Acorn Cottage Artisanry: November 2023

Thursday, November 30, 2023

throwback Thursday

in which our plucky heroine deals with the present problems, and remembers before adulting was a thing...

I am good, I am mighty, doing things that stress me because they need doing irrespective... just scheduled two more house visits to get more bids on the furnace/possible AC/possible heat pump options, so that making a good decision with good information can happen. One tomorrow at 9 AM, one tomorrow at noon. Yay me, I am doing the hard scary stuff.

※※※

~ tyger tyger* ~

Long ago, when I was a child in middle school, in English class we had to memorise and recite a poem. Any poem. I chose Tyger Tyger by William Blake, which I found in a book of animal poems. No idea at that age about any of the inner meanings, and I don't recall we ever discussed such things, but rather were simply sent of to the school library to hunt for poems as if they were fruit in an orchard.

I remembered this quite suddenly this morning, when this column came across my online feed. I greatly admire Patti Smith as an artist in her myriad ways...

※※※

started the final batch of candied quince for preserves, and filled another set of trays with sliced and peeled persimmons for the dehydrator. With luck I can fill several large Fido jars with this year's crop...

※※※

November SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 jars quince jelly	glove thumb re-knit	yard waste bin
2	tiny tiger stripe dress	persimmon pruning	recycle bin
3	Elphinore brooch	steamer basket	imperfect cold packs
4	candied quince	shadowbox painted	recycle bin
5	dried pears	fridge bracket gone	recycle bin
6	40+ forget-me-nots	removed bathroom sink backing	undersink sog
7	6+ jars quince sauce	appletree pruning	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 turned out that today was not, in fact, going to be a day with a planned power maintenance outage. I was able after three phone calls to track down the office of the electric company that could give me the info. (We will have one on December 7th, but hopefully by then the house will have heat again. I can cope with a few hours in the middle of the day without power, particularly if the house has warmed up beforehand...)
2. today I had a good long phone call with my oldest friend.
3. audiobooks, and a portable charger, since my phone no longer holds a charge for a whole day

Time of Isolation - Day 1246

* an enameling experiment I made in my time as a studio monitor at Pratt, while I was living in Seattle in 1990

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

boggledy, now with badgers

in which our plucky heroine takes a deep breath, and also ends the day with badgers, for a bit of sweet on a hard day...

I plum hate being this cold. I am running both my big plug in radiators, one in the bedroom and one in the bathroom, and one of the small ones next to my feet at the computer desk. It is currently 54 in the living room. My hands hurt. I am wearing multiple layers of wool, and am about to switch to my wool and fur Viking Age hat. No way around this but through...

※※※

~ badger badger ~

Here is the advent shadowbox that Acantha gave me last year, that I've been decorating...something pretty, in the midst of all this infrastructure trauma. Cricket gave me the Playmobil badgers a while ago, and they seemed like the right thing for the season, for right now anyway. I want to make a moon to hang in the background, maybe embroidered, or painted.

※※※

On Thursday aka tomorrow, there will be a scheduled power outage for some time between 8am and 3pm so the electric company can work on their infrastructure. There will be another one scheduled for December 7th. In the Before Times, just going to hang out somewhere warm would have been my choice, but I don't go "hang out" anywhere nowadays other than at home. Fortunately my stove works without electricity, if I use a striker or match to start the flame. So, I will need to have some sort of meal options that don't require me to open the refrigerator, and I will need to be sure my backup tech batteries are all charged up.

※※※

I am pleased with myself, if also exhausted and wrung out. But I did the hard thing. Setting up an appointment, having it be rescheduled, creating a list of questions, interacting with the estimator, doing my best to understand all the unfamiliar information... I really hate having people in my house, because COVID, but he was willing to wear a mask, and I also ran the high powered air cleaner the whole time, and on into the evening once he left (I never liked having "strangers" in the house even in the Before Times). It is terrifying to me to have to make such a large and significant set of decisions, and feels much like it did when I had to make the choices about my medical treatment options during my first cancer journey... (though the stakes are not quite as mortal)

※※※

Oh, today during the zoom call with Mom, she was rather more alert and interactive than she has been for a while. The change is incrementally small, but at this point even small amounts are noticable. Not that one recovers from dementia, but there are days that are better and days that are lesser.

※※※

November SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 jars quince jelly	glove thumb re-knit	yard waste bin
2	tiny tiger stripe dress	persimmon pruning	recycle bin
3	Elphinore brooch	steamer basket	imperfect cold packs
4	candied quince	shadowbox painted	recycle bin
5	dried pears	fridge bracket gone	recycle bin
6	40+ forget-me-nots	removed bathroom sink backing	undersink sog
7	6+ jars quince sauce	appletree pruning	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 managed to cope well with the arrival of the furnace replacement estimator, got answers to my list of questions, and have a mind boggling assortment of options, all of which are rather eyewateringly huge.
2. leftover injera, topped with leftover refried beans, topped with some tillamook sharp cheddar makes a nice warming dinner that only needs hotted up in the microwave.
3. I found and reinstalled the clear bubblewrap window covers for the bedroom, which should make at least a bit of a difference. While I would like to make some less kludgy options for the windows, like the insulated Roman shades in the kitchen, using what is on hand for now is better than nothing.

Time of Isolation - Day 1245

Tuesday, November 28, 2023

A whole lot of mostly no fun...

in which our plucky heroine does her best to cope...

Tuesday: I am repeatedly reminding myself that only a week ago I was feeling really good. That even though right now there are significant challenges that have arisen, eventually I may feel really good again...

Today the diagnostic technician came to examine the furnace. Which it turns out is ~~likely~~ considerably past it's pull date, having been installed in 1995. Not only is there a bad "high limit switch", which is why it has been doing the on-off thing repeatedly and not warming the house, but the draft fan is not in good shape (and former owners attached it to the housing with a giant zip tie! which is not any sort of proper repair), and the primary blower for the whole furnace is leaking oil into the base of the system. None of these are good things, and the cost to repair them is over 4K. With no guarantee that other parts of the machinery will not also fail. Sigh and alas.

So, tomorrow someone will come here to present possible option(s)? for a replacement furnace. Even less than I like having strangers here at Acorn Cottage, I truly stress about having to make these sorts of decisions, about making changes that have long lasting effects. When I was a child, and was told, when you grow up you can do whatever you want... it never occurred to me that meant: you can decide which serious problem you get to throw resources at first. (I thought it meant I could have a pony, though I guess having a warm house is more significant, and the backyard here at Acorn Cottage is much too small for even a very small pony)

Two days of on and off cooking has turned the quinces from pale tan to deep red, and the cooking quince smells wonderful. I was able to process 6 full jars, plus about a half jar for fridge or freezer storage. The next batch of ripened persimmons is almost done in the dehydrator, and Bartlett pears just arrived in the produce order, so they will be next.

Monday : another clear sunny Very Cold (for here) day... I intend to take advantage of the weather to let the laundry hang dry outside.

In addition,as it is not raining, so I took an hour or two to do a bit of pruning on the backyard apple tree... not anywhere near done, but the largest and most egregiously wrong water sprouts are now in the greenwaste bin. And I am now really tired (sawing and lopping and toting branches)

attempted to remove screws from plywood under the kitchen sink. only managed 4 of the many. Did manage to clean away the brown gunk that was encrusting the pipe from the sink to the P-trap

Sunday: Prepped and dried a batch of persimmons, as they are beginning to ripen, while they are also decorating my hallway temporarily. Started simmering about half the remaining quinces, with the thought of turning them into a homegrown equivalent of cranberry sauce.

putting aside the ingredients (assorted nuts to toast, and dried and candied fruit to chop) for the fruitcake I want to make, and the panforte I want to try making... I have put the measured amounts, labeled, all in packets in the freezer, which will make the actual process easier...

※※※

November SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 jars quince jelly	glove thumb re-knit	yard waste bin
2	tiny tiger stripe dress	persimmon pruning	recycle bin
3	Elphinore brooch	steamer basket	imperfect cold packs
4	candied quince	shadowbox painted	recycle bin
5	dried pears	fridge bracket gone	recycle bin
6	40+ forget-me-nots	removed bathroom sink backing	undersink sog
7	6+ jars quince sauce	appletree pruning	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. warm woolen handknits, which most of the time I only need when going outdoors, but which are doing well at the task of keeping me warm while the furnace is broken.
2. words of appreciation from several folks about my earlier presentation at SAC... I need to remember that I am making a difference, however small.
3. Four households besides me at Crafternoon zoom Sunday: Elisa, Ursel, Rois, and the Aunties. Plus later that evening Rois' husband Chance spent about two hours on the phone trying to figure out if there was a simple fix for the dragon (aka the furnace in the closet). Though it turned out that there wasn't I am feeling very heartwarmed at the lovingkindness from my friends.
4. I am also grateful that the dragon at the heart of Acorn Cottage aka my furnace, lasted so much longer than its designed short lifespan.
5. Sidrea's essays give me so much food for thought, often about topics I am unfamiliar with, but written in a very comprehensible way. I am grateful for her existence
6. I am also grateful for all my SCA camping experience, and my living in the north woods experience, which give me at least some background that lets me cope with minimal heat and no proper sinks...
7. And I guess I am grateful that I can remember that only a week ago I was feeling right chipper, and that with luck and fortitude, there will be a chunk of time in the future where I may feel that way again

Time of Isolation - Day 1244

Saturday, November 25, 2023

past the "best used by" date

in which our plucky heroine is beginning to think that the universe hates me, or "wondering what minor or major deity I have pissed off"...

This morning noticed that I was feeling ccccold, despite the furnace being turned on to a reasonable temperature. Welp, there is something wrong with the furnace! The fan turns on like normal, and then after a bit the flames come on like normal... but then the flames turn off after about two minutes. Lather rinse repeat. Needless to say, this does not warm the house up, particularly when it is barely above freezing outside. After Thursday's plumbing debacle this feels like Just Too Much! I wish I had enough hair to tear out.

Fortunately I have an assortment of oil filled electric radiators of various sizes, so this isn't an emergency emergency, but it is a major inconvenience and will not be simple, since it is well beyond my DIY repair skills. Plucky heroine knows better than to mess with the furnace! ("Do not annoy the dragon, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup")

※※※

~ Dire Wolf ~

This song came to mind, when I read this article about examining the dire wolf genome (TLDR - they are likely their own thing, and not part of the Canis genus of the carnivore tree

※※※

November SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 jars quince jelly	glove thumb re-knit	yard waste bin
2	tiny tiger stripe dress	persimmon pruning	recycle bin
3	Elphinore brooch	steamer basket	imperfect cold packs
4	candied quince	shadowbox painted	recycle bin
5	dried pears	fridge bracket gone	recycle bin
6	40+ forget-me-nots	x	undersink sog
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. oil filled portable electric radiators (both large and small)
2. after scrubbing the undersink with rubbing alcohol, it has somewhat less of a bad funky smell. I suspect it will be much improved in the future with some Kilz and/or Rustoleum, and followed by some sort of smooth "tray" atop. But that is a task for after the plumbing repair.
3. talking with Mr Dawson this evening was reassuring, as we covered his advice about various aspects of my current home repair issues.

Time of Isolation - Day 1241

Friday, November 24, 2023

a jumbled assortment of tasks

in which our plucky heroine (worked like a madwoman)...

today started as a Very Chilly morning, temperature barely above freezing, and I waited until it was a little warmer before heading over to the post office on my bicycle, to send out the remaining Advent Swap boxes, and the packet of miniature enameled forget-me-not flowers to Bill. The post clerk told me I was smart to come in today, as by Monday the local office will begin to be dreadfully crowded with holiday shipping.

※※※

~ incremental progress ~

Today I removed all the layers under the kitchen sink. There were three pieces of plywood "floor", wedged in place to cover the area. Underneath that, was a layer of very wet and partially moldy newspaper from the early 80's. Underneath that, was a layer of very degraded (but still visibly colorful) contact paper, my guess (based on the mostly orange pattern) from the late 60's early 70's. Now the actual cabinet base, rusty but still solid (they build things to last back in the 50's) will be able to dry out.

At this point I have taken this as far as I am able to on my own. It would be great if I could also remove the plywood that backs the cabinet, so that the estimating plumber(s) can see what is inside the wall, but I don't know how, and don't have the tools to do so.

※※※

Grid pattern planning for wardrobe sewing in 2024 makes it visually obvious what areas are lacking. What I like to do is somewhere between a Punnet Square and a Vivienne Files 4 x 4 wardrobe. I've been looking at the closet and dresser to see what I have, what is wearing out, and what does not yet exist. This is oddly enjoyable, probably since I love planning out potential projects almost more than the actual making thereof.

※※※

Yesterday was all about working... Started the day by first removing the P-traps from both sinks. Next dealing with washing the counter full of dishes, which had needed done the day before, when opening the undersink set off this whole debacle. This chore is a lot more challenging with a sink that doesn't drain. In the middle of the day was: cooking the roulade, because not doing so would be a crime. (roast in the oven at 350°F until internal temperature is about 165°F) I also watched a few videos to try and learn the best way to do the "butcher's knot", and while I don't feel like I have it mastered, what I was able to do worked better than last year!

and after that excellent lunch of delicious stuffed turkey thigh roulade, I spent the rest of Turkey Day working away at my enameling for about nine hours . Finished the almost 4 dozen miniature forget-me-nots before the clock read midnight, and went to bed...

※※※

November SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 jars quince jelly	glove thumb re-knit	yard waste bin
2	tiny tiger stripe dress	persimmon pruning	recycle bin
3	Elphinore brooch	steamer basket	imperfect cold packs
4	candied quince	shadowbox painted	recycle bin
5	dried pears	fridge bracket gone	recycle bin
6	40+ forget-me-nots	x	undersink sog
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. There wasn't too much actual mold under the kitchen sink.
2. Leftover roulade is just plain delicious, and making stuffing from one of New Seasons rosemary sourdough rolls was great.
3. Clever plucky heroine figured out that putting a bowl inside each sink to catch water before it goes into the bucket below makes life easier, and fortunately I have a good assortment of stainless steel bowls of various shapes and sizes.

Time of Isolation - Day 1240

Thursday, November 23, 2023

we'll take the big pliers...

in which our plucky heroine changes course...

Was going to be a day combining some fun cooking in the kitchen, with a lot of getting the enamel project completed to be put in the mail on Friday...

Nope, not much in the way of cooking, other than the already being brined turkey thigh roulade; plans shot down on account of plumbing issues Well this is a whole lot of not fun... opened the cupboard under the sink, and water came out onto my feet. Removed the supplies stored under the sink, dried them off enough to move them out of the way... Dried the undersink floor as best I could, then looked carefully to try and figure out where the water is coming from. Nothing obvious, so I turned on the kitchen faucet.

Dang! Not one of the assorted plumbing parts I could access myself to replace, but rather the portion of the pipe that goes into the wall, said pipe appears to be a mess of corrosion, and probably been gradually degrading over the last few years or more...

Not going to do anything about it tonight, or tomorrow for that matter. Going to think about what the best next steps will be, which will eventually require help from someone who knows more than I do, but for now, not running water down the kitchen sink drain is the first step... bah! Plucky heroine is now grumpy plucky heroine. I just hope this does not involve taking my kitchen apart and jackhammering the floor...

※※※

~ the mother of all slip joint pliers ~

Years ago when Mark and I broke up our household, he let me keep the extra pair of giant slip joint pliers. It usually lives next to the front door, along with it's pals the really large open end wrench (found in the middle of a crosswalk one day), and the really big pipe wrench... Somehow I didn't think that using this would be how I spent part of Turkey Day. My intention is to remove the P-traps from the bottom of the kitchen and bathroom sinks, and put buckets underneath instead, which will allow use of the sinks without then sending wastewater to the damaged plumbing. This will be annoying to deal with, necessitating dumping the greywater by hand, but better than not using the sinks at all! Note: this is intended as a temporary solution, until I can source a decent plumber. Which isn't going to happen on a long holiday weekend.

※※※

November SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 jars quince jelly	glove thumb re-knit	yard waste bin
2	tiny tiger stripe dress	persimmon pruning	recycle bin
3	Elphinore brooch	steamer basket	imperfect cold packs
4	candied quince	shadowbox painted	recycle bin
5	dried pears	fridge bracket gone	-
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. Tool Girl has a way to remove the undersink traps, even if not the ideal option... Former Owners used some sort of peculiar putty to stick the kitchen sink P-trap in place, that hardened enough that I couldn't remove it easily... The Mother of All Slip Joint Pliers is part of the pantheon of leverage!
2. I am calmer and in better spirits than I was a year ago, and certainly than I was several years ago.
3. I still have hot and cold running water. Life is always better than it was the year I lived in Idaho. And better than it was the winter I was houseless.

Time of Isolation - Day 1239

Wednesday, November 22, 2023

Wednesday in the workroom...

in which our plucky heroine puts everything else on hold...

The current enameling commision, which is on a timeline, needs to be completed and mailed out ASAP, so until it is done there will be little else happening here at Acorn Cottage, other than basic maintenance of self and surroundings.

※※※

~ everso smol ~

This afternoon I started on the smallest enameling I have ever been asked to do. The flower, stamped in the 4 mm silver discs, is only 2½ mm across; even with my lighted magnifier it is hard to see the details. There will be many of these little enamels set as cabachons to decorate a coronet that my friend Bill is making

※※※

Music of the Mediæval and Renaissance - just found a link to this recently, and it will be pleasing to have some new things to listen to while I am working, or cooking, or whatever...

※※※

This morning, between my zoom meetings, I was able to take half the Advent Swap boxes to the post office, and get them mailed out with tracking numbers. The rest will be mailed out on Friday. Fortunately the nice postal clerk was on duty, and was completely unfazed by my peculiar project. He even suggested a possible helpful change for next year, for the tracking, if that option is still available.

※※※

November SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 jars quince jelly	glove thumb re-knit	yard waste bin
2	tiny tiger stripe dress	persimmon pruning	recycle bin
3	Elphinore brooch	steamer basket	imperfect cold packs
4	candied quince	shadowbox painted	recycle bin
5	dried pears	fridge bracket gone	-
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. enamel project is doable... I had concerns
2. I realised that the annoying locking bracket at the base of my fridge (which has been rusting away for the last ten or fifteen years now) might be detatchable. And used my phone to look underneath the fridge. And then used the tiny offset ratcheting screwdriver to back out the screws, and now it is gone for good.
3. I have tools. I have a decent assortment of tools, (if never quite enough). In fact, I am Tool Girl.

Time of Isolation - Day 1238

Sunday, November 19, 2023

Saturday and Sunday

in which our plucky heroine is pleased...

There was a modicum of positive activity this weekend... Progress on my knitting happened, as I slowly wend my way across the cardigan back and towards the second arm opening. There was bike riding in the sunshine. There was laundry, including bleaching all the dishcloths. All the ripe pears are currently in the food dehydrator, and by tomorrow they should be done and I can start on the persimmons. There was a trip to the farmer's market. There was some reorganisation of the workroom space, just a start...

※※※

~ so much fun! ~

Today I spent time assembling the boxes, and then taking the tiny Advent gifts from their individual bags and redistributing them into the correct assortments so everyone in the swap gets various treats and no one gets their own offerings returned... the entire top of my worktable is covered with little fixed rate postal cartons. This is delightful!

※※※

Saturday, managed to move the plywood sheet (used to protect the plum tree from being fried by the AC during the summer) from the side of the house back into the carport, without harming myself. Remembered to get the rubberized gloves to get a really good grip, before splinters occurred. Next year this will not be required, as the AC will be moving to a different window that doesn't blow hot air onto any of the fruit trees.

※※※

The teeny tiny enamel blanks for Bill's project arrived today, they are so very small, maybe 3+ mm in diameter? I will have to fire them on mica, which Bill thoughtfully included in the small packet.

※※※

November SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 jars quince jelly	glove thumb re-knit	yard waste bin
2	tiny tiger stripe dress	persimmon pruning	recycle bin
3	Elphinore brooch	steamer basket	imperfect cold packs
4	candied quince	shadowbox painted	recycle bin
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. love living in a neighborhood where I know (at least some of) my neighbors to wave to in their cars, or to say hello on the street, or in the case of my Good Neighbors, to ask for help
2. managed to get to the farmers market on Saturday and find some garlic to plant, using the last of my market scrip before it expired
3. best Crafternoon in a long time because Rois, and Vesta both showed up, I've not seen them in ages... not that I am not also grateful for my regular attendees Beth, Karen, and Ursel...

Time of Isolation - Day 1235

Saturday, November 18, 2023

gifty wishlist - 2023 version

in which our plucky heroine changes things up a bit, but still offers notes about useful and desirable gifts...

Really I've not thought about a wishlist for 2023 much at all, so it will take a while to fill out and find things both useful, delightful, or both (and that are actually available!)

I've participated in Duchess Daegmar's Sekrit Santa gift exchange for a number of years now; I decided after skipping it last year that there was something missing in the winter holiday season without it... so back into participating! ...

Most of what would make a real difference in my life are not things, but the gift of experiences, time, and the sharing of resources... because time spent together (though it is so challenging to find and agree on safe ways to do so) is the best gift of all, whether helping with household tasks or out adventuring in the wide world.

It seemed a good idea to provide both general guidelines to what I like and do not like, as well as a modest annotated list of assorted Useful and Delightful things:

Random wishlist notes:

My favorite colors in general: The kind of blue that you get from indigo: nightsky and dark denim. The greyish color of natural linen. Taupe. Grey. Soft dull turquoise. The dark black brown of some kinds of undyed sheep wool. Bittersweet chocolate brown.

In general, food is not a Fjorlief treat. Our plucky heroine ~~does not particularly like~~ is not thrilled by chocolate, and is very allergic to cherries and to hazelnut. I particularly do not like scented things, and am very allergic to cedar.

I love handmade gifts, particularly those of the wooden, ironwork, glass or textile sort. My SCA life is mostly as a Norse/Slavic style person, so period style lampwork beads are always useful. I mostly do not collect things, in particular I don't collect acorn kitsch, even though the house is named Acorn Cottage...

※※※

Annotated wishlist of assorted delights, in no particular order at all :

I've been thinking that [a rotary cutting mat (12/18/23 now I have a cutting mat, thank you mystery benefactor!)], a rotary cutter with a package of replacement blades, would be everso useful in 2024's sewing adventures...

"Bike Pretty" helmet and hat cover...

My Anglophile tendencies often are directed at haberdashery such as these charming buttons (22mm mixed blue) ~~sadly out of stock~~ now back in stock... or beautifully designed crafting materials such as these exquisite papers , which would be wonderful for papercraft!

and speaking of papercraft, these packets of hand marbled paper would also be useful, both for miniatures, or for my future attempts to learn to make Zhen Xian Bao

This "Rhubarb and Mint Tea Hand Cream" is my favorite hand lotion... it works really well, keeps my hands from cracking badly in the winter, and best of all has a very gentle sweet fruit scent rather than the intensely floral or herbal scents that are more common and less pleasant.

It sounds a bit silly, but I think that these stainless steel clothespins would be a great replacement for the aging plastic IKEA clothespins currently in use here, that have suffered UV degradation over the years and now sometime just snap in half when they are supposedly holding clothing to the line

either of these beautiful feather brooches to decorate hats would be an excellent addition to my wardrobe: Thing 1 or Thing 2

Fiskars paper cutter, and some replacement blades...

Alas, most of the various music CD's I had bookmarked last year are no longer in print (I snoozed I losed, since almost no one bothers with CD's any more)

Either of the two Becky Chambers "Monk and Robot" books are not yet in my collection, and would be welcome...

This little grinder that fits atop a canning jar seems like it would be useful for grinding spices...

~~One can never have too many yarn needles, such as this set in a tidy little holder...~~

It is difficult to find wind chimes that are not aesthetically offensive, and that actually sound good... I think these might tick both those boxes "Bells of Paradise"

※※※

some rather more challenging and spendy things, in no particular order at all:

It would be helpful, once space is cleared in the carport, to acquire or build some sort of small footprint shed/cupboard to store the garden tools in, which are currently loosely stacked against the house wall. Of course that is predicated on actually clearing the carport.

It would be a very good and necessary addition to the infrastructure here to acquire an extension ladder, or at least a substantial regular ladder. One that is long enough to reach the gutters, and the attic hatchways... must needs do a bit more research as to what would be best... two different friends have mentioned that the recombinant style ladders have worked well

※※※

Overall, there are several areas of life here at Acorn Cottage that would greatly benefit from helpful attention, in the someday when we can all be in the same places again, help from those with stronger backs and possibly vehicular transport.

As mentioned, the carport would be a happier place if it was reorganised and some of what is there and not needed went away. The backyard really needs yardwork done to make it less overgrown and possibly more level, which would make putting in raised garden beds easier. The several years that Mindy et al helped with the yardwork here were the best that the outside of the house ever looked.

I have some but not all of the bits needed to make a new chicken house, which is necessary before acquiring new hens; still need to acquire some small lumber, 1x2s and 1x3s mostly. Weeding, always weeding, the side yard in particular. Clear out the gutters, ugh. And in the next year or two, the house needs exterior painted, and the roof will need replaced.

I will be adding to this list as I think of possible things that would be both useful and beautiful additions to my home and life.

Friday, November 17, 2023

Friday figments and fragmenta

in which our plucky heroine notices something important...

I've been thinking about some core things, between all the usual chores. A few weeks ago friends and I were talking about life purpose, and mulling over what we each feel like we want to accomplish, not in an employment sense, but in the sense of our deeper selves. I found this a very challenging thing to examine. But recently, with the Advent swap, I was thinking about how in setting this up, gathering folks together and having people I know, and some I don't know, all want to participate, I have been feeling like I am making a difference.

The world seems so very troubled, and the issues so large, and I feel very helpless to have any effect at all. In this very small but real way, the Advent of A Better Year swap brings a modicum of creativity, connection, anticipation, and whimsy into being, not just for me, but for others as well.

Back when I was in the middle of my cancer treatment back in 2012, I was shopping at New Seasons the day before my first radiation treatment. My favorite cashier asked me, like they do, "how are you doing?" I told him that I was pretty scared about going into the radiation bunker the next day... he said "Don't you realise what that means?! Tomorrow is when you get your super power!!... what super power are you going to get?" Without even thinking twice, I told him that I was going to get the "Cheerfulness Ray", so I could zap people who were having a bad day and their day would immediately improve. He said that was the best super power he had ever heard of, because there was no way it could be used for evil purposes!

So, these things are all part and parcel of what I am here to be doing, and the Advent swap is a way I have been successfully using that Cheerfulness Ray in realtime and not just in my imagination

※※※

~ fit test ~

This is how the shipping boxes will fit in my bicycle pannier basket(s), in preparation for a trip to the post office next week... I'll be able to fit most of them in the baskets, and the rest will have to ride in my daypack. I'll be offloading them into a big canvas tote when I get there, to carry everything inside to be sent on its way! (and for me to get tracking numbers for everyone...) Just checked the weather forecast for next week, and it seems so far to be mostly dry and in the low 50's during the day, so not too bad for riding my bike, which I try and do most days it isn't raining or snowing.

※※※

Planning a nice dinner for next week, and parking the Useful Links here: turkey roulade (because this is the only time of year turkey thighs show up at the meat counter in the grocery store, candied quince (instead of cranberry, since it is equally vivid red, homegrown, and I like the flavor better), pan roasted sweet potato and minces (brussel sprouts)... I may add in a green salad, and possibly something special for dessert

about the turkey roulade; about how to bone a turkey thigh; and about using a buttermilk brine...

※※※

I found the links to Whole Foods corporate and regional offices, and will be sending them a hardcopy letter regarding the incident on November 16th. Which was in direct contradiction to their stated "core values" as posted on their website

※※※

I gave up on the current batch of quince paste. It just wasn't working out. Then I left the orange peel in syrup on the stove too long and it went from not ready to partially burned before I realised it. Today was not my day for confectionary. Fortunately I do have another orange, and I do have more quinces to play with, and this time I will stay hanging out in the kitchen with my current knitting project while the orange peel is on the stove, and I will try a different protocol for the quince paste... I've been successful at both of these in the past.

※※※

November SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 jars quince jelly	glove thumb re-knit	yard waste bin
2	tiny tiger stripe dress	persimmon pruning	recycle bin
3	Elphinore brooch	steamer basket	imperfect cold packs
4	candied quince	shadowbox painted	recycle bin
5	x	-	-
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 weather has been holding steadily dry enough that riding my bike is possible. Tomorrow I will see about moving the summertime plywood shield, that kept the plum tree safe, back into the carport for the winter.
2. My back hurts less than it did a week ago
3. I seem to have coordinated an activity, the Advent of a Better Year in 2024, which is congruent with my life purpose.

Time of Isolation - Day 1233

Thursday, November 16, 2023

ephemera

in which our plucky heroine...

It is called "fall" for a reason, and the wind and rain do their best to be sure that we appreciate the bright beauty while it is visible. Now the sidewalks and gutters, and lawns are patchworked in brights and neutrals, while here and there the leaf shapes leave their temporary tattoos on the city concrete.

※※※

~ they never last long ~

maple glows like flickering flames, tossing in the wind...

※※※

Two more folks will be sending in their Advent of a Better Year swap contributions at the last minute. I may end up needing to go to the post office at the end of next week rather than the beginning. I am a bit soft hearted and don't want to tell these hopeful giftmakers they are too late.

※※※

I shall never never ever go into Whole Foods ever again. Not that I normally shop there, but they were near the bus stop to get home. I just wanted to use the rest room before shopping which like most these days was locked, and the staff person I asked said they were no longer told the code, and to go to customer service...

"are you a customer?"... well I wanted to buy a few things and some take out food.. but needed the comfort station because long bus ride. No we can't give you the magic code number, even if you have a bio need right now, you need to first shop for groceries, then check out, then you can get the code off the receipt. (and wtf should you do with your already purchased food while returning to the back of the store). I was tempted to relieve my feelings right then in a very inappropriate way in front of the clerk (who was talking to me like I was about 2 years old), but decided that sharing their austere and unkind rudeness online would be better. Don't shop there!!

※※※

November SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 jars quince jelly	glove thumb re-knit	yard waste bin
2	tiny tiger stripe dress	persimmon pruning	recycle bin
3	Elphinore brooch	steamer basket	imperfect cold packs
4	-	shadowbox painted	-
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 public library will get you through hard times, even if all you need is a bathroom!
2. people remain enthused about the Advent swap
3. hot running water, it never gets old, having lived without it

Time of Isolation - Day 1232

Wednesday, November 15, 2023

so many persimmons

in which our plucky heroine practices positive focus...

Today was grey and cold and damp, too wet to ride my bike. It is November after all. I did manage to get some walking in, but not anywhere near as much as I would have liked.

※※※

~ they cover the bookcase ~

soon they will have ripened enough that it will be time to set up the food dehydrator, and turn them into shelf stable dried fruit. Which will let me gift dried persimmons to my friends who enjoy them. True wealth is to be able to share....

※※※

Apparently I am out of the loop, as I just found out that "Hug Snug", the venerable wonderful woven rayon seam binding, is no longer in business! I went online to buy some (in a particular shade of soft blue, for a particular project), and am only finding random remnants of stock available. I am sad, it was an excellent product, being colorfast, stable, durable and available in a multitude of colors (200+). I was able to find a color that would (more or less) work for what I needed, but I have been buying that useful stuff for decades, and not being able to get it any more leaves a noticeable gap in my personal access to supplies.

※※※

I'm not sure what I've done wrong this time with the quince paste. Perhaps it should have had all the cooking liquid drained away first to use for jelly, and only the pulp pureed? It has been several days on and off in the oven on extra low heat, but it is still dreadfully gooey, looking more like black tar than something good to eat, and impossible to handle. I might just call it quits on this batch, and start over again.

※※※

Ursel came by today with her beautifully wrapped set of various Advent swap goodies. Ariadne's swap goodies should arrive by post on Saturday, which means that Sunday should be devoted to getting all the mix and match packages prepared, addressed, and stamped. Current forecast is for Monday to be Not Rainy, which will be best for getting everything to the post office safely. Yikes stripes! I do not like this last minute time pressure, and will be more clear and firm next year, should we do this again, which I hope will happen...

※※※

November SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 jars quince jelly	glove thumb re-knit	yard waste bin
2	tiny tiger stripe dress	persimmon pruning	recycle bin
3	Elphinore brooch	steamer basket	imperfect cold packs
4	-	shadowbox painted	-
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. sorted things out on the phone with Mud Bay, re: upcoming enameling project timelines, and Jen's Advent swap gifts.
2. a nice porch visit with Ursel.
3. picked the last of the persimmons from the tree, another 7+ pounds! They did well this year, and I will be pruning the tree back pretty strongly once the leaves have fallen.

Time of Isolation - Day 1231

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

collect the whole set

in which our plucky heroine gets a boost...

I asked Helga for a ride to Costco today, since they accept walk-ins (in the middle of the day) and have the new Novavax booster. I've had both Moderna and Pfizer at various times in the last few years, so wanted Novavax for my "vaccination collection"...

Things kept going unexpectedly well: someone pulled out of their parking space just in time for us to be able to park about halfway to the store, which is exceptional parking luck. It was a beautiful sunny day with moderate temperature, feeling more like May than like mid November. I only had to wait about 40 minutes for the jab, so we used the time to do needed grocery shopping, and had finished that, checked out, put everything into the car, and were back in the pharmacy in time for my appointment.

※※※

I prepped, cooked, and pureed a third of the quinces I've been storing in the fridge, with the intention of making quince paste. (6 c puree, 6 c sugar, 6T lemon juice) This was probably too much for one go, as it filled the sheet pan almost to the brim, and was ~~not~~ nowhere near ready to be turned out and reversed after hours of slow cooking and sitting in the pan overnight.

It made rather a mess, actually. I managed to get it back into the pan, but it won't lay nice and flat like it did prior. I will do my best, and cook and cool it again at least two more times, and hope to get some pleasing confections from this batch. Next time I will make a smaller quantity!

※※※

~ not yet December ~

The painted advent shadowbox set of drawers is complete enough to hang on the wall. I moved around some of the pictures that previously were in that space to make room for it, and am looking forward to figuring out how I want to decorate the central shadowbox... currently thinking about a wintertime solstice/nature theme, with little botanical bits and maybe some Playmobil animals...

※※※

The raincoat lining is assembled, and now I need to figure out how I'll attach the lining and the coat shell together...

※※※

youch!... for some unknown reason, on Friday my midback became intensely painful, bad enough for a Salonpas, bad enough that sleep was almost impossible. I've been stretching gently, riding my bike when the weather allows, and getting as much walking in as possible. Forcing myself to sleep in "astronaut position" on my back, with my legs supported by pillows. The pain is easing off a bit, and hopefully will continue gradual improvement.

※※※

November SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 jars quince jelly	glove thumb re-knit	yard waste bin
2	tiny tiger stripe dress	persimmon pruning	recycle bin
3	Elphinore brooch	steamer basket	imperfect cold packs
4	-	shadowbox painted	-
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. I found Nandina's missing boot!! Whilst vacuuming, and fortunately not sucked up into the maw of disappearance. It didn't get lost out walking around the neighborhood, but fell out of my pocket near the washer/dryer zone here at Acorn Cottage
2. Karen has some black bison leather she can send me scraps of, for finishing the ends of the raincoat toggles...
3. between riding my bike, and walking all over Costco, I have over 7K steps today, and my back feels slightly better than it has the last few days

Time of Isolation - Day 1230

Sunday, November 12, 2023

fragments and snippets

in which our plucky heroine keeps busy in the workroom...

The wind began howling round the house corners earlier this week, blowing most of the leaves off the trees, and splashing the rain everywhere. It didn't really let up Friday morning, so going out for a walk had to wait until I finish my raincoat, or until the weather moderates a bit.

※※※

~ Elphinore the elf dog ~

Just finished this 3" long wool felt embroidered brooch, representing one of the title characters in Elf Dog and Owl Head, as a "for no particular reason other than the idea came to me and wanted to be made real" gift for young Kestrel...

※※※

I've turned a pound of quince into candied quince, with the simple expedient of cut into cubes and simmer in simple syrup on the stovetop. This will be used as an ingredient in a small holiday fruitcake, and an experimental panforte both to be baked later on in the year. I did manage to put aside some of the candied pomelo peel made early in the year, remembering how well it works in fruitcake, so the only other confection preparation needed will be orange peel, which will be easy, as oranges will be coming into season soon.

※※※

not sure if these are early, or late, but they are the only cyclamen to be seen in the front walkway garden bed...
※※※

November SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 jars quince jelly	glove thumb re-knit	yard waste bin
2	tiny tiger stripe dress	persimmon pruning	recycle bin
3	Elphinore brooch	steamer basket	-
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. my Sewing Nomads pals have been most encouraging about the raincoat project, and about my sewing skills. It does me good to have folks who let me know they believe in me.
2. a spoonful of candied quince with yogurt.
3. I remembered to go outside for a walk between zoom meetings today. I need to get out and walk more, which will be easier once I have completed the raincoat.

Time of Isolation - Day 1229