heading out to the midwest

when i get back i expect the neighborhood to be in a deep chill for thanksgiving. so for contrast here's a wrap-up of recent cottage warmth and sun...and more harvest.captain tallulah on top of the treehouse pirates' nest.harvesting
baby LOVES fresh apple juice (from the cider making party)

a sampling of our home grown and dried goods. we labeled everything this year.the family portrait. i miss O'lover already.

hasta...

Autumnal...

....reflections
...feather headbands and a ride in the bike trailer
...jars and jars of bone broth
...late season wildcrafting...motherwort, mugwort, elderberries. stinging nettle, hawthorn berries,
...fogged up windows and swollen cupboard doors from all the canning humidity. Almost endless chopping...


And a little cake to go in the hot oven.
besos!

Halloween highlights...

include dancing in duane's studio til i got so hot that my wig and wings had to go. 10 points
For the Call's Halloween Eve party I was the Angel of Death and Oliver was an Amazonian Shaman. This year's costumes were home made with stuff we already had lying around the cottage including a speedo and a set of curtains. 10 points.The next night for Halloween Proper at the Farmhouse we wore the same costumes but this time I was a Dark Angel and Oliver was a Luchador. Ha! That's called re-purposing! 10 points! We made my wings from baling wire and stash fabric. Another ten points.Oliver's beak was made from paper scraps. 5 points. Oliver wearing a speedo in public...10 million points. (Thanks Ollie!)Hot trekkie sighting...10 points.Tabitha casts her spell with a wink....10 pointsand a bottle of beer...10 points. Me not knowing what duff was...minus 20 points.We had the after-party party at the cottage. The robots seen below were some of the main people behind the movie Killer at Large (think Food, Inc.) It was so cool to talk to them about about a shared passion...local food! 500 points!!!
We scored this halloween!
Wearing my wings everywhere i go for the next few days? 10 billion points!!!!!!!!!!!!
Besos,
gp

Tricks

image from this website.

O'lover just e-mailed me the above photo.
I love it!
I bet he's going to build a bike just like it for us.

Ollie fact: He can bike and play the guitar at the same time. He can weave through traffic on his bike while playing the guitar!!!

AND I CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE IT BUT...I can lay a big huge distracting kiss on him while he's playing music at a party and he'll kiss me back but he still doesn't skip a beat and seamlessly plays on. It has become my one and only party trick. I am so in awe of all you people with your double and triple joints and tongues that can knot a string. So after years of not having any material i found someone who can give me a party trick.

And that's why O'lover is my personal rock star hero.

She Just Wants to Help

The Giving Doll

With a fervor of love she offers you her heart and if needs be... her kidney. She sincerely hopes you'll take them.

The Giving Doll has a snap on each palm and two pockets; one for each internal organ. Her generous heart can be tucked away in front and her kidney can be stored in the pocket at the small of her back.

I'm thinking this would be a good i'm-sorry-let's-make-up-and-play-nice gift for that someone who means everything to you.

I'm LOVING making these dolls! So much so that I am going to do a give-a-way. More details soon.

Besos!

Before painting another landscape...

...I decided to finish up some dolls that I started ages ago.

This is the Momma doll.

More dolls with snaps and pockets coming up...
signed,
yes that is a dangling placenta in the bottom picture. =)

Temple of the Sun

I just finished my first acrylic painting. And it was packed up and sent this morning to Salt Lake City for the Entrada Institute's annual auction. I feel a landscape painting phase coming on...

Switcheroo and Peace Out

First, I just tucked away my oil paints...for now. Instead, my ancient paint box is stocked with brand new acrylics.
Second, my favorite blondie and I walked to a nearby cafe and were loved-on by crowds of Japanese tourists. Here are some of them.
Third, this header is retired. i hope you like the new one!

Bacteria Wrangling

The kitchen and cellar have been full of bubbling, brewing, fermenting foods. Things that are alive! and need a bit of care to keep the good bacteria flourishing.

Wanna see some bacteria (and yeast) up close?


Those are kefir grains! Aren't they sooooooo lovely?! The grains turn milk (or coconut juice) into kefir but if you let them work their magic for a little longer you can hang up the curds and drain the whey.


and you'll have creamy, delicious cheese!

The kefir cheese can be used as a crumbly topping on everything from salads to baked root vegetables.

Our favorite way to eat the cheese is stuffing it into the blossoms of the volunteer mutant squashes (The squashes that would otherwise grow into cantaloupehubbards or watermelonzuchinnis- of which we had A LOT.)

Mystery Squash Blossoms

Chop fresh herbs (such as basil, oregano, thyme) into the kefir cheese.
Stuff the herbed cheese into the blossoms then dip in an egg batter and fry.

The Moon

Sus had her baby boy... on the day of the most recent new moon.We had her baby shower a month ago...by the light of the crescent moon. (above image from the shower invitation.)

And I better get the baby quilt done... by the next full moon. Just kidding! We've got to get that quilt done..forthwith!
AJ is coming over tonight to help me finish the stitching and edging.
All of the fabric was provided by eleven friends and includes some Elvis print because the baby's dad is from Tennessee, batik from Africa, a vintage pillowcase, and as a joke one of our friends donated a scrap from a dress that Sus wore while she was dating her favorite ex-boyfriend (heehee). It's a very cool scrap so we had to use it.

I really really hope this is the special blanket that Z (baby boy) drags with him everywhere.

Catch Up

Though we truly loved running this event every summer, it meant we didn't have weekends to work on our projects....and everything had stalled. So this summer we've been reveling in finishing things. Including installing the upper tier of safety glass in the greenhouse.
Thanks to everyone who helped! Including our lawyer neighbor who gave us the safety glass for FREE (one of his clients paid him for his services in safety glass...lucky us).

Greenhouse as seen from my mum-in-law's back garden.
Since these photos were taken we've almost finished the wood trim and have harvested a ton of spaghetti squash and zuchs from the roof top garden. And even now we're still harvesting; the roof has been surprisingly immune to frost. Even tomatoes are ripening up there. Yay for microclimates!

How 'bout them apples.

We had a bumper crop this year. Here's a few...
This is the rosy red runt. (It was delish!)
So... I've been absent from the internet. And feel deliciously secretive...but here's a peek through the garden gate.
love and growth and respect,
quel

Hanging Five

My friend, Chris Cutri, made a movie about artists who surf. (ARTISTS WHO SURF!) The trailer is luscious (see below). You're invited to the screening at the BYU library auditorium, Sept 10th at 7 PM.

Hanging Five Trailer from Stakedance on Vimeo.

More about Chris...He and his awesome wife, Ramona, both teach at the Y. Their kids are super adorable and I really like it when they surprise visit me. The Cutris own the most prolific apricot trees in Provo as well as a giant stand of rhubarb. And they share. Yum.

Fountain of Youth

Within walking distance of the cottage:
Recognize it?*
This fountain has delicious spring water. I bet if you hike up here every day for a drink you'll always be youthful!

*It's in Rock Canyon right before you get to the Bug Barn climbing area.

Wicking it Up

I've been making herbed butter and fresh cheese. Oh! And chutney with homegrown dill and coriander seeds and homemade vinegar (a batch of kombucha turned into some very tasty vinegar).
This is the view from the art studio window. I love watching the alley art develop plus we're really close to the Gallivan Center and can hear a lot of the Thursday night concerts. It makes me more productive to feel like I'm in the party but not of the party.
And here is proof that Mamma Mia-of-the-off-the-charts-high-energy can sit still for a couple of minutes!
We're writing a book together. It's all about our beloved ancestors and their unbelievable stories. In comparison Mamma Mia and I feel...much quiet(er). By the way, Mamma Mia is an excellent, no messing around writer. I'm contributing by giving her topical assignments plus she's under the impression that I have good grammar. Teehee.

Besos!

SurPRIZE at the door

Remember the post about this book?
And how I wish the book had been written by me? But instead my ex's ex had written it. And that was that. Or so I thought...The lovely Seattle-based author, Shannon Borg, (whom I'd never met) showed up at my door on Saturday night!!! And I was shocked. And thankful to these people who, with the help of a series of coincidences, set the meeting up. What a treat! Here's more about Shannon AKA my almost doppleganger of interests (I'm not a supertaster.)

Here are some photos of the cottage taken and titled by him with his clever IPhone one rainy night this Spring. They feel peaceful.

Nine FortyTiles & TiersSelf ContainedHydrated NoteFarmer's Spot

Book Lady

Act Accordingly

Woven Web

Reflecting Art

Rainy Goodbye

Pressed for quotes, seams, and crocks

Your girl is quoted in the Daily Herald about food and farmers' markets here!

The most beautiful runway show EVER was by Kenzo for the Womens' Spring/Summer line. All you seamsters and seamstresses out there- have you been wondering how to use up your inherited lace and fabric remnants? Check it out.

I've been painting a lot lately, we fixed our irrigation system, and I just cut and fitted the glass for our greenhouse (the windows were made of plastic before.) Also I've been looking for more crocks to ferment veggies and believe it or not Walmart carries the most suitable 1-2 gallon glass containers. Now if only we could find ceramic crocks...

It's Just Creepy

So you know how the blog header says "Post Modern Housewifery"?
To me it reads "Post Mortem Housewifery".
As in Tales from the Crypt.
As in dancing skeletons wearing aprons.

This has been a "problem" for some time. And it's not good for me to project death and decay all over this blog, right?

So...
Welcome to...
GrittyPretty's Beet (a play off the police beat?)
or
Homestead Lady of the Sherbet Colored Cottage
or
It's smART to like art and gARTens?
or
How Grows It?
or
TurNip it in the bud...
or...

One of Each, Please!

Propaganda designed for addressing the world's current challenges:
To order visit this etsy site. Congratulations to the other P-town (Portland) for having such a cool mayor - he has these prints hanging in his office.

Green Thumb Heroes- Part I

This is a series where I get to share WHO is rocking my little world.

***
From one gardening junkie to another...

This guy has got the stuff!
His name is Monty Don. Notice his worn clothes and the patch on his elbow (how thrifty!) If you remember nothing else about Monty just remember he's the handsome Brit with great affection for dirt. Monty is the President of the Soil Association which promotes "sustainable food and farming through the use of local, seasonal and organic systems."

I first learned of Monty from watching the BBC Series "Around the World in 80 Gardens". Ollie and I have watched the entire series three times. The featured gardens- all 80 of them- offer a unique high that would leave our mouths hanging open. And then Monty, the host, would lure us on to yet another garden high! It's a masterpiece and creating it took its toll on Monty's health. He now enjoys a more well-paced life at his farm in Herefordshire, England. I admire Monty for his openness about personal struggles he's experienced throughout his life (google him).

Here's Monty with his sweet wife Sarah. They work together on the farm and in the kitchen. She's wearing a nifty dress, don't you think? Can you imagine taking an old t-shirt, cutting below the sleeves, and adding two panels to re-fashion a similar outfit?


If you're in the market here are two books by Monty...


This one is co-written by Sarah Don.Do you need a free fix of more Monty Don? Click here to see links to all the articles from Monty's weekly column at the UK's Daily Mail.
***

Next Green Thumb Hero...Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

Besos!

5 Years and a baby!

Dear O'lover,
We got hitched five years ago as of this afternoon. Yay! And our niece, ZigZag, was born this morning! August 11th is something else, ey?
Besos!

Victory Garden Art

I've been enjoying the propaganda of the grow-your-own-food movement. Some of these are from WWII and some were designed recently. ALL of them make me want to roll up my sleeves and get to work!

Very Married, Dressed to Impress, My Ex's Ex

First, Chris & Cherie are married! I was so honored to officiate at their commitment ceremony. Chris was my favorite philosophy professor. Cherie just finished her masters degree and will be a nurse practitioner. They are a magical team with a story book life. And they're living happily ever after...

Secondly, in this next photo I'm wearing a velvet dress scored from LuLu's yard sale. As of tonight this is my skateboarding-in-the-dark outfit, a huge improvement over my no bra and the pajamas that I was wearing late last night when I unexpectedly skated into People I Know. Even worse...they were People I Know AND Want to Impress. Remember being a kid and thinking that if you closed your eyes you became invisible? If only that were true!

Lastly, this is the cover of CHEFS ON THE FARM: Recipes and Inspiration from the Quillisascut Farm School of the Domestic Arts. I wish I wrote this book but instead my ex's ex is the author. It's gotten rave reviews. Do you ever hope you'd never actually meet your ex's ex because you are quite sure you'd worship her? (Which is super uncomfortable for everyone.)

signed,
in love with love

Harvest Basket

*photo credit: Sam Callis

Today's pick included our dog Farmer's favorite food:

EGGPLANT!*

and lots of it! Some of which we coated with fresh egg and grilled for lunch.

Also, calendula flowers, green beans, lavender sweet peppers and green peppers, lemon cucumbers, squash blossoms (stuffed with ricotta and grilled those too), nasturtium flowers, tomatoes, oregano, basil, and kale.

Our garlic has been curing on screens under the patio awning for the last two weeks. Now they're braided and hanging - ready to use up.
* This is Farmer going APE over his other favorite food, Ben & Jerry's (supplied by his grandmum.)

Jarring Prettiness

Canning season will soon be upon us. Hip! Hip!
This lady is the 2008 canning champion. You are so cool lady.
Yes, canning is a competitive sport. But as the intimidating USDA rules currently stand my made- up method of using agave nectar in my syrups disqualify me. This competition is about much more than food safety. And I am not that precise. I am crying into my yerba maté. I am not actually crying.

Ah well. I will watch and cheer from the bleachers.

Bonus: Canning anecdotes by funny man Robert Kirby. (Made me laugh into my first cup of yerba maté. I am now on my third cup and ready to go!)

*photos from the Salt Lake Tribune.