break-time bits and bobs

Invariably whenever I do enameling work in the summer, it is always on the hottest days. Would that was correspondingly so in the wintertime. Hence a short break, and the only slightly cooler living room computer spot.

The farmers market that I go to (King), had signs up at the information booth and scattered about the marketplace, that the Foodshare Fund needs to has cut the foodstamp matching program by half. This is one of the two markets that has a matching program at all, but the program has been so popular (seriously used by many) that they need to shrink it, or run out of funding altogether. Sigh. I will still shop there, just buy less. It has been a real treat for the last few weeks, to buy a small piece of fresh fish directly from Oregon fisher(wo)men, and have a fish dinner once a week. Each time I go to the market I find something unexpected. Last week it was chinese cabbage, which ended up as part of Thai mango slaw. This week I found these greens:

I think that they were actually New Zealand Spinach (Tetragonia tetragonioides) rather than Malabar Spinach (Basella alba)as labelled. It had both the distinctive triangle/diamond shaped leaves, and the silvery appearance of the leaf surface. Both are hot weather greens, which I have only read about in gardening books. So, of course, I had to buy a bunch and try it. I did blanch it before eating, since some sources suggest that to improve the nutritional profile. It tastes rather green and mineraly, like spinach, maybe a bit milder. There were no scarey insects. It would be a good plant to try and grow here, as it sounds hearty, durable, and nutritious.

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This week, for the first time, a stranger woman told me that my sewing on the bus was stupid! I wasn't even sitting near her, which made it doubly odd. I always do handwork while riding public transit, as it makes what feels like a waste of my life into productive time, and I often get positive comments, and sometimes questions. Most often the project is knitting, but when the temperature rises, a lap full of wool is so not appealing. Instead, I've started this embellished yoke, to be used on a black on black rayon tunic, made in the same style as my other japanese pattern dresses. Inspired by this bohemian hippie-style top, (which I helped my friend R create a pattern to duplicate), I chose to apply several rows of ribbon trim and a band of pleated rayon seam tape; there will also be a small geometrically embroidered and beaded rectangle at the center front, also in black on black. It is a start anyway, on another piece of autumn clothing

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The raincoat project is currently on a short hold, as I locate some additional fabric suitable for more muslins. I've had some very good advice over at Stitchers Guild about how to alter the shoulder area, and, I realised that I also actually own the Folkwear Drovers Coat pattern, so am wondering about a grand kitbashing of the three patterns, the Baltimore Coat for the neckline and collar, the Drovers Coat for the raglan sleeve line, and my TNT denim jacket for the functional shoulder. Hopefully there will be a bit of time this week for my own sewing.

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Oh - the other bit of good news is that the ferny leafy things all over the backyard aren't any more hemlocks, the many ones that I'd not managed to rip out are all blooming now, and are the familiar and safe Queen Annes Lace. Whew! Okay, enough writing, now back to the 1500F oven...