Quiet Little Life

FREE DOWNLOAD: Grand Design: Artist's Prayer MINI-POSTER

2011-04-26T13:14:00.011-04:00

FREE PDFs to DOWNLOAD*COLOR MINI-POSTER The Grand Design: An Artist's PrayerB&W MINI-POSTER The Grand Design: An Artist's PrayerFormatted for 8x11 inch paper. Looks particularly yummy printed on beige card stock. You will need Acrobat reader or some other program to view the PDFs. Print settings may have to be adjusted to accommodate the size of the image within the allowable margins of your

Mehndi Heart in Hand: FREE DOWNLOAD Bookmarks

2011-04-17T22:30:00.001-04:00

On 3/22/11, I decorated myself with mehndi designs (henna) as an way to mark an important rite of passage. I knew that by the time it faded I would be well on my way to better things.Today, I celebrate the return of spring and a return to health after 4 months of difficulty, culminating in surgery and a brief hospitalization. (Nothing life threatening, just one of those things.) Most of all, with

POETRY: Autumn Sunrise

2010-10-30T09:43:00.010-04:00

AUTUMN SUNRISEAs I in morning stillness stoodFace pressed against the window sashTo watch an endless feathered flockDark silhouettes with dart and dashFlood across the opalescent skyDimly on the glass I sawInspired Mystery made plainMy breath inscribed a spectral heartUpon the frigid windowpane(c)2010 Kay Pere~Effusive Muse Publishing[Photo taken at sunrise at Gove Hill Retreat Center, Thetford,

SACRED SHARDS: Carpe Diem I

2010-08-03T13:14:00.004-04:00

Spent the entire day yesterday working at the community center's pottery studio, 10:30 AM- 7:00 PM. As the day went by I took pictures of my work and the materials used.This morning while downloading and organizing recent photos from my digital camera I found several older pictures I'd intended to post and write about on my Sacred Shards Pottery blog. They'd been neatly filed on the computer

RECIPE: Lemon Cranberry Scones

2010-07-18T12:02:00.006-04:00

This morning I had a little extra uninterrupted time, so to celebrate I decided to bake something. For me, baking is recreation. The time it requires, not to mention the butter and sugar, makes it feel like a decadent luxury.Since I was planning to go to church this morning, I could indulge in baking without eating the results all by myself. These lemony cranberry scones were shared at coffee

BOOKS: Library Used Book Sale 2010

2010-06-05T16:18:00.007-04:00

Today was the first day of our local library's used book sale, something I look forward to all year long. I brought home an armload to fill mind and heart in the coming months. They're stacking up my red reading chair where I'll spend this evening browsing through them, building anticipation for future evenings spent absorbed in their contents.My most treasured purchase this year? (Pictured R,

A Salute to All Who Nurture

2010-05-09T16:55:00.013-04:00

A Salute to All Who NurtureA salute to all who nurture on this day we set apart!To every step-mom and meta-mom, every giving mom-at-heart,To all the mystic mothers of music, dance & art,To each green-thumbed earth mother who gently does her part,To the soul & body's healers, beside us from the start,Happy Mothers' Day!You are remembered and loved.(c)2010 Kay Pere ~ Effusive Muse Publishing

THREE PROJECTS: Laying the Groundwork

2010-04-09T11:16:00.022-04:00

About a month ago, I found myself at a crossroads.The people attending our songwriting retreat back in March asked me where they could find recordings of the songs I’d sung for them and when my Creative Compass book would be available for purchase. I realized that I needed to find an answer for myself to the same question they'd asked over and over during our workshops: “

REFLECTION: a sigh of relief...

2010-03-29T12:11:00.003-04:00

March has been one of the busiest months I've experienced in many years. All of it good busy. Just too much constant activity on top of activity for my quiet temperament.Too much of a good thing is still too much.The past two months have been an uninterrupted stream of concerts to perform, retreats to lead, conference mentoring to offer, workshops to present, and pottery shows to manage. All

BAKING: 1st Cake from Scratch!

2010-02-18T10:07:00.011-05:00

Yesterday's Creative Output:1 Chocolate Buttermilk Cake with Mocha Whipped Cream Frosting2 8-inch round layersLife can be home schooling for grown-ups.That's how I see it. I've turned off the TV, where I'd just be watching other people do things, and I've tuned in to learning and doing things myself instead, using my unscheduled time to following my curiosity.It has been a goal of mine for a

SACRED SHARDS: New Blog, Vessel Shown & Sold

2010-02-12T18:23:00.003-05:00

Sacred Shards Pottery, new blog, new post:READ MORE HERE: VESSELS: Ammonoidea I - SOLD!I recently imported all the posts I've made on this blog to a new blog that will focus specifically on "Sacred Shards Pottery." I will continue to update this "Quiet Little Life" blog with links over to my other topic-specific blogs so those who wish to can follow those areas in more depth.

ECO ACTION: Sprouts

2010-02-10T10:23:00.005-05:00

When I saw this morning that Colin Beavan had mentioned sprouting on his No Impact Man blog as an easy way to start growing your own food, I just had to join the fun.This quart jar of sprouts was started last Wednesday with 1 Tbs each organic radish, red clover, and alfalfa seeds, rinsed and drained twice a day morning and evening each day since.In this picture are the sprouts remaining, and

BREAD: Project Sourdough~Basic Recipe

2010-02-01T13:01:00.010-05:00

Some people have plants in their offices. In my studio, today, I have a living ball of sourdough on a slow rise to keep me company.BASIC SOURDOUGH BREADINGREDIENTS: 2 c active sourdough starter* (wild yeasts, all purpose flour, water)1 Tbs olive oil1 tsp salt2 c bread flour. That's it! Following usual bread making methods: stir, knead, rise, punch down, rest, form, rise, bake, EAT. This

Story Written on a Linen Dinner Napkin

2009-12-24T12:46:00.009-05:00

Wishing everyone Happy Holidays, however you celebrate them! Today I'm ironing a half-dozen linen dinner napkins in preparation for our traditional Christmas morning breakfast.I found them for just a few dollars at a tag sale this past summer. Belonged to the mother of a local artist who never used them. And they have a fancy letter "P" embroidered on them. A serendipitous find!We've been

ECO ACTION: An American Eco-Radical?

2009-11-13T14:33:00.010-05:00

Last month, my friend, Catherine, from New Zealand responded to my blog post about my decision to start air drying more of my clothes by saying:"No criticism of you intended, but I'm always amazed at the things we think are normal in New Zealand that seem eco-radical to Americans!"Eco-radical? I don't think I've ever framed my choices as "eco-radical", but perhaps they're coming across that way

ECO ACTION: Air Drying Clothes

2009-10-14T14:36:00.013-04:00

I've decided to take the challenge over at Fake Plastic Fish to air dry at least one load of laundry each week. Have been doing this occasionally, but not in any methodical way. The idea is to use the electric dryer less, thereby consuming less electricity and contributing in this small way to reducing global warming.This week, already, I've air dried two full loads of laundry with very little

SACRED SHARDS: Work Play Work Play

2009-07-27T08:53:00.014-04:00

I've been working at play, playing at work, working and playing at clay for the past several weeks. Putting in many 9-10 hour days doing something I love to prepare for two artisan shows coming up:Stonington Village Fair: Saturday 8/1/09, 10 AM-4PM, Stonington Village Green, CTMystic Outdoor Art Festival: Saturday 8/8 10AM-6PM & Sunday 8/9/09 10AM-5PM. Look for my SACRED SHARDS booth in the

SACRED SHARDS: Documenting Recent Work

2009-06-17T16:40:00.009-04:00

Too long I've been making things and selling them or giving them as gifts without taking pictures or making sketches for future work.Today I set up a make-shift photo booth in a well illuminated part of the house, got out my "good-enough" cheap digital camera, and started documenting my work.This heart shaped bowl and matching ladle will be a gift for a family member and his bride, getting

SACRED SHARDS: Completely Glazed Over

2009-06-17T08:31:00.005-04:00

Look what the kiln elves did overnight! Pretty colors!Some sale-able items for this summer's craft shows. A few gifts. Lots of experimental stuff (mugs, etc.). And a couple of keepers.Batter bowl (upper right), Peace Dove ornaments, Word Wise bowl with hearts (peeking from under shelf), ... and hiding on the bottom shelf where I can't see them, surprises!Going now to unload the kiln and see

SACRED SHARDS: Glazing Over

2009-06-16T22:21:00.013-04:00

The little kiln that could. She's an L&L kiln. Needs a name. I'll call her Lana, as in Lana Lang. Powered by meteor rocks.Finished glazing and loading this afternoon. Firing initiated at about 3:45 PM.Here's what's inside. There's another layer below the one visible at on the lower right.And here's what it looked like just a little while ago, glowing amiably in the darkness of the basement.

SONGWRITING: Awakened by the Muse

2009-06-14T07:49:00.003-04:00

I was awakened by the Muse at 5:00 this morning (after getting to sleep past midnight last night.)Grabbed bedside pencil and paper, diligently wrote down the stanzas in my head. But the Muse insisted I get up and go to the piano.Now I'm online researching Greek mythology for lyric content at her request. Ignore her and she goes away to pout. Don't want that.UPDATE: 20090615This was one of

BOOKS: Library Sale Re-Re-Revisited

2009-06-13T11:45:00.010-04:00

Bibliophile's Bounty: For $5 and a Brown Paper BagI'm 'fessin' up. I've been to the library book sale four times this week.I went the first time last Saturday, on the initial day of the sale and came home with an armload of books. Then again on Monday because I thought everything was half-off, but it wasn't. And again yesterday, Friday, because everything really was half-off.Finally, I stopped

PREPARATION: Clearing Clutter

2009-06-11T13:30:00.000-04:00

Clearing away clutter provides the physical and mental space to spark the next creative explosion.

BOOKS: Library Sale Revisited

2009-06-09T11:02:00.006-04:00

Thinking that everything was half price all week at the library's used book sale, I went again yesterday and loaded my arms with an interesting assortment of volumes.When I reached the front table to pay and discovered that the 50% off prices wouldn't kick in until Thursday and Friday, I didn't have the strength to return my selections to the jumbled piles where I might never see them again.

BOOKS: Library Sale

2009-06-06T13:25:00.011-04:00

Today's fabulous finds at the library's annual used book sale:"Larousse Gastronomique" [!!!!!!!] by Prosper Montagne, 1961 EditionChambers Murray Latin-English Dictionary"The Poetry of Robert Frost: All eleven of his books-complete," Edited by Edward Connery Lathem"Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder," by Richard Louv"Between Jihad and Salaam: Profiles in

BREAD: Project Sourdough Day 4~Garlic Oregano Breadsticks

2009-06-02T18:18:00.004-04:00

The house smells like an Italian bakery today.But I'm beginning to feel a little like Seymour Krelborn in "Little Shop of Horrors."Every day I give the sourdough starter a little water to drink and a little flour to eat ...... and it grows. Because I decided four days ago not to throw away the surplus every time I feed the starter, our kitchen is now being overrun by baked goods.First eight

BREAD: Project Sourdough Day 3~Cinnamon Loaves

2009-06-01T18:38:00.005-04:00

I inhale deeply. The house smells of cinnamon and bread.Sourdough Cinnamon Loaves were today's use for the surplus flour/water/yeast mixture produced as I continue to reactivate my long-dormant Idaho sourdough starter.This time I used the ingredients from a recipe for basic sweetbread dough, though in slightly different proportions. I cut all of the additions by about half from the original

BREAD: Project Sourdough Day 2~Sandwich Rolls

2009-05-31T15:49:00.009-04:00

I began the process of reactivating my long-slumbering sourdough starter yesterday.The instructions I have say to whisk 2 cups of water and 3 cups of flour into 1 cup of starter in a large bowl, then cover. This is then left for at least 12 hours at room temperature or slightly warmer.When the starter is fully active it will double in size, becoming bubbly, aromatic, and viscous.If activity is

ECO ACTION: WK3 Farm Share & Project Sourdough

2009-05-30T21:34:00.013-04:00

Aren't they pretty? Four kinds of lettuce, endive, colorful chard, and eggplant starts. I opted for the eggplant plants in place of rhubarb this week when given the choice.Six glorious eggs, voluminous Asian greens (tat soi, bak choi? ... now I'm all confused about which is which) mustard greens, and kale.Used this past weeks supply in much the same way as the week before: stir fry; steamed

ECO ACTION: Lines in the Sand

2009-05-26T08:50:00.002-04:00

Over at the No Impact Man Blog today, Colin Beavan asked: "Do you have any eco-living lines in the sand?"Here's my reply.LINES IN SAND: If something passes through my hands once or for a short period of time and is then thrown away, don't use it. Eat locally grown or make my own as much as possible. If we're not using it turn it off. Walk or bus if possible.Changes I've made just in the past

ECO ACTION: Cast-Iron Skillet

2009-05-24T11:53:00.011-04:00

Yesterday, I scored a sturdy 10-inch cast-iron skillet at a yard sale for only $2.I'm planning to replace all my current non-stick pans (the coating is a kind of plastic) with well seasoned, previously own cast-iron ones. Non-stick coatings have been shown end up in the food we cook, then stored in the body where they potentially can have undesirable health effects. You can read more here and

ECO ACTION: 2nd Farm Share & More Tag Saling

2009-05-23T16:15:00.011-04:00

I'm a big fan of abundance on a shoestring.Another armload of gorgeous vegetables today from Studio Farm.I didn't make it to the farmers market to pick them up. I thought the market was 10-1 today as it had been during the winter. Spring and summer hours are actually 9-Noon. Also, I'd stopped at every tag sale along the way between home and the market. When I arrived the park was empty.So, I

RECIPE: Apple Crisp

2009-05-19T08:54:00.006-04:00

If you're worried about the health effects of butter and sugar, then this isn't the recipe for you. Personally, I consider them to be essential parts of a well balanced diet.The apples that provided the impetus to creating this recipe were the last of our locally grown apples from the farmers market, kept in storage in their basement since last fall. Not great for fresh eating, but perfect for

ECO ACTION: First CSA Share & Tag Sale Finds

2009-05-17T12:23:00.010-04:00

I got to pick up my first ever CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) share at the Stonington Farmers Market yesterday morning. Garden Girl and Eco Action Girl (two of my secret super hero identities) have both been extremely happy with anticipation all week, looking forward to the prospect of bringing home an armload of fresh, locally grown, certified organic spring veggies.In my first spring

RECIPE: Chicken Garam Masala Salad

2009-05-16T12:56:00.004-04:00

I'm posting this recipe in response to a request from an old friend/extended family member. Here it is, Mary Beth:STIR TOGETHER:(All quantities are approximate. This was made up on-the-spot yesterday with the food on hand.)2 cups cooked chicken breast meat*, chopped1 cup crisp red apple with skin, 1/2 inch dice1/4 cup pinenuts1/4-1/2 tsp garam masala seasoning** (or curry powder)1/4 cup

ECO ACTION: First Bus Pass

2009-05-14T14:42:00.008-04:00

Eco-Action Girl got her first bus pass this week!Went for a ride today on the new SEAT (Southeast Area Transit) Pawcatuck/Mystic Run #10 to gather info about stops and services. I caught it just a short walk from our street and rode it round trip, chatting with the driver along the way.This was the first time I'd used a public bus in about 20 years! Only the third time in my life, I'm ashamed

GAIA LUNA: Garden Girl

2009-05-13T09:16:00.005-04:00

I'm Garden Girl again today. Going out into the sunshine to get the soil ready for planting, dig up weeds that didn't get removed last fall (like goldenrod roots), and move around some perennials that are in the way.Garden Girl's Superpowers:cultivating growth and sustainabilitytransforming dirt and seeds into food and flowersturning yard waste and kitchen scraps into rich compostSuperpowers

New Rule: The Ordinary Rules

2009-05-10T19:42:00.009-04:00

Haven't posted here for a very long time.Most of my useful computer time for the past month or so has been focused on getting my recording studio rearranged, up and functional again, then getting work done for a very patient client.Or I've been distracting myself from the frustration of the studio rearrange by endlessly checking email or Facebook, or reading news online, or reading other peoples

GAIA LUNA: Early Spring Seedlings

2009-03-25T09:51:00.005-04:00

These are my little plant friends, grown from seeds, planted over the past several weeks.From left to right: red bell peppers, roma tomatoes, peas, leeks (right top), borage (right middle), onions (right bottom)The trays and the plastic pots are all recycled or re-purposed. They're sitting on blocks of styrofoam that come into our home as packaging to keep their soil temperature more even. On

ECO ACTION: Frugal AND Organic

2009-03-23T09:54:00.006-04:00

I wrote the following in response to a post today on the No Impact Man blog about production processes that improve the environment:This morning on my Yahoo! homepage one of the lead stories was "7 Things You're Wasting Money On". #5 on their list was "Organic Produce"!Of course, a person who needs to cut their expenses, but still wants to eat healthy, might choose buy regular produce instead of

SACRED SHARDS: Body Wisdom Displayed

2009-02-06T15:04:00.012-05:00

My first ever torso sculpture, "Body Wisdom" above, was fired in the first load in my new kiln.Last Saturday morning I put "Body Wisdom" into the Hygienic Art Gallery's thirtieth annual Salon des Independants Show. This is a sort of art free-for-all whose motto is "No Judge, No Jury, No Fees, No Censorship." What better place to break some rules and break new artistic ground for myself.It was

INTENTION: Mid-Winter Stirrings

2009-02-03T13:55:00.007-05:00

The snow is falling outside today.Inside I've taking steps to plant the things I'd like to see begin to grow this Spring. Nothing particularly exciting, really. Like the first unseen stirrings of seeds and sap beneath the frozen earth, the actions I've taken are mundane though crucial to what I hope will follow.Yesterday, I installed Adobe Photoshop 7.0 on my iMac--my primary computer now--and

Groundhog Day (aka St. Bridget's Day or Imbolc)

2009-02-02T19:08:00.009-05:00

In honor of Groundhog Day--the day midway between the first day of Winter and the first day of Spring--I visited the garden center and purchased a bale of seed starting mix (special potting soil) along with a bunch of peat pots. Then I went out to the barn, brought in all the plastic pots and aluminum trays I'd saved from past years, and took them down to the basement until they can be washed

Can spring be far behind?

2009-02-01T20:10:00.005-05:00

There's snow on the ground and temperatures rarely rise above freezing, but yesterday I saw a lone robin rooting around in a barren flower bed and a newly hung sign in town announcing little league sign-ups.

RECIPE: No-Knead Honey Oatmeal Batter Bread

2009-01-28T13:05:00.007-05:00

Just out of the oven. Another original recipe from Kay's Kreative Kitchen. This bread requires no kneading and can be made without getting out the mixer. Makes a sweet, moist, chewy flavorful loaf. For a crunchier crust, mist the oven with water just before putting bread in to bake.INGREDIENTS:1 tsp Salt2 pkgs Active Dry Yeast (equals 4 1/2 tsp)5 cups All-Purpose Flour, divided (I use

Sharpie Luggage

2009-01-26T11:07:00.008-05:00

2 hours to wait in an airport + 1 silver sharpie marker + 1 cheap carry on bag = TADA! Art on WheelsWould have done more but the sharpie was already mostly used up and ran out of ink. Will pack a fresh one for next time.As it was, I so focused on what I was doing that I nearly missed the boarding call for my plane.While I worked (played), the public address system intoned repeatedly:"Attention

Turntable Turns the Tables on Time

2009-01-23T19:10:00.009-05:00

I've just returned from a trip to California for a family visit and work on a special project.I dug into the stacks of old 45s, 78s and LPs we listened to as kids.Took my ION portable USB turntable and converted childhood memories into digital audio files (wav and m4a), complete with all the nostalgic crackle, pop and hiss. We played those records by the hour, way back when.The turntable is

ECO ACTION: 2009 Green Goals

2009-01-10T18:50:00.007-05:00

The Crunchy Domestic Goddess Blog has encouraged readers to share their Green Goals for 2009. Here, I've included my 2009 ECO ACTION goals as well as 2008 accomplishments.As I write this out, it looks like a lot, but I realize how much I was able to comfortably do in 2008 even though I was quite sick for about 4 out of 12 months.I hope this inspires others to try a few things.Winter Energy

2009 Intentions

2009-01-10T10:13:00.008-05:00

Things that are calling to me for 2009, in no particular order:learn to bake bagelsrecord the next CDfinish the garden fence and arborplant lots of flowers and veggies, and enjoy themget a first draft of the writing project donebe healthybake lots of bread and desserts (not mutually exclusive with the previous item)have adventuressit and do nothing moresing and playmake stuffreadlistendigestlive

Little New Year's Things 2009

2009-01-01T12:26:00.006-05:00

Happy New Year to all!Here are a few ways I've marked the ringing out of the old year, ringing in of the new:In anticipation of Spring, the first seed catalogs began to arrive on Tuesday. I've started marking things I'd like to grow this year.A blanket of snow wrapped up the end of 2008, falling all day. We worked together to keep the woodstove going.Baked apple brownies and oatmeal raisin

ECO ACTION: Disconnecting / Reconnecting

2008-12-29T18:22:00.007-05:00

The photo I took earlier today of the cables under the desk in my studio, shows that there's a lot left to do to finish "disassembling all the recording and audio equipment."With an eye toward conservation, I've decided to rearrange all the electrical connections in the studio, too.The goal is to eliminate the unnecessary consumption of electricity used in standby mode when the computers,

Time Between Years

2008-12-29T11:04:00.009-05:00

Each year for the past several I've taken the week between Christmas and New Years to dive into the process of cleaning and reorganizing my studio, and other parts of the house, with an eye toward what I envision accomplishing in the coming year.It's always a time of reflection, a shifting of energy from past ways of being and doing toward ways that are a better fit for where the new year finds

RECIPE: Boston Baked Beans-LESS SODIUM

2008-12-27T14:12:00.017-05:00

This is a new original recipe from Kay's Kreative Kitchen.* (Also made the pottery bowl and the bread in the photo by hand, but not today.)I cooked this for lunch today, putting the pot of beans in the oven (Step #4 below) first thing this morning (Steps #1-3 prepared last night). The house smelled wonderful while I boxed up belated Christmas presents to send to family living on the other side

QUOTES: "Miracles" from "Leaves of Grass"

2008-12-01T19:36:00.009-05:00

WHAT shall I give? and which are my miracles?Realism is mine—my miracles—Take freely,Take without end—I offer them to you wherever your feet can carry you, or your eyes reach.Why! who makes much of a miracle?As to me, I know of nothing else but miracles,Whether I walk the streets of Manhattan,Or dart my sight over the roofs of houses toward the sky,Or wade with naked feet along the beach, just

VIDEO: Me Singing "Time at the Table"

2008-11-28T15:58:00.004-05:00

"Time at the Table"Words and Music by Kay Pere and Bill PerePerformed at the Shubert Theatre in New Haven, CTKay Pere with Bill Pere and the LUNCH EnsembleCheck back soon for lyrics.:-), Kay

ECO ACTION: Sustainable Happiness

2008-11-26T06:33:00.009-05:00

The pursuit of happiness has been transformed into the pursuit of consumer goods and energy hungry lifestyles that damage our planet.Visit HERE to browse a large selection of articles about pursuing lasting happiness while consuming fewer resources and reducing your environmental impact.It's a lot more fun than it sounds!I hear the politicians talk a lot about "getting our economy moving again."

ECO ACTION: No Impact Man Blog

2008-11-24T19:19:00.008-05:00

As a self proclaimed Eco Geek, I love to read the No Impact Man blog.It gives a clear picture of just how much one person can do to live more sustainably, how one persons actions can inspire others.I'll never be able to alter my lifestyle to the extent described there, but it's a wonderful source of information and ideas about what might be the next step beyond those I've already taken.

VIDEO: Funny Hat

2008-11-20T15:47:00.003-05:00

Oh, the fun you can have with someone else's hat!No wonder I've been dizzy!Hanover, VT, USA

CREATIVE OATMEAL: other things to think about #2

2008-11-20T08:35:00.011-05:00

[free or nearly-free happy things]Perhaps not the most exciting subject, but a favorite breakfast for cold weather. And it provides many options.Here's my recipe. It makes about 6 servings. I eat one immediately and refrigerate the remainder to reheat on subsequent days.Basic:2 cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats (slow cooking)4-5 cups Water1/4 tsp Salt (adds approx. 100 mg sodium per serving)

STUDIO WINDOW: other things to think about #1

2008-11-19T15:03:00.009-05:00

Because life is not all gloom and doom, not all health concerns and financial contraction. ..I'm going to make an effort to post quick snippets about happy everyday things, as an antidote.#1 OUTSIDE MY STUDIO WINDOWThere is a dogwood tree right outside my studio window who keeps me company as the seasons change. In the past few weeks it has lost all its vermilion leaves. A fine filigree of

QUOTES: "To say that she had a book..."

2008-10-04T10:10:00.003-04:00

"To say that she had a book is to say that her solitude did not press upon her; for her love of knowledge had a fertilising quality and her imagination was strong."~ Henry James, "The Portrait of a Lady", Chapter III (1881)

RECIPE: Toasted Almond Butter-NO SALT

2008-09-30T13:13:00.010-04:00

"Training is everything. The peach was once a bitter almond; cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education." ~Mark Twain, Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894)I made nut butter from scratch for the first time today. Very easy and yummy!INGREDIENTS:1 lb Whole Almonds2 Tbs Almond Oil (or other oil) as needed1) Toast almonds in 350F oven for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to toast evenly.

GAIA LUNA: Harvesting What Isn't

2008-09-27T10:13:00.009-04:00

Thirty spokes share the wheel's hub;It is the centre hole that makes it useful.Shape clay into a vessel;It is the space within that makes it useful.Cut doors and windows for a room;It is the holes that make it useful.Therefore profit comes from what is there;Usefulness from what is not there~ Lao Tsu, From Tao-Te ChingHealth brings life filled with activity. Illness empties time to its barest

GAIA LUNA: Fall Harvest 08

2008-09-20T10:28:00.008-04:00

Happy Autumnal Equinox, to those in the Northern Hemisphere. It's a day to celebrate our creative harvest.The picture above is the last big harvest from Gaia Luna: one spaghetti squash, half-a-dozen each sweet italian banana peppers and bell peppers (red and green), a few jalapeno peppers, several acorn squash, and an arm-load of under-sized delicata squash, all topped by a bunch of pink

HEALTHY: Cup Much More Than Half Full

2008-09-19T21:00:00.005-04:00

Cup says:The Way I See It #291:"In a world where celebrity equals talent, and where make-believe is called reality, it is most important to have real love, truth and stability in your life." ~ Bernie BrillsteinFilm and television producer.Tiny print at the bottom says (ironically):"This is the author's opinion, not necessarily that of Starbucks. To read more or respond, go to www.starbucks.com/

HEALTHY: Best Foot Forward

2008-09-18T15:45:00.011-04:00

I'm back. Dipping my toes back into the pool. Toes painted with hearts (I did this myself) in celebration of health restored.What a summer it was!Didn't go at all as planned. I planned and planted, but fate had other designs.I won't go into details here. Enough to say I was very sick for over two months. Couldn't garden. Couldn't do much of anything but read, sleep, teach my lessons, stay

QUOTES: Done with Great Things

2008-07-18T22:00:00.003-04:00

"I am done with great things and big things, great institutions and big success, and I am for those tiny invisible molecular moral forces that work from individual to individual, creeping through the crannies of the world like so many rootlets, or like the capillary oozing of water, yet which if you give them time, will rend the hardest monuments of man's pride."~ William James

BOOKS: Library Sale

2008-06-14T12:58:00.014-04:00

I love books. Especially good used books that can be had for next to nothing.This was the week of the annual book sale at our local library. For far less than one might spend on a single, new, hard-cover book, I brought home 17 barely-used, new-to-me books:COOKBOOKSNo Salt, No Sugar, No Fat Cookbook, by Jacqueline Williams and Goldie SilvermanPlain & Happy Living: Amish Recipes & Remedies, by

GAIA LUNA: Demure Dogwood

2008-06-06T15:22:00.009-04:00

When rain drops grow heavy, the kousa dogwood tree outside our front door bows low in greeting, just as its Japanese ancestors might. Delicate geishas with powdered faces nod politely while I balance on our top step, screen door behind me held open with right elbow and hip.I am the awkward tourist, camera in hand.They giggle demurely behind leafy fans.(c)2008 Kay Pere - Effusive Muse Publishing

GAIA LUNA: Strawberries-First Harvest

2008-05-28T15:36:00.003-04:00

Today the strawberry harvest began. I picked them as the sun was coming up, just enough fresh berries for this morning's breakfast cereal. A precious taste of spring sunshine.There have been home-grown berries for breakfast almost every day since last June.First, at the beginning of June '07, there were the fresh strawberries from the 9-foot circular bed at the center of Gaia Luna, planted the

GAIA LUNA: May Planting

2008-05-25T18:46:00.018-04:00

Welcome to the new improved Gaia Luna Garden. We put in a new purple picket fence around the garden in April, which you can see it in the distance, just beyond the white barn. The pink flowers, near at hand, are azaleasIn the photo below, we stand at the entrance to Gaia Luna looking East toward the newly expanded growing area. The old enclosure held an area approximately, 32 x 32 ft. The new

BOOKS: Slow and Messy

2008-04-10T09:10:00.009-04:00

Recent reading has included topics often pointed to as character flaws in our hurry-up and get organized culture--slowness and messiness. While I'm sometimes criticized for moving too slowly and being habitually untidy, I find these characteristics to be essential for my creativity and enjoyment of life.I need time to think and an abundance of materials around me in order to do any original work.

Cape May Singer Songwriters Conference

2008-03-08T17:37:00.008-05:00

We landed in beautiful Cape May NJ this weekend, for the Cape May Singer Songwriter Conference where B and I taught workshops, performed, and met a lot of wonderful people dedicated to writing and performing their songs. Though this photo looks like a UFO beamed us down on the NJ beach, we actually arrived by car.The conference was held at Congress Hall, a beautiful old resort right on the shore,

Random Discoveries

2008-03-05T16:26:00.003-05:00

RANDOM LUNCH EXPERIMENT, a grilled cheese sandwich tastes really good with dried basil and cayenne pepper sprinkle on the cheese before putting the lid (top piece of bread) on and grilling it.RANDOM WEBSURFING brought me to Instructables.com "The World's Biggest Show & Tell," with photos and step-by-step instructions for all kinds of interesting, strange and creative projects. Looking is free.

Signs of Spring: Witch Hazel & Peas

2008-03-04T20:33:00.020-05:00

Today in town I saw one of the first indications that spring is right around the corner. The witch hazel tree in the veterans memorial park is blooming. Every year this is the first sign that winter has loosened its grip and warmer weather is on its way. First after the snowdrops under our dogwood tree.It even felt like spring today. Sunny morning, birds singing, warmer than it has been. I

Root Cellaring - First Effort

2008-03-01T18:28:00.004-05:00

This fall I began reading up on storing fruits and vegetables without refrigeration in a root cellar. Books from the library provided the information.I had originally thought the basement stairs coming down from outside would be a good place to make a root cellar, but that turned out to be unworkable. As soon as outdoor temperatures dropped below freezing, so did the temps in the stairwell,

RECORDING: Secretive Computer Cajoled

2008-02-27T15:23:00.005-05:00

Progress.MIDI setup is working with my iMac through MOTU Digital PerformerMOTU 828 digital audio interface drivers are installed and signal is visible in Garage Band, though not audible even though all the settings are correct. Not sure why.Next step will be a focused effort on getting digital audio I/O between 828 and Digital Performer.MOTU has great phone tech support!They have completely

RECORDING: Secretive Computers

2008-02-19T20:10:00.006-05:00

Today I did battle with technology. It won.Today my computers refused to play nice and make things easy.Today they kept secrets and snickered behind their shiny screens.Today I tried a lot of things that didn't work.Today ended with more questions than answers.Today I learned a few of the right questions to ask.That was my one success.Tomorrow I will ask again and learn a little more.In plain

SONGWRITING: Binder & Web Work

2008-02-18T15:58:00.014-05:00

Today was a day spent working on the administrative side of my creative projects. As a result, I was able to check a couple of longstanding items off my TO-DO list.I finished printing out lyric/chord sheets for all my songs and put them into a binder organized with tabs by CD project (several underway currently). It felt good to see them all in one place for the first time. I think this will help

Music for Cleaning the Studio

2008-02-16T17:10:00.008-05:00

I've spent all day cleaning my studio.Well, not actually cleaning. That would involve a broom and dustpan, a bucket of warm water and damp rag. Haven't quite gotten to that point yet.Mostly I've just been putting music books and sheet music back where they go on shelves, making piles into files. At the same time, the copier has been working hard cranking out the "Daily Practice Record" sheets

GAIA LUNA: Seed Saving

2008-02-14T17:37:00.010-05:00

Last fall I saved seeds from my marigolds, cosmos, nasturtiums, string beans, and a couple of herb plants.In the photo they are drying in the sunroom after being separated from the flowery parts. Not so difficult to do. Here are enough seeds to grow several gardens full of flowers, the equivalent of a whole rack of seed packets from the nursery from just a few plants.These are old fashioned

GAIA LUNA: Seeds

2008-02-13T20:52:00.004-05:00

Been gone from the blog for about 3 month since my last post.Just living and doing, and living and not doing.I've rediscovered the joys of just sitting and thinking, or sitting and not thinking about anything in particular, staring at passing clouds and light on tree branches like I did when I was a kid. I highly recommend it. Thoughts wander in wonderful directions when allowed the space to do

GAIA LUNA: Grounds for the Ground

2007-11-13T15:32:00.000-05:00

Compost!Very few people get excited about the potential of rotting organic matter, but I'm one of them.I'd heard that Starbucks gives away their spent coffee grounds to gardeners just for the asking. So this morning at about 10:30, after exercising, I stopped in and got the morning's grounds for my garden. When I asked, the girl behind the counter didn't hesitate for a moment. She added the

SACRED SHARDS: Organized & Spontaneous

2007-10-24T11:25:00.000-04:00

I’ve been happily busy this past week or so getting my pottery inventory organized and finishing up designing the photo sheets to submit to additional shows (once I've got enough inventory built up).I will be participating in the artisan show in Nov and Dec at the art gallery in town. When I took my application and photo sheets down to the gallery manager, she hardly looked at them. She had seen

GAIA LUNA: By Design?

2007-09-11T13:22:00.000-04:00

©2007 Kay Pere ~ Effusive Muse PublishingGaia Luna, my art garden, now has its own logo. I constructed its elements from a scanned and altered image of one of my "Spiral Drop" pottery necklaces.©2007 Kay Pere ~ Effusive Muse PublishingDuring the summer I had designed new packaging for several new necklaces. The "Spiral Drop" is one of 8 new designs that grew from a whole new set of handmade

BREAD: Bake and Learn

2007-07-02T19:24:00.000-04:00

I've just taken my first loaf of sourdough bread out of the oven. Of course, had to try a piece while it was still hot.The texture, taste and crust were good, but I'd made the mistake of sticking with the second rising time specified in the recipe. When I looked inside the proofing box at the appointed time I found a spongy pizza shaped disc. It had over leavened, bubbles burst so that it

BREAD: It's ALIVE!

2007-07-02T10:29:00.000-04:00

Thought I'd report on my "creative" project of the weekend. Adventures in baking bread.I got sourdough starter going for the first time, for making Italian sourdough bread!Frothy colonies of happy Italian yeast and their symbiotic bacteria friends have been growing in quart canning jars on my kitchen counter-top, inside a homemade proofing box. Began with a powder I ordered from Sourdoughs

Quiet Return

2007-06-28T21:21:00.000-04:00

It's been over two months since I've written here. I've been busily, calmly, happily living my quiet little life, not stopping to write about it beyond my own private pages.I've spent very little time at the computer over the past two months, more outside planting, weeding, harvesting, ... or inside learning to make jam, baking and eating bread made from scratch for the first time, ... or in the

INTERVIEW: Eric Maisel - Ten Zen Seconds (1)

2007-04-21T04:00:00.000-04:00

Today, it is my honor to interview internationally known author, speaker and creativity coach Eric Maisel, Ph.D., as he tells us about his new book, Ten Zen Seconds. We will be discussing his new approach to mindfulness as it applies to creative people with busy lives.Ten Zen Seconds is structured around 12 incantations (phrases, similar to affirmations, that do a particular kind of inner work).

INTERVIEW: Eric Maisel - Ten Zen Seconds (2)

2007-04-21T01:00:00.000-04:00

Today, I host author and creativity coach, Eric Maisel, Ph.D., as he tells about his new book, "Ten Zen Seconds: Twelve Incantations for Purpose, Power and Calm."Ten Zen Seconds is written in a straightforward, easily understood style. I chose to read it slowly over the course of about ten days, going through it in a way that allowed for reflection and experiential use of the ideas. I used the

Tiny Blackberry Tarts

2007-04-11T22:59:00.000-04:00

Late night cravings are the fairy-godmothers of inventive cooking.I went to the grocery store this evening in search of blackberry* something-or-other to bake and found nothing prefab in either the freezer or bakery sections. Here's what I came up with:TINY BLACKBERRY TARTS[preheat oven or toaster oven to 350F]- 1 box frozen mini fillo shells- 1 bag frozen blackberries- 1 jar blackberry jam1)

Spring Peepers

2007-04-11T21:55:00.000-04:00

I heard my first spring peepers (not to be confused with Peeps) of the season tonight when I went out to the grocery store at 9:30 PM to get ... well, something to bake. I was having a craving for boysenberry pie, which is nearly impossible to find in New England, but that's another story.Peepers are little nocturnal frogs I've never seen, only heard. The males' mating call can be heard for quite

Nuked Peeps S'mores

2007-04-04T14:46:00.000-04:00

Ode to a Purple Peepa poem by Kay PereA bland expression on its face,Upon a paper plate,A graham cracker beneath itThe peep awaits its fate. It cannot run. It cannot beg. Its belly bulge, a chocolate egg,Like they do in Winnipeg,The peep that I just ate.THE ENDDoes this make me a one ode purple peep eater?[Microwave approximately 20 seconds. Eat open-faced or cover with another graham cracker

Quote: Ears Filled with Oughts

2007-03-31T21:23:00.000-04:00

"Much of the joy I always feel on the island lies precisely in being free of the nagging suspician I used to have that no matter what I was doing I might better be doing something else: if playing with my kids I should be working, if working I was neglecting my friends, if out with my friends I belonged home with my kids. How often I accused myself of reading when I should be writing, of writing

Fortune Cookie Says

2007-03-28T09:19:00.000-04:00

The fortune cookie I got with last night's Chinese take-out told me:"Your infinite capacity for patience will be rewarded sooner or later."I want my infinite capacity for patience rewarded now!Just kidding. Sorta.How would you define "irony"?©2007 Kay Pere ~ Effusive Muse Publishing

Library: Free Magazines

2007-03-26T14:35:00.000-04:00

Because I try to live simply, I don't subscribe to magazines that aren't related to my profession (though I do occasionally bring one home from the grocery store check out counter).As part of my creative process workshop the participants are asked to make a quick collage clipped from magazines, which I wouldn't ordinarily have on hand. So, today I visited our local public library where they set

stronger than memory

2007-03-24T10:27:00.000-04:00

The Funnies

2007-03-23T09:50:00.000-04:00

Reuse. Recycle. Renew.As a child during the 60's and 70's I took this mantra to heart.Birthday and Christmas gifts from my teenage hippy brothers were usually wrapped in the Sunday funnies, a choice made by economic necessity and the ideology of the time. They needed what little spending money they had to pay for dates and gas for their car, and the funnies wrapped around the presents they gave

Vernal Equinox

2007-03-21T11:17:00.000-04:00

The first day of Spring! The wheel of the year turns.Wagon wheel pasta (rotelle) and sauce for dinner. Round green grapes on the side.I went for a walk to the edge of the woods today, looking for signs of spring.A flock of robins tap-danced across the field looking for the first stirrings of earthworms. They hopped up into the bare tree branches as I passed among them.There were leaf buds on the

Mix it up!

2007-03-19T10:43:00.000-04:00

Reuse. Recycle. Renew.Old things with character and history appeal to me.I would rather use our old avocado green hand mixer than anything new from the store. It has mixed cakes and brownies going back many decades. To hold it in my hand is to hold all those happy memories, though it's only been mine for a fraction of that time.The color reminds me of an era when Alice on the "Brady Bunch" always