*ceramics 25 | part 2

While I’m patiently waiting for the kiln to cool down, I’m sharing my ceramic angel series that I made last year. I can’t believe how quickly the days are getting shorter already. Soon it will be time for candlelight again!

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*the small details

When I opened the window in the morning, a pleasant breeze came into the room. Right now, the temperature is just perfect, and the wind feels so refreshing. It makes me really look forward to the fall days ahead of us. Almost all the apples have been rotting on the tree because of the intense weather, but I tried to cut off the parts that still looked good to start making some vinegar. Yesterday, I glazed my new ceramic pieces, and just a moment ago, I turned on the kiln. It took longer than expected to glaze all the pieces because of the many imprints I made, but now I’m really glad that everything is done and hopefully, the day after tomorrow, I’ll be able to hold the finished pieces in my hands.

When looking at the first black-and-white picture, the knothole in the wood of the barn, I was once again reminded of how much I prefer the little joys to the grand ones. Love lives in the smallest details. What do you think?

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*ceramics 25 | part 1

When I filled the kiln with all the new ceramic pieces I’ve made over the past few months, I realized that I never showed you the ceramics I made last year. So I decided to share at least some of them with you over the coming days. Some pieces you may have seen in previous videos or in my analogue photos, but it’s still nice to have some close-ups here before I finish my new pieces. I’ll unload the kiln today and hopefully be able to glaze them soon!

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*August & A cry of nature

 {Music: Evelyn – Goldmund + Ouendake – Goldmund + No 5 Simple dreams of us living one day at a time – Andreas Hauschild}

We are experiencing the driest and hottest summer on record. Wells are drying up, wildlife and nature are suffering immensely, and it leaves my heart heavy and concerned. The earth is either on fire or, at the other extreme, drowning. It is hard to stay positive. Nevertheless, I collected some calm moments around the house and garden while I’m patiently waiting for a bit of rain.

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*Akardy the elephant #3

As they say, all good things come in threes! I crocheted this little elephant in July and it will once again be a surprise gift for someone special.

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*shadows of the cosmos

Some more black-and-white photos from my latest roll of film.

Yesterday I was lying in the shade under the butterfly lilac with a good book, and I could finally feel that particular calm that usually settles in during August, when the light begins to change and the air suddenly feels slightly different, as if autumn were just around the corner. It felt like a deep sigh of relief in my soul, and I hope my body will follow soon, too, and that everything will start to be a little easier. I found another bat today in the early morning hours. It was lying flat on the concrete, and I thought it was dead, but when I gently touched it with a piece of cloth, it opened its mouth and seemed overall more lively than the last one. I placed it in a warm cloth inside a box to keep it safe, and soon we will bring it to the kind man who helped me last time. I really hope it will have a better chance to survive!

Addendum:

This time, the new bat is a juvenile male. He was severely dehydrated and malnourished, but otherwise had no injuries. He responded well to care and has now been released back into the wild. The animals are suffering from the extreme heat and are therefore more likely to put themselves in danger, as the heat drives them out of their hiding places and forces them to search for water more frequently. I'm so happy the little guy made it!

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*The first blooming dahlias, making ketchup & working with clay

{Music: Don't go – Christopher Dennis Coleman + Life's Wonder – Steven Gutheinz + Phases – Steven Gutheinz}

It is always a special moment when the first dahlias start blooming and I can harvest the first figs from our little fig tree! I’ve also started working with clay again and preserving our tomatoes.

Simple Tomato Ketchup

• 30 medium-sized tomatoes

• 8 medium-sized onions

• 1 tbsp salt

• 5 tbsp sugar

• ½ tsp pepper

• 2 tsp mustard

• 150 ml vinegar

• a pinch of chili powder

Cook all the ingredients together until soft, then purée. Optionally, you can pass everything through a food mill or a sieve, but I skip this step because I don't mind the tomato seeds. Then bring everything to a boil again and cook until the desired consistency is reached. Pour into clean jars and seal. Then process in a water bath for 10–15 minutes.

I also skip the final canning step. I simply make sure everything is clean and pour the hot tomato sauce into twist-off jars, seal them tightly immediately, turn them upside down, and leave them to cool this way. So far, I have never had a jar spoil using this method.

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*when time stands still

Every time I get a black-and-white film back from development, I wonder why I don’t shoot black and white more often. There’s just something so timeless about it. Especially in summer, when I tend to feel overwhelmed by all the colors around me, the absence of color in my photos makes me feel calm and more at ease.

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*Simple jute dish scrubber

Some time ago, I crocheted this simple dish scrubber with jute yarn. I find them very practical and eye-pleasing.

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*Akardy the elephant #2

A few close-ups of the second elephant that I made. Taking these photos is always so much fun!

{click for the pattern}
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