It’s always so satisfying to check off time-consuming cleaning projects.
Yesterday, my housekeepers started cleaning and polishing my silver. This task is done regularly - at least twice a year to remove tarnish, restore shine, and help preserve the value and craftsmanship of the pieces. There are several ways to clean silver. One popular nontoxic method is to fill an aluminum pan with hot water, add salt and baking soda, stir until dissolved, and then soak the silver until a chemical reaction removes the tarnish. While this technique is quicker than polishing by hand, some experts caution it may cause pitting and can strip away the beautiful patina many collectors appreciate. Using a silver polishing cloth made specifically for precious metals is another convenient option. I prefer using a high-quality, non-abrasive commercial silver polishing cream for routine care.
Enjoy these photos.
Polishing silver three or four times a year is the best way to keep it in good condition.
Look at this piece, which was cleaned and polished just last February. It is already slightly tarnished.
These pieces also need a fresh polishing – they are a bit gold in color. While tarnish is not considered damage, it dulls the metal’s appearance and can obscure fine details.
I’ve used Wright’s Silver Cream for years. Wright’s Silver Cream is a gentle all-purpose polish that works on all types of silver. It also works nicely on stainless steel and chrome.
After washing this silver dish with dish soap and warm water to remove any dust, Enma applies a small amount of silver cream.
Enma rubs both sides of the dish, thoroughly spreading the cream on every surface of the piece. Tarnish ranges in color from a light yellowy gold to almost black, depending on how long it has been allowed to develop. In addition to using soft sponges and rags, use cotton swabs to apply the cream to tight spots and crevices when cleaning.
After rubbing the piece with silver cream, rinse the piece very well with warm water.
All the cleaning is done on a terry cloth towel lining the bottom of the sink, so the metal doesn’t bang against any surfaces. The towel is also a good idea to use when washing special china… just in case anything slips through the fingers.
Here, Enma cleans two small trays. After rinsing off the silver cream, she washes the pieces with dish soap and water again to ensure all the cream is removed.
Enma does this carefully and thoughtfully to ensure there is no soapy residue.
Once a piece is completely cleaned and polished, it is dried with a soft absorbent cloth right away to avoid any water marks. Never let silver air dry.
These pieces are shining beautifully once again.
Enma does the same with this large serving tray. First she applies the cream. The silver will start to brighten as it is rubbed. Always use silver polishes that are non-abrasive, and opt for formulas, such as creams and gels instead of sprays.
Then rinses off the cream and washes it with dish soap and water.
Finally, it is dried thoroughly. Enma is sure to wipe every area, getting into the tight spaces carefully. It’s also a good idea to use gloves when taking on this task, so the cleaning cream does not come into contact with the skin.
Here’s Enma with the freshly polished tray. Another tip – never clean silver in the dishwasher. The detergents’ aggressive chemicals, combined with the washer’s high cleaning temperature, will eventually turn it grey or white, with a dull, non-reflective surface.
The tray is then returned to its spot in my Brown Room.
And all the silver pieces are placed on top. Because my silver is cleaned regularly, it doesn’t take too much time to get the job done.
And look at the difference in color between this tarnished bowl and the newly polished pieces – the small bowl is next to be cleaned and polished.
The joy of owning beautiful silver pieces does require some work to keep everything looking beautiful, but it is all well worth the effort.
Here in the Northeast we've had several days of heavy rain, but one group around my farm couldn't be happier - my gaggle of geese.
I share my farm with 14 beautiful geese, including Sebastopols, Toulouse, Africans, Chinese, and, of course, my ever-watchful Pomeranian guard geese. For these birds, rainy weather can be very beneficial. It gives them the chance to bathe and preen, keeps their feathers in top waterproof condition, softens the ground for easier foraging, and helps them stay cool and comfortable in the warmer weather.
Here are a few photos, enjoy.
Hard to tell, but this photo was taken when it was pouring rain – and the geese are loving it. My geese have a large yard located right outside my stable.
They enjoy being out in the rain, flapping their wings and walking through the mud and muck.
They also love to gather close together most of the time. And do you know, a group of geese on land is called a gaggle. This is because when geese get together they can get quite noisy and rowdy.
And, while the term “goose” may refer to either a male or female bird, when paired with “gander,” the word goose refers specifically to a female. Gander is the term used to identify a male. Here is my pair of Chinese geese. The Chinese goose is refined and curvaceous.
The Chinese goose holds its head high. Its head flows seamlessly into a long, slim, well-arched neck which meets the body at about a 45 degree angle. Its body is short, and has a prominent and well-rounded chest, smooth breast and no keel. Mature ganders average 12 pounds, while mature geese average 10 pounds. Their bills are relatively long and slender, with a large, rounded, erect knob that attaches to its forehead.
Look closely at the Chinese geese in the back compared to the Sebastopol goose in front. The Chinese geese most likely descended from the swan goose in Asia, though over time developed different physical characteristics, such as longer necks and more compact bodies. The Chinese goose is a very hardy and low-maintenance breed.
Most domestic geese have larger back ends than their wild counterparts and stand more upright.
In flight, a group of geese is called a skein. On the water or flying close together, specifically in a “V” formation, a group is referred to as a wedge of geese.
Everyone asks about the Sebastopols. These birds are considered medium-sized birds. Both males and females have pure white feathers that contrast with their bright blue eyes and orange bills and feet. Sebastopol geese have large, rounded heads, slightly arched necks, and keelless breasts.
And what is most striking is the plumage. A Sebastopol’s plumage of the head and upper two-thirds of the neck is smooth, while that of the breast and underbody is elongated and well-curled. Though domesticated breeds of geese generally retain some flight ability, Sebastopol geese cannot fly well due to the curliness of their feathers and have difficulty getting off the ground.
This is a male African goose – a breed that has a heavy body, thick neck, stout bill, and jaunty posture which gives the impression of strength and vitality. The African is a relative of the Chinese goose, both having descended from the wild swan goose native to Asia.
The mature African goose has a large knob attached to its forehead, which requires several years to develop. A smooth, crescent-shaped dewlap hangs from its lower jaw and upper neck. Its body is nearly as wide as it is long. African geese are the largest of the domestic geese.
His mate is never far behind.
And this buff-brown goose is called a Toulouse. On this breed, the bill is stout, the head large and broad, and the moderately long neck is thick and nearly straight. Often suspended from the lower bill and upper neck is a heavy, folded dewlap that increases in size and fullness with age. The body is long, broad and deep, ending in a well-spread tail that points up slightly. And thanks to the breed’s honks, my Toulouse geese make excellent guardians. They can scare off any animals on the ground and they’re great at spotting aerial predators, such as hawks and falcons.
Here is a Pomeranian guard goose preening, or cleaning its feathers with its beak.
The rain gives the geese a great opportunity to clean themselves.
While both ducks and geese love water, geese don’t require a pond or large swimming pool – they swim much less than ducks and are content with a small dipping pool where they can dunk and clean their noses and beaks. My geese have lots of vessels and pools in which to dunk their heads or entire bodies in refreshing water.
Geese are grazing birds which means they eat a variety of different items. They eat roots, shoots, stems, seeds, and leaves of grass and grain, bulbs, and berries. They also eat small insects. In addition, I fortify their diet with a mix specifically made for waterfowl.
Geese also have impressive visual capabilities. The way their eyes are structured allows them to see things in much finer detail at a further distance than humans. They can also see UV light and can control each of their eyes independently.
And waterfowl don’t need roosts – they are very happy gathering together and sleeping on the ground.
This is Bear. He was incubated and hatched right here at the farm. He is about five years old and is very attached to the humans, but his “affectionate” pecks can sometimes be a bit insistent.
My gaggle of geese is fun, friendly, personable, and very protective. It’s a joy to have them here at Cantitoe Corners.
It's unmistakably mid-summer when my long, winding pergola is aglow with the luminous orange blooms of tiger lilies.
Set along one side of the carriage road near my Tenant House, this pergola goes through several transformations during the year. In winter, the beds are bare, while the bordering boxwood is carefully swathed in protective burlap. As spring gives way to early summer, bold purple alliums, Spanish bluebells, and blue Camassia create a striking display, followed by the delicate shades of lavender from the flowering clematis vines that wrap around each of the antique granite posts. Now, hundreds of brilliantly speckled tiger lilies brighten the garden bed - it's so beautiful.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
I hope you saw my Instagram video @MarthaStewart48. My pergola is filled with these striking lillies. Tiger lilies, Lilium lancifolium, bloom in mid to late summer, are easy to grow, and come back year after year.
Native to China and Japan, these robust flowers add dramatic beauty to any border with their bright and showy orange colored blooms.
In winter, my pergola is sleeping – the boxwood border is covered in burlap and the beds are bare.
By late May, this pergola garden is filled with lots of blue and purple flowers. This palette of colors is a big favorite at the farm – it grows more colorful and more vibrant every spring.
The beds are filled with brightly colored alliums, Camassia, and Hyacinthoides or Spanish bluebells.
And now it’s filled with bright orange lilies.
Tiger lilies are covered with black or deep crimson spots, giving the appearance of the skin of a tiger. They have large, down-facing flowers, each with six recurved petals. Many flowers can be up to five inches in diameter. And they’re well-known for having heavily pollinated stamens, which stain. When cutting, always remove the anthers to prevent a clothing disaster – just pinch them off with gloved fingers.
The tiger lily’s petals bend back far during the flowering cycle, curling up against its own stem and exposing the stamens and pistol for visiting pollinators.
There are also a few white lilies in this bed – adding more interest to the long floral display.
This lily is white and orange with orange pollinated stamens.
The leaves can grow to three inches long and about 3/4-inch wide. They are medium green, narrow, smooth along their margins, and glabrous, clasping the stem at their bases.
The blackish, round “seeds” that develop in the axils of the leaves along the main stem are called bulbils.
Along both sides of the pergola, I planted a hedge of smaller boxwood shrubs, which have grown excellently.
This pergola starts across from my perennial flower cutting garden and runs along the carriage road leading to my Winter House. It’s one of the first gardens guests see when they come to visit.
It’s also across the carriage road from my charming Basket house – filled with all kinds of wicker baskets I’ve collected over the years.
On the granite posts, there are still a few lasting clematis flowers. I have always loved clematis, and have grown many varieties of this wonderful plant.
I also have pops of daylilies. The daylily is a low-maintenance perennial—easy to grow, virtually disease- and pest-free, and able to survive drought, uneven sunlight, and poor soil. The daylily’s botanical name, Hemerocallis, comes from Greek hemera “day” and kallos meaning “beauty”. The name is appropriate, since each flower lasts only one day. Despite their name, daylilies are not “true lilies.” Leaves grow from a crown and the flowers form on leafless stems called “scapes,” which rise above the foliage.
And on one side of the pergola is my giant weeping copper beech tree. I have several large specimens on the property. The deep red to copper leaves grow densely on cascading pendulous branches.
And one by one, the orange lilies begin to open. New ones open every day during this time.
And there are still many more lilies waiting to bloom. Tiger lilies do best in full sun.
The entire pergola border and its surrounding gardens, trees, and other specimens provide a spectacular show every year.
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