Friday, January 24, 2020

A short story

There generally is a pie bird sitting in the frying pan on the back of my stove. It's a lovely pie bird, and I wish I knew more about it. I do know why it's special to me.



I leave the little frying pan on the stove because it's most generally used. I must use two hands to deal with the rest of my cast iron. This one, though heavy, is manageable, and big enough for whatever I am usually frying up.



Four years ago, when the big house sold, I moved to the trailer park with Laura and Blake (nee Emily). I had everything to start housekeeping except kitchen ware. I intended to go shopping at our local thrift store for a kitchen table, pots and pans.

My weaver friend, Linda, said I could scavenge the downstairs apartment of her house for whatever I needed. Her mother, Alberta, had lived there since the two of them moved from New York, but now Alberta was in Florida, with her youngest daughter.

Linda was exhibiting at Boston Mills, a local art show, the weekend we moved, and I called her several times to verify it was OK to take what I took, which included Linda's depression era enamel kitchen table that she and her roommates had used through college. 

Alberta left two little things I have always wished were mine. A little red glass bird, that now hangs in my kitchen window. And a pie bird! If I could have only one, it would be the pie bird. But Linda said, "Take them both!", and so I did.

Linda was staying with us at the old house, a block away, that weekend, and came over to see our arrangement of the little trailer. She was pleased with the arrangement of Alberta's kitchen and dining ware in the new trailer. A gift well placed.

As for the pie bird: it has E. B. Vena painted in precise letters on its front inside edge. When I google that, together with 'pie bird', I get back more pie birds, similarly decorated. I cannot get past that, so I know no more.

49 comments:

  1. I have never heard of pie birds, but of course I am both Canadian and male, so there ya go.

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  2. That is a spectacularly beautiful pie bird. Mine hints at birdiness rather than spelling it out, and is plain white.
    I have seen blue ones, but never, ever one as beautifully decorated as the one you cherish.

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  3. I like your pie bird... all the ones I've seen have been so BORING! Yours is not!!

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  4. I have never heard of a pie bird. I will have to Google it.

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  5. I know the function of a pie bird, but have never needed one as I no longer make berry pies, therefore my pies never runneth over :) (poor me, can't eat berries anymore)

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  6. Has it really been four years? Amazing.
    Looks like it's time for you to whip up a pie for that pretty bird.

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  7. I've never used a pie bird. Yours is so pretty.

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  8. Oh, how I love your pie bird! Thank you for telling us about it. My Grandmother had one very similar to yours and I always loved it. I bet that little bird helps to bring happiness to your kitchen! (besides helping out with any pies you may bake)

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  9. I like that pie bird! I like the generosity of Linda too!

    betty

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  10. Beautiful pie bird, lovely story. Photo of the table? It sounds beautiful. Aside from wood, those enamel tables are a favorite, especially with the dinnerware drawer and leaves that slide out from under.

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    1. Yes, this one is the real deal--sliding leaves and a drawer. I'll clear it off for a picture some time.

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  11. Perhaps EB vena is the artist who paints the birds? Yours is very pretty, I don't know anyone else who has one. We all stab slits in our pastry to let the steam out. sometimes we make patterns, sometimes we just stab randomly. I don't think I've ever seen an enamel table.

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  12. It is indeed a lovely pie bird, charmingly decorated. I well understand why you would covet it.

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  13. I've also never heard of a pie bird, it's so beautiful.

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  14. This is a lovely short story and these little birds probably makes you happy whenever you see them.....

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  15. Hari OM
    Joanne, Vena is a style of Polish pottery (like this for example). EB will be the initials of the painter of the ceramic. Loved this little insight to your kitchen! YAM xx

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    1. Thank you, Yam. Interesting there are no birds in this offering, which I'll assume is current. No more pie bakers, apparently.

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  16. So pretty, I've only seen ones that are blackbirds. Black with yellow beak. I only have a pie-funnel, just brown pottery like an upturned egg cup with a hole in - never use it as I don't make pies!

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  17. That little pie bird is really appealing, I can see why you like to have it out on display.

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  18. A lot more appealing than our plain white porcelaine pie funnels.

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  19. That pie bird is lovely..I can see why you wanted it.

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  20. People don't seem to use pie birds anymore, but maybe that's because I no longer know anyone who makes pies.

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  21. What a sweet treasure! Thank you for telling us her story. Or his.

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  22. I have enjoyed reading this so much. There is a Vena pottery in a small town in Poland that specializes in painted pottery. I wonder if it could be from there? https://www.inyourpocket.com/wroclaw/vena-pottery_57945v

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    1. Try googling vena pottery wroclaw pie bird and see the images that come up.

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    2. I also went to amazon and searched for polish pottery pie bird and got a LOT of similar items.

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    3. They're decorated with a stamping technique. I always wondered if it were some sort of decal. Artisans sit and carefully stamp. Thanks for the clue.

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  23. I had never heard of pie birds but now I need to get one as I do bake apple pies every now and then.

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  24. great story but better than that great acquisitions. especially the enameled table. things made in the past were so much better constructed. now all you get is particle board and thin metal or plastic. I also have never heard of a pie bird.

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  25. That's an adorable piebird, growing up in our house egg cups were used as crust lifters instead of official birds. Whatever happened to egg cups? We used them so much.

    XO
    WWW

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  26. rarely have i made a pie that required a bird. Yours is very sweet, cheerful and I am glad you gave it a home.

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  27. Love pie birds... not for their functionality, but because they are so cute. I have a blue one that sits on my stove with my cheeky chickens. And we do love (and make) pies here... chocolate cream, buttermilk, and custard are our favs.

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    1. I've seen your pie birds in your pictures. Laura appropriated the cheeky chicken, and it's on her dresser.

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  28. That pie bird is a beauty! So cheerful looking!

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  29. Good to receive well loved goods and keep them living

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  30. Lovely little pie bird! I haven't used one in years. I recall that mine was all black.

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  31. They seem to be popular in Poland.

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  32. We are commanded not to covet, but I covet that pie bird.

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  33. Pretty! Polish pottery is very popular here and you can find some lovely pieces rummaging around thrift stores, if you're lucky.
    I've never seen one of these, though.

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  34. Here's some info on 'pie bird': www.bakepedia.com/tipsandtricks/how-to-use-a-pie-bird/

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  35. It is, indeed, a beautiful pie bird. Worthy of your apple pie! I love thrifting through friends. When I moved into my house, I had no furniture other than a metal bed frame, mattress and box spring from my parents' house, and a rocking chair. A local woman took one look at my living room and invited me to 'shop' in her barn - filled with the leavings of various relatives. She was a lifesaver!

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  36. That's an interesting explanation of the mysterious bird-in-the-saucepan! Good that you were able to get both birds.

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  37. I've never owned a pie bird but my pies are not the best and gave up making them years ago.
    Merle.......

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  38. I had to google, "What is a pie bird". I have never heard of them. Fascinating. Now, I want one. My favorite things are little gifts and sweet finds like that, too.

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