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Friday 30 August 2013

A whiff of autumn air brings a greedy squirrel.

Hello everyone. I have started two kilns this afternoon. And a third one was loaded for firing tomorrow. So, there will be eight firings from Tuesday to Saturday. It's a record for me. Fran, the secretary popped into the studio. Having seen me looking slightly insane and intense to finish all my works, she asked if we would have our own MA show next year. Yes. So, these sculptures I am making are not going to be marked. No. She rolled her eyes. But that's not the point. I just have to do my very best on something I enjoy doing.

When she appeared I was applying underglaze on one of my small works at the table. If she had seen me in kneeling in front of the kiln a bit earlier, she would have thought I would have gone mad. Even at my standard, this is a bit too gone! So I took a photo to share with you! (I was doing a very delicate work on a sculpture, not praying, by the way.)

I used a towel for my poor knees. 

After dinner, we collected hazel nuts. As soon as there is a whiff of autumn air, a local grey squirrel comes to collect our nuts (and buries them all over the neighbourhood!). He carries some in both cheeks, and holds about three with his front leg, and runs on three feet on a garden wall and fence about 20-30 times a day. It's literally him or us. So we pick nuts whilst still green.

Our garden wall is 2.4 m high, about 8 feet

Once Mike starts picking nuts, he won't stop. He goes further and further inside.

Pumpkin and I had played on the ground. 
 It was getting dark. Camera needed flash. Now I could see only his legs!

Mike was swallowed by the tree
It got so dark and cool, Pumpkin and I went in. Pumpkin to her house, I to our house.  ; )

After a while, Mike came back with a bag half full of nuts. Sorting is my job. They need drying. As soon as I got the nuts out, our nuthound awoke from sacred deep sleep. Pearl loves all nuts!

Good harvest this year!

Dogs and parrots were given one each. But parrots were suspicious. They don't touch them. Nuthound cleared them all.    

Mike took a beautiful photo of the sunset after collecting nuts. I hope it will be dry tomorrow.




4 comments:

  1. Oh now you might be able to give me some advice! Last year Mr K and I picked a bumper crop of hazel nuts then were completely stuck as to what to do with them - what do you do with yours? Jane x

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    1. I usually air dry them flat in baskets (not piling up) for 2-3 weeks. Lots of them fell from husks by themselves. Often those stuck on the husks are not good enough to eat. Once they become dry (especially bottom parts!) and brown, they are ready to be stored. I put them in Tupperware. You can roast them, bake them in cookie dough, etc. We finish them by the end of year. After that, taste loses freshness. Very easy! : )

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  2. Hello Midori ,
    You have such a diverse little garden I am always amazed !
    I always have so much fun here at your blog ...which leads me to saying ...
    I hope you don"t mind , but a " One Lovely Blog " has been awarded to you and you may pick it up next time you stop by :)
    Cheers
    Willow

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    Replies
    1. Hi Willow! Thank you so much! I have just read your 7 things. : ) What could be mine? : D

      We crammed our small garden with lots of things, and we have a strip of land beyond the wall, where we can plant but can't build (not very useful!) according to a deed. : )

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