Potatoes in full bloom

 Potatoes are blooming busily now.  This means new potatoes by about mid to late June.  With any luck, to coincide with farm peas. Weather permitting.

The flower is very interesting, one solid petal with points.

Memorial Day 2018

A quiet Memorial Day visit to the local memorials, where the pavers inlaid in the walkways do not celebrate and glorify war, but rather urge peace. They remember WW1, Korea, Iraq, and 9.ll

And a final dedication of a tree to an old friend who died in great old age a couple of years ago, also a veteran.

Man at work.

Replacement deck in progress. Hoping my plantings will recover. Mike is an excellent contractor,  not a gardener. But Nature usually prevails.

I'll be out this afternoon with my knitting pals, so I won't be agonizing over the deck. Which will be lovely when it's done.

Teapots and pitchers, accidental collections

The subject of accidental collections came up recently, the kind you didn't intend, and might not even realize you have until someone mentions it.  And the friend I was emailing with said she liked the sound of my pitchers, would like maybe to see.  So I thought, good idea.  And there are teapots..




My afternoon teas, solo or with company, are an almost daily chance to enjoy this stuff. Not quite Downton, but who's counting.

Here are the markings on the underside of one fish one, probably says dishwasher safe..I also bought two cups with the fish design. They're elegant mugs really,  don't need saucers. And my afternoon teas are an almost daily chance to enjoy this stuff. Not quite Downton, but who's counting.
 

And this is a Chinese coil pot, with a bamboo handle, fave of Handsome Son when he visits
 

Chinese porcelain pot, but with Western design for export
then my biggest one, a Japanese porcelain, with brass handle, and markings too faint to read

Below are: One small hand made Japanese clay one, makes wonderful tea, pours fine if you approach it boldly -- the stream is a wide arc -- and has no markings. This came to me through the antique trade. The little fish one is a favorite for tea, too, and the one on the right I reserve for coffee. They all have a filter in the design, no need for strainers.

 My pitchers are more historic. So I thought you'd like to see the markings if any.

Here, reading from the top and around clockwise are a Wedgwood Queensware one, early 19th century, an Irish Belleek, old, but not antique, a pretty Staffordshire china, modern, but traditional design, a blank Lenox, as you see. But once you see it upright, the color and glaze and shape are unmistakable.

Known as backdoor Lenox, that company being near here for its long history, a lot of locals worked there, and sometimes seconds or unmarked pieces found their way home, and eventually into hands like mine. 

This is a pottery region, the clays being excellent and varied.  A lot of English potters found their way here hundreds of years ago.  And the seashore clay was used by Lenni Lenape Indians to make coil pots.  I've dug some at Cape May, and created small items from it to show local kids at community events.

The Dutch pewter one is part of a wedding present, early 60s, the set including a coffee pot, teapot and sugar bowl.
 

The pressed glass, in the middle, unmarked, probably Depression glass, belonged to a friend's grandmother, so I use it in her honor.

 So this is the slightly more elegant side of life chez Boud.  And I really think these accidental collections are complete now.

Spring or something, planting, making discoveries

With a sudden onset of hot, humid weather, it was time to look around at the sudden growth outside. 

This included a sighting of these blossoms on what I had thought was a cherry tree, from the State forestry people. But these aren't the cherry blossoms I expected. Urgent tweet to Quinn Piper, my guru in things tree related. She suggested prunus serotina, one I'd never heard of, but checked and it is. Still a cherry, black cherry, so that part's good. However instead of the twenty or so foot mature height I was replacing, my old wild cherry, this will grow to upwards of eighty, that is not a typo, feet. I am unlikely to be there for it. But the blossoms are lovely. This is the first year of flowering, very exciting.

Onward to notice a few blossoms on the chives, which come back year after year, unprotected all winter. Usually they don't get to flower because I snip them younger.

And the potatoes are just booming. And the roses

In the course of searching for a flashlight to shine into the hole cut in the wall for the plumbing, to see if it was dry now, never found the flashlight,  but did find saved seeds, Italian basil, Thai basil and honesty. I planted the basils in containers out front so neighbors can pick when they cook. The honesty is now in the strawberry pot in the hope that marauding chipmunks won't reach up and bite them off this time.

Lunch for sudden onset heat, caraway walnut biscuit split with tuna salad, chives and tarragon added. 

Succeeded by sudden onset Duncan, who had already had his share and wanted to make inroads on mine, while my hands were occupied.

Never mind the cold wet weather, it's Summer.

It's summer, so fruit salad is the requirement for lunch. Here nice crisp apple, banana, raw almonds, sharp cheddar, dates, plain yogurt. All assembly, no cooking.

 

Exciting Day, started out innocently...

Today was supposed to be a quiet day, music partner not able to play, so free time to regroup.  Then, taking a morning cup of tea, I glanced up.  And saw an ugly wet stain on the ceiling.  New. Since yesterday. Right below the bathroom and laundry area.  This put paid to my plan to shower and do laundry.

Two neighbors later, measuring and confirming that the problem was most likely shower or washing machine.  And that, since everything visible was bone dry, it must be inside the wall.  Or floor.  One of the neighbors is my friend and contractor Mike, who said they may need to cut into the wall to detect the source, but don't worry, I can create a new access hatch for you, using the hole they cut.  Good for future use, too.

Then a fruitless morning trying to raise the plumber, all the time the stain spreading...they were having phone problems. When I finally got through, they were here in twenty minutes.  Probably grateful I hadn't given up and got another plumber.

And, after insisting, repeatedly that I did not mind cutting into the wall if that's what it took to find the problem, plumber reluctantly did so.  Either he thought I would freak out if he cut up my walls, or he didn't fancy all that work. 

Anyway, cut he did, detect he did.  And after many tries, finally found that the problem was indeed behind the wall, a pinhole in the copper pipe.  Invisible to the eye, but since under pressure, emitting a tiny little spray, probably for ages now before it became evident.  Unfortunately he had to cut into another wall to get at the pipe to cut, replace and solder it.  Which involved moving a large washing machine.  Which involved my bothering my saintly neighbor again, to ask for help, since it's a two person job.

So that bit is done.  The washer is in the hallway, glad I can slip past it.  And two neighbors will replace and rehook the washer this evening, after my contractor friend has repaired the wall.  Then I can do the laundry.  But at least I got a shower this morning, the shower's innnocence having been established despite the plumber's insistence that the problem was I was splashing water over the shower, yeah, right, he didn't get far with that, try as he did.

While I was at it, I booked the plumbing people to replace a toilet that's ready for it, and to investigate why my second shower causes a damp patch downstairs.  Which is why I couldn't shower yesterday until the first one was cleared.  Sigh.  It's all go. But I
may as well get a few big jobs done while I've got my wallet open.

In fact one reason the contractor neighbor was here was to give me a price on replacing my deck, which he's repaired recently.  May as well do the whole thing and enjoy it.  So that's going to happen. But I know  he will just tend to business, no protesting that it doesn't need done. He's already done the measurements and will price lumber this weekend. 

This place will be fully functional if I live to see it!   My logic is that now that my body is no longer considered a disaster area, I can turn my attention to the fabric of the house. Too bad there's no insurance for house repairs caused by wear and tear. Or on the householder, also under wear and tear.

Asparagus is in!

Celebrating the new asparagus season.  Here are a few spears, briefly simmered, and added to this salad of local mozzarella, apples, cheddar cheese, almonds.

 

Spuds ahoy!

I'm sure you remember vividly the post in which I talked about planting potatoes? no? how will you manage the quiz at the end of the post, I ask?  You may be headed for failure with a capital L, as one of my teachers memorably said one day, poor lady.

Anyway, back in February we had a deceptively mild day, and I had a couple of potatoes sprouting on their own in the kitchen, so I planted them in containers.  Then a lot of weather ensued, which kept them pretty much wet and frozen for weeks, neither of which conditions suits potatoes.

 
But a couple of warm days, and we see that, contrary to my expectations, they are sprouting rapidly, and there will be a harvest.  

 
Even my backup one is coming up despite the squirrels digging everything up multiple times.

So maybe in June, along with green peas from the farm, there will be new potatoes, too.  I'll be sure to show you the harvest if there is one.

And here's my little red maple, new foliage, lovely color.  I use the leaves in fall for dyeing purposes, and recommend them as a natural dye source. Even fallen leaves, if they still have some pigment, can work.  Aside from the fact, says she hastily, that it's a beautiful tree for your landscaping..I tend to get carried away with utility in these things.

Speaking of which, the ficus, which I took outdoors perilously early, did indeed drop a lot more leaves, no help from squirrels climbing about, but I notice also signs of new growth, so that's hopeful.

I had already decided that if she didn't survive this year,  I would spray her some interesting color and use her as a home decor feature.  Maybe she heard my plans and thought, hey, not so fast, lady. Waste not want not...

New learning at the knittting group, and WW Farmers' Market 2018

Yesterday was a meeting of the knitting group, always fun, and three new members showed up. One was in the throes of a broomstick lace project and she kindly showed us how it's done.  I'd heard of it, but this was a first in action

 


And I had brought Ellen Wilkinson in for a field trip

Today was the opening of the WW Farmers' Market for the year.  So I was there earlier than I usually manage, couldn't wait. It's always a lot of fun.

 Bottom line, this is today's haul, first asparagus, wonderful chicken sausage, local mixed greens, handmade mozzarella from the sausage place, mixture of crimini and shiitake mushrooms. Several excellent meals here.

This handsome feller, complete with spring clip, had noted that here and there interesting bits of food get dropped, so he kept his nose alert just in case Dogs love the farmers' market.
 

Two young audience members, in plenty of time for the live music tuning up

  
This baby cracked me up, intently studying his father taking pictures of the labels on garden plants, important stuff

  
And here's the brother of the two young audience members, jamming briefly with a member of the performing group

  
Always look for the mushroom display, this being not far from Kennett Square, home of the mushroom around here

 The knife grinder discussing the technicalities, and reminding me that I hate grinding my own knives so it would be good to remember to bring them and have him do them

The musicians getting under way

Once home, it's all about prep, washing, drying, slicing, wiping, generally setting up in the freezer ready for a week's good food.

So that's us.

May the Fourth be With You!

Sad news, with the departure recently of Phyllis, a local friend, longtime blog follower and participant, always ready with ideas and books for me to read and responses to posts by email.  She always showed up at my events and demos, full of life and ideas to the end of her long life. Loved company but no so much as to hang out with what she would categorize as "just anyone".  Groups for their own sake not her style.  Interesting reader and debater.

Meanwhile, May the Fourth be with us all, and our inner Princess Leias!  Phyllis would approve.