throwback Thursday and other thoughts

in which our plucky heroine spends a good chunk of the day gallivanting...

※※※

~ on the trail ~
.
 . 

After seeing a post online about one of the crows being near the oncology building, decided that this morning would be a good time to continue my quest. Crow #13 "Back Alley Flora" was at the intersection of N Flint and N Broadway nowhere near the listed N WIlliams location at all. Of the three crows I ran across today, this one was my favorite, being painted with delightful illustrations of often found alley and vacant lot plants, complete with both common and scientific names.

※※※

Throwback to former Augusts: five years ago recovering from jaw surgery, creating Alamandine, scribal art enthusiam, ten years ago making popover summer dresses, noticing earlier ripening of tree fruit, decluttering workroom, grinding enamels into painting enamels. Fifteen years ago was Handfix™, and being not-single, (and waiting in the wings a yet unknown dire diagnosis.)

※※※

Since tonight is wheelie bin night, it seemed wise to fill up the greenwaste bin first thing, before the heat of the day, so picked up the loppers andstarted cutting back the green fig. It is a vigorous grower, and keeps trying to trespass on the neighbors garden bed. There is a lot more of that fig that needs pruned out, but the most egregious branches are now in the bin, along with the ones that were literally dragging on the ground. It will take at least two more full bins before that fig tree is less rowdy, and there are other trees (hello quince, and apple, and black elder, and persimmon) that also are waiting for me to get to their summer pruning.

※※※

My new 7in7 idea is to combine vintage bone underwear buttons with a few precious mammoth ivory fragments to create "mobile" earrings. By drilling some holes and some wire bending of jump rings, two slightly dissimilar assembleages might become a pair of earrings.  

※※※

August SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 Talenti shelves	Talenti shelf up	greenwaste bin
2	acorncap earrings	2nd pot lid rack	recycle bin
3	teaspoon earrings	painted mailbox	greenwaste bin
4	glass button earrings	Strombecker lamp	-
5	poppy pod earrings	-	-
6	red cube earrings	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- recipes that bring back long gone memories
- free newspaper to mask overspray (2nd coat of mailbox paint)
- Hutch's Peanut Sauce*, delicious enough to make almost anything edible, and easy to mix up to dress a cold summertime salad

Time of Isolation - Day 2221

~ Hutch's Peanut Sauce ~

1½  T nut butter
2 ½ T oil (or coconut milk)
2 T tamari
2 T brown sugar
2 t vinegar
½ t cayenne
1 T chopped green onion
1 T minced cilantro

notes: originally served over cold poached chicken and iceberg lettuce as a dressing. I use either peanut butter or almond butter. The frozen chopped cilantro since it already is mixed with oil needs less additional than the recipe calls for. Make as spicy or mild as desired.

Friday fragments

in which our plucky heroine finds a new temporary obsession...

Yesterday was the second day of the 7in7 earring challenge, (which I just discovered late Wednesday night...) Lately I've been playing with found materials and recombinant parts of some of my older pieces anyway, so am using this challenge as a springboard to additional random creativity. When I saw these unusual acorn caps while out walking I had an idea for woodland themed earrings, added some cast and enamel mushroom charms Bill and I collaborated on decades ago and these will be just right for autumn.

※※※

Today is day 3 of the 7in7 earring challenge... This single small silver-plate teaspoon has been languishing in my tableware drawer for over three decades, and now has a new destiny as a pair of earrings. The bas-relief of oranges has always charmed me.. The spoon was thicker than I realised, so a bit difficult to saw through, but once cut into pieces each earring blank weighed only about 3 grams, so not too heavy for comfort.Some small silvery baroque freshwater pearls turned out to be good accents to add additional movement and catch the light.

※※※

~ found beauty ~

Blue lacecap hydrangea, seen halfway down the back parking lot stairs at Providence hospital. On my way back to the bus stop early yesterday morning, after my annual skin checkup, these blue flowers were very eyecatching. Awake at 5am in order to coordinate transit,  tired but spirit now good since my exam was all clear and the odd spot on my hand is a solar lentigo and not something dire...

※※※

The diseased leaves on my pear trees are caused by "rust" fungus which is alternately hosted on junipers, of which there are many around the neighborhood including the far side of my own driveway (mostly in the corner neighbor's front yard). Dang! My bigger Bosc tree has some damage, the baby Seckel pear is badly hit, and the baby Shipova seems untouched. There don't seem to be any good non-chemical way to control it, and I doubt that neighbors would be keen on my removing a chunk of their landscaping...

※※※

August SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 Talenti shelves	Talenti shelf up	greenwaste bin
2	acorncap earrings	2nd pot lid rack	recycle bin
3	teaspoon earrings	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- spot on hand is solar lentigo and not melanoma. Whew!
- neighbors moved their car, managed to harvest more elderberries
- chopped up cilantro stems and a bit of yellow onion diced make a decent substitute for green onions in Sister Gigi's Corn Pancakes.
- in the kale/bulgar/feta salad kasha makes a great substitute for bulgar in terms of texture (and of course adds tasty kasha flavor)

※※※
 

Sister Gigi's Sweet Corn Cakes

4 ears sweet corn (or 2 c frozen) ½ c cornmeal or masa ½ c flour 1 t salt 1 t sugar ½ t baking powder ¼ t cayenne 1 large egg ¾ c buttermilk 3 T butter, melted and cooled 2 green onions, chopped small

If using fresh corn, cut the kernels from cobs, (you should have about 2 c) Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl, combine all wet ingredients in a bowl, mix together and add the corn and the green onions. Let rest in the refrigerator for at least a half hour or more (cornmeal will hydrate, texture will be nicer; if you use masa, might need more liquid than called for) Fry like pancakes 'till both sides are golden. serve with green salsa and sour cream

※※※

Time of Isolation - Day 2215

Friday fragments

in which our plucky heroine has a day of small bits...

So far the best was removing the "decorative" motif from the front of the mailbox. Careful observation of how it was attached showed that while the rivets in the front were substantial and recessed into the cast metal motif, inside the mailbox were two much smaller raised eyelets. With an oval cutting burr on the flex shaft it was possible to carefully reach inside the mailbox and grind away enough to pull the excrescent casting off the front of the sheet metal, leaving it with only two small visible holes. Milliput might seal those up before painting the mailbox "hammered dark bronze" with Rustoleum

※※※

~ recombinant ~

It is very satisfying to deconstruct my jewelry to put back together differently in a form that is more likely to be worn. The wire oak leaf outlines were made years ago, and originally had a vaguely acorn-ish group of beads hanging in the center. And the cast silver acorns that now supplant them were (by themselves) so dainty that they rarely were a first choice... 

※※※

Almost done with priming, painting and preparing the new small kitchen shelves. I found the jar of leftover kitchen wall paint, saved for future repairs, and there is enough to paint these shelves to match the walls. They aren't intended as a focal point, so was happy to have found the exact paint, and I really wish that Metro Paint was still a going concern, since I'd forgotten how excellent the paint is/was. Slightly thicker than melted ice cream, and it covers in one coat. 

※※※

In overall food news, have started looking around for cilantro seeds or starts. It isn't the best time of year to try and grow it, according to what I've been reading, but is worth an attempt. Will also try and get to the farmers market for some. Locally grown is less likely to have parasites. (added: just got a callback from the most local plant and garden store to Acorn Cottage and they have plenty of cilantro starts and also seeds, so I foresee a bike ride tomorrow...)

The other peculiar thing re food is that for the last several weeks have been looking for organic canned corn with no success. All the local grocery stores have none of the organic on the shelves. I like keeping a few cans with the "earthquake" pantry goods, since a can of corn + a can of beans (+ maybe a can of Costco chicken) + some seasoning = a dinner that only needs a can opener. Is it seasonal, or crop failure, or supply chain weirdness? Only time will tell...

※※※

July SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	15 tiny masu boxes	earrings recombined	greenwaste bin
2	black scarf hem	replace C O alarm	recycle bin
3	Brambly Hedge slip	painted pony spots	greenwaste bin
4	5 more bead frogs	mailbox de-uglified	overgrown lovage
5	"Cats Invade" books	small shelves painted	greenwaste bin
6	all the bead frogs	x	recycle bin
7	two beaded dragons	x	greenwaste bin
8	x	x	unripe grapes
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- Metro paint is so dense and works so well
- Tool Girl had useful attachments for the flex shaft
- There is a decent independent garden/pet/livestock store nearby

Time of Isolation - Day 2208

Thursday thoughts

in which our plucky heroine remains stuck in a rabbit hole...

... somewhat obsessively perusing online options for kitchen faucets or mailboxes, without much success. Apparently the way I think about material objects, and what I want/require, is peculiar. So much so that most online descriptions do not even mention those aspects. Of course, I would be equally frustrated if I was trying to purchase my wardrobe instead of making my own; while I have a rather wide ranging skill set, I do not have my own foundry, or sheet metal shop, so am at the mercy of what is commercially available, the quality of which has degraded greatly over the last several decades. Karen's suggestion was to modify my current mailbox to be less ugly, since (a.) it has actual hinges rather than flimsy tabs and pins and (b.) it is already here... So now I am wondering if time spent grinding off the rivets to allow removing the stupid fancy brass curliques on the front, and time spent sanding the patchy tarnished lid, and maybe then repainting the whole thing so it is all one color might make it less of a daily visual ouch. This might be a job for Rustoleum.

※※※

~ wonderfully small ~

took a break yesterday to go see local artist Maggie Rudy's delightful "Mouseland" dioramas at  Green Bean Books. So kawaii and even more precious in person than in online photos.

※※※

Finished cooking and eating dinner by 7pm yesterday (always a goal but not always achieved) Am all caught up on Mt Washmore, and Mt Dishmore, and prepared two different batches of future meals: spinach rice bake, and shrimp stir fry. Yesterday I steamed spinach, and cooked rice so it could sit in the fridge overnight to convert the starch before further combining/eating. As a change, instead of just cheddar cheese, a mixture of half cheddar and half feta worked well; the feta "crumbles" I tried from the store were a bit too strong and dry as salad topping, but added additional savor to the bake. I nibbled a very small portion as a starter while finishing up the shrimp and bok choi stir fry. I sat down to eat my dinner portion of the stir fry and finished off the meal with the one remaining mango. Yum!

※※※

Earlier today checked on the mock orange, which continues to develop new green foliage, and thankfully it hadn't grown down through the pot drainage, so I was able to move it closer to the front door for careful watching and watering.  It needs a good permanent spot (it prefers full sun, so somewhere in the front yard?) Observing where and when the sunny spots are will help, and hopefully later in the year when the earth isn't rock hard a planting hole can be dug. A "floor plan" of the yard would be a design help, since my ideas from 20 years ago have changed, as have the plants over the years...

※※※

Insomnia has some uses, though I predict there may be was a nap later today as waking up just before 3am is not ideal. When further sleep was not happening decided to instead do some simple tasks: finished painting the primer layer on the small kitchen shelves, so they can be painted later today. cut out some of the new mesh to make a larger laundry washbag for the shirt with the glass buttons, which led to my organising the zipper storage drawer before putting that away. By then the sun was coming up, and I started preparing breakfast then went outside to do pruning and fill up the greenwaste bin while it was still nice and cool out. Hacked away some of the pesky ferns along the north walkway, then did much cutting back of enthusiastic Feral Grapevine. I think I managed to remove all the grape clusters, and most of what overhangs the neighbors yard. The wheelie bin is full. Securely packaged up the bundles of porcupine quills promised to Tammie, to be sent off by post later today

※※※

July SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	15 tiny masu boxes	earrings recombined	greenwaste bin
2	black scarf hem	replace C O alarm	recycle bin
3	Brambly Hedge slip	painted pony spots	greenwaste bin
4	5 more bead frogs	-	overgrown lovage
5	"Cats Invade" books	-	greenwaste bin
6	all the bead frogs	x	recycle bin
7	two beaded dragons	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- I made a really tasty dinner last night, with lots of leftovers for Future Me to enjoy
- my pony earrings now have white appaloosa spots
- Ursel had a possible suggestion for handyfolx
- seeing Mouseland was delightful

Time of Isolation - Day 2207

Thursday tidbits

in which our plucky heroine is baffled...

this morning I found a brand new and stillshrink wrappedreference book on my shelves, with no idea of how it arrived!?! "Codices Illustres", a Taschen art book about illuminated manuscripts. It wasn't with my other scribal reference books, and there have been no house guests that might have "planted" it as a surprise. Mysterious indeed!

※※※

~ homegrown tree fruit mid-July ~

These are the fruits currently ripe here at Acorn Cottage... European black elder, and some variety of black fig (sold to me as Negronne) I picked a fair amount of the elderberries yesterday morning, before it got too hot, and spent time carefully plucking them from the stems. Ended up with 10 oz which are now in the freezer. Plan on picking as much as I can manage and then cooking them as immune support syrup. There are new safety guidelines for elderberry preserving, here from OSU, and from Penn State Because they can vary in acidity, it is necessary to use tested recipes, and because raw elderberries can contain cyanide compounds (that are deactivated by cooking) they must be cooked before consuming... 

The figs are easier. They can be eaten directly from the tree, or in combination with goat cheese or other savory things, or cooked into various treats. I plan on using some of my harvest to make a wee little fig and blueberry crisp, combining and smallifying some of these two recipes: Sticky Fig Blueberry Crisp and Fig Crisps with Buttery Nut Streusel. I like the idea of adding the small amount of remaining homegrown blueberries and some lemon from the former, and the latter idea of swapping out chopped nuts for the rolled oats in the topping. I suspect that the proportions of Apple Crisp for One will work well

※※※

Last night's thunderstorm was very loud, full of thunder, some lightning, and almost no rain... I miss the damp thunder-n-lightning storms of my childhood on the other coast, when there was no fire season.

※※※

good news on the garden front: the mock orange start, that seemed to have died, so was cut back but left (forgotten) in the pot seems to not be dead after all, as there is new small green growth showing. When it is no longer the heat of summer and the ground rock hard, I will find it a good spot to plant it in the ground... 

※※※

July SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	15 tiny masu boxes	earrings recombined	greenwaste bin
2	black scarf hem	replace C O alarm	recycle bin
3	Brambly Hedge slip	-	greenwaste bin
4	5 more bead frogs	-	overgrown lovage
5	"Cats Invade" books	-	greenwaste bin
6	all the bead frogs	x	recycle bin
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes-
- mysterious surprise reference art book
- mock orange is not dead
- somewhat cooler than yesterday

Time of Isolation - Day 2200

Thursday thoughts and throwbacks

in which our plucky heroine enjoys a cooler grey day...

Best thing today was noticing that for the first time ever, the black fig tree in the front yard has ripe figs. I picked a half dozen this morning, and there are at least that many or more still on the tree that will need my fruit picker to reach. I ate one as a snack, yum!

Cut away all the overgrown lovage this afternoon, removed an armload of false dandelion, finished deadheading the culinary sage, went ahead and trimmed the hardy fuschia back from the walkway, and cut the top off the nandina where it was growing into the porch roof. Incremental progress is still progress

※※※

~ incremental ~

after a gentle bit of steam blocking, just enough to smooth out the knitting, it is easier to see the subtle pattern of grey and dark brown. The Tabby Cat cowl will be a good addition for the grey/black/brown "accessories wardrobe" this winter. I'm also thinking about a black corduroy pinafore to take the place of the worn-out vertical pique.

※※※

Apparently I didn't dream it was raining, it actually did rain in the middle of the night. And the thunder that sort of woke me from the dreamlands was likely real as well. It is pleasantly grey this morning, though that is due to burn off and we shall have hot and sunny for the next however long....

※※※

Throwback Thursday: in 2009 I was at the Oregon Country Fair

※※※

I've been gradually cutting out kitchen storage shelf parts, using what is on hand. Started with the actual shelves, from what was intended as workroom trim board years ago, salvaged from the Rebuilding Center. Now that those two are cut to size, to hold five Talenti tubs each, it occurred to me that though there is no suitable molding to keep them secure on the shelf, I could use one of my stash of wooden yardsticks. Those are the right dimensions, only needing to be cut to a Useful Length, and are sturdy enough for the task.  Since they, along with the shelves will be painted I could use the less attractive skinny yardsticks. The upper shelf can readily be attached to the wall once it is fabricated, but the lower shelf needs access to the narrow space between the chest freezer and the wall to anchor the brackets. My cunning plan is to install the second shelf when defrosting freezer later this summer, while it is pulled away from the wall.

In other kitchen related news, I did get over to A-Boy and asked about the faucet I liked several years ago. Though their inventory says they still have three in stock, the kindly manager was unable to find them. He suggested I return next week when the person who is in charge of that area is back from vacation. It is time to replace the kitchen faucet. Which first requires acquisition of a new one...

※※※

July SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	15 tiny masu boxes	earrings recombined	greenwaste bin
2	black scarf hem	replace C O alarm	recycle bin
3	Brambly Hedge slip	-	greenwaste bin
4	5 more bead frogs	-	overgrown lovage
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes- 
- the mosaic knit motifs in my current Tabby Cat bandana cowl is really easy to memorise and to "see" where you are in the pattern
- white peaches (or white nectarines) so yummy, and not difficult to peel for safety sake.
- There are ripe black figs on the tree in my front yard, for the first time ever!!

Time of Isolation - Day 2194

Saturday snippets...

in which our plucky heroine is a bit scattered...

There are a number of projects currently making it into the bright world from the world of ideas. The only one finished so far is the conversion of the grey stripey dress into a Brambly Hedge style slip. Karen suggested using some lightweight linen for the bodice as an alternative to my struggles to modify the dress bodice, and that was an excellent idea. It also let me double check the alternative pinafore pattern last used for the black vertical pique back in 2012. The bodice of the pattern still fits, so it'd be good to think about sewing up a replacement pinafore, as after 14 years, it is sadly worn to a raveling. I wish there was some way to get more of that beautiful and durable fabric!

※※※

~ a bit overgrown ~

The hardy fuschia is really enthusiastic this year, taking over part of the front door walkway! As it is full of various bees, and sometimes hummingbirds, I'm loath to prune it back...

※※※

If I still lived in New England, I would surely make the trip to the Society of Illustrators museum in NYC just to see this exhibition "All Around Us: The Art of Carson Ellis" that opens August 15th. It is a bit far to travel from here. I shall attempt to acquire a show catalogue once they are available

※※※

As gradual decluttering of the kitchen countertops happens, I've been thinking about better ways to organise supplies that are used often. Some shallow shelves for talenti tubs holding small quantities of bulk dry goods would be both handy and tidy. A scrap of wood once intended as workroom baseboard is just the right width to become such shelves. 

Making another pot lid rack for the kitchen door would be good, there is another vintage yardstick (and some small scraps) that can all be cut to size, glued together, and mounted on the door above the one already there... also finding a good spot to store new cookpots is needed, maybe move rarely used appliances off sideboard into the pantry or a storage closet? The dehydrator is only used in autumn for persimmons and pears, and the rest of the year is taking up a sizeable chunk of kitchen real estate. Eventually inside the cabinets will be decluttered as well, freeing yet more space.

※※※

Rummaging in the chest freezer, a large ziploc full of last years homegrown plums will be a good addition to morning museli. There are still a few ripening blueberries on the bush outside the living room window. Given the increase in cases of parasitic cyclospora infection of unknown source(s?) it seems wise to be cautious of any raw produce not grown in my own yard. So, more cooked veggies this summer, and any grocery store fruit will become compote or sauce. 

Washing produce does not remove the parasite enough to make it "safe", not plain water, not vinegar, or chlorine, or other produce wash additives. It is not killed by freezing. Heat over 158 F will kill it... Washing hands both before and after handling raw produce is highly advised.

※※※

July SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	15 tiny masu boxes	earrings recombined	greenwaste bin
2	black scarf hem	replace C O alarm	recycle bin
3	Brambly Hedge slip	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes- 
- tasty eggs from Drusa's hens (saving the green eggshells for some miniature mosaic)
- found a big ziploc full of last years frozen plums... safe homegrown fruit to eat without cooking it first!
- today was not beastly hot, managed to get by without AC
- Alice Starmore's "Aran Knitting" (ordered from Alibris on Tuesday) arrived today.

Time of Isolation - Day 2189

Tuesday thoughts

in which our plucky heroine struggles...

It has been a difficult day, full of brain weasels. I do my best to share and document the good here, rather than the opposite. But some days for no obvious reason that purposeful focus just isn't enough. Spent way too much time today entangled in the thought that what my life is missing, that what I wanted/want and cannot/do not have in my life is my own fault. That I must not have really wanted it enough. That rather than being a matter of un-luck it is really a matter of lifelong somehow sabotaging myself. I remind myself of all that is good and fortunate in my current life, but solitude still remains painful.

※※※

~ made to be used ~

Years ago there was a trip to Italy, Yugoslavia, and Greece, with many memorable moments, and a modicum of confusions brought about by my dependence on a Serbo-Croatian travel phrase book for the central third of our journey. My attempt to buy a metre of pretty eyelet trim from a shop ended with my unintentionally purchasing the entire 18 metre bolt instead, and it has been an amusing tale and souvenir ever since... Rather than save it unused for some future estate sale, a portion of those metres will trim the hemline of what once was a grey and white striped everyday dress, now in the process of conversion to a Brambly Hedge slip. The dress is no longer a favorite, though mostly in good condition; by removing the sleeves and cutting away much of the armscye and neckline areas and then making edgebinding from the sleeve fabric, it will become a useful under-layer for both winter cold weather and for "costume" fun. 

※※※

 
Every time that I can go outside and pick fresh blueberries in my yard is a bit of daily dopamine. The plant was a gift, and I managed to not kill it for the last 20+ years. More blueberries this year than in times past, maybe my pruning last year was correctly done?

※※※

When heading for the grocery earlier today seeking some goat or sheep feta, I saw a postie in their van eating lunch. I asked if I could just hand them my stamped envelopes rather than bike all the way down the hill to the post office, and was grateful and appreciative when they said "sure!", saving me several miles of riding. 

※※※

July SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	15 tiny masu boxes	earrings recombined	greenwaste bin
2	black scarf hem	replace C O alarm	-
3	-	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes- 
- finally finding the right project to use souvenir eyelet edging
- forgot to mention that the rolled hem on the black scarf is done
- agreeable postie saved me a hilly bike ride in the heat of the day
- homegrown blueberries in my breakfast museli

Time of Isolation - Day 2186

a colloquia of corbies

in which our plucky heroine slept better than expected...

The holiday explosions started before it was even full dark, but it seemed less dense than last year? The windows, which are usually kept narrowly open for fresh air were all shut tight last night. The rarely used white noise app helped partially mute the thumps and bangs. Turned that off sometime in the wee small hours as it was no longer needed. The closed windows also allowed me to sleep until not tired; hungry corbies were still there when I woke up at around 8, quite a few gathered in the lilac, and on the garage roof next door! 

※※※

~ cats invade the garden for catnip ~
.

One project started this weekend has been to begin converting all of  Kestrel's very delightful "Cats Invade" drawings to a format suitable for making tiny books for the tinyfolk that live at her house and also here at Acorn Cottage. I plumb adore the whole series of pictures, of which these are the first two...

※※※

One of the early garden addition here was a little Nandina domestica, (now almost 7 ft tall); a shrub I loved as a child, and tinyfolk Nandina Ogidni's namesake. I nowadays remove the berries that form, as they can be toxic to birds and mammals, but apparently the flowers are very attractive to bees... Today, despite the lack of a breeze, I noticed quite a bit of foliage movement, and there were many bees of several different species  going from flower to flower.

※※※

The 5 gallon bucket of beads is now slightly less disorganised, as I took part of today to sort through it organising beads by color. Mostly the beads that were already in hanks or bags of one color, if randomly distributed. There still remain several large ziplocs full of assorted mixtures, individual beads, trinkets, and artifacts, but now specific colorways are much more accessible. Also it is curious that there seems to be an overlap between taupe, purple, and grey, which I suspect has to do with the chemistry of creating glass colors. 

※※※

July SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	15 tiny masu boxes	earrings recombined	greenwaste bin
2	-	replace C O alarm	-
3	-	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- did not wake up at 5 AM from hungry noisy corbies
- Maeva sent me more Kestrel drawings today
- internal collywobbles seem to have dissipated
- Nandina flowers attract bees

Time of Isolation - Day 2184

Monday miscellany

in which our plucky heroine has ongoing insomnia...

I'm tired of being an adult. There is gorram little about it to enjoy, despite the lie all children are told that "when you grow up you can do whatever you want". By the time I was a teen, I was already adding the caveat "if you want to enough and are willing to pay the price". I will, however, admit to one evening last week choosing to have ice cream for dinner instead of a proper meal...

※※※

~ so lovely ~

Everything about the quince is a delight. It is a small tree just outside the south window in the living room. It is one of the first fruit trees here to leaf out, and the flowers are about three times as large as its other pome relatives (apples, pears, and plums). Later in the year those flowers will become the huge golden fragrant fruits quince is renowned for, that get turned into preserves, and jelly, and are added to applesauce, all destined for jars on the store cupboard shelves here at Acorn Cottage, and eventually special sweet treats.

※※※

There is a tangle with my admin paperwork beyond my ability to solve. Things I thought were done correctly weren't. After about a day and a half of not coping at all, it occurred to me that this sort of situation is perzactly what asking for an extension to file tax forms is intended to deal with. Since the extension is only for the forms and not for the payment (still due on the 15th), I've been spending the last two days figuring out what the amounts due would be if there was no tangle, and will send that amount in on Wednesday. Then I'll arrange for some professional assistance (after April 15) and get everything properly sorted. As earlier mentioned, adulting is no fun at all.

※※※

I've been giving self short breaks from admin paperwork to continue with assorted sewing related activity, that being as close as I can get to some sort of "treat". Since I'd already made a sewing kit for the next up pinafore, it has been possible to get the entire bodice sewn together in the last two days. Am quite tempted to make up sewing kits for the rest of my wardrobe refurbishment: 3 more pinafores (one blue/black, one indigo, and one teal); 3 more long janes (one teal, one indigo, and one brown) and the PNW landscape print blouse.

※※※

Another oops! Recently and sadly remembered/realised that it has been days and days since any of the 100 day drawing project activity. There are 29 more drawings waiting to happen. Shall start up again on Thursday. Have been thinking that it would be interesting to find a way to pin all 100 up at once, though I suspect that there isn't any wall space large enough here in Acorn Cottage to make that happen...

※※※

April SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	glass button shirt	apple tree pruned	recycle bin
2	dual fold wallet	tiny beaded star	greenwaste bin
3	-	electric bill found	recycle bin
4	-	shirt sleeve length	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- managed to get up, dressed, and out the door for a walk around the block first thing a few times in the last week, which has been a goal of mine for months, nay years.
- decided that the best option for dealing with admin issues is to file for tax extensions this year. Stress level decreased down to dull roar from complete overwhelm.
- Helga sweetly took me to Costco today
- local transit tax only requires Schedule C's included so that one set of forms and payment can be sent in and crossed of the to do list.

Time of Isolation - Day 2104

short but very sweet

in which our plucky heroine is delighted...

Most of my Mud Bay pals were headed south this week so Kestrel could visit her great grandmama, and they stopped off briefly on their two day trip south for a bit of a porch visit/drive-by hugging from three of my favorite humans on the planet. Took some time to walk around the yard, stretch their legs, and eat some snacks. I got to meet Leche, their new dog. I love all of them so much (as well as Maeva who was staying home to mind the garden and the chickens) and hope that someday visiting with them in person will be possible again.

※※※

~ proto-pears ~

In January of 2025 I planted the Bosc pear tree in the front yard that was my response to the Urban Forestry permit requirement for replacing the ornamental plum tree removed in 2024 While I suspect it isn't large enough yet to really support fruiting, it has done well enough to open a singular cluster of flowers this year!  The Shipova and the Seckel seem to be doing well but of course are about half that size. With luck, there will be some of my favorite tree fruit in a few years, though I expect to have to baby them and hand water every summer for quite few years to come, particularly given how hot it already is and that the forecast is for a dreadful El Niño season...

Bosc pear planted in 2025
※※※

The disorder in the house is getting to the point where it is interfering with my ability to function. My thought is that once my taxes for the year are done (in the next ten days) I will then take at least the next six weeks or more and focus time every day on creating more order from the current chaos. If I focus each week on one aspect or room, it should make a big difference, and maybe allow me a chance to get some of the refurbishment projects underway as well. I am going to go ahead and order the window awnings that have been on my wishlist for years now; aluminum is only going to get more and more spendy, and while the prices are a lot higher than last year,  it is not yet in the "unobtanium" category, and shading the east and west windows will make a big difference in the summertime .

※※※

Brenda Dayne has connected all her past catalog to her current Substack site. This means that I have a lot of audio content I can enjoy (again). Cast On was one of the first podcasts I ever ran across, and despite looking, I have yet to find any that I like anywhere near as much. Her voice, selection of music, and mixture of content just feeds something in me that nothing else does. I wish I could articulate what about Cast On makes it just right.

※※※

April SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	glass button shirt	apple tree pruned	recycle bin
2	-	tiny beaded star	greenwaste bin
3	-	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- Beloved friends Bill, Jen, and Kestrel stopping by on their trip south
- meeting Leche the dog, large and quiet
- "Cast On" with Brenda Dayne

Time of Isolation - Day 2097

Sunday snippets

in which our plucky heroine tries to look forward...

Looked around the yard, which desperately needs mowed, but was too damp a day to do that safely. The apple tree, just barely thinking about leafing out, could be pruned, as it is obvious at this point that a lot of the tallest sprouting growth is not going to bloom and make apples. Removing these will let a lot more sunlight into the tree and help keep it "reachable". The quinceling is the only fruit tree with leaves and now showing signs of starting flower buds. There are a few tiny leaves on one of the fig trees. Plums, persimmons, and the elderberry are not fully awake yet.

The forsythia is glorious, the star magnolia is just past it's peak, and Euphorbia wulfenni is decorating the front yard with tall lime green banners. Here and there are a few pink violets just starting, and the small clump of grape hyacinths are in full flower, and the last of the hellebore flowers are a bit droopy but still visible.

There are sprouting leaves that promise lovage* stalks later this year, and I expect to see some growth in the bed of walking onions. Adding chives to the front yard would be a nice addition to "allium self sufficiency". Other perennial seasoning herbs here are rosemary, sage, thyme, and marjoram.

※※※

~ both sides now ~

Final detailing on the new brown linen pinafore... brown chain stitch cloud motif, embroidered on a scrap of the same linen, then appliqued to the bib pocket. It was a little tricky getting the stitching done while making sure to only catch the outer layer of the pocket, and in fact there was one spot where it was necessary to clip a stitch and undo the thread back far enough to knot it off and restitch. Going forward, I'll be sure to add any and all of the pocket decoration before attaching the pocket rather than afterwards!

※※※

Just about finished with the grey Chinese landscape print shirt. By piecing the few remaining scraps it was possible to cut out five of the seven peplum pieces, and some of the linen chambray subbed in for the rest. It felt a bit like some of those online no-waste videos, as all that was left was a literally small handful of tiny scraps. Once button locations are marked, machine buttonholes made, and the shell buttons stitched on, it will be done!

※※※

Tamra mentioned the idea of finding an outdoor space to be social. This brought to mind my former idea of using the carport as outdoor living and crafting space, which would allow for more than one or two visitors at a time... Making that happen requires clearing years of junk from the carport, which is quite a challenge but doable, finding storage space for plywood and lumber (much more difficult), and finding tool storage space for yard tools. While I don't miss the moldy shed in the backyard, I do very much miss having some sort of garage-equivalent storage space. I've just been ignoring the issue for the last ten years, but bringing it back to the front part of my brain will hopefully eventually yield solution(s).

※※※

March SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	ruffle pillow shams	cardigan length	recycle bin
2	clothespin bag	cardigan button bands	recycle bin
3	brown linen pinafore	cardigan ribbon facings	cracked tote
4	grey shirt	planted rhubarb	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- dental care as a child, which has made my adult life less traumatic
- new Charles de Lint story: ICE Out
- figured out that the reason my keyboard was being weird and some keys not functioning was that the batteries were almost dead, freshly charged cured the problem.

Time of Isolation - Day 2089

* it will be worthwhile to try out making "herbal salt" from the lovage leaves, as a way to preserve the flavor for wintertime use. It was originally planted a few years after moving here as a backup celery flavor source in soups and stews. It grows without trouble or fuss and creates a spectacular vertical display, and should supply chain issues arise, having multiple ways to season food is never a bad idea.

somewhat less than ideal

in which our plucky heroine has eye trouble...

I woke up this morning with my right eye very swollen and painful, burning and gritty feeling, and have booked an express care medical visit. The first available appointment was at 8:40 am... And with my right eye so wonky/painful it means I can't do anything at all as sewing, knitting, embroidery, workshop tasks etc all require binocular vision (Last night it didn't feel quite right, so I used extra of my regular before bedtime eye drops).

There seems to be not only an eyelid infection, but it may be spreading to the eye socket, so the plan is for both antibiotic eye drops and daily pills (for the whole system) for a whole week. Yogurt will be a daily necessity, and my sleep wake will become very wonky indeed as every three hours I will be either medicating, or, alternately ingesting probiotic substances, as the pharmacist said to eat with medicines, but not dairy, and then to eat yogurt after a three hour window. Lather rinse repeat.  

※※※

~ was a sunny day ~

The westside esplanade, where the Willamette River bisects Portland, has a short season of springtime when the cherry trees bloom. Usually I only notice this when riding transit over one of our many bridges, but since today was both not-raining, and not-cold, and since I could do none of my usual preferred activites with only one fully functional eye... it seemed that a local "adventure" was a good plan. It turned out that what seemed like half the city also thought it was a good plan! There were dogs, and kiddos, and young families with babies on blankets, new lovers and old ones, folks on wheels: bicycles, and chairs, and skateboards, and rollerblades. There were buskers, and the venerable Saturday Market handcraft tents. It was far more crowded than our plucky heroine prefers to subject herself to, but in this world of trouble and turmoil, it was actually quite lovely and benign.

※※※

The last week has been a challenge in various ways. Never a good sign when I stop writing here, and stop contacting folks. The nightmares that in the Before Times could more often be left at sleeps door when they awakened me in the wee small hours are now far too similar to current events, and have several times made further sleep that night impossible. Fortunately being semi-retired/work from home means that while it isn't ideal, rearranging the daytime to allow for an afternoon nap is at least possible. Reminders from beloved if faraway friends that my being in their lives is helpful and a treat for them, helps my equilbrium. May the week ahead bring, if not fewer daytime horrors, at least some peaceful dreams.

※※※

Lastly, hand stitching ribbon facings to cover the (slightly wonky) steek edges inside the Icelandic cardigan really added a finished look. This was a technique I had seen in some vintage knitwear, but never tried. I found some chocolate brown 1" wide rayon petersham ribbon on Etsy, and the instructions shared by Hélène Magnússon on her blog made the process really clear. It turned out quite pleasingly tidy, and was not difficult. Should I make another steeked cardigan, this will be good to remember...

※※※

Last year a wee baby Victoria rhubarb came to live here, from the plant store at the end of the street. It survived in a pot on the porch next to the front door, where it was very visible, and hence watered often enough. After winter dormancy, it sent out some pencil thin stalks with leaves smaller than my palm, and surely it needed a bigger home. Earlier this week it moved to the raised bed in the backyard. That bed still needs quite a bit of topping up with good soil, but after shifting some all to one end, and adding a few shovels worth of compost, the rhubarb has a new home, where it will get good sunlight all day, and has good rich soil to send roots into. My hope is that if I can manage to care for it well, and feed it richly with compost and worm castings, in a few years I may have homegrown rhubarb. Fingers crossed and notes made on the calendar to keep it watered.

※※※

March SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	ruffle pillow shams	cardigan length	recycle bin
2	clothespin bag	cardigan button bands	-
3	-	cardigan ribbon facings	-
4	-	planted rhubarb	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- I walked five miles today
- cherry blossoms along the esplanade
- being able to get medical attention for my eye, and having the medicine needed be available
- zoom with Jen and a bit of Cathy
- baby rhubarb remains alive and well
- making it back from my doctor visit in time to have some Sewing Nomads zoom this morning

Time of Isolation - Day 2081

Saturday snippets

in which our plucky heroine gets unwelcome news...

Today I got a "denied payment" letter telling me that my emergency room visit in October for my injured left eye is not an insurance covered service! WTF!?! I am going to challenge this denial, of course...(not that adding an additional metric crapton of dealing with paperwork and bureaucracy was on my bingo card, but what else can one do?)

※※※

~ sour, savory, salty, spicy, sweet ~

Doesn't this look delicious? Just realised it is another "five flavor" recipe... Made enough salad on Thursday to have for lunch for the next several days...The fresh persimmon is so pretty and so tasty!!

※※※

This evening had a visit from Ashe & Co - and an exchange of unexpected gifts. They kindly brought me the half pound of organic black-eyed peas from OFC, and the swift from Karen, both of which I'd asked if they would be willing to bring me from Olympia. They were coming down here to pick up their Advent Of A Better Year boxes, but also brought some surprises: one of their Halloween Trick or Treat bags full of treats: homemade crayons and coloring pages, a fancy pencil, stickers, a glowstick, and a few mini candies. They also made me four little advent surprise packages to make up for how I only accidentally gave myself 27 instead of 31 of the tiny gifts.... Awww, they are so thoughtful! Plus I got hugs!!

※※※

Today was sunny in the middle of the day, and after hanging laundry out to get partially dry, pruning seemed like a good next thing to do starting by cutting back the overgrown mint under the clothesline. Moving a bit further east down the chain link fence, the feral grapevine got quite the haircut. Not only as much as I could reach of what has grown into the neighboring yard, but rather a lot of the vines as well. Next in the wheelie bin, valiant Juliet, the tomato plant met her end. Late November is beyond tomato season, and while she was still attempting to get her remaining fruit to ripen, the rain was causing it to split open, and the leaves were beginning to look rather blighted. (I imagine that in a greenhouse, one could keep tomato plants going far longer than out in the open: I remember that Chuck and Joan had a little room upstairs in Boxborough with a huge cherry tomato growing under lights all winter.)  Finally, as there was still plenty of space in the bin, I got the pruning saw and cut away some of the excessively tall elderberry branches, and the larger end of what I'd already pruned away from the green fig.  Not pruning related, but in outdoor news, earlier in the day I saw two hummingbirds, both with a vivid red spot on their necks that flashed when the light hit it just right...

※※※

An interview with Naomi Kritzer, a SF/hopepunk writer I enjoy very much, and some links to two of her stories... 

"So Much Cooking"
"The Year Without Sunshine"
※※※

November SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	clothespin bag	horse kerchief dots	greenwaste bin
2	5 jars pickled beets	more chopshop repair	recycle bin
3	1# hand weights	printer connection	greenwaste bin
4	a dozen owls	black knit slip	recycle bin
5	many jars of Awesome Sauce	15 origami giftwrap	recycle bin
6	24 more owls	case for phone	x
7	7 jars of Awesome Sauce	horse kerchief details	x
8	8 dishcloths	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes - 
- Ashe & Co came to visit, bringing unexpected gifts
- a new yarn swift from Karen to replace my broken one
- found six yards of waistband elastic in the notions cupboard, which will make my intention of several new pairs of long janes much easier to accomplish, having all the materials needed already on hand 

Time of Isolation - Day 1981

a successful Sunday

in which our plucky heroine speaks about how...

"Homegrown Tree Fruit Can Be Easy"... This morning I gave an online presentation based on my own experiences and the knowledge I've gained from "Grow A Little Fruit Tree", and it seemed to be very well received. There was plenty of discussion afterwards, which is always a good sign.

※※※

~ Escheresque ~

Out and about on a cold wintery day yesterday, on the way to the farmer's market, before the rain returned...

※※※

Oak gall progress report: the liquid contents of the jar full of crushed galls in rainwater are becoming darker, as the water slowly leaches the tannins from the galls. The plan is to give it several weeks to a month of steeping before taking any of the further steps to turn it into ink.

※※※

※※※

many plans for future projects - sewing garments (long janes, slips, pinafores, undies, and a flannel shirt), sewing cross-body holders for phone and camera, finishing studio work commissions, an abalone horse brooch, insulating windowshades, etc etc.

※※※

Much to my surprise, there are yet additional Juliet tomatoes starting to turn color on the plant in the backyard; perhaps the salad to go with the turkey roulade needs to be a tomato salad!! It has gotten close a few times, but not yet had an actual frost, though it is cold enough at night that I am making good use of two half size oil radiators, one under the computer desk while working online, and one in the bathroom for warmth while showering. 

※※※

November SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	clothespin bag	horse kerchief	greenwaste bin
2	5 jars pickled beets	more chopshop repair	recycle bin
3	1# hand weights	printer connection	greenwaste bin
4	a dozen owls	black knit slip	recycle bin
5	many jars of Awesome Sauce	15 origami giftwrap	-
6	24 more owls	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- My presentation this morning went quite well, and I did all the specific prep work writing earlier this morning (a benefit of talking about a subject I know well and am excited to share information about)
- have finally transcribed all the contacts into my mobile phone
- a surprise porch visit from Beth and Karen, who made an unexpected unplanned trip to Gresham and stopped by here on their way home

Time of Isolation - Day 1976