heath journal
At Home with Cathy Bailey
Dear Home
Cathy’s at home—obviously! Robin and Jasper, too. Buster and Ponch, as well. The party of five is moored in their carefully-rebuilt 1890s Victorian farmhouse in Sausalito, California—perfecting the art of living together, in relative harmony.Their dwelling, dear home—you'd love every single thing about it! The footprint is modest and just-so, the ceilings are ten-feet, the narrow windows are picturesque, the original molding's intact, the soft fir floors creak and don't, and the tiling, oh the tiling.
Though we talk shop daily, today we asked Cathy stay-at-home questions and she gave stay-at-home answers. What's today's headline? She answered: Reflection. Who would you add to your quarantine routine? The late, great Oliver. What's for dinner? My butternut squash soup. Fun, right?
Before we dive in, our interview with Cathy was inspired by a recent conversation she had with the Good Future Design Alliance on creating comfort at home, while being mindful of our footprint. And, we're off...
Mint Condition
Cathy's helping us buy a houseplant. Lucky us, she has great taste. "How about an outdoor plant—I’m not an indoor-plant person. Try mint. Plant it in a planter, the ground, or a little pot in your kitchen. It grows fast and its leaves are beautifully textured—watch it grow and pick some daily for delicious tea."Thanks! Both unexpected and sold.
Survival of the Scheduled
"To get along, our family's resorted to structure and schedule. With three of us, we each cook two nights, and wing it on Sunday. Prep starts at 5:30pm. Dinner must be ready by 7:00pm. This is a radical change, since our dinnertime preferences range from 6pm–10pm. Deal is: you make what you want, they eat it—and they do not complain! (But there's no obligation to compliment, either). Also a radical change."The winner is... CP07
That's Heath-speak for the Chez Panisse Cafe Bowl—Cathy's favorite piece. "From soup, to cereal, to ice cream, to ingredient prep, to egg mixing, to salad dressing making—it does it all. Then, when serving what you've put a lot of care into, it stands tall on its lovely little foot, making whatever's in it look and taste special."Great review from the peanut gallery.
Forbes for Good
Wonderful news! Heath's included in Forbes Small Giants—a list of 25 privately-owned companies who are committed to greatness over fast growth. Yes, yes, and yes—we most certainly are. Thank you, Forbes, for the recognition of our mission.More Labor, Less Stress
Do you get the Sunday scaries, we asked? "Not really. We often start some overly ambitious project late in the week, get distracted, then on Sunday, try to get it all done—a ton of gardening, house painting, a full flat of very ripe strawberries, dying to be transformed. Laborious projects push the anxiety aside. Also, more art!"She's an exceptional watercolorist.
