2022 SMART goals

in which our plucky heroine notices all the things that were created, or repaired, or let go of in the last year, despite how little it felt like, and how much still remains undone or unfinished...

SMART goals challenge 2022

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	blue Almandine trousers	pruned feral roses	yard waste bin
2	tiny dominoes	mended turtleneck	recycle bin
3	tiny domino box	cleared dining table	recycle bin
4	Almandine ragg pullover	third jacket toile.	recycle bin
5	leather thimble	ironing board cover	recycle bin
6	Almandine underdress	new earring wires	recycle bin
7	Pelican enamel	tansu drawer glued	yard waste bin
8	tiny "On The Road" book	tiny picnic table painted	yard waste bin
9	tiny wood stove	foamcore dividers	recycle bin
10	tiny book and bookcase	vego bed assembled	books to LFL
11	moar tiny books	toile #4	recycle bin
12	mini apron with pockets	some backyard pruning	yard waste bin
13	pink dress for Almandine	moar pruning	recycle bin
14	moar tiny books	more compost liners	yard waste bin
15	egg carton flowerpots	mended gloves	recycle bin
16	tiny potted lavender	more apple pruning	yard waste bin
17	tiny tulips	tiny bucket handle	recycle bin
18	tiny crocus	acquired 2021 tax forms	yard waste bin
19	yet moar tiny books	clock movement replaced	recycle bin
20	little ladle	small linen pillowcases	yard waste bin
21	tiny aprons	sunflower enamel set	yard waste bin
22	chore jacket	replace clothesline	recycle bin
23	lilac top for Kenya	repair Nandina overalls	yard waste bin
24	setting for Laurel	sew buttons on blouse	excisional flesh
25	dress for Kenya	old mattress off bed	entryway spiderwebs
26	two small Laurels	bed slats shorter	recycle bin
27	Kestrel's friends clothes	Nandina overall pockets	yard waste bin
28	tiny green flannel dress	move towel holder	yard waste bin
29	individual cheesecake	bedrails attached	recycle bin
30	shirt for Kestrel	slat mat completed	ancient printer
31	Kenya tiedye top	pinafore front pocket	yard waste bin
32	baked custard	back porch lightbulb	recycle bin
33	tiny giraffe	recombinant reindeer	yard waste bin
34	three tiny mattresses	shelf for router	recycle bin
35	tiny Norse Viking tent	Emilia's legs	yard waste bin
36	wee fruit basket	replace blouse buttons	recycle bin
37	mini fire pit	front yard mowed	yard waste bin
38	Emilia brown dress	back yard whacked	recycle bin
39	Emilia batik dress	parking strip edged	some planter soil
40	Kestrel work apron	hanging loop chore coat	crawling fuschias
41	eyeglass case(s)	ironing cart	yard waste bin
42	colorful huipil	shims for molding	windfall apples
43	mini flatpack trestles	tub trim added	recycle bin
44	tiny armchair	pruned quince + plum	picked grapes
45	tiny plate rack	added bathroom hooks	recycle bin
46	four hair snoods	worm bin refreshed	yard waste bin
47	snood and pillow	bathroom wall touch-up	broken porch planter
48	indigo tiger dress	spinny Wellington	recycle bin
49	tiny fairy book	6 pants for Beth	recycle bin
50	tiny Viking flag	4 box fans clean	recycle bin
51	tiny blank book	heraldry painted	yard waste bin
52	tiny blank book	M skirt waistband	recycle bin
53	7 tiny sunflowers	replaced glue cap	recycle bin
54	poppy pod vase	re-container black gesso	recycle bin
55	grey canvas hat	indigotiger popover	recycle bin
56	4 jars pickled onions	re-seal preserve jars	recycle bin
57	wedding rings	grapevine pruning	-
58	smoothing board	corbie #1 beak	-
59	wee needle case	pruning dead branches	-
60	mini birchbark	replace smoke alarm	-

overflow SMART goals!!!

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
61	fig lemon preserves	replace 2nd smoke alarm	-
62	miniature comb	vacuum heat intake	-
63	13 painted discs	new pinback on flower	-
64	ann wood crow #1	26# quinces picked	-
65	dark denim hat	black embroidered slip	-
66	faux corpse doll	add turtleneck to tie-dye	-
67	tiny knife and sheath	pruned persimmon	-
68	miniature basket	reattach vest buttons	-
69	tiny tabletweaving cards	over sink light	-
70	skull brooch	crock pot lid	-
71	salsa verde	replace furnace filter	-
72	pale grey long janes	alter colorful huipil	-
73	trim for long janes	vertical loom	-
74	large tray quince paste	mend grey dress	-
75	6 jars quince jelly	insulate AC	-
76	11 jars Awesome Sauce	storage for wash bags	-
77	4 jars vanilla rose quince syrup	-	-
78	black long janes	-	-
79	8 jars Awesome Sauce	-	-
80	skull collar #2	-	-
81	2 baprons for Liam	-	-
82	8 jars strawberry rhubarb	-	-
83	quince paste	-	-
84	8 jars persimmon ketchup	-	-
85	4 more Liam baprons	-	-
86	calendar masters	-	-
88	6 jars quincemeat	-	-
89	4 lg jars strawberry rhubarb	-	-

today's gratitudes -
1. lovingkindness
2. memory
3. enough

Time of Isolation - Day 1031

(SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely)

Betwixtmas

in which our plucky heroine hopes that we all receivce more than a modicum of hope and joy in the year to come...

because goodness knows we could use some! I saw someone use the term "Betwixtmas" to describe the liminal season between Xmas and New Years, and decided to adopt it for the season between Solstice and 12th Night, similarly but not the same as how my friend Mari created the holiday of Ursus. When I started looking over my year long SMART goals list for 2022, I realised that the focus of my creative efforts this year have mostly been centered in the tinyworld. I made a LOT of miniature things in 2022, likely in response to the larger world being filled with difficulty and unwelcome change.

I am glad for my recording all year the projects I complete. Otherwise I'd forget that I did in fact do some metalwork and enameling, though nowhere near as much as in the Before Times. I made a few pieces of commissioned regalia, and also created the wedding rings for some dear friends. Hopefully I can spend more time in the studio in 2023, and will make that a specific focus, even if paying work is thin on the ground. After all, if no one sees what I can do, they will forget I can do it.

Certainly, my best accomplishment of 2022 was surviving the year. It was really fraught, with my Aged Father unexpectedly suddenly dying, which led inevitably to my Aged Mother being placed in a care home. Dementia has taken her away almost as completely as my father, and I still grieve for them both, and sorely miss the frequent phone calls that kept us connected, and helped ameliorate my isolation.

There were other notable projects completed. Probably the most challenging house project was my reconfiguring the supports on my bed, adding slats and rails in order to correctly install the excellent mattress that was sitting in a roll in the bedroom for several years. As far as my wardrobe, creating the canvas chore jacket was a real highlight;  it is a garment I have wanted for many years, and one that has proven to be ideal for everyday wear in all but the coldest weather. My new hats make me happy every time I wear them, they fit better than any hats I have made in the past, and they look darn near exactly as I had hoped.

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~ out and about ~

I never get tired of mossworlds, however big or small. This time of year, they are the most lively green things to see. I managed to get out for both a walk and a bike ride earlier today, between the showers. The weather has shifted from unseasonably cold a few weeks ago, to practically balmy... It won't last of course, and the forecast is for highs in the 40's, but I am doing my best to add movement to my days whenever I can.

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	skull collar #2	over sink light	recycle bin
2	2 baprons for Liam	crock pot lid	recycle bin
3	8 jars strawberry rhubarb	replace furnace filter	recycle bin
4	quince paste	alter colorful huipil	recycle bin
5	8 jars persimmon ketchup	vertical loom	recycle bin
6	4 more Liam baprons	mend grey dress	x
7	calendar masters	insulate AC	x
8	6 jars quincemeat	storage for wash bags	x
9	4 lg jars strawberry rhubarb	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. almost three years into the pandammit and I have avoided catching the virus
2. Past Me cleverly acquired the Taunton Press book "Easy Guide to Sewing Linings", which I have begun reading. It includes information about how to create lining patterns for garments which are unlined. This is going to be very helpful with the raincoat project.
3. feeling a tiny bit positive about project planning for 2023, and about figuring out how to get more balance for how I spend my time... adding in the things I want to focus on (print making, scribal arts, metal/enamel/jewelry) means I can't be as obsessive in the tinyworld as I was this year. I may experiment with choosing different projects for different days. One of the artists I really admire does that and is amazingly productive while making great art.

Time of Isolation - Day 1030

don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good

in which our plucky heroine steps out of her own light...

Perfectionism is a trap. It keeps me from doing things, and doesn't really make the things I do any better than they would be if I just moved forward with what I know in the moment. It is helpful to differentiate between not doing a thing because I want to or think I need to do it perfectly, and not doing a thing because I am actually missing information or materials or tools.

In the case of my lack of raincoat progress, one thing missing was a way to fasten for the outer closure flap. (There will be an inner flap that fastens with a heavy duty zipper, which I do already have) I don't have robust prong set snap gear, and don't want to hand sew heavy snaps through the outerwear fabric, so I decided I would use toggles.

Then I looked online, tried, but couldn't find what I had envisioned. (I've no idea where I got the Really Nicely Made antler toggles I used on my Sólbein Inverted lopapeysa) Finally found these dark horn toggle-shaped buttons and ordered them, rather obsessing on such a minor detail. They will be good enough. At almost 2", they are a bit larger than my first thought, but for a cold weather garment, that will be easier to fasten, and they're a bit more polished and less rustic than I initially envisioned. The reason I needed to solve this problem before moving forward is that how the fasteners are attached has direct bearing on what order the raincoat parts get put together, and if any additional seamlines need to be included before cutting out the pattern pieces!

Next step is making samples of edge finishing, and of the pocket welt, which is what I began to do this afternoon. The fabric will hopefully be durable and keep me warm and dry. It is resistant to my usual sewing techniques, and since it cannot be steam pressed, or indeed be ironed at all, this means that all seams will need to be either topstitched or edgestitched in order to lie flat. I will need to change up my collar line to make it easier to sew. 

There will still be an assortment of minor seamline placement, hem allowances, and other details to sort out. When the toggle buttons arrive will determine the completion date for the project, but I am hoping that there will be much I can complete prior to that. I should be able to have the lining itself ready to insert, the primary body of the raincoat assembled, and a plan for the toggle attachment. "Proficere lente sed proficere"

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	skull collar #2	over sink light	recycle bin
2	2 baprons for Liam	crock pot lid	recycle bin
3	8 jars strawberry rhubarb	replace furnace filter	recycle bin
4	quince paste	alter colorful huipil	recycle bin
5	8 jars persimmon ketchup	vertical loom	recycle bin
6	4 more Liam baprons	mend grey dress	x
7	calendar masters	insulate AC	x
8	6 jars quincemeat	storage for wash bags	x
9	4 lg jars strawberry rhubarb	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. choosing to move forward.
2. ages ago, when I first got my little Bernette sewing machine, I also bought a walking foot attachment for it. I learned to use a walking foot back when I was working at the leather shop, as the industrial sewing machines all had them as standard. It is probably the most useful machine foot I own, and had been in regular use over many decades.
3. I have made several of the New Years foods ahead and they are waiting in the freezer - Sister Gigi's corn pancakes (round and golden, savory and rich), kale bulgar feta salad (greens for growing abundance), and the smoked ham hock for the traditional black eyed peas that will go in the crock pot tomorrow night. I also will be making oven roasted carrot coins (more abundance). While I wish I could be with my friends, at the celebration at Unorthodox Manor, I am very grateful to be able to make this small symbolic gesture of hope and intention.

Time of Isolation - Day 1029

something old something new

in which our plucky heroine begins planning and cogitation...

in a way, this is the part of the year I enjoy, looking over what I did in the last twelve months, and thinking over how to try and arrange my life in the next year in a way that is satisfying and moves me in healthy directions. What do I want more of, what can I let go of, and where can I apply my own tiny amount of leverage to the world...

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With the tablet weaving set up in the hallway behind the computer desk, I've been able to make steady progress on the trim for the commissioned daypack. At this point the woven trim is more than halfway completed, and I should begin the actual sewing as one of the first textile + sewing projects of 2023. Still need to acquire garment leather for the daypack base. I will be using the Range Backpack pattern as my starting point, just as I did with the one I made for myself back in the spring of 2019, which has been in steady use since then...

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~ book report ~

"Sweet Thursday" by John Steinbeck is my current audio book.  I think of it as actually a romance, in two ways. Aside from the central romantic involvement between two unlikely protagonists, most of all it is a loving look at an interwoven community, depicted in the vivid and unmistakable voice of the author. This was the second Steinbeck book I ever read, and the first one I enjoyed. (I've never gone back to reread The Red Pony, which I picked up from the library as a child under the misapprehension that it was a "horse story", and is definitely not the tale to read when sick in bed with a sore throat)

"The Raconteur's Commonplace Book" by Kate Milford is my current hardcopy book -  the texture and flavor of her writing is just the right sort of decoratively detailed for what I feel like reading right now, bon mots and descriptions, like the sort of fruitcake that is studded with assorted flavors of good dried fruit. I'd not call it deeply nourishing like a good stew, but for a treat, it is being worth the time spent reading it,

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Cookery notes: the gyoza I made last week, with the thicker storebought wrappers will be great for soup, not so much for potstickers. They cook up quite acceptably, but the balance between is off. Fortunately it is soup season, and what is too much wrapper in a plate of gyoza works really well as noodle substitute

The lamb cheek stew filled the house with smell so delicious that it rivaled the crispy salty scent of bacon in tempting me from winters featherbed. The stew was almost as succulent as oxtail. I am glad I chose to cook the lentils separately rather than adding them in, I discovered that really old pantry lentils don't get soft even if cooked in the slow cooker overnight. I guess if I want to make the Roman lentil barley leek dish, (and I do) I will need to acquire some less venerable lentils!

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I am really liking the 3 good things tool, because it is a this-helps-me way to shift my focus that I can actually use. Taking time during the day to notice even small good things really does help. I have been doing a number of slightly different things towards the end of 2022 with that intention. I recently have been really looking when I am outside to find something to photograph, as a contradiction to feeling limited by my surroundings. I remember taking up that sort of looking after my first cancer surgery, when my limitation was how much effort it took to walk even a block or two, and how absorbing it was to rest my mind for moments just looking at moss on a wall, for example.

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	skull collar #2	over sink light	recycle bin
2	2 baprons for Liam	crock pot lid	recycle bin
3	8 jars strawberry rhubarb	replace furnace filter	recycle bin
4	quince paste	alter colorful huipil	recycle bin
5	8 jars persimmon ketchup	vertical loom	recycle bin
6	4 more Liam baprons	mend grey dress	x
7	calendar masters	insulate AC	x
8	6 jars quincemeat	x	x
9	4 lg jars strawberry rhubarb	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. good yarns in the stash boxes, I've started on a new pair of long fingerless gloves
2. I am comfortable with knitting in the round on multiple needles. While it looks alarming, I find it much easier for complicated objects like cephalopods, and gloves.
3. Tullia sent me some beautiful colorful tiny glass "ornaments" which will be perfect for making a mantlepiece garland for the tinyfolks fireplace

Time of Isolation - Day 1028

holly jolly and folderol

in which our plucky heroine feels right clever...

My bedroom will now be less drafty. I realised this morning that rather than hang blankets in front of the AC, (which is what I did when the temperature outside dropped into the teens last week) and attempting to stuff the blanket hems around it, that I had the perfect material to "caulk" the edges and the window gaps. I have been saving the mylar bubblepack bags that sometimes are included in my grocery orders. Two of those, when cut apart into various size rectangles and rolled up, made perfect draft stoppers and could be neatly wedged into various gaps! This means I can have the light from the window without the sometimes arctic breezes. The difference when walking around the side of the bed past the window is very obvious, and the extra daylight is welcome this time of year.

Salvaged the filling from first 4 pot stickers for my lunch, which had wrappers that were just a bit carbonized, to the great excitement of my smoke alarm. I need to Not Walk Away from the stove when there are things happening. All's well that ends well, the 2nd batch was perfect.

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joy to all who celebrate:

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	skull collar #2	over sink light	recycle bin
2	2 baprons for Liam	crock pot lid	recycle bin
3	8 jars strawberry rhubarb	replace furnace filter	recycle bin
4	quince paste	alter colorful huipil	recycle bin
5	8 jars persimmon ketchup	vertical loom	-
6	4 more Liam baprons	mend grey dress	x
7	calendar masters	insulate AC	x
8	6 jars quincemeat	x	x
9	4 lg jars strawberry rhubarb	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. Past Me saving the mylar bubblepack insulated bags my grocery deliveries sometimes contain. Two of them were the right ingredient for better insulation around the AC unit.
2. storing the stepladder next to the smoke alarm location
3. I added extra ginger to the gyoza filling this time, and extra cilantro. This will recurr!

Time of Isolation - Day 1025

Saturday snippets

in which our plucky heroine...

started the day off by washing all the dishes leftover from massive cooking on Friday. Then proceeded to fill the counter with more dishes. Bearing in mind that the countertop space in my wee little kitchen is not very extensive. For some reason, I had a strange desire to have tuna noodle casserole?!? which entailed my searching out a recipe to make it from scratch, so I could use what I had on hand... I would describe that recipe, which I only followed loosely (to get the proportions), as more like a casserole for two. Since I don't have a 5" baking dish, I used two mini loaf pans, which was perfect. I had to substitute basil for thyme, which wasn't ideal, but only okay. Thyme would have been better, I should order some from Penzeys.

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~ out and about ~
.

my neighborhood escaped the worst of the ice storms, but we were left with a few reminders, these leafy ice sculptures, remnants on shrubbery and bamboo... Right now the temperature has risen to the high 30's, everything is melting, the streets are full of slush

.
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Today I was able to get out before dark for a last minute walk to the local market, before everything shuts down til Monday. I'd been going a bit stir crazy with staying indoors for the previous two days, with the temperatures in the high teens, so the excuse of having more healthy veggies on hand tempted me to go get my Yaktrax. They were perfect for safely navigating the slush and ice between here and there, if somewhat less perfect while inside the store! Now I've some lovely Brussels sprouts, basic veg for making stew or soup tomorrow, and a leek for that lentil barley leek dish from the Ancient Roman cookery book.

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I've been gradually cutting out the photos to paste into the current batch of calendars, while listening to the BBC radio podcast of The Dark Is Rising. And I am getting ideas about what to draw for the next batch of calendars. I've already made the graphical masters, all that is needed are drawings to scan in. I'm thinking about medieval marginalia, which would surely lend themselves to the 1½ x 3" size and shape of the space allotted, and would be a great way to lure myself back into scribal activity...

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	skull collar #2	over sink light	recycle bin
2	2 baprons for Liam	crock pot lid	recycle bin
3	8 jars strawberry rhubarb	replace furnace filter	recycle bin
4	quince paste	alter colorful huipil	recycle bin
5	8 jars persimmon ketchup	vertical loom	-
6	4 more Liam baprons	mend grey dress	x
7	calendar masters	x	x
8	6 jars quincemeat	x	x
9	4 lg jars strawberry rhubarb	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. the outdoor temperature has warmed up
2. Zoom time with my Mud Bay pals
3. found an online source that has some of the obscure music recordings I have been looking for for ages.

Time of Isolation - Day 1024

cold rain and snow

in which our plucky heroine is surprised...

astonished and delighted! When I first looked out my front window this morning to check the temperature on the porch thermometer, which was around 25F (-4C ), I saw what I am almost positive was an urban coyote trotting down the street. Pointy up ears and pointy nose, slightly built, almost like a skinny and leggier GSD, no collar or human in sight, and a black tail tip. Really quite distinctive, especially when I looked online... What a rare treat!

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song for today:

took me a while to find the version that matches my memories, the kind of song that just rocks you on home, a particular flavor of music that my favorite songs all have...

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Started on another pair of leggings, since the pieces were already cut out and the trim already made. Am approaching the ideal number of pairs. Really I ought be working on the raincoat, but I will have the Xmas weekend to have at that sewing, and leggings are ===FAST.

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Fortunately, before I put the strawberry rhubarb sauce up in jars, I found one more frozen container of same, so have it thawing so it can be added. I should end up with at least five pints of sauce, which is both a treat to have a spoonful over yogurt, and excellent for tart filling if I wanted to be fancy. Especially now, when I am eating yogurt every day as an accompaniment to my antibiotics, being able to vary the fruit topping is part of why I keep variety in my jam-and-sauce shelf

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	skull collar #2	over sink light	recycle bin
2	2 baprons for Liam	crock pot lid	recycle bin
3	8 jars strawberry rhubarb	replace furnace filter	recycle bin
4	quince paste	alter colorful huipil	recycle bin
5	8 jars persimmon ketchup	vertical loom	-
6	4 more Liam baprons	mend grey dress	x
7	calendar masters	x	x
8	6 jars quincemeat	x	x
9	4 lg jars strawberry rhubarb	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. Power stayed on all night, which meant that heat stayed on all night. And furnace is working, yay! And the tarp I put over the rosemary is still in place even after last nights wind, so double yay!!
2. found my bifocals, missing since May, in a glasses case next to the front door?!?
3. clever Past Me put basically all the instructions for how to replicate my wristwarmers into my Ravelry notes about them. Since this is going to be my next knitting project, not having to come up with all the details from square zero will make the project a lot more pleasant.

Time of Isolation - Day 1023

wintery mix is not a party snack

in which our plucky heroine is cautious...

The front porch thermometer read a balmy 16F this morning when I woke up, and the ventilation turbines on the roof were rattling loud enough to be heard above my white noise app. The NOAA forecast is for a high of 21, and the snow/wintery mix isn't due to arrive til later in the day, so it is still all greeny-grey outside. The wind and the air pressure keep me looking out the window expecting to see snowflakes. I consider a walk around the block; tomorrow the forecast is for ice storm and that precludes any outdoor activity at all. But I think I will err on the side of caution today as well. Even putting the wheelie bins out for tomorrows pickup was more than enough!

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make do and mend:

Noticed that my grey striped dress sported a blue ink stain on the front bodice. Sigh. Then I foolishly decided to try and carefully bleach out the stain, which resulted in a larger bleached spot with the blue ink spot nicely centered. Ugh. Gave up on there being any unobtrusive remedy, and decided a covering patch would be best. Since there is none of the matching fabric remaining, I cut away a piece of the inner pocket, which I've done before when patching other clothing. That way the visible patch is less obvious, and the inside of a pocket can be patched with any fabric of a suitable weight as it won't be seen. Indeed, the patched front of the dress is almost never visible, at least when worn under a pinafore!

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in which my freezer is not a stasi... I have a tendency to just chuck things into the freezer with the incorrect conviction that they are then safe indefinitely to be pulled out in the future unchanged. The older package of gyoza wrappers, as mentioned, were not. (the newer package, pulled out to defrost last night, seem to be in good enough condition to be useful) My friend Riia suggested that I make my own, which I have done, with only limited success. The homemade ones were really thick compared to storebought. I mentioned my gyoza wrapper difficulty to Bill yesterday during our phone conversation, and he suggested rolling out the dough doubled, then separating it for thinner results, like we did in the past for Mu Shu "pancakes". I will try that, and now am remembering how much I like that as well... I will have to look up the recipe and make that again sometime soon! (edited to add, I am missing most of the special ingredients for Mu Shu, sigh...)

while rummaging about in the Box of Large Coldness, I also found both two Talenti tubs full of what appear to be strawberry rhubarb sauce, and a ziploc full of diced rhubarb... one of the today tasks will be turning that into shelf stable canned sauce instead, thereby making space for the future pot stickers. I am grateful that I have been canning often enough that the task is just a commonplace and not one that requires any research other than just checking the correct processing time, and grateful to the canning mentors in my past.

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I didn't see where this was going at first, but the more I read of this essay, the more impressed I was, and I Learned Some Things I hadn't put together in quite that way... (hopepunk as heck)

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Meant to post this yesterday... A holiday greeting post from Carson Ellis (one of my favorite illustrators) and an NPR interview conversation between her and Susan Cooper (one of my favorite writers)

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	skull collar #2	over sink light	recycle bin
2	2 baprons for Liam	crock pot lid	recycle bin
3	8 jars strawberry rhubarb	replace furnace filter	recycle bin
4	quince paste	alter colorful huipil	recycle bin
5	8 jars persimmon ketchup	vertical loom	-
6	4 more Liam baprons	mend grey dress	x
7	calendar masters	x	x
8	6 jars quincemeat	x	x
9	strawberry rhubarb sauce	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. Joan, and Cheryl, and Britta, who taught me that canning is a simple part of kitchen life.
2. Past Me, who managed to acquire jars and lids in the window of opportunity
3. my assorted wool SCA gear, my faux Lao hat, my stripey wool sleeping hood, my early attempt at a wool coat, and my superbly made (thank you Ariadne) naalbound mittens. All these things help, when the weather is bitter.

Time of Isolation - Day 1022

hippo birdie too mee

in which our plucky heroine marks another trip around the sun...

This is just plain lovely... happy Solstice one and all!

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"And so the Shortest Day came
and the year died.
And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
To drive the dark away.
They lighted candles in the winter trees;
They hung their homes with evergreen;
They burned beseeching fires all night long
To keep the year alive.
And when the new year's sunshine blazed awake
They shouted, revelling.
Through all the frosty ages you can hear them
Echoing behind us - listen!
All the long echoes, sing the same delight,
This Shortest Day,
As promise wakens in the sleeping land:
They carol, feast, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
And hope for peace.
And now so do we, here, now,
This year and every year."

~ Susan Cooper

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The cold front is coming, I can feel the shift when I go out to ride my bike, so much colder than it was earlier today.  I can sit indoors and enjoy the lovely picture book. I can listen to the next installment of The Dark Is Rising.

My garden-ish friends warned everyone that the intense cold will be deadly to rosemary, so I found some tarps and covered the bush in the front yard. The rest of the yard plants will have to take their chances. We will have two days of wintery mix and ice, and then the rain will return, along with the less severe temperatures.

I can make food to eat, (though not the gyoza I had intended to cook, since the stashed frozen wrappers turned out to be freezer burned). If I want to have something fun for dinner, it is far too cold for me to ride my bike to The Fishwife for calamari takeout... and I am just not feeling like kitchen experimentation. Maybe a simple stir fry and a green salad will do.

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out and about:

continuing my effort to document paying attention and finding something beautiful even when it is a challenge. Just look at how the variegated holly leaves set off the red berries. I actually had to stop my bike ride and find a way to clamber around and be able to hold my bike and be able to take a photo. (I really need to figure out a kickstand for my bike in 2023! I had one a few years ago, but it didn't actually hold my bike upright, so I removed it)

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~ creativity challenge~

for some reason I am just really pleased with the look of this quick sketch...  This was done to show SR the various options for where the handwoven trim could be placed on the daypack. I was trying to figure out how I could both color in a mostly black/blue design and also show the structure. I thought I remembered picking up an opaque white Gelly Roll pen a while ago, and wowzers was that just the right thing!

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	skull collar #2	over sink light	recycle bin
2	2 baprons for Liam	crock pot lid	recycle bin
3	8 jars strawberry rhubarb	replace furnace filter	recycle bin
4	quince paste	alter colorful huipil	-
5	8 jars persimmon ketchup	vertical loom	-
6	4 more Liam baprons	x	x
7	calendar masters	x	x
8	6 jars quincemeat	x	x
9	x	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. I'm still here, still above ground, still making and sharing as best as can be managed in this second third year of the COVID plague...
2. My experimental lasagna (using 5 flavor eggplant) was a success...
3. a box of treats from Ursel, including a Roman style Samian ware bowl from Leah and Randall that would be perfect for some future Saturnalia party, if there ever are in person parties again...

Time of Isolation - Day 1021

Tuesday tidbits

in which our plucky heroine has a slow day...

Feeling better than I did yesterday, if only a bit. Still drinking massive amounts of water, with the obvious result. Had a number of online conversations and zooms with friends, which I find most heartening, and I keep finding flickers of creativity from what have for too long felt like dead cold cinders. Pulled out all my teal turquoise fabrics to look at my garment sewing plans for 2023, and found the box of lingerie fabrics, in case my Sewing Nomad pals and I do a lingerie SWAP*.  Adding things to my list** of hoped for activity I can do with the tools and supplies I have available.

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creativity challenge:

I made a thing! (vertical warp weighted tablet weaving setup) using a stick, some scraps of heavy cord, and a large binder clip. It handles the cards and weaving warps just how I had hoped!! And being set up in the hallway, attached to the back of the computer desk, means it is both out of the way and readily accessible if I have a moment or two to spare. So far I have woven almost 9 inches today, so will be likely able to have the whole 32+ inches needed for the trim by the end of the week.

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The first two episodes of the new BBC podcast dramatisation of Susan Cooper's "The Dark Is Rising" are now available online. What a wonderful seasonal treat; I am really looking forward to listening to the whole series!

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Feeling rather wiped out, but that is likely the action of the antibiotics. My symptoms are receding, which is a relief. Being too tired to cook dinner, I ate up most of the leftover lasagna instead, which had been meant to put in the freezer for a future meal! Instead, I will do some expermentation with the frozen 5 flavor eggplant I discovered, and see if I can turn it into a lasagna like substance, by adding cheese and noodles, and the remainder of the cooked spinach... I also took out the pot sticker wrappers, so that they could thaw. I will prep the napa cabbage tonight as well. I am getting better at making meals ahead, making enough that I need not cook like a madwoman every night. If nothing else, it does reduce the rather astonishing amount of dishes I have to wash everday!

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Baked two loaves of persimmon bread earlier today, as I wanted to take something sweet to the good neighbors; Tracy just lost her dad this last week. I added a jar of Awesome Sauce and a jar of quince jelly to the plate. Wish I had had a bit more cooking oomph this morning. Had been hoping to bake the pear tart, but I will settle for copying the recipe into my Bujo.

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	skull collar #2	over sink light	recycle bin
2	2 baprons for Liam	crock pot lid	recycle bin
3	8 jars strawberry rhubarb	replace furnace filter	recycle bin
4	quince paste	alter colorful huipil	-
5	8 jars persimmon ketchup	vertical loom	-
6	4 more Liam baprons	x	x
7	calendar masters	x	x
8	6 jars quincemeat	x	x
9	x	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. the set of measuring bowls that Rafny sent me back in 2020... they are more useful than I ever could have imagined, and every time I use them I think of her
2. an assortment of extension cords, and a spare lamp from the guest room mean that I can probably set up a light next to the new "weaving zone"
3. just discovered that the BBC radio podcast can be downloaded episode by episode to my laptop, so I can listen to it more than once! I was unfamiliar with that sort of file, since I don't collect music that way, (or at all) Wish I could, like I did when I was young. (I did buy myself a music CD today, Jorma Kaukonen's Quah, which should arrive sometime next week.)

Time of Isolation - Day 1020

* SWAP = Sewing With A Plan (not actually swapping garments!)
**assorted large scale plans: sewing up the teal fabric collection into garments. focusing on getting the "scriptiorim" back to happening, and finishing the five scrolls still on hold. learning about printmaking, with the intention of making miniature art prints using the miniature press. sponsoring the year long advent of a better year to come swap.  Other ideas involve putting some energy into the yard and garden, building a chook house so I can keep hens again, and continuing to work on decluttering and improving the house.

cutting threads and threading cards

in which our plucky heroine is up before the dawn...

There are a lot of tasks yet to do, and time for some of them to be accomplished this evening. Chores are neverending, but I did manage to get the lasagna baked, which meant dinner for tonight (and some future dinners). Tomorrow I will bake the pear tart for my neighbors, and make pot stickers to put in the freezer for additional future meals

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Getting set up to do the stripey tablet weaving for Tullia. Need to attach an upper bar across the top of the IVAR computer desk tower, and I should be able to do vertical warp weighted tablet weaving. ... hmmm maybe lashing a large dowel in place would work? Since I didn't have anything like that handy, I took a nice solid stick, pruned from one of the fruit trees last year, and cut to length it was easy to tie it to the top of the uprights. The ceramic fence insulators make good weights for the warps, and soon I will be able to start weaving.

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Well that went better than I expected... I'd been having trouble signing into the health system portal all afternoon, that after also having trouble signing in last night to set up my appointment. I called their MyChart customer service line, and was referred to a live person in only about 15 minutes. Not only that, but she was able to offer a fix that actually worked, and that was something I would never have suspected. If the cache on the computer is not cleared, it messes with their system somehow. Fortunately clearing cache is easy, and now I can access everything again!

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"In winter I get up at night, and dress by yellow candle-light..." ... that was the case today, since it was well after 7am that the day began to lighten. Fortunately the cold snap had not yet arrived, and the streets, while damp, were not icy, and I was easily able to ride my bicycle. I had an early morning appointment at the Express Care storefront clinic, and now am armed with a new-to-me antibiotic that should hopefully put me on the mend.

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	skull collar #2	over sink light	recycle bin
2	2 baprons for Liam	crock pot lid	recycle bin
3	8 jars strawberry rhubarb	replace furnace filter	recycle bin
4	quince paste	alter colorful huipil	-
5	8 jars persimmon ketchup	vertical loom	-
6	4 more Liam baprons	x	x
7	calendar masters	x	x
8	6 jars quincemeat	x	x
9	x	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. Yay for helpful customer service rep... a rarity and a treat
2. My concept for making a vertical warp weighted loom in my hallway, using the space on the back of my computer zone, has proved successful
3. adding the already cooked spinach to the lasagna was a clever move

Time of Isolation - Day 1019

Saturday snippets

in which our plucky heroine practices determination...

If at first you don't succeed, keep trying. Practice makes progress. "Proficere lente sed proficere".

Once again going to start my day (after breakfast) be sure to include time every day for an outdoor sanity stroll. I know I let that habit slide, as walking round in circles in my neighborhood became mentally tiresome after several years, sadly wishing for a non-urban place to walk. But as my beloved late dad would say "it is what it is"; this is where I am, what I can access, and I've great gratitude that I am currently able to walk! So, back to finding tiny beauty and/or whimsy outside every day. I know both my mental health and my sleep hygiene will be all the better for some time spent out of the house and in natural daylight.

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what I saw:

Searching online told me that this is the fruit of Arbutus unedo, commonly called "the strawberry tree".

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On much subtle observation, I realised that the colorful huipil I made earlier this year was actually too wide. After first comparing it to one of my original popover dresses, then pinning out what seemed like the correct amount, it turned out to be necessary to remove four whole inches from the diameter. This was accomplished by taking two substantial tucks in the garment and sewing the edges down on both the inside and the outside. Much tidier, and now the armholes are in the correct location.

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It was a most exciting Sewing Nomads meeting, Ruthie showed up for the first time ever, as did Elizabeth for the first time in ages!  It was wonderful to see them, and I hope that they will continue to join us once a fortnight. Elizabeth recommended the Lynda Barry book "Syllabus" (not sewing related but about where creativity, artmaking, writing, memory, and neuroscience meet) which sounded so much like my areas of interest, I immediately checked the library, and was able to put it in my queue...

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The toile, adding 12" length to the chore jacket to create the longer raincoat, looks really good as far as shape and size. Still need to do a bit more adjustment to the back of the collar. I had been thinking about various pocket options, but I think that the most tidy way would be to make in seam welt pockets, where the side panel joins the front panels. Got some good advice about that this morning from my Sewing Nomads pals...  And that would mean very little in the way of additional pattern drafting, which would be a plus. I really want to get this raincoat underway, as the weather is about to turn pluvial again.

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	skull collar #2	over sink light	recycle bin
2	2 baprons for Liam	crock pot lid	recycle bin
3	8 jars strawberry rhubarb	replace furnace filter	recycle bin
4	quince paste	alter colorful huipil	-
5	8 jars persimmon ketchup	-	-
6	4 more Liam baprons	x	x
7	calendar masters	x	x
8	6 jars quincemeat	x	x
9	x	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. waking up to the scent of the quince that cooked overnight in the crockpot... there is nothing else I know that has that particular spicy floral scent, and that it grew here, from a gift, and with the resources I can access, is just heartwarming.
2. CCL very kindly posted two different tutorials for making in seam welt pockets for my edification.
3. Today was day 3 of my committment to get outside more. And I did it, despite being magnetically attracted to my nice warm bed. I think I can I think I can... (go me!)

Time of Isolation - Day 1017