Converted Egyptian Paste Piece

While reorganizing my garage studio space I found one of my Egyptian Paste test pieces had apparently been used as a hotel for mice.

Egyptian Paste Box

The mice managed to get in the garage and found all of the dried and drying plant materials sustaining.

Mouse

When I was cleaning the space after the mice were relocated, it didn’t occur to me that I should look through the boxes of pieces stored in the space.

The box was constructed of hardware cloth and Egyptian paste. After firing the box, it was lined with black nylon and bound closed with strips of the same fabric. The fabric was dipped in diluted wood glue and hit with a heat gun, for a shrink wrap effect. I like that nylon can look like a skin, exposing the structure under it.

I have posted about this piece in the past. Pleased that the pieces have not developed a light coating of sodium.

Egyptian Paste Vessel

The pieces were constructed of hardware cloth, some had the addition of nails.

Egyptian Paste Vessel Nail Detail

The Egyptian paste was used like spackle and the lot fired to cone 015.

What to do with the mouse house? I am leaning toward popping it someplace, out of the way, in the garden.


Ladybug Visitor

Ladybug Found Roaming around the Kitchen

Placed it on a potted Brugmansia that is infested with spider mites.
Ladybug

The concave area appears to be a malformation or some type of damage. The ladybug probably came to be in the kitchen after involuntarily hitching a ride on dandelions or kale that was purchased at the Farmers’ Market.

Ladybug

I sharpened the image to show the damaged area a bit better.


Ludisia Flower Buds

When a plant seems to not grow for nearly two years, what could that mean? Loads of stuff.

Wrong potting mix.
Wrong light.
Wrong watering.

When I bought the plant at the local Farmers’ Market, I thought the grower told me that the plant is an Impatiens.

Today when I did a google image search, I found that it is a Ludisia, a type of orchid. And that the soil was wrong, light wrong, and watering wrong, feeding wrong. Nice that it survived in spite of my incorrect care. I should have been caring for it like an African Violet.

I repotted it and suddenly it began to grow.

Ludisia Plant

Could all be a coincidence, or maybe it finally had the right growing conditions.

Ludisia Leaf Detail

New Growth
Ludisia New Growth

Flower Buds
Ludisia Flower Bud

Ludisia Flower Bud

2021 January 3

Ludisia

Ludisia

2021 January 16

Ludisia

2021 February 3

Ludisia
Ludisia

2021 February 24
Ludisia

Ludisia

2021 March 2

Ludisia

2021 April 25

Ludisia
Ludisia


Kew Science–Plants of the World Online, Ludisia

The American Orchid Society, Ludisia


Wind Toppled Trees

When I walked into the kitchen I noticed both potted pine trees had toppled over.

Fallen Trees

Wind Today

Apparently even though we put a ton of weight in the bottom of the pot, the Norfolk Pine is still top heavy enough to be toppled over by the wind.

Norfolk Pine Fallen

Moved it closer to the corner of the house, hoping to prevent another fall.
Norfolk Pine Righted

This is the tree we brought in for Christmas the past several years.

Fallen Christmas Tree

Moved it closer to the house to protect it from the wind.

Righted Christmas Tree

Unfortunately, the Norfolk Pine isn’t fragrant, but nice greenery.

Norfolk Pine Bits

Thought the container of bits might be fun to knit into a small bowl.

Norfolk Pine Bits


Norfolk Pine Bits and Wool I-Cord Started
Norfolk Icord

Norfolk Pine Bits and Wool I-Cord Completed

Norfolk Icord