, adding just one cup at a time.

Add only enough flour to keep the dough from sticking excessively to the bowl. I'll usually add 5 cups and as it's kneading only use as much of the last cup as needed. The dough should be soft and shiny and elastic. It's probably better to add too little flour than too much. Too little just means it will be a bit harder to handle. Too much and you'll ruin the texture of your bread.

When finished kneading, place in greased bowl and turn over to oil the other side. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double. Punch down and let rise until double. Using oiled hands, divide into two, shape into loaves and place in greased pans. Let rise again until double. 

Bake at 375°F for 10 minutes, then 325°F for 15 minutes.

Remove from pans and allow to cool on racks.

If you're feeling feisty, you can exchange honey for the sugar. Also consider adding some crunchy wonderfulness to the mix. You'll want to add this stuff right before the flour. I've used as many as four or five of these at once. It turns a simple white loaf into something rich and hearty. But take note: these are my own additions, if you don't like them, don't blame Aunt Ruth. It's not her fault. 

Here are some ideas:

1/3 cup sunflower seeds

1/3 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1/3 cup red and/or golden flax seed

1/4 cup white and/or black sesame seed

1/4 cup poppy seed

1/3 cup wheat berries (soak overnight first)

city folk

Great news, folks! Starting in February, I will be represented in Lancaster, PA by the City Folk gallery. Gaye Cox is the proprietor and I have long admired her style at City Folk. She has the most wonderful mix of folk (and other) art, french antiques, and garden art and accessories. It's always a pleasure to look at the latest treasures she has found and displayed so artfully. 

Lancaster will be celebrating First Friday on February 6, from 5-9 p.m., and I hope many of you will come out and enjoy the festivities! I will have about eight pieces at City Folk, one of which is a mirror which will be a part of a special "Alice's Mirror" display Gaye has planned featuring several artists that she represents.

In the meantime, check out her web site at www.cityfolkonprince.com.

City Folk is located at 146 North Prince Street in Lancaster, on Gallery Row.

what it was...

For all those of you just dying to know what that thingamajig was from last Wednesday's post, it is a tap to collect sap from maple trees. There are eight maple trees here on the hill and it occurred to me that I could try my hand at making maple syrup. So after researching it on the web, I decided to go for it. All I had to buy was the taps and so am able to start out small and affordable. My best estimate is that I can expect 6-10 gallons of sap per tree, which should boil down to about 7 quarts (combined total). This estimate might be off because most of the trees are not sugar maples, but silver maples which have a lower sugar content and therefore will need to boil down further. This is all an experiment and a learning experience and I could fail miserably, but we'll see how it goes - I'm pretty excited.

Congratulations to Margie of Resurrection Fern, who was the correct guesser. She'll be receiving a bottle of syrup as soon as it's ready. BUT, for being good sports and playing along, Bonnie and Michelle will also receive a little something.

a new kiln!

Okay, so it's used, and it's on the smallish side, but it's new to me and bigger than I've ever had before, which isn't too hard since it's my first one. Tami at Diddywopps offered it to me - for free - since that's how she herself came to have it. Apparently it's been handed down several times from artist to artist, and somehow that makes it even more special. 

What's really great is that I'll be able to experiment with ceramics without having to conform to any one else's schedule. I can fire as much and as often as I like rather than having to wait weeks to see results. Good times!

Thanks, Tami!

winter doldrums suggestion #3: bring home cut flowers

suggestion #3: buy yourself a bouquet of flowers

Do this for yourself! A simple bunch of flowers - or even just one - can brighten a room and your whole day. When I was a college student, my apartment was right across the street from a florist and so fairly regularly, I'd go and buy the cheapest bunch they had. For several years after graduating I'd treat myself to fresh flowers, but unfortunately somewhere along the way, the habit died. Too bad, really.

So let's not let practicality rear it's sterile head and interfere with the joy of fresh blooms! Go out and buy some flowers!

*the pot above was made by Amedeo Salamoni, a neighbor, potter, artist, and fellow participant in the southern lancaster county open studio tour.

do you know what this is?

Can you guess what this is and what my next hare-brained plan might be? I ordered a dozen of these today and hope to start using them in mid-February. Make a guess in the comments section. I'll select randomly from the correct guesses and the winner will receive a free gift that relates to the above item (if all goes according to plan, that will probably be in March - if my plan fails and nothing comes of it, I hope you'll be understanding.)

Amendment: Since almost no one is guessing due to probably not having a clue what this doohickey is, here is the new deal - if there are no correct guesses, then the winner will be picked from all those who've given any guess at all.

Further ammendment - Margie of Resurrection Fern guessed correctly and so the game is over.

new at etsy

I just finished adding the honey dippers to my etsy store. Botanically-inspired, they are just a bit of fun and whimsy while still being practical. 

winter doldrums suggestion #2: visit the pennsylvania farm show!

This is one of the friezes on the older portion of the farm show building complex.

Suggestion #2: visit farm animals and eat good food

What's not to love about going to a farm show in January? Until Saturday, January 17, the Pennsylvania Farm Show is being held in Harrisburg. As stated on their website, more than 400,000 visitors are expected, with the chance to see almost 6,000 animals, 10,000 competitive exhibits, and 270 commercial exhibitors! Every year there's a giant butter sculpture, a sheep-to-shawl competition, and a huge food court that showcases some of the state's most delicious products. My favorites in the food court would have to be the chocolate milkshakes, the deep fried mushrooms, and the lamb stew. The potato donuts are pretty good, too.

Of course, I enjoyed all of the animals being exhibited, especially the poultry. There were, of course, also cows, pigs and sheep - the sheep that were there on Sunday were just the market lambs - who looked like supermodels compared to my rather short and stout babydolls. Even Jack the shetland bears little resemblance to those long-legged ladies. Apparently the wool breeds will be there later in the week.

I also got the chance to watch part of the draft horse hitch competition - very impressive. Can't begin to imagine what it takes to feed animals of that size. 

So if you live anywhere near Harrisburg, PA, I'd encourage you to get out there this week and immerse yourself in the agriculture of Pennsylvania!

*Photo montage above: Narrangaset turkey, draft horse hitch, the crowds, frieze detail, canned goods in competition, angora rabbit, bee display, market lamb, red deer, historical display, old english game hen who was the supreme grand poultry champion, boer goats.