CATHERINE KLEIN, ARTIST

CATHERINE KLEIN was European artist who worked in the early 1900's. Her work intrigues me because I would just love to paint in her style and with her delicate hand. I believe she was a watercolorist. Her illustrations were widely produced on postcards and in those little souvenir poetry books you find in antique shops from time to time. Not much seems to be known about this remarkable artist. I have tried, without success to find more information about her on the web, but it is scarce. I will publish more of her works tomorrow - some of her flowers.

THE TUSCAN POT

THIS TERRACOTTA POT IN MY GARDEN IS A FAVORITE. ONE DAY LAST SPRING, MY DAUGHTER BROUGHT HER 3 GIRLS OVER TO HELP ME GET MY GARDEN READY. KENDRA AND I WORKED ON THIS POT. WE PUT IN A FEW BRICKS TO ALLOW FOR DRAINAGE, THEN FILLED IT WITH GOOD POTTING SOIL. WE PLANTED A SINGLE PINK GERANIUM IN IT THAT LOOKED A LITTLE LOST AT THE TIME. HOWEVER, AS THE SUMMER HEAT AND RAINS CAME, THE PLANT FLOURISHED AND IS NOW HEALTHY AND SEEMS TO BE HAPPY IN THE TUSCAN POT. IT HAS BLOOMED MANY TIMES. AT ITS BASE, I PLANTED THREE CRYSANTHEMUMS, AND I HOPE THEY MAKE IT UNTIL IT'S TIME TO BLOOM THIS FALL, BUT I AM NOT SURE AT THE MOMENT. AND, BY THE WAY, THE POT WAS ANOTHER INEXPENSIVE FIND. ONLY DOWNSIDE IS I HAVE TO BRING IT INSIDE EACH WINTER BECAUSE IF IT GETS WATER IN IT AND I FORGET TO DUMP IT, IT COULD FREEZE AND CRACK.

AFTER THIS SUMMER'S LONG SPELLS WITHOUT RAIN, I HAVE DECIDED THAT I WILL PLANT MANY MORE GERANIUMS NEXT YEAR. THEY DON'T NEED A LOT OF CARE AND CAN GO A WEEK OR SO WITHOUT WATER. I HATE TO LOSE THEM AT THE END OF THE SEASON, THOUGH I HAVE WINTERED SOME OVER IN A POT IN FRONT OF THE LARGE PATIO WINDOW WHERE THEY CATCH A LOT OF SUNSHINE.

ICE CREAM IN AN ELEGANT GLASS

IS THERE ANYONE WHO DOESN'T LOVE ICE CREAM? Well, I guess there must be someone somewhere. I think ice cream, especially with strawberry-rhubarb jam for a topping is a perfect evening treat.

Recently, I bought an ice cream maker. My first attempt wasn't a cooked ice cream, and not made with all cream, so it's not as smooth as the real thing, but it is a delicious frozen dessert. One of the reasons I wanted my own ice cream maker is because I now can know what's in the ice cream I eat - no chemicals. Then, just this week, I found a recipe book of 150 recipes for ice cream and ways to use it in other desserts. My next experiment will be coffee flavored.

The serving dish is American "elegant glass" probably from the 40's or 50's. I have not researched the pattern, but it's probably by Cambridge glass. I love the feel and shape of this dish. I only have one, however, but that's all I need for my evening snack.

A LOVELY OLD BROOCH

THIS LOVELY OLD BROOCH IS MADE OF ABALONE SHELL AND I WAS HAPPY TO FIND IT INEXPENSIVELY. IT IS SET IN A NICE ENGRAVED BEZEL. I'LL ENJOY WEARING IT ON A BLACK JACKET IN THE FALL AND WINTER. AS I AGE, I FIND JEWELRY CUMBERSOME AND HEAVY AND WEAR ALMOST NONE. BUT OCCASIONALLY, I FIND A LITTLE PIECE I LIKE (NEVER FINE JEWELRY, ALWAYS COSTUME) AND BUY IT.

SO, THIS IS THE "SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL" FOR TODAY.

END OF THE GARDEN

My "Something Beautiful" today comes from the garden - and the bright red of the mini tomatoes against their green leaves make me think of Christmas colors. About mid-summer, we went through a time of drought. Many of my newer plants have finished blooming early. About the only bit of color left in the garden is this one lonely tomato plant that did well in a pot at the base of the patio steps. I wish I could catch the critter that likes the mini tomatoes as much as I do. I find bright red half-eaten remnants in the dirt near the ferns. After the green one ripens and the little yellow blossoms produce a few more fruit, the bush will be trashed.

My friend Joann, gardener to the core, grew the best tomatoes this year on Hanover tomato stock. They rival those Jersey beefsteaks I remember from my childhood. Solid and sweet.

I took this picture, then brought the trio inside where it became part of my late brunch today. And that reminded me of the English breakfast I ate in Bath, England when I visited my long-time penpal many years ago. Until then, I had never eaten tomatoes and mushrooms with my eggs and sausage.

I want to paint this picture, but I am too tired tonight even for acrylics. I had coffee with caffeine yesterday in the late afternoon and didn't sleep much last night. So, it's to bed early tonight. Tomorrow's another day.

SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL

Because I think there is beauty all around us, I am going to try to post something every day that I think is beautiful. I hope you agree with my choices. Today, I'm being a bit self-laudatory and posting a fragment of a small oil painting I did. My friend Linda calls it my "best rose ever"; she has seen my early endeavors so she has something to compare this one with. To put it mildly, the first ones I did were bad . I started painting simply because I wanted to paint roses and quickly found that painting roses in oil is very difficult. But, this winter, I will continue trying. I do not particularly like the other elements of this painting, so you won't get to see the whole picture, but enjoy the pretty pink rose. "But only God can make a (real) rose?"