Sunday, March 29, 2015

Spring Cleaning: A Broom Cupboard Alternative

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Natural bristle, lambswool, and feathers beautifully crafted into traditional cleaning tools lined up on Shaker pegs
Photo: Chronica Domus


With the onset of spring, and the crescendo of excited birdsong penetrating the azure skies outdoors, I am compelled to throw open the windows, let in the fresh air, and begin the ritual of spring cleaning. I may even join the birds and attempt a jaunty little tune of my own, but on second thought, I have the most dreadful singing voice and wouldn't want to frighten them all away with my ear-splitting pitch.

For years, I've been buying and using traditional and beautiful cleaning tools to help get my house and its contents "shipshape and Bristol fashion".  I love that expression and it was one I heard many times during my youth, uttered from the mouths of impatient schoolmistresses hastening us girls to put away equipment in the science laboratory, or on the playing field (hockey sticks anyone?) at the conclusion of our lessons.

My mother taught my sisters and I well.  Each Saturday morning, we would help her dust every surface of furniture with the aid of our little yellow dusting cloths, while she carefully attended to various ceramics and bibelots with feather duster and soft bristle brush in hand. The weekly routine of dusting not only taught us to care for our possessions, but it was a ritual that was strangely therapeutic and even gratifying. We reaped the benefits of our hard work instantly; a clean and orderly house to be enjoyed by all.

You will be hard pressed to find a neon-colored plastic-handled broom, brush, or cleaning gadget around here (vacuum cleaner excluded, of course).  No, I much prefer my tools to be made of natural materials, which are aesthetically pleasing to gaze upon, more environmentally friendly, and a joy to use.  I own both new and old tools (found in junk shops and the like), and whenever I travel, I am always on the lookout for them.  When in London last, I happened upon a wonderful shop called Labour and Wait, which afforded me the opportunity of adding a sturdy enamel dustpan and a soft natural bristle brush, both made in England, to my cache.

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My classic English enamel dustpan and natural bristle brush are indispensable for ridding the floors of debris (and so much nicer to look at than the ubiquitous plastic variety)
Photo: Chronica Domus


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This vintage horsehair Lietz brush, discovered in a junk shop, makes dusting woodwork child's play as it caresses each and every recess with ease
Photo: Chronica Domus


Last year, I purchased a fine German goat hair duster with a beautifully turned pear wood handle that I found among the offerings at Good Grey, a little jewel of a shop tucked away in one of Petaluma's historic buildings. The proprietress of Good Grey stocks her small mercantile with an array of attractive household goods that are both utilitarian and beautifully made.

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Not only does this goat hair duster do a fine job of removing dust, it is also quite beautifully constructed - I adore the little black dot of contrasting hair which adds a certain flair to an otherwise utilitarian object
Photo: Chronica Domus


As with many older modestly-sized houses, and ours is no exception, closet space is very limited so our household does not enjoy the luxury of a dedicated broom cupboard in the proximity of our living quarters.  We are, however, fortunate to have a full basement at our disposal, but that is not an ideal place to keep cleaning tools that need to be hurriedly pressed into service when dried ingredients fall upon the kitchen floor, or whenever stray dog hairs are spotted lurking beneath the sofa that necessitate sweeping with alacrity.

An old-fashioned horsehair broom soon gets the wooden floors spick and span without scratching
Photo: Chronica Domus


With this in mind, I recently conceived of an exceedingly practical solution as to where I might best store my beautiful cleaning tools which had thus far been shamefully and unceremoniously crammed into the cupboard beneath my kitchen sink. If any of you are familiar with the simplicity and practicality of Shaker design, you will already know all about the genius of those humble little Shaker pegs.

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A row of practical shaker pegs transforms an area of the back stairwell into a very useful space
Photo: Chronica Domus


My very handy husband attached seven evenly spaced pegs to the wooden railing atop the wainscoting by the kitchen door in the back stairwell leading to our basement. I procured a small quantity of brown leather lace and set to work threading it through the convenient pre-existing holes on the dustpan and brushes.

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Brown leather lace is threaded through the handles of my cleaning tools allowing for hanging
Photo: Chronica Domus


For those tools, such as the horsehair broom, that did not possess a hole in their handle, one was quickly made using an electric drill. The brushes and dusters could now be hung neatly on their new pegs creating a well-ordered alternative to a broom cupboard, and one that was conveniently placed right beside my kitchen door.

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An orderly solution to a broom cupboard with everything in its place and easily accessible
Photo: Chronica Domus


Now, the only item I've yet to find a home for is the horsehair broom, but it is such a beautiful object, it wouldn't look so out of place propped up against a wall would it?  One could not possibly say that about a ratty old neon-colored plastic broom.

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I've found no better broom to whisk away dirt and dust than this horsehair model with a sufficiently long handle for ease of use, important to us taller ladies
Photo: Chronica Domus


We all need to dust away the odd cobweb from time to time, or sweep up an errant crumb, so why not join me in adding a little beauty to the home by forgoing the army of luridly colored, plastic-handled, synthetic bristle brushes and brooms and instead seek out traditionally made cleaning tools. Not only will you find them handsome to the eye, but they will outperform synthetic bristles and last for years.

Do you enjoy cleaning your home, spring or otherwise, or do you rely on domestic help?  Which tools do you find indispensable when it comes to the matter of dust-busting?

 Nota bene: I am neither paid nor do I receive recompense in exchange for applauding products or services within my blog.  I do so because I enjoy them.  If you are a kindred spirit, you too enjoy recommending nice things to fellow good eggs.

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Hyacinth Update: Not Quite So "Splendid"

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Hyacinth Splendid Cornelia
Not quite as splendid as their namesake might suggest
Photo: Chronica Domus


Well, it has been just shy of a month since I discovered my long-overdue-for-forcing hyacinth bulbs which, if you recall, had escaped my notice tucked away within brown paper bags in my basement for the better part of winter. Quickly hatching a plan to force them in water, contained in antique copper food molds, I thought I might have saved the day.  With as much cosseting and coddling as a mother can provide her offspring, I was hopeful for a good show.

Alas, this year's selection of hyacinth bulbs did not quite live up to their namesake, Splendid Cornelia.  It is, I believe, all my fault as I have obviously denied them adequate growing conditions to thrive. After all, as with past efforts, seen here and here, I've always started the forcing of my hyacinths closer to the calendar New Year than the Lunar New Year.

I'll admit, the photograph I've included in this post does look somewhat pretty at first glance, and I am grateful that at least a few of the bulbs have bloomed for my enjoyment, releasing their heavenly fragrance to sweeten the air in the kitchen. Clearly, they have not thrived and have obviously had a falling out and some cross words with each other, much like a couple of petulant children.  Why else would they not be blooming in unison?  In fact, I'm not quite certain what to make of it all. Firstly, the most successful of the bulbs was actually growing very well on its own in the smaller of the two food molds. As soon as I came to realize that one of the bulbs in the larger mold was not to be coaxed into action, looking a little desiccated as it was, I ditched that under-achiever into the compost receptacle and replaced it with the one from the small mold.  The little mold soon got a replacement bulb; a yellow variety named City of Haarlem.  Now, I wait with eager anticipation as to its fate.

As can be seen, I've had varied success with three of the four bulbs in the larger mold. Although the middle bulb towards the back does contain a flower, it has not advanced past the sword-shaped leaves.  The one in the front has seemingly birthed a young 'un, which has thrust forth its own little leaflet, probably robbing the main bulb of the vital energy required to actually do its job and produce a beautiful bloom.  Oh dear, what a mixed bag this has turned out to be!

There is nothing quite like a humble little garden bulb to remind one that Mother Nature makes the rules around here.  No matter how much we wish to fiddle with her, in this case forcing in water, she always has the last word.

Ah well, there is always next year's foray into bulb forcing to look forward to.  Now, please excuse me while I pencil in a few useful notes on my calendar - 1. Buy bulbs in the autumn, 2. Force in early January.

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

A Visit To The Bank

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The Seed Bank in Petaluma is one of the largest repositories of heirloom seeds in the world
Photo: Chronica Domus


Can you think back to the last time you had occasion to visit a bank, and why?  Some of us (or would that be most of us nowadays?) have succumbed to conducting our everyday banking electronically, either on-line or at cash machines.  A few weekends ago, I needed to visit a bank of a very different sort, a bank unlike one I've encountered anywhere else on my travels.  You see, I needed to purchase some seeds for my garden so, naturally, I headed to The Seed Bank in the quaint northern California town of Petaluma, located about forty miles north of San Francisco.

The journey by car involved traversing the Golden Gate Bridge on a positively clear and balmy spring-like day, a pleasure of which one never tires, especially due to the spectacular views afforded by the sparkling bay waters and the crystalline skies of blue.

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Goodbye San Francisco
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Once over the iconic bridge, the remainder of the trek to Petaluma is a pleasant pastoral pastiche of green hills dotted with cows happily grazing in the sunshine. One is clearly in dairy country here.

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Ironically, not a single cow appears in this pastoral view, snapped hastily from the moving car
Photo: Chronica Domus

Housed in the historic Sonoma County Bank building (naturally), The Seed Bank holds the largest selection of nineteenth century seeds to be found anywhere in the country; 1,500 varieties from seventy-five countries. The seeds are not genetically modified, hybridized, or treated in any way. This is truly a remarkable repository and an exciting place for horticulturalists and interested individuals keen to try their hand at homesteading and growing their own food and flowers.

Heirloom seeds are what make this bank rather special
Photo: Chronica Domus


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All the seeds contained within the bank are open-pollinated, natural, and non-genetically modified
Photo: Chronica Domus


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The huge arched windows of The Seed Bank are charmingly illustrated with hand-painted fruits and vegetables
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This likable fellow greets you upon entering the building
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Visitors to The Seed Bank will discover a well-organized space much like a library. Seeds are filed alphabetically so locating just the right wild flower or vegetable is a breeze.  All of the seed packets are beautifully designed with clear instructions on planting and growth care so even the most inexperienced weekend gardener will stand the best chance of success with their horticultural forays.

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A view of the main floor with its soaring thirty foot high hammered tin ceiling
Photo: Chronica Domus

Enticing names such as Purple of Romagna, Violet de Provence, and Violetta Precoce beckon those who wish to plant bulbous artichokes for their enjoyment later in the summer.  Perhaps it is cucumbers that you seek to harvest, in which case Beit Alpha, Boothby's Blonde, or the ancient French variety of Germanic origin, Jaune Dickfleischige, is right up your horticultural alley.  Even if you have no intention of gardening, The Seed Bank is a fascinating place to indulge one's curiosity and discover a world of vegetables, fruits, and flowers that are far removed from those available for sale in today's food markets and garden nurseries.

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Hmmm... artichokes, but which variety so select?
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Tomatoes and watermelons in shapes, colors, and sizes infrequently seen outside of The Seed Bank
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Of course, every good gardener requires the basic equipage to cultivate one's soil, and here at The Seed Bank there is a multitude of fine gardening tools from which to select. As Beverly Nichols once said "To dig in one's own earth, with one's own spade, does life hold anything better?"

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Fine British gardening tools available for sale
Photo: Chronica Domus


There are even some oldies, but goodies, on display but these are purely for one's viewing pleasure and add to the attractiveness of the interior decoration of The Seed Bank.

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An artful display of retired wooden farming and gardening tools
Photo: Chronica Domus

My mission here today was to select some unusual varieties of Sweet Peas to grow in my garden. Alas, those in which I was most interested had already sold out for the season. Not to worry, however, as the beauty of The Seed Bank is that one's dreams of growing bunches of beguiling fragrant Sweet Peas are not dashed for long.  One soon discovers the piles of other strains that can easily be substituted.  The trouble with all of these choices is knowing when to stop, especially once the visions of picking my favorite summer flowers begin to dance about in my head.

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The corner of the building that houses a myriad of wildflower seeds
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There are more than enough Sweet Pea seeds here to drive one to distraction
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Potatoes anyone?
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Venture downstairs and discover yet more delights to appeal to the gardener.  Summer flowering bulbs and tubers, even more unusual varieties of vegetable seeds, a room dedicated to the culture of air plants, and a slew of homesteading products can all be found here.  There's even a room for screening horticulturally related films.

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Seeds and bulbs entice those of us attempting to be green-fingered
Photo: Chronica Domus


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A wooden crate of Colocasia tubers nestled on a bed of excelsior shipped from Holland
Photo: Chronica Domus


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Any homesteader would be thrilled with the cache of goodies on offer in this basement room of The Seed Bank
Photo: Chronica Domus


If you find yourself in northern California, do please make the pilgrimage to this wonderful and unique repository of historic seeds and garden related goodies. Besides, the town of Petaluma is a charming place to spend a day, grabbing a bite to eat for lunch and then perusing the many antique shops and small businesses that line the well-preserved streets of the historic town center.

Nota bene: I am neither paid nor do I receive recompense in exchange for applauding products or services within my blog.  I do so because I enjoy them.  If you are a kindred spirit, you too enjoy recommending nice things to fellow good eggs.
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