Potatoes and Pottery

Almost halfway through February. So glad to see the days growing longer and some opportunities to do a few jobs.

Indoors, it’s time to “chit” the seed potatoes bought at our local nursery. This means putting them in a light spot to encourage shoots before planting. The light is necessary to produce firm little green and purple sprouting growths, not the long white ones which develop when they’re kept in the dark. We don’t want those. Best positioned with the majority of the “eyes” pointing upwards. Egg boxes are useful for this because they separate and support the potatoes. I will plant these in a few weeks time when the soil has warmed a bit.

The garden is slowly coming to life with bulbs pushing upwards and a few flowers here and there. Some sunny afternoons have lit up the garden, while interesting clouds have painted the sky.

My little garden friend has been bobbing about, in and out of the trees. I love to see his bright eyes and pert little body. Very bold, but still quite cautious so it’s difficult to snap a crisp photo.

The bumble bees are busy going about, in and out of all the flowers. I caught this snap of one in a green hellebore.

The lengthening days encourage the Spring vegetables to grow after their Winter sleep. The lettuces in the greenhouse are perking up at last and the cabbages in the tunnel are sprouting new leaves from the centre. A drop of water on a leaf looks like a gleaming diamond. I’ve had an abundant supply of fresh parsley all Winter. Hardy with a bit of protection, they grow really well in the polytunnel.

I like to add chopped parsley to my chicken soup. It makes a hearty meal. I use two Kallo organic chicken stock cubes, half a vegetable one, two sticks of celery, a chopped leek or onion, diced potatoes, one medium parsnip, two carrots, parsley, and cooked chicken cut into small pieces. I add about one and a half litres of water and 50g of red lentils, bring to the boil and stir well to prevent the lentils from sticking. Then simmer until the vegetables are tender. When it’s ready I thicken it slightly with a hand blender.

When I make soup, I simmer for just ten minutes then place the pan into my thermal cooker. It continues to cook without any electricity. I’ve mentioned my thermal cooker in previous posts. A fuel-saving device well worth having.

Regular readers will know that I love pottery. Over many years I’ve picked up pieces from charity shops, flea markets, boot sales and so on. I have plates, serving dishes and ornaments from many different periods and factories.

Although I love old items I also enjoy examples of the potter’s craft in the form of contemporary studio pottery. These are one-off items made by hand, so they’re very special in their own way. I’ve bought some of these from galleries and individual potters. I’ve occasionally found them in charity shops. Because they have a potter’s mark instead of a factory backstamp they’re often overlooked.

I appreciate the art and skill, the texture of the clay and the different glazes. Here are just a few examples of some of my favourites.

I hope you enjoyed seeing these examples. Finally, here is a painting I did of a favourite pot made by a friend and some little boxes made by my husband. I painted these with acrylics on a canvas board.

Winter will soon be over and our gardens will blossom again. Stay warm, well-fed and contented. With you again next week. Bye for now.