Thursday, August 26, 2010

Home is Best

Yes, its a potato. Right on top of a heap of russets, it's siren song called to me on the produce aisle. I brought it home, propped it against this pitcher, which brings me to my point: Home.
My first home (away from home) was a minor disaster. I moved four hundred miles north to San Francisco where one neighbor practiced jazz saxaphone very loud, the landlady had a love affair with gin and no one liked my dog. But I did take harpsichord lessons and developed an admiration for Victorian houses that has never lost an inch of ground. I'd walk the hilly streets, sketching, memorizing and admiring. And its where I made my discovery. Home is Best.
Not the fountain of youth exactly but I bet its something we can all agree about. I can see you nodding your head now.

This is a spread from Romantic Homes Magazine, September issue. It's Jen O'Connor's house.
Jen represents some all star folk artists including Julie Arkell, Laurie Messerol and Debbie Thibault.


If you squint you can see one of my rabbit domes in her corner cupboard. What's it say on the front? 'Home'. Jen has an online shop too. http://www.earthangeltoys.com/
Wonderful kitchen, Jen.


A deer whose made a home in the fern wood. A new and larger sconce for casting more reflective light as the days begin to grow shorter.





Now about that potato. I think I'll cut it in thin heart shaped slices and fry them up in olive oil with herbs, and serve with ahi steak and spinich salad. Do you think its a worthy enough homage?
xx
julie
p.s. I abandoned the harsichord lessons for pottery ones.


juliewhitmorepottery.etsy.com

25 comments:

My Farmhouse Kitchen said...

only julie would find a heart shaped potato....my god...i have never seen a heart shaped potato in my life....

and your writing is stellar...

what a talent...

heart shapes slices of potato sauteed in olive oil???


yes, indeed

donkey yearning for a heart shaped potato

April said...

Oh my...a potato heart the Tin Man would have been proud to own! But I think the heart slices in olive oil sound just as worthy!
The beautiful fawn sconce makes me long for Fall and Winter!
Be sure to check out Valerie Weberpal's wool dolls on EarthAngels- they're MY FAVORITES! Dolls, that is. When it comes to pottery, you have stolen my heart, Miss Julie. Although I did honestly leave half of it in San Francisco.

Anonymous said...

Yes, I am nodding my head. I love home. I wonder if you lived next door to my music teacher? I took clarinet lessons in a Victorian house in San Francisco in 1979. If so, please forgive my noise.

I'll have to look for the Sept. issue of RH. Jen has excellent taste when it comes to rabbit domes.

Happy day to you, Julie, and I hope you enjoy the potato - sounds wonderful!

Librarian said...

I have had heart-shaped spuds, too; they aren't very common but sometimes we come across them and they sure make one smile, don't they! The sconce with the dear is very, very pretty. It would look perfect in my mum's flat.

Aunt Jenny said...

I had never seen a heart shaped potato until today...awesome!! I loved this post..and I totally agree..home IS best! Hey..the pottery lessons were perfect....good move!

Erin | Bygone Living said...

What a lovely potato! And, oh, how I love your pottery... that deer candle holder is gorgeous! ♥

Pat said...

Of all things! A heart-shaped potato...who knew? It is so cute. Admiring the heart-shaped rocks I've seen on some blogs, I've looked and looked and never found a one. Maybe I should try the produce section of the grocery store to find a potato!
And, I think your sauteed potato would be a very nice ending to a lovely story! So, glad you chose pottery......take care, pat

A time to dance said...

I love finding strange shaped fruit and veg...we once found a very very rude and biologically accurate carrot!

Sweet Birdy Love said...

Hey Julie, sounds like you had an interesting time in San Francisco, harpsichord lessons, now that's different. So glad, you decided to take up pottery lessons instead.
Your deer candle sconce is delightful, just right for Autumn/Fall.
How exciting to see your Rabbit Dome in the magazine photo, what a lovely surprise.

Have treated myself to another Marion Cran book, Hagars Garden. I purchased it last week on a trip to Melbourne, my little collection which started with a book bought for 50cents at a jumble sale has now grown to five books!

cabin fever said...

Julie!

Love your new Mr. Fox, love the pictures of Jen's home. She has wonderful, talented artists and a great blog, too!

For a minute I thought that potato was a heart-shaped rock! They are sooo easy to find on the beach when you really start looking for them............

Yes, Julie - Home IS Best. Visiting my kids is a great excuse to travel, but I love New England.

And my luggage tag from Andrew says it all: "See the world, but come HOME for love".

Have a great week-end. The weather here is gorgeous!

xoxo Liz

Carol said...

oh what a lovely post - and love that potato!!!

nina said...

all so so lovely, even the humble potato, who worked so hard to be a piece of art...
lovely pottery...
nice bracelet...;)
lovely you...

Unknown said...

Yummy and thanks for sharng Jen's ome form the mag. Ps take picuter of the" love" dinner

lilylovekin said...

A heart shaped potato who would have thought, your menu does it justice. I'm glad you gave up the harpischord lessons!

Patricia Griffin Ceramics said...

Home is grand, especially in Cambria! Loved reading this post Julie. How wonderful to see your work in Jen's cabinet. Very fine. Hey, did you get that spud at the Crock?

Julie said...

I also love home! I love being at home working on all the things I love! Its funny how we fall in love with a style of home, mine was always craftsman style and now I live in one that I love!

How fun to find a heart shaped potato. It sounds like its going to be part of a wonderful meal!

Pamela said...

sigh. You make my potato sing with joy.
xo

Gloria Freshley Art and Design said...

Julie, the fox and the sconce are both lovely! And yes, home is best. Thanks for the continuous outpouring of creativity....Best...

Vintage Fairy Tales Rebecka said...

I´m sure that potato brings luck!
Wait wait, is there any dinner left for me!?
Love
Becky

Nan said...

We get our potatoes in 50 pound bags (yeah, we love 'em!) and the most recent batch had a heart-shaped one. Guess it was saying it loves me as much as I love
it. :<)

CynHunt said...

Hello Julie,
It's time to purchase more of your pottery. For myself, for friends!
Can I contact you directly?
Thank you!
Cyn Hunt

Lesley Todd said...

A heart of the earth! What a great find! I hope it tasted extra nice for being heart shaped. Your new pottery pieces are beautiful as always, I'm so glad you took those lessons! And wonderful to see your work published :-) x

salty pebble said...

i soooo agreeeee home is where the heart belongs and all the family will make any space that place to long for ;0)x
Lovely post julie xx
especially love the 'oddly' lovely spuddy!...My veg grows wonky and rudely hehe ;0)
WOOOOOOOWZA your pottery is just beautiful xxxxx

prettyandpink said...

Hi Julie:

It has been awhile since I checked in but remembered that it is your birthday also tomorrow. I'll be busy tomorrow but would like to wish you a happy and memorable day.

Pretty and Pink

Dacey said...

A great post and art too.You have a great and huge collection at your home and i am sure that your home would be pretty like your art collection

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