Learning new things!
On Thursday afternoon I learned two new things while attending our monthly Books group of retired teachers. First, among the snacks on the table was a bowl of mesquite pods. "Taste them. Just chew the ends. They are really quite sweet," urged our hostess. "The Indians ground them into flour and used them for cooking." She was right. The long dry pod I tasted had an unexpected sweetness. It was hard to chew, but nice just to keep in the mouth. A new type of food--mesquite pods.
The second tidbit of information came when we went into her bedroom to see a newly purchased piece of artwork. The picture was an architectural-style drawing of the inside of a unique old barn, maybe one with eight sides. It was split into 3 pieces. "Oh," she said, "it's called a triptych, a painting which is done in threes." Hmmm, another new concept. I liked it.
And today, a friend explained all about racu pottery which was also new to me. The potter starts with a clay which is coarser than other clays. After the object is shaped on the wheel and glazed, it is fired at extremely high temperatures...over 1,300 degrees. When it is removed from the kiln, still glowing from the heat, it is cooled very quickly, then covered with carbon material, such as leaves or diesel fuel. The final step is to put the object into a sealed container, where the lack of oxygen causes the carbon to permeate the clay. It comes out smokey, cracked and stressed. But after the potter cleans it up, there is a beautiful metallic luster, with darker lines running through it. It can't be used for holding water, but is valued mainly for its aesthetic beauty. This has all kinds of applications to our lives which I want to write about later, especially how the Lord "racus" people! Very thought provoking, as well as interesting!
Learning never has to come to an end. I am glad!
..."let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance--" Proverbs 1:5
The second tidbit of information came when we went into her bedroom to see a newly purchased piece of artwork. The picture was an architectural-style drawing of the inside of a unique old barn, maybe one with eight sides. It was split into 3 pieces. "Oh," she said, "it's called a triptych, a painting which is done in threes." Hmmm, another new concept. I liked it.
And today, a friend explained all about racu pottery which was also new to me. The potter starts with a clay which is coarser than other clays. After the object is shaped on the wheel and glazed, it is fired at extremely high temperatures...over 1,300 degrees. When it is removed from the kiln, still glowing from the heat, it is cooled very quickly, then covered with carbon material, such as leaves or diesel fuel. The final step is to put the object into a sealed container, where the lack of oxygen causes the carbon to permeate the clay. It comes out smokey, cracked and stressed. But after the potter cleans it up, there is a beautiful metallic luster, with darker lines running through it. It can't be used for holding water, but is valued mainly for its aesthetic beauty. This has all kinds of applications to our lives which I want to write about later, especially how the Lord "racus" people! Very thought provoking, as well as interesting!
Learning never has to come to an end. I am glad!
..."let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance--" Proverbs 1:5
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