I've never really had much to do with seaweed - swimming in the lakes around this area, it's a nuisance. I never really thought much about gathering it for any good reason, so just never thought much about it - until recently.
Because a couple of us from the college are preparing for a children's pottery workshop, I've been gathering 'stuff' to use for firing. Tools can be made from just about anything laying around, ice cream buckets make great storage and working containers, I have lots of newspapers for the tepee kilns and plenty of scrap clay to make slip to seal the newpapers, Denise has a source for wood to build the frames and for firing, a huge plastic container in my shop is filled with dried walnut and hickory husks and we'll no doubt have a good supply of used coffee grounds and orange peels and banana skins and all sorts of other 'stuff'. But, because seaweed can also produce some wonderful results (I'm told), I contacted a friend from the east coast. He graciously picked about 10 pounds of fresh Cape Cod Canal seaweed and sent it. It arrived in today's mail.
Are you with me so far??
Instead of drying this stuff, he sent it fresh - yep, I paid to ship water - but, because it hadn't been dried and traveled in plastic bags, when I opened it I almost fell over from the smell. Whoa!!!!!! EEEEUUUUW!! Blech!! Ptooey! Ack-ack-yuck. I should have known what to expect, because the box had a slight off odor to it - smelled like cooked peas gone bad. Each successive layer of plastic that I unwrapped allowed the stench to become stronger. Euw. Good thing I didn't open it in the house - the cats would never have forgiven me.
I guess the plan of attack is going to be to get a couple of the scrounged styrofoam produce flats down from the 'loft' in my shop and spread this stuff out in them (going to use rubber gloves for this part, I think) and set them outside where it will, hopefully, freeze dry enough that it won't cause a lot of stomach-churning when we add it to the combustibles while we're load the children's wares to the kilns.
If anyone has any better suggestions, send them on - I'm open to just about any solution at this point.
You see, we're trying to ENCOURAGE participation, not send them running home with stories of 'icky stuff'.
Wish me luck! I normally have a strong stomach, but this was an unexpected surprise. Whew!!
I think I've recovered enough from the surprise that I can get out there and get that seaweed taken care of - wish me luck!!
;-)
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Robins???
The date is February 10th. I've been hearing reports of robin sightings all week long. I didn't expect to see the two trees in my back yard, however, filled with robins and starlings this morning.
I have two lovely flowering crab trees in the back - each spring, they wear heavy cloaks of white and deep pink that leave behind multitudes of berries. As the seasons progress from summer to fall to winter these small, red delicacies provide food for the birds and squirrels that have no choice but to remain in our frozen Midwest.
The best view of these trees is from my kitchen window - I was filling the coffee pot with water for a fresh carafe of my favorite brew and noticed a couple of robins picking what was left of the berries. Soon, a couple more robins arrived to join in the feast. Suddenly, the tree was invaded by so many birds that I couldn't keep count.
Activity from the back porch area scares them off, so I decided not to try and take a picture of them (I'm not the best photographer anyway, so it really isn't a great loss.)
It was wonderful watching my feathered friends after our intense cold spell! Gives me hope that warmer weather will be here soon.
The yellow kitty I took pity on went back outside this morning, too. Oh, I guess I didn't tell you about this lovely guy.
Since mid-summer this mature, yellow cat has been hanging around - very friendly, has a lot to say and is very affectionate. He's apparently familiar with indoor living, because he always tried to dart into the house whenever he was around. I have had no luck in finding his family. If you'll remember, the last couple of weeks, it's been dangerously cold. He showed up on Sunday evening, howling and crying and tearing at the screen on the outside door because he wanted in - imagine that!
So, I opened the door. I had been expecting this - had worried about what would happen to him in that weather, so borrowed a large cage from a friend and gotten it set up - just in case..... Around this house, he's known as Morris - looks just like the original. And, he's been sharing our house for the last week. Today, he decided he wanted to go outside - so, I let him out of the cage and he literally ran to the back door. I'm not sure where he went to after I let him out, but I would bet good money that he'll be back.
Yes, I'm a softie for little animals - can't stand to see these creatures hurt or hungry, so I provide for them whenever I can.
It's been a month since I posted last. I'm back to work, but got very spoiled while I was on leave. Things haven't changed at the college, and in fact, seem to be busier than before.
Because it's been so busy, I haven't really had much of a chance to just stop and think - a problem that I'm going to remedy soon. But, I'll tell you more about that remedy another time.
Stay warm - be well!
Later!!!
I have two lovely flowering crab trees in the back - each spring, they wear heavy cloaks of white and deep pink that leave behind multitudes of berries. As the seasons progress from summer to fall to winter these small, red delicacies provide food for the birds and squirrels that have no choice but to remain in our frozen Midwest.
The best view of these trees is from my kitchen window - I was filling the coffee pot with water for a fresh carafe of my favorite brew and noticed a couple of robins picking what was left of the berries. Soon, a couple more robins arrived to join in the feast. Suddenly, the tree was invaded by so many birds that I couldn't keep count.
Activity from the back porch area scares them off, so I decided not to try and take a picture of them (I'm not the best photographer anyway, so it really isn't a great loss.)
It was wonderful watching my feathered friends after our intense cold spell! Gives me hope that warmer weather will be here soon.
The yellow kitty I took pity on went back outside this morning, too. Oh, I guess I didn't tell you about this lovely guy.
Since mid-summer this mature, yellow cat has been hanging around - very friendly, has a lot to say and is very affectionate. He's apparently familiar with indoor living, because he always tried to dart into the house whenever he was around. I have had no luck in finding his family. If you'll remember, the last couple of weeks, it's been dangerously cold. He showed up on Sunday evening, howling and crying and tearing at the screen on the outside door because he wanted in - imagine that!
So, I opened the door. I had been expecting this - had worried about what would happen to him in that weather, so borrowed a large cage from a friend and gotten it set up - just in case..... Around this house, he's known as Morris - looks just like the original. And, he's been sharing our house for the last week. Today, he decided he wanted to go outside - so, I let him out of the cage and he literally ran to the back door. I'm not sure where he went to after I let him out, but I would bet good money that he'll be back.
Yes, I'm a softie for little animals - can't stand to see these creatures hurt or hungry, so I provide for them whenever I can.
It's been a month since I posted last. I'm back to work, but got very spoiled while I was on leave. Things haven't changed at the college, and in fact, seem to be busier than before.
Because it's been so busy, I haven't really had much of a chance to just stop and think - a problem that I'm going to remedy soon. But, I'll tell you more about that remedy another time.
Stay warm - be well!
Later!!!
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