When I met Ken I had LOTS of house plants. And some came with me to Turtle Lake. Ken took over the houseplant tasks. And he had great success with all the plants I brought EXCEPT the peace lily or spathiphyllum I brought. It likes filtered light and Ken was of a more light the better philosophy. That spath fried and died. When Ken died, his aunts and an uncle on …
Years ago, Ken’s sister Anna gave us this cactus. And when it blooms it has beautiful flowers for a very short time. Ken LOVED it. And so, now, as it blooms I think of him and with deep gratitude I say thank you, Anna!
Since we had an open drive on highway eight, Ken and I were often caught off guard by unexpected customers and visitors. We could be in the garden or having a meal – you get the idea. We had a outdoor bath. And once, after taking a bath, Ken, with his towel around his neck , rounded the corner of the house to greet a familiar couple with me shopping for pots. Like Adam, he …
Yesterday was Ken’s Memorial Service. After hearing Ken say frequently after a funeral, “That minister (priest) didn’t even know …. (fill in name of deceased).” Like writing his obituary, I decided to take on the planning for the service. I have a tendency to be that little red hen in the children’s story. First I realized an open air setting would be best, but I wanted a shelter in case of rain. Then I …
Last weekend kind friends helped me continue a decades old tradition of selling Ken’s pottery and produce for our “Spring Opener” the first weekend in May. Since Ken’s death, many people have asked me what my plans are. Until now I have simply answered truthfully, “I don’t know.” But after last weekend some things have become clear. And I can state unequivocally that I have no desire to do pottery and produce retail sales on …
Ken was a real do-it-yourself guy. But even he knew his limitations. Back in the day people built their own houses rather than having them built. And they got knowledgeable friends to help with their weaker areas of skill. Ken was excellent at concrete, wood, sheet rock, etc. Electrical and plumbing, well he felt less confident. So he asked Stan to check all his work. Stan came and checked. Ken asked what he could …
Ken always enjoyed the amaryllis. My parents had sent him a bulb here and there; most went to a friend when we went to Japan. Last fall they sent one to me, and now its blossoms remind me of both them AND Ken. It is short, has two stems and is BEAUTIFUL.
Dave at Halco Press and I were laughing as we remembered Ken stories last week. One of my favorites involves Ken, Dave and Dave’s dad Jim. Jim Slack was a warm – hearted man with a crusty exterior. He loved teasing Ken. He would often ask Ken what he was up to and once Ken explained that afternoon he planned to put handles on cups. Ken further explained that one had to wait for the …
In the days before we were doing publicity on the internet, Ken commissioned art and made postcards to announce his pottery shows. He worked with our local Turtle Lake printer, Dave. Dave’s family published the Turtle Lake Times, and ran a print shop. One of Dave’s first printing jobs was to deal with that weird, long haired artist up in the woods who made pots – Ken. Ken had an art degree and was often …
I took on Ken’s sourdough when he died. I am still learning about bread baking, but can do a passable loaf. I ended up with extra sourdough. I guess this is a fairly common occurrence. I am not a big pancake eater – one of the ways to use the extra starter, but I decided to try the recipe using starter in crackers. Today I made my first batch, and I …
