They arent dead, they're cool!

I feel so little. This is our spent hydrangea. She has many new buds forming and it is very exciting!

What the heck have you been so busy doing?

Oh, sorry, I have not blogged in a while. It's Wednesday and I go to work later on Wednesdays. I have time to blog, and I took some photos. Every blog post should have a photo, I don't want you to get bored now do I.


So this is what James has been doing. This is where the shed used to be. It made quite a mess being so close to the wall. The plan is to be able to have an accessible outdoor workshop so that we can build the pottery shack. I will take new photos soon as it has actually come further than this photo reflects.

In the mean time, when I am outside with the camera on a sunny day, I cannot help but take flower photos. I like the renewal that develops in the late winter season. Some plants just seem to want to hang on for dear life.

In any case, Spring will soon be here and it is time for me to figure out what to write in the Ginkgo Landscape Design newsletter.... let me know if you have any ideas.

Winter Seadheads

Yesterday was lovely with the crisp air and bright sunlight. At this rate I am going to wake up from hibernation any day now.


The greenhouse is able to heat up almost every day to the 75 degree temps that cause it to open it's windows despite being just over freezing outside. I am hoping that the seeds from last year will be able to sprout again since I have not purchased any for this year. The lettuce sets grew thru the winter, regenerating after each hard freeze like it had never happened. We look forward to being able to do something in our garden this year, as well of course as many client gardens also. I'm crossing my fingers for a great Ginkgo season!

Updates on Eclipse

So, I figured out how to do a beaded border around the moonstone. Promptly upon completing it, I decided that I didn't like it. So there is now a new plan to create a "bail" to connect it to the yet to be completed necklace portion... I'll keep y'all posted.

Lunar Eclipse Challenger

Every so often Krista needs a new peice of beaded something. So most recently we were tagging along with the EtsyRain group at the Fremont Sunday Market and found a fantastic bead vendor. Krista picked out some Gold Moonstone.... It is very nice.... i might keep it. :)


It was relatively easy to do the first part of the beadwork on it, but I want to do more!What I want to do is make a beaded bezel around the whole thing, but have both sides exposed... That has been my challenge... I have not seen it done before.

Because it is gold moonstone, and because Jan 20th has a Lunar Eclipse, it is name Eclipse.

Cast Iron Vegetable Pasta

There is a recipe that I like to have when I am feeling like something fresh and crisp, but still a hot meal.

You can use many types of vegetables but I prefer long sliced sweet peppers, sweet onions and broccoli tops.
I add the broccoli tops to the pan while it is heating to medium heat. Spray the tops, and the pan with a light mist of oil (I use a high heat canola oil) which help give them a bright green color as they heat. I heat the broccoli first as it usually requires a slightly longer cooking time. Cover for a few minutes while the pan warms and the broccoli gets slightly darkened on the underside. Add the vegetables (be cautious of steam and hot oil). If you have truffle oil, it is great with this dish.

I like the edges of the veggies to be dark and crisp. Steaming the vegetables will cause them to wilt, so keep the lid off. You are going for that dark edge that is not burnt but has a little crisp to it. Using the right temperature will give you both the edge and the veggies will still have a fresh snap to them.
This has taken some practice, and I still don't always do it they way I want. It's good that they are veggies and not cake... at least I can practice and not have too many calories.

I like to add goat cheese about 2 minutes before removing from the pan.

Serve over linguine or your choice of pasta with some grated mizithra (or parmesan) cheese and and some brown broiled garlic buttered mini baguettes.

Yum! Best served in a LiciaPot. :) Yup, I made that bowlie.

Glulam...

We have Glulam. Glue-Lam. It's a very heavy beam (of wood, not light, besides light is not heavy). It was delivered this morning by Dunn Lumber. The point of this very heavy beam is to become a part of the support for the (very pretty and good smelling) boards that Uncle Ray cut for us. Ultimately this will be the covered outdoor workshop that will be used to build, among other things, the pottery shack. Upon construction of the pottery shack this whole LiciaPots thing will make more sense to those who look up LiciaPots.com and only see beads.

Anyway, today we moved the 300 pound beam with some of the brute force that will fail us in the lifting (ten feet in the air) process. I'll get some photos after the rain is done... maybe tomorrow.

because the Ruby Slippers are in lockdown...

The craft challenge topic for EtsyRain is The Wizard of Oz... I pondered what that meant for me... Of course it means witches and munchkins and ruby slippers. Is anyone going to wear any of those, well maybe. Certainly not the ruby slippers, but come Halloween or some dress up party maybe a witch or munchkin would be in order... I wanted something that could be worn every day, something with just a hint of a memory of Dorothy. I finally decided on a sculptural peyote bow. Just like the bows that Dorothy wore in her hair.

And so, this is my submission. Dorothy's bow.