Flowering-Red Currant

Earlier in the month, I posted photos of my currant bushes. Andromeda (a.k.a. Cloudscome) asked me if I planned to make jam with berries from the red-flowering currant bush. According to my research, the gorgeous currant bushes put forth beautiful flowers but the berries themselves are edible but "insipid." It's just as well. The farmer who sold me her currant jam at the farmer's market said that currant jam is even more labor-intensive than berry jam because one has to skin the berries. I am content to appreciate other people's jam-making. (By the way, I am quite willing to trade the fruits of my creativity for the jam-making fruits of yours.)

Sometimes I have a specific idea of what doll I'd like to make, while other times the felt inspires me. When I found a deep pink piece of felt at a local shop last week, I knew immediately that I wanted to make red-flowering currant doll. A friend had commissioned a doll for her daughter and gave me free rein to make what I wished, so I made this root child:



Here is the Red-Flowering Currant root child in her native habitat:



Our red-flowering currant shrub is a young plant. To view how it may look after a few years, visit here.

For those of you who are impatiently awaiting the results of the Unnecessary Children's Book Sequel contest, Minh Le has a new series to tide you over. He is reimagining picture-books as grown-up novels. In addition to Charlotte's Library's contribution of I am Still a Bunny, Minh has Goodnight Moon and The Paperback Princess for you to read.