Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Bag Pot

Bowl Mold

While doing some clean up I managed to find the bowl that goes with the square plates I made much earlier.  I don't usually bother with molds like this, but I want the final bowl to be a good size.  I may make one using the inside of the bowl to make a smaller form.  One of the things I like about using clay for my molds is that by making and firing multiple forms I can shrink them and have the form remain consistent. 

Wrapped form on slab

Corners pinched with excess clay cut away

Corners cut, paddled and sponged

Form with bowl in it; excess tissue paper torn away; rim work

Form removed; tissue left in to add a little strength

Finished form

The early steps are done fairly quickly in succession.  Removing the bowl from the clay is a little tricky as the clay had to be dry enough to stand on its's own, but not so dry that it will crack as it shrinks.  I used both the sun and a hair dryer set on low to get this to the pint of removal.

Cloudy after early morning sun.  We're supposed to have a few showers, then sun for the rest of the week end.  I sure am glad I remembered to bring the laundry in last night!

This post can also be found on Mud Colony.  Go take a look!  Meet new people!

Enjoy the day and, as always, thanks for stopping by............*s*

Cake and......

A Tomato.

We picked this big beauty last night for a BLT supper.  Home grown tomato, locally cured bacon and farm stand lettuce on beer bread.  The ordinary elevated to the extraordinary by choice of ingredients.

The sandwiches were delicious!

Plum Cake......it came from the Food 52 site.  Unfortunately the site is not connecting today.  Fortunately I printed the recipe.  So without further  ado.....

PLUM CAKE

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Prep nine by two inch round cake pan.  Butter pan, cut parchment paper to fit bottom of pan and butter. Dust with flour.

Measure and sift together in small bowl:
1&1/2 Cup flour
1 Tsp. baking powder
1/4 Tsp. baking soda

Beat together until light and fluffy:
1/2 Cup soft butter
2/3 Cup granulated sugar

Beat in one at a time:
2 Large eggs
3/4 Cup sour cream (I used whole milk Greek yogurt)
1/2 Tsp. Finely grated lemon zest

Beat in flour mix at low speed (I did this by hand)

12 small plums
2 Tblsp. Brown sugar

Cut plums in half and pit.

Spread half the batter in the pan.  Sprinkle with 1 tblsp. brown sugar.  Place 12 halves, cut side down on batter.  Dollop and spread remaining batter.  Arrange remaining plum halve cut side up.  Sprinkle with remaining sugar.  (Depending on size and variety of plums you may need fewer than 12.  I used eight.  The recipe originally called for prune plums, but any variety will work.)

Bake 50 - 55 minutes, turning pan halfway through baking time.  Inserted toothpick should be clean.

Let cool 20 minutes.  Invert onto plate, then invert again onto serving plate.

Serve with sweetened whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or plain.

This recipe can be found on Food 52-Your Best Plum Recipes.

(As I mentioned before the link is not working, but this is a site worth visiting.)

Later edit:  The link is working.  There's a nice how-to pictorial there Plum Cake.

And finally.....KikiLaSois looking disgusted at Winter's antics.

And more fish, which all the kitties would probably enjoy 'meeting.'  Thankfully they are all indoor cats!

 Enjoy what  looks to be a beautiful day.

As always, thanks for stopping by..............*s*

WordLess Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Don't Forget The Fish!

Last week all the baby fish decided to surface.  They aren't easy to photograph due to waterfall and how quickly they move.  There are somewhere between one and a half to two dozen fingerlings.  I never knew that they could come in all colors.  I thought you needed black ones to get black ones etc....not the case.  We have a bunch of all black and many bi-and-tri-colored ones.  It's so enjoyable to go our and feed them and watch them eat.  I never thought a few ten cent fish from a fish store could provide so much pleasure.

Of course I had to do my own little homage to fish and make a bunch of whistles.  I did all these in white low-fire and glazed them with commercial Speedball glazes.  I mostly use commercial glazes when I am experimenting as I can once-fire them successfully.  As a rule I don't like white clay as I think it gives a stark, dead look to work.  It's subtle but terra cotta gives a warmth to white glazes that gives more depth to the work. If I am glazing a big piece on white clay I put a little rutile in it to warm it up a little.

The weather has been strange today....mostly cloudy  and breezy.  It feels almost like hurricane weather, but I don't think there are any hurricanes in the North Atlantic.

This post can also be found on Mud Colony and Artists in Blogland.  Go check them out; there is always interesting stuff to be found.

Enjoy Sunday, and as always, thanks for stopping by..................*s*

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Moonflowers and.........

Winter decided that she needed to go out at 5:15 AM this morning.  It's now so dark at this time that I almost needed a flashlight.  On the plus side, I was up early enough to get some reasonably good shots of one of the moonflowers that was in perfect position for photographing.  Often they are in such odd, high positions that I would need a ladder to get a good view.

There is something unearthly about the way they glow in the dark gray pre-dawn light.  The scent is amazing.....sort of a cross between gardenias and something else.  The sun didn't come out until about thirty minutes ago, so this bloom lasted quite far into the day.  The moonflowers wilt as the morning glories bloom.

The vegetable plants are starting to be prolific.  The nice thing is that with so many we pick them while they are still young, tender, and tasty.

And a big shout out to Gary for turning me on to beer bread.  I made this as a slow rise bread with a cup or so of beer added.  I am not a beer drinker but it makes a wonderful, tasty bread.  We made a couple of pizza and the big loaf below.  I used Newcastle Brown Ale yeasty and nutty, it makes great sandwiches and is terrific as toast with with cheese on it.

This afternoon I am giving Gary's original recipe a try.

More glaze work today and some hand building  and, of course messing around in the yard.

Enjoy your Labor Day (Boy! That came fast!).  As always thanks for stopping by............*s*