August is here and it brings to me thoughts of Autumn - well, they both begin with Au.....  These days, August is the hottest month of the year, in New Orleans or even in the Northeast at times.  When I was growing up in Rhode Island, August was the harbinger of Autumn.  School would be starting soon and the weather would grow cooler and more colorful.  Ahh... colorful.

Speaking of color, have you checked out the new pieces in my Gems and Pearls collection?  Soon I will be updating all of my collections.  There's always something new and exciting, and I hope you will take the time to look at them all.

Have a great August, and don't wait until September to look at the rest of the website!

Yes, it's July, and summer is really here!  The 4th was a great celebration with fireworks on the beach.  It's hot, but it's beautiful.  Swimming, walking along the shore, bicycling.  It's all great.  My new Apple watch ticks away the steps as I go.
Meanwhile, the creative juices are flowing.  I'm preparing for my first wholesale show and it's in early September in Orlando, Florida.  It's called "American Handmade", and it will be at the Orlando Convention Center September 6, 7, 8th.  Naturally, I'm very excited.
Meanwhile, my work is still being shown at Ariodante Gallery in New Orleans and at Newbill Collection in Seaside, FL.   And, of course, right here at dashkaroth.com

Just 2 weeks ago I made an unexpected trip to New Jersey.  My sister-in-law had died, after a 2 month's illness.  It's hard to say exactly what she finally died of.  It started with a heart attack, and after a short time recovering from that, she had a stroke, and ended up with pneumonia while she was in the hospital.  Then she died. 
Her husband, Bob, who was my brother, died of cancer 4 years ago.  
In their honor and in their memory I would like to tell this story:

My girlfriend Liz and I were travelling cross-country in my little MGB convertible.  We'd started out in Providence Rhode Island, and we were headed for California, where we hoped to find jobs and fun.  Our first stop along the way was in New Brunswick, NJ, where we stayed with my brother Bob and his wife Susan.  

Bob and Susan had a cute (she hated that word, as she knew it implied "small") little house there, across the street from the conservative synagogue, and a block or so away from the 3rd Avenue Sweet Shoppe.  Guess which one they often went to... a hint: it wasn't the synagogue.

Susan and Bob did wonders with that house.  It had 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom, but when Brandon was born, they made the large walk-in closet at the end of the 2nd floor hallway into a nursery, so his sister Leslie could keep her own bedroom for herself.  They built in the side-porch and it became a study and later a tv room and a playroom.  They re-did the floors, built a deck that overlooked the back yard, and eventually renovated the small kitchen.  Anyway, all of that was after Liz and I visited.

Bob and Susan made a great couple, and I always enjoyed visiting them.  I especially remember sitting with them in their dining room, sharing a healthful meal.  It seems they always had fresh salads and other yummy stuff - muffins for breakfast, or eggs and toast, and lots of fresh fruit and berries.  

Bob was an English professor, and Susan was a children's librarian.  I always called her for recommendations when I was looking for a book to give to a child.  They were both bright, smart, educated and funny.   

1-1/2 C Farro
14 oz can vegetable broth
14.5 oz Fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
2 T olive oil
2 C quartered lengthwise, sliced zucchini
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C chopped onion
1/2 C corn kernels
1 tsp finely diced garlic
15 oz can black beans, drained, rinsed
3 T chopped cilantro

1) Stir together farro, broth, undrained tomatoes and 1 T oil in medium saucepan.  Boil over medium-high heat.  Cover and reduce to simmer 25 minutes until liquid is absorbed.
2) Heat remaining 1 T oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add zucchini and sprinkle with 1/2 cumin and salt.  Cook 5-7 minutes or until browned and tender, stirring occasionally.   Remove, set aside and keep warm.
3) Add 1 T oil and saute bell pepper, onion, corn and garlic.  Sprinkle with remaining cumin and salt.  Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in beans, heat 2 more minutes.  Add zucchini back into skillet, along with cooked farro.  Stir to combine.  Serve with cilantro sprinkled on top.

Closing my brick and mortar store was much more trouble than I had anticipated.  First, there was the physical work of getting rid of all the "stuff" I'd been storing in the attic for almost 25 years!  Then, of course was figuring out what I really wouldn't and didn't need anymore.  Lots of things to be sold -  jewelry by other artists, judaic art, cases, displays, equipment.  And then, of course, the building.  It had been in my husband's family since 1948!  My father-in-law is 92 years old, and I had been taking care of the building for him since he was 67.  With his and my husband's blessings I set out to sell it.  And I succeeded.   

And what to keep?  - jewelry workbench, polishing machine, and materials.  And so I set out to rebuild my website and here it is!  My newly opened store in a virtual reality.  Now I work from home and sell my work both online and by appointment only.  Just call if you're in town and I will meet you downtown to show you what I am currently working on.  I am also now represented at two other galleries.  Ariodante Gallery at 535 Julia Street in the Warehouse District of New Orleans, and also at Newbill Gallery at 309 Ruskin Place in Seaside, Florida.  (Ya gotta start someplace!)  I hope to have my work represented at more galleries in the future.  Let me know if you have any suggestions near to you!