sedate Sunday

in which our plucky heroine makes slow progress...

The renaming of chores as "care tasks" does begin to shift how I think about them, and how ready I am to spend time on them... Managed to get the rest of the laundry done and put away, and even tackled a bit of mending long put off. The pile of things on the futon have all been dealt with, the bed mode returned to couch mode, and the small bedroom is has a bit more space to turn around in. It is now easier to reach the window to deploy the box fan as well.The rest of the day seemed to be gone in the blink of an eye, but many days feel like that.

※※※

The do one quilt square per day is now just over ⅛ of the way towards completion. Yesterday instead of sewing a square, I counted all the cut out pieces of fabric, and yes, there are enough. I will have to do a small amount of laying out of the square ahead of sewing them together, so as to avoid having multiples of the same fabric in one place. I prefer the prints to be more evenly distributed, but that will not be too dreadfully difficult. If it ends up needing some few extra squares of indigo/blue fabric, that won't be a problem either!

※※※

I started knitting the wool cardigan this weekend, even though it is summertime, since I need to have a fidget project for working on during online meetings. And I am glad I went to look at my initial sketch, since I started it differently!  But I had only done three rows, so easy to start over... The original pattern has the body and the front button band all in one piece. With my design idea, the button band will be added at the end, after an accent band in the "Lagoon Heather" aka teal Lettlopi.

Because this is mostly just garter stitch, and is knit sideways, there won't be a huge mass of knitting in my lap, despite that there is quite a bit of just plain knitting back and forth and back and forth. While I slowly make progress on this, I can mull over how I want the stripey sleeves to look, and how to construct them so as to join smoothly into the body. There will be math involved, but only just simple knitters arithmetic...

※※※

May SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	grey canvas hat	front yard mowed	apple tree prunings
2	tiny pomegranate	hooks on drying rack	more dead ferns
3	print drying hooks	scarf printed	recycle bin
4	layers 1-5 linoprint	re-done engraving	more dead ferns
5	OGGS enamel	bike refurbished	recycle bin
6	x	striped turtleneck neck	apple water sprouts
7	x	x	x
8	x	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 have LOTS of supplies for making things
2. It was pleasantly cool this morning
3. I had a bit of a porch visit earlier this week with Kat and Grendel, when she came to pick up the small enamel I finished for her.

Time of Isolation - Day 1073

a bird list for Kestrel: House Finch, Scrub Jay, Crow, Dark Eyed Junco... I keep looking around for birds, but haven't seen anything else clearly enough to identify. I think I saw some starlings.

Saturday snippets

in which our plucky heroine is wistful...

In 2020, or 2021, or even in 2022, it didn't feel like I was the only one staying home over the long weekend. This year, almost everyone I know is away eventing or camping. I miss seeing my friends, and I miss going to SCA events. All that aside, I am currently focused on my enameling commission work, which does take priority over playtime; I am making good progress in completing a number of pieces of regalia.

※※※

~ printmaking progress ~

Yesterday I spent my 15 minutes of printmaking time painting in the gold discs on all the dogs collars. The black final layer of ink is almost dry, but it will do it no harm to have them hanging on the drying rack further. I suspect I rolled the ink on too thickly.

My next project will be a tiny book from tinyprints all starting with the letter "f" : fan, feather, fire, fox, and fungus... There is a clever way to created "books" (either 8 page or 14 page) from single pages of paper, and I think that would be a way to add to my stash of "advent of a better year" treats. I learned in the first 100 day project that following inspiration is a good idea.

※※※

Today when out on my early morning bike ride, I saw a tufted leather chaise lounge in the middle of the sidewalk on the main street near the veterinary office, with a houseless man fast asleep on it. When I rode by there again a bit later, both were gone. I am sure that there was a story, but I will never know what it was...

※※※

While there are more and more "crosswalk closed" signs, and fewer and fewer bus stops (alas) I did notice that the new more distant bus stop now does have a shiny new covered bus shelter. I don't know if my comment to customer service made a difference, but I figured that they ought to hear from the bus users that moving the stop to underneath a power pole that is also a bird roost was less than ideal, without some kind of overhead barrier to protect from guano deposits!

※※※

May SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	grey canvas hat	front yard mowed	apple tree prunings
2	tiny pomegranate	hooks on drying rack	more dead ferns
3	print drying hooks	scarf printed	recycle bin
4	layers 1-5 linoprint	re-done engraving	more dead ferns
5	OGGS enamel	bike refurbished	recycle bin
6	x	x	apple water sprouts
7	x	x	x
8	x	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 have been gradually making progress with catching up on the various care tasks around here. The drawer in the kitchen is now refilled with dishcloths and washrags; most of my laundry has been put away, and all the mound of pots and pans are either back on the iron pot rack, or drying in the dishrack.
2. Thai mango coleslaw is my new favorite salad
3. I am so excited that my Mud Bay pals have the final inspection on their house scheduled for next week! Fingers crossed that all goes well, the house passes, and they finally get the permit and can move in. It has been a much longer and stranger trip over many years to get to this point.

Time of Isolation - Day 1073

a bird list for Kestrel: House Finch, Scrub Jay, Crow, Dark Eyed Junco... I keep looking around for birds, but haven't seen anything else clearly enough to identify. I think I saw some starlings.

throwback Thursday - high on the hilltop...

in which our plucky heroine is on a roll...

Went out for a walk this morning instead of a bike ride, trying to get some daily movement in before the heat ramps up later today, and then after breakfast, spent some time pruning water sprouts off the apple tree. After about a half hour, the greenwaste wheelie bin was full. I will need to do more pruning to thin out and help keep the tree "reachable", and then it will be time to thin the apple babies.

※※※

~ memory lane ~

When we lived in Massachusetts, we occasionally went out to eat at the Hilltop Steak House. It was a very large, rambling, and peculiar restaurant, with multiple dining rooms, cash only, and no reservations. One would arrive there, sign in, and wait, gazing out at the paddock full of plastic cows and Highway 1 just beyond, for what seemed like forever before hearing your name called to go to "Kansas City" or "Santa Fe"... I think Dad liked their steaks, as the location was quite a drive from our house.

As I recall, the food was reliable and very tasty, with a basket of fresh rolls on the table as soon as you sat down, quickly followed by green salad with their "signature dressing". I did not like steak particularly, but was already too old for a child's plate, so I always asked if they had the "sirloin tips". Only one time I can remember being successful at acquiring those coveted bits, so my usual order, unlike the rest of the family, was the "baked stuffed lobster pie". I can still remember the individual casserole dish with its sizzling buttery crumb topping and rich chunks of seafood, to me much more a treat than any hunk-o-beef... It was a different world back then...

※※※

~ work in process ~

Spent a lot of today in front of the kiln, despite the heat. Made sure to drink plenty of water, ran the box fan near my feet to keep the air moving, and early in the day, ran all the fans to pull as much cool air into the house as possible. This is the completed Order of the Grey Goose Shaft enamel, all that remains is for me to create a setting for it. Word from the client is that he is pleased with the results, yay!

This piece uses painted Limoges style enameling rather than cloisonne, because the golden yellow and white checky background rather precludes wires. It is very tricky to get such fine detail as the arrows, but that is in fact the only way I know to do so. The "paint" (>325 mesh enamel mixed with lavender oil) is roughly dabbed in place, and then carefully pushed into shape using a tiny waterdampened brush. This takes even more time than wet-packing the checky background. It does feel good to have made this much progress this week, and I am also partway through a very small Laurel enamel in lilac with a black wreath. More photos tomorrow...

※※※

May SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	grey canvas hat	front yard mowed	apple tree prunings
2	tiny pomegranate	hooks on drying rack	more dead ferns
3	print drying hooks	scarf printed	recycle bin
4	layers 1-5 linoprint	re-done engraving	more dead ferns
5	OGGS enamel	bike refurbished	recycle bin
6	x	x	apple water sprouts
7	x	x	x
8	x	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. good progress on the enameling commissions
2. managed to keep going despite hot weather
3. my dark chocolate brown linen arrived today. I ordered it on Tuesday!

Time of Isolation - Day 1071

a bird list for Kestrel: House Finch, Scrub Jay, Crow, Dark Eyed Junco... I keep looking around for birds, but haven't seen anything else clearly enough to identify

Wednesday werk

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

Aside from a nice long bike ride this morning, I spent most of the day enameling, with a few breaks for zoom chats with folks and some phone calls to family...

※※※

~ 100 days of printmaking ~

day 24/100 - today I decided to experiment (on one of the misprints) with adding a bit of Finetec "Arabian Gold" metallic watercolor just to the bell around the dogs neck. I like the effect. The usual challenge with those mica based paints, of not covering fully in one coat, in this case really works well, as the underlying ink layer are slightly visible. I will add this to the whole edition once the black ink is fully dry. It is still not quite there yet, but I am in no hurry to remove the prints from the drying rack.

※※※

~ werk werk werk ~

a break from enameling to eat dinner (yesterdays stir-fry leftovers) and now it is back to the kiln for another few hours. It feels good to finally get back to making regalia. (Well, I have been working on this assortment of medallions for rather a while now, just not writing about them...)

This small one was a challenge to bend the wires small enough for the leaves of the Laurel wreath, and I am looking forward to seeing the transparent lilac background gradually deepen in color as more thin layers of glass are fused in place.

...and also am partway through enameling the An Tir checky background for a custom award medallion. There is no easy way. Here, as there will be an entire additional motif done in Limoges painted enamel overlaying the checky, I am carefully wet-packing layers of opaque white and golden yellow enamel to end up with a smooth ground suitable for painting on.

※※※

I woke up too early, and went back to sleep and then back to dreamland, into a long, wistful, and complicated dream about living near Fjords End, and I was with a dog friend who was an Akita, only I couldn't remember their name and was calling them Smokey. And the people I was with reminded me it wasn't Smokey, and told me I needed to take the dog back to the Mud Bay house where the dog lived.

※※※

May SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	grey canvas hat	front yard mowed	apple tree prunings
2	tiny pomegranate	hooks on drying rack	more dead ferns
3	print drying hooks	scarf printed	recycle bin
4	layers 1-5 linoprint	re-done engraving	more dead ferns
5	-	bike refurbished	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	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. Yesterdays leftovers were quite tasty, adding a bit of fish sauce and a bit of oyster sauce to my homemade stir fry really improves the flavor, it was almost as good as chinese takeout food....
2. The sturdy box that my WAWAK order came in is a good size (as is) to turn into part of Tansu Terrace! I will save it rather than send it to recycle-land.
3. One of my art teacher friends told me he used my counterchanged pomegranates as an example for his class. I am feeling honored and competent

Time of Isolation - Day 1070

a bird list for Kestrel: House Finch, Scrub Jay, Crow, Dark Eyed Junco... I keep looking around for birds, but haven't seen anything else clearly enough to identify

tinyprint Tuesday

in which our plucky heroine enjoys another cooler day

There was a lot of time spent online today, so the external productivity seems less, but keeping connected with folks is vital to my well being. And incremental progress on care tasks is also vital. Mt Dishmore is almost gone, and Mt Washmore just needs put away. Some time spent enameling as well.

※※※

~ counterchanged ~

...Day 23/100 - tinyprint Tuesday and counter-changed pomegranates just had to be carved... I'm thinking that each Tuesday I will carve a block that is 1" square (or smaller) as part of my 100 days of printmaking challenge. This is a good way to use up small scraps of printing blocks; both these little counter-changed pomegranate stamps will work well as interstitial fabric motifs.

※※※

Last night I decided to order a tube of the right sort of ink so I can try intaglio printing (using the sweet little Open Source press). After careful searching online for the best Not-Amazon shopping option, I go ahead and click all the buttons and fill in all the blanks to have it sent to me. This morning, reading the confirmation email that lets me know it was shipped out today, I realise I ordered it from an art shop in London. It was somehow less spendy including shipping than from anyplace closer, and should arrive faster (those being the two variables I sort for)

※※※

This morning I sewed up one of the patchwork squares from the Moody Blues box. It took me 12 minutes. At that rate, it adds up to 5 squares in an hour, and 40 squares in 8 hours. I would go mad sewing patchwork squares for a whole day; but sewing one per day seems trivial. That would have me done sewing squares near the beginning of July. At that point, there will be additional steps to turn the assorted squares into a summer coverlet.

※※※

I follow the emails from fabrics-store.com, even though I rarely buy any new fabric. A long time ago they had heavy linen in a good dark chocolate brown, but it was discontinued for a long long time. Today in the sale flyer, there it was again! I was very self indulgent and purchased a 3 yard piece to make a new pinafore. I guess that rather defines my garment sewing for the year, as I also have a length of turquoise/teal linen. Though I know I also intend some serious textilia downsizing, it will also be useful to begin to bundle together the garment lengths of fabric that all coordinate well. I have some heavy ikat in brown/black intended for a jacket, and some lovely abstract cotton/lycra jersey in neutral shades with brown and grey that was a gift from Ruthie, and those together will be a lovely outfit that will work with much of what is currently in my wardrobe. (Same same with the teal linen, and the cotton PNW landscape print fabric) The knitted cardigan I have planned will coordinate with both of these options.

※※※

May SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	grey canvas hat	front yard mowed	apple tree prunings
2	tiny pomegranate	hooks on drying rack	more dead ferns
3	print drying hooks	scarf printed	recycle bin
4	layers 1-5 linoprint	re-done engraving	more dead ferns
5	-	bike refurbished	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	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 was able to splurge and order a length of "rustic" chocolate brown linen for a new pinafore.
2. using the shaker top from a jar of Penzeys herbs as a leaf stripper for cilantro works really well
3. I ordered 4 MERV 13 air filters to make a Corsi-Rosenthal box for Acorn Cottage. That way I will hopefully be prepared before fire season.

Time of Isolation - Day 1069

Monday miscellany

in which our plucky heroine enjoys the coolth...

I woke up this morning to the sound of the furnace starting up, which immediately caused me to leap out of bed and shut it down. If the temperature is cool enough for that, it is a good idea to spend the day working on enameling. Indeed, the next few days are forecast to be delightfully cooler, and I expect to feel much more productive.

※※※

~ a small Laurel ~

Prepared wires, and a 1" engraved disc, ready to begin the enameling process. I think that this is the smallest I have engraved a diapered interlace pattern, the squares are ⅛" wide...

※※※

Last week, apparently every Portland resident received a hefty (almost 500 pages) proselytising tome in their mailboxes, self included... it immediately went in my recycle bin waiting for Friday; today, when I saw this helpful printmaking tip  I now know what to use the tome for!

※※※

~ a longago project ~

About eighteen years ago, when I moved here to Acorn Cottage, I decided I needed a patchwork coverlet. Why, I am not sure... since quilting is really not my thing. But I was smitten with the Moody Blues design by Kaffe Fassett, and cut out a whole passel of squares. I got partway through sewing them together before I ran out of steam, and they have been sitting in a box in the closet ever since. Sewing squares together is boring.

Yesterday I decided to unearth the project and take a look at it. Apparently I got halfway through, as there is quite a biggish piece of completed patchwork along with all the large and small squares. In addition, there is a charming outer space and rocket ships flannel sheet obviously intended for the reverse side. I'm wondering if I could turn this into a sort of incremental kit. I could put it all into one of my currently unused SCA packing baskets, and keep it near the sewing machine. What if I simply sewed a fourpatch square each time I sat down to sew something else. That might be much less tedious, and eventually would result in the desired summertime coverlet, and one less unfinished project!

※※※

May SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	grey canvas hat	front yard mowed	apple tree prunings
2	tiny pomegranate	hooks on drying rack	more dead ferns
3	print drying hooks	scarf printed	recycle bin
4	layers 1-5 linoprint	re-done engraving	more dead ferns
5	-	bike refurbished	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	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. we have a plan in place to attempt to zoom with mom
2. cool weather for the next day or two
3. I was able to ID a piece of work seen online as done by my friend Mr Dawson, as confirmed by a phone call to him later that day. I felt like a museum curator!

a bird list for Kestrel: House Finch, Scrub Jay, Crow, Dark Eyed Junco...

Time of Isolation - Day 1068

on very slow fashion...

in which our plucky heroine cogitates...

I've been taking some time to mend a few of my clothes. One of my favorite summertime popover dresses just plum wore away at the underarms, right through the fabric. It seemed like a good idea to cut it apart just below the waistline, and turn it into a popover top to wear under a pinafore. So I began to cut up the lower half in order to patch it with slightly less worn fabric that still would match the textured grey rayon.

I had to go look up when I made the dress, and it was back in 2015. Eight years ago. That is a good long lifespan for any garment, particularly in my own limited wardrobe. I am wondering if it makes sense to put in the hours of careful handstitching to get a few more years of wear, though the handstitching is a thing I can safely do while online zooming, and is in its own way meditative.

This is feeding into my currently vague desire to downsize my fabric to something more realistic. Just as for years my goal was to have what felt like the right amount of clothing (a goal I finally reached a few years ago; enough garments so I could go a week between needing to do laundry) I am thinking now of what the right amount of "fabric on hand" would be. Enough to be able to create replacement garments for the next however many decades might be allotted to me? That would surely be rather less fabric than now graces my shelves. Food for thought anyway.

※※※

May SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	grey canvas hat	front yard mowed	apple tree prunings
2	tiny pomegranate	hooks on drying rack	more dead ferns
3	print drying hooks	scarf printed	recycle bin
4	layers 1-5 linoprint	re-done engraving	more dead ferns
5	-	bike refurbished	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	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. rode my bike to the hardware store this morning, whee! New kickstand works like a charm when locking bike up to the rack in front of the shop. Now I have a second extension cord, this one 14 ga, so I can take time this coming week to hack back the backyard.
2. masks work for yardwork as well as plague barriers
3. today was wonderfully cool compared to the previous week, and we are supposed to have several days like this. I will take advantage by putting everything else on hold and enameling like a madwoman!

Time of Isolation - Day 1067

a bird list for Kestrel: House Finch, Scrub Jay, Crow, Dark Eyed Junco...

Friday folderol

in which our plucky heroine is doing her best to keep cool...

I ran the fans this morning before heading out to get my bike from the bike shop, so the house is not awful. Showering in the middle of the day helps. I've been trying, with just middling success, to shift my sleep/wake cycle to a bit more crepuscular one.

※※※

~ printmaking ~

day 19/100 - first attempt at a reduction print is done (an edition of 20). They will need to dry for several days now. The various individual prints vary in quality, a few are completely out of register, and while most have obvious flaws, I'm pleased nonetheless.

※※※

well double dog dang! I was going to work on my indigo day pack project, but I don't have the interfacing. I must have used it on some different project, probably the day pack for Tullia. I guess I could cut out the various pieces of denim and of the lining so I will be ready when the interfacing I just ordered (a 10 yard piece of the Pellon 20" wide cotton woven fusible interfacing from WAWAK (where it is half the cost per yard than at my local fabric store) which should be here sometime next week)

I do have a chunk of fusible fleece interfacing in the storage closet and am considering using that to interface the shoulder straps, it might be a good use of something I'm not really sure why I purchased?? The straps get a layer of webbing sewn on top of the folded fabric, so it wouldn't matter that the fleece is not as stable as the shape-flex. Might need to make a small sample...

※※※

Since it was nice and cool early this morning, I spend a bit of time cutting away at the under growth along the side yard. The feral ferns have become really tangled with dead fronds, and while I meant to trim things back earlier in the year, I can't do it any sooner than right now. I really need to remember to use gloves, and maybe to wear long sleeves tucked into them. It seems like each time I attempt this task, something in the undergrowth bites my hands...

Still, I treated myself kindly, only doing a modest amount of pruning, remembering that I could do a little bit each day. which would eventually show significant progress. And, sigh, the warm weather means that the lawn REALLY need whacked back again, which means I need to acquire the second extension cord ASAP! Maybe a bike ride to the hardware store is in order?

※※※

May SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	grey canvas hat	front yard mowed	apple tree prunings
2	tiny pomegranate	hooks on drying rack	more dead ferns
3	print drying hooks	scarf printed	recycle bin
4	layers 1-5 linoprint	re-done engraving	more dead ferns
5	-	bike refurbished	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	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 had the resources available to get my bike tuned up and repaired. It is in much better shape now, and should be able to give me years more of good service.
2. the bite on my hand responded to topical benedryl, whew!
3. the dwarf lilac in the front yard is blooming

Time of Isolation - Day 1066

a bird list for Kestrel: House Finch, Scrub Jay, Crow, Dark Eyed Junco...

the good, the bad, and the annoyingly messy

in which our plucky heroine had ups and downs...

Woke up early enough that I was able to get in a good long walk before the weather became opressively hot. Which was good, but even so, adding in the extra mile meant that by the time I got home again I was exhausted. Which was okay, because how else will I get stronger.

※※※

~ printmaking progress ~

Day 18/100 - My idea of just going ahead with overprinting with a lighter grey seems to have worked, more or less... When I look at the print so far, which doesn't really look how I envisioned it before I began, I must keep reminding myself that this is very much an XP1 project, that I have never done this sort of thing before, and that there are a lot of variables inherent in this process.

※※※

Last thing last night I opened the fridge, and out fell the plastic container full of cooked rice. Which burst open at my feet. The rice will go in the compost, and one important chore of today will be to wash the floor (I mean, I cleaned it up well enough at the time, but still...) and the other will be to cook up another batch of rice!

※※※

I think that "How To Keep House While Drowning" is a very useful book. I am on my second listen to the audiobook, and have some different thoughts than I usually do about my situation.

※※※

It is the time of year when the duvet gets put away, and lighter bedclothes take its place. One of these years I will finish up the patchwork I cut out when I first moved here to Acorn Cottage. I got a quarter of the way through and just bailed. Patchwork just isn't my jam, apparently... It is all up in a box in the top of the closet in the small bedroom, and would make  a pretty bit of summer bedding. All it would need is to be backed with a flannel sheet. Maybe one of these years...

※※※

May SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	grey canvas hat	front yard mowed	apple tree prunings
2	tiny pomegranate	hooks on drying rack	more dead ferns
3	print drying hooks	scarf printed	recycle bin
4	layer 1/5 linoprint	re-done engraving	-
5	layer 2/5 linoprint	-	-
6	layer 3/5 linoprint	x	x
7	layer 4/5 linoprint	x	x
8	x	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. It could have been eggs. And it wasn't.
2. walked over three miles today
3. my bike is ready to be picked up from the shop

Time of Isolation - Day 1065

a bird list for Kestrel: House Finch, Scrub Jay, Crow,...

wistful Wednesday

in which our plucky heroine remembers the Before Times...

This morning I got up early to ride over to the bike shop, to drop my trusty steed off for the remaining needed refurbishments (and I asked if they could add a kickstand to my bike while it was in there getting work done anyway). It was already quite warm before I arrived there at 10 when they opened. It took me about 1¾ hours to get home on transit, since it required three different transfers, and the heat and sunshine were really opressive by the time I returned to Acorn Cottage.

While I was walking along Alberta to the first bus stop, I was washed over by a wave of sorrow, remembering the comparative ease of how it was when I first came to the city, when exploring and adventuring were an option, when I didn't have to ration my entry into shops and buildings with exquisite care to minimise the time spent indoors, when if there was something particularly appealing for a snack, my only concern was "can I afford this luxury" and not, in addition, is this luxury of a restaurant treat something that I can carry home so I can safely eat it, and that will still be edible after several hours in my day pack?...

※※※

~ printmaking project ~

day 17/100 Yesterday was, as always "tinyprint Tuesday".  Had this image in my sketchbook for a while, so turned it into a little 1" square linocut print. It turned out better than I expected.

※※※

I just finished adding the first grey layer to my Akita print, and I think I made an error with the color of the ink. It looks much too dark to me, and I may need to overprint it with a lighter grey before adding the two final layers, in order to get an appropriate value range. Ooops! Or, maybe I could call that layer the dark grey, cut that away and print the lighter grey and then the black?

※※※

Made such a yummy slaw for dinner: red cabbage, yellow peppers, carrots, green onions, mango, avocado, with a lime/rice vinegar/fish sauce/olive oil/mint/thai basil dressing, and cashews as a garnish.... (Instagram inspired, but using what I had on hand here, though I picked up a mango on the way home from the bike shop). This was good enough that I will have to make it again!

※※※

May SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	grey canvas hat	front yard mowed	apple tree prunings
2	tiny pomegranate	hooks on drying rack	more dead ferns
3	print drying hooks	scarf printed	recycle bin
4	layer 1/5 linoprint	re-done engraving	-
5	layer 2/5 linoprint	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	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 bike shop requires masking!
2. It felt a bit easier today to ride the three miles to the bike shop than it did last week
3. I have the resources to make myself healthy food, and a kitchen and tools to make the food in, and a safe and quiet place to eat.

Time of Isolation - Day 1064

a bird list for Kestrel: House Finch, Scrub Jay, Crow,...

Tuesday tidbit

~ day 16/100 - a closer look ~

All that will remain red will be the ears, the collar, the square patch in the center, and the tiny flowers on the body. Because of that, I've not been overly concerned with how much ink coverage I have around the edges of this layer, as those areas will be covered in grey or black.

This is the only one of the twenty prints so far that has been "out of register", clearly visible around the eyes and nose, and I entirely blame user error. The Ternes Burton registration pins work like a charm so far. I'm so grateful that at some point Past Me bought them with the intent to try multicolor printmaking. I suspect that (in this case) I was not careful enough with the tan layer getting the block properly located in the registration jig.

※※※

Another hot day here, but thankfully it did cool off during the night... While there was thunder in the distance late in the day yesterday, we didn't get the intense storms that many nearby neighborhoods received, though there was enough rain to make a bit of a difference today. And, that, combined with the warmth, has set the yard grass to explosive growth, when I can manage some time with the string trimmer it will be most necessary. Which reminds me that I need to get that second 50ft extension cord, to reach the backyard and the south edge of the side yard.

※※※

print it red

in which our plucky heroine adds another layer...

~ day 15/100 ~

Last night when I was closing up the workroom, I noticed that the first layer of ink on my reduction linocut print was dry. So it won't be necessary to wait until next weekend before adding the next color. This is the second layer of five, the remaining layers will be medium grey, darker grey, and black.

※※※

Yesterday evening I finished preparing the replacement disc for the Laurel enamel. Since I had to start over, I made the squares for the interlaced diaper pattern engraving 3/16" (a little smaller than previously, and that was a much better fit for the oak leaf stamp. It is ready to go now, and the wires are already bent as well. Now if only the weather would be a bit less unseasonably hot. Still, needs must, and even if the thunderstorm tonight doesn't clear the air, I will be standing in front of a 1500 F oven and finally getting the work underway.

Oh, and PS... apparently one can get dichro waterslide decal paper "Dicro Slide" that can fuse to enamel... as mentioned in this article: "How to add a Dichroic Effect To Your Enamels"

※※※

a few weeks ago, Ariadne showed me how to make an origami dragon. It is a pretty simple modification of the origami crane, which I learned to make as a child, and when folded from a 3" square, as here, it turns into a dragon small enough to fit in the 1¼" cube that is the right size for the Advent swap. I decided to splurge on a package of metallic golden origami paper that is just the right size, and fold up a bunch of them. After all, who wouldn't love to get a wee dragon?

※※※

May SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	grey canvas hat	front yard mowed	apple tree prunings
2	tiny pomegranate	hooks on drying rack	more dead ferns
3	print drying hooks	scarf printed	recycle bin
4	layer 1/5 linoprint	re-done engraving	-
5	layer 2/5 linoprint	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	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. Past Me chopped up green onions and froze the bits, and put them in talenti tubs. They're much less likely to become sad in the fridge, and are really easy to add to whatever as garnish or as ingredient
2. Karen reminded me that the elastic laces originally came from Keen. When I phoned them today asking about buying a replacement set, I was told "just come in, the replacements are complimentary!
3. Saturday Kestrel added me to her "Bird Watchers Club" Today I saw a new to me bird: the House Finch. Apparently common, but I had never noticed one before. I am curious what else I will see this week to share with her next Saturday at our regular zoom.

Time of Isolation - Day 1062

Sunday struggles

in which our plucky heroine makes very tiny incremental progress...

Hid indoors all day escaping the heat and sunshine. Today I began to tackle Mt Washmore, and Mt Dishmore. One more rack of dishes, and the laundry all folded and put away will be a good start to the week. I also re-engraved a new disc for enameling the Laurel medallion commission. So, not a useless a partially useful day.

※※※

~ out and about ~

Saw this camellia "installation" last week while on my way to my eye exam. No idea what the significance is, but someone obviously made a great effort to bring all the flowers some distance from wherever the nearest camellia was and arrange them at the foot of the telephone pole.

※※※

I've put aside the plan to complete the lining my raincoat sewing project for the time being, since it appears that we have gone directly into summer, at least for the next tenday, with temperatures in the high 80's or higher, and basically unrelenting sunshine. Instead, my sewing for me project will be the dark indigo denim daypack. My black denim daypack is four years old, and while nowhere near worn out, would be well served by having a second one to alternate with.

※※※

Ooof... I really want to go visit my mom while she is still alive, and still knows who I am. This likely means I need to travel cross country to visit her sometime this summer.

Super stressed about how to stay as safe as I can manage while doing this. The only thing I can think of that might be a bit helpful would be to get my 6th booster (2nd bivalent) a few weeks before I travel, so my immunity would be as high as possible? (I have been holding off on #6 hoping that one is developed that more closely matches the current variety)

I would need to fly there and back, and stay at my brother's house, all of which feels really unsafe to me. I am the only one in my family that is masking anywhere at all. And I can't wear a mask when I am sleeping, even if I wear one while I am awake. (I loathe flying, but my preferred Amtrak option is over 5x more spendy at such short notice, and unclear if any safer)

I even ask myself why do I want to go see my mom? which is a painful thing to ask myself... I wish that there was some safe way to get there and back, and to have a safe place to stay while visiting her, but there really isn't. I was going to wait and go see her this autumn, but now with this hospice thing, I am wondering if waiting that long would be foolish

I am the only one in my family that has not had COVID, and the one who would be in the greatest danger were I to become ill with the virus. I hate this timeline, but we are stuck here.

※※※

May SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	grey canvas hat	front yard mowed	apple tree prunings
2	tiny pomegranate	hooks on drying rack	more dead ferns
3	print drying hooks	scarf printed	recycle bin
4	layer 1/5 linoprint	re-done engraving	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	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. Laurel disc engraved
2. Zoom remains a lifeline
3. My suggestion of earlier this week was accepted and implemented as of now! Yay me!

Time of Isolation - Day 1061

a rather sideways Saturday

in which our plucky heroine takes an angled turn...

After yesterday, I was still a bit off balance, and when I tried to stamp the oak leaf pattern on one of the discs for enameling, somehow the design was reversed on two of the square. I stopped in dismay, and put the enamelwork away for the rest of the day. Fortunately I have some additional sheet stock and can start over. Fire arts require intense concentration. I decided to spend the rest of the day on my printmaking instead...

※※※

~ day 13/100 ~

day 13/100 - The first layer of ink (pale tan) on my first reduction linocut... while I have a LOT to learn, I'm pretty pleased with this beginning. Starting from one of my photos, I've reduced the color layers to five. I've constructed a jig to hold the block and paper in alignment.

I'm not sure the ink I'm using is a good match for the postcard paper, and the postcard paper is cold press, so intended for watercolor rather than for printmaking. But using what is on hand is worthwhile for this experiment. Also, I didn't know that the sharpie ink would transfer from the block to the print. I don't know how long that will continue. Next time I will try using India ink instead. I'm using a baren and a wooden spoon to transfer the ink to the paper.

※※※

The Flexcut Slipstrop seems to be quite effective. I noticed that one of my small vee gouges was becoming obviously duller than when new, and some time honing it on the appropriate surfaces of the strop made a big difference. Having the correct tools to take care of my tools is good.

※※※

day 13 - I spent several hours today over-printing this cotton lawn scarf, using the 2" square blocks I finished carving at the beginning of the month. The scarf is a bit larger than 30" square. It will need to be set aside now for a number of days while the ink cures... I've left about a three inch border on all four sides; not sure if I will print a different design along that space or just leave it plain

※※※

I spoke to Mom today. I try and phone her at least once or twice a week. This was one of the better calls, as she responded to some of my comments...

※※※

May SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	grey canvas hat	front yard mowed	apple tree prunings
2	tiny pomegranate	hooks on drying rack	more dead ferns
3	print drying hooks	scarf printed	recycle bin
4	layer 1/5 linoprint		-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	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. Flexcut Slipstrop works a charm
2. the square concrete block motifs fit nicely on my scarf
3. Mom still knows who I am

Time of Isolation - Day 1060

Friday fragments

in which our plucky heroine hides from the sun...

...it's going to be that sort of weekend. There is a heat advisory in place, with temperatures leaping up about 30 degrees. It will be good for block printing, rather less so for enameling.

※※※

~ out and about ~

I went to get my eyes examined earlier this week, which happens pretty regularly now that I am older... on the way there, I saw this very sculptural pink magnolia blossom, and couldn't resist a photo...

※※※

{rant}Every afternoon for weeks now, I get a phone call or multiple phone calls from Comcast, trying to I assume convince me to sign up for one of their services. I've taken to screaming into the phone at the robot. I double checked that I am on the national Do Not Call list, and that in addition am signed up for the internal Comcast do not call list. It is very annoying, both to have my day interrupted repeatedly,and because when we did have a contract with Comcast more than 20 years ago, the service was so inferior that we had to report it. I would never consider arranging any of my utilities through them.{/rant}

※※※

~ day 12 printmaking ~

...carved away the places that will remain white, in the very first reduction print I am attempting. My plan is to do the printing of the first layer this weekend, so it will begin drying, and will hopefully be ready to print the second layer next weekend, and so on. At that rate, the prints will be complete in the middle of June.

※※※

Today is a sad day for me - today, papers were signed to allow Mom to receive hospice care...

And, it has been just a year ...
Dad, all you gave me I will appreciate as long as I walk in the bright world, and your absence is a gap I bump into every day.as they say, grief is what we do with love that has nowhere left to go; and we don't stop grieving, we just learn to live with it.

※※※

May SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	grey canvas hat	front yard mowed	apple tree prunings
2	tiny pomegranate	hooks on drying rack	more dead ferns
3	print drying hooks	-	recycle bin
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	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 hanging rack above the washer is a perfect place to dry block prints
2. Hospice will make more resources available for Mom's comfort
3. help figuring out what sorts of activity are of comparable risk to me, so that I may be able to add a few positive experiences to my very limited current life.

Time of Isolation - Day 1059