weekend whimsy and whatnot

in which our plucky heroine determinedly focuses...

The ramp up to eventing season is leaving me wistful. It feels like a whole lifetime would have to arise again for those good times to be possible, but wonderful that they ever did occur is what I tell myself.

Once every two months or so, a booklet of once a week coupons from the grocery store arrives in my mailbox. Mostly not much use, for things I never buy, so the whole booklet is recycled. The coupon for this week, though, was for a pound of ground pastured beef free with a 10$ purchase! Hence, there will be meatloaf tomorrow, mostly made into patties and plonked in the freezer for easy future dinners.

※※※

~ homage to the 5th god ~

Almost all the lost things have been found, but my box-o-blox with some of my larger lino printing blocks is still missing... so re-carving will be the fastest way to have them either turn up again, or at the very least allow me to once again have this motif, I've begun. 

Bujold's "World of the 5 Gods" books are favorites of mine (and of a number of my friends) so a while back I carved a block with dancing rats and crows, inspired by a description of embroidered 5th god regalia decoration in one of the novellas. I wanted to use that block to embellish new pinafore, but discovered the block missing. So... have re-drawn the image, and begun carving anew. The lino I picked up from I've Been Framed is excellent, fresh and soft enough to carve easily. Am thinking that also drawing and carving a corner block with the "no hands but ours" motif would be a good addition, to help make a block printed border for a summertime kerchief, once at least one of the yard square pieces of cotton lawn gets a rolled hem.

※※※

After making so many (5) boro baskets, it occurred to me that the same layered and stitched scrap technique would be a fun way to create a hat. However, after measuring my noggin, it turns out that there are no suitable objects inside the house that are the correct circumference. Kitchen canisters are too small, and the mixing bowls are much too large. Maybe one of the smaller plastic buckets used for yardwork  Maybe a plastic plant pot that was the right size?? OTOH, while checking out the buckets, found two different sizes of rounded square containers, which would be interesting to attempt...

※※※

Yesterday, drilled a hole in the red paring knife handle, so as to allow it to hang up over the sink to dry. Mostly the over-sink hooks work well to dry cooking utensils like spatulas, slotted spoons, and colanders (the smallest cutting board just fits as well). All my other kitchen knives are carbon steel, so they get hand dried to avoid rust, but this Victorinox paring knife is stainless, but sharpens well and holds an edge. 

※※※

The linen fabric pieces, which at first appeared to be black, instead daylight proves are a very dark blue. Which isn't bad, but still leaves me with only the black/white stripey patchwork fabric to make a pinafore from. That robust fabric, originally a gift from Luz Clara, would really be even better as a pair of overalls. Shall instead focus my garment sewing efforts on the other three colorways: brown, teal/turquoise, and possibly indigo/denim.

※※※

May SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Rosa sketch	Bad Smell gone	greenwaste bin
2	boro thread basket	dishrack tray	recycle bin
3	boro basket 2	paring knife	-
4	boro basket 3	-	-
5	boro baskets 4 & 5	-	-
6	sharpening box	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- tools and knowhow
- mailbox coupon that was actually useful
- lino from I've Been Framed is excellent quality
- Super Supportive

Time of Isolation - Day 2137

Tuesday trinkets and treats

in which our plucky heroine has a pleasant surprise...

FOUND!! My beloved retractable tape measure, long missing, turned up in, of all peculiar places, between the crock pot liner and the crock pot! When plugged in to start warming up (while prepping remains of last night's chicken legs to make broth for tom kha gai) noticed the inner pot was sitting all cattywhompus, so before it got hot enough to damage the plastic measuring tape housing it was back in the sewing box where it normally lived, and the broth was able to cook properly

※※※
~ peony ~

Not in my yard, but walking (or biking) around the neighborhood there are all sorts of delights for sight and smell. Roses blooming, and fragrant wisteria... Right now the honeybees are so fond of the sage blossoms that they are loud when walking toward the front door

※※※

I had forgotten the Haptic and Hue podcasts, when a post turned up on one of my social media feeds for their recent presentation about the Folly Cove Designers. Not only was that a treat to listen to, but now there is a lot more content for me to enjoy listening to

※※※

As a way to supplement my earthquake shelf, ordered two new bulk food powders to try: coconut milk, and cheddar cheese sauce. it occurred to me that it might be possible to get some of the dried cheese sauce most often found in little aluminum packets inside boxes of Annies mac, or Kraft dinner. A pound bag was worth the taste test. As was pound of dried coconut milk; since it usually comes in largish cans too big for when I make dinner for one. Yes, I freeze the rest in cubes for future use, but it would be very handy to have some shelf-stable option in the pantry . 

The cheese sauce is tasty, (tried that one with rice pasta the day it arrived) and doesn't taste near as salty as the tiny packets. It will do nicely for pasta or other starch or for veggie sauce, even not in an emergency, as will the dry coconut milk, which worked out very well in dinner tonight (faux tom kha kai) Lots of substitutions but a tasty dinner anyway. Ginger instead of galingale, fresh lime zest and juice instead of makrut leaves, brown sugar instead of palm sugar, some red thai curry paste instead of fresh chilies, and the new powdered coconut milk (very easy to rehydrate by shaking 3 tablespoons in a jar with ¼ cup water. The soup was a treat, and there are two more portions for tomorrow and/or the freezer.

※※※

Last week was the annual five days of "Making Zen": free online workshops, and Selina Ben's "Unwritten Folded Treasure Pouch" tutorial was appealing enough that it will be my next small handwork project. Combining as it does almost origami-esque folded design, and a new-to-me decorative fastening stitch, it will be another good use for small pieces of special fabrics.

※※※

May SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Rosa sketch	Bad Smell gone	greenwaste bin
2	boro thread basket	-	recycle bin
3	boro basket 2	-	-
4	boro basket 3	-	-
5	boro basket 4	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- Good podcasts to listen to.
- Lovely scented seasonal flowers, particularly roses and wisteria.
- long missing beloved tape measure found
- honeybees love the sage blossoms
- faux Tom Kha Gai soup
- finished cutting out landscape blouse

Time of Isolation - Day 2132

betcha can't make just one

in which our plucky heroine solves a conundrum...

... and removes toxic art materials from the house;  also finishes up a second boro thread basket. Now the sewing machine and the serger will have their own, and there are ideas a-fizzing for other ways to use this technique.  

※※※

~ strata ~

Working on a tiny stitched container is incredibly satisfying, one could become addicted to making these and the resulting small squashy palm-size basket is Just Right. This project is small enough to always have one on hand for pickup work. Limiting factor will be the thin gauzy fabric for the innermost layer.

Basket #2 will have the inner layer made from pinstripe leftovers from my most recent shirt sewing project. The directional changes remind me of geological formations. The base form I've been using was probably once a mustard jar, but for years now has been holding backstock whole peppercorns, so as it is turned about during stitching, it makes a small rattling sound, softer than a rain stick.

※※※

a stinky saga... Last night before bedtime I caught a whiff of a most peculiar and somewhat acrid scent. Early today when I sat down at the computer for a video meeting, it came back randomly, but often enough to be concerning. (Since it smelled a bit like burnt plastic/shorted wiring! it was not something to ignore.) My pal Turquoise helpfully looked up info online about "odd smells in the home" which let me know what it likely was not... 

I spent hours this morning attempting to locate what was wrong. First opened windows in each room. Climbed up the stepladder to open the attic hatch, headed over to the far end of the workroom to check the circuit breaker box, went outside to sniff around both my heat pump and my good neighbors heat pump which is just across the side yard from the living room window. Unplugged every non critical bit of machinery, and switched off all the power strips. Periodically going outside to let my sense of smell reset...

It was clear after both walking round the house sniffing everywhere, and unplugging things, that the scent was mostly in the living room . . .  I then glanced down . . . Yesterday I'd purchased some "soft-kut" linoleum substitute, a grey rubbery slab, to carve a new printing block, and had left it on a side table near the computer zone. When picked up and sniffed, et voila, the source of the horrible odor. I immediately put it outside, and after breakfast, returned it to the art store, since it is too stinky for me to want in my house!! 

※※※

As the last of my Sulky variegated mercerised cotton topstitching thread gets used up, remembering Fabric Despots aisles of threads, from many different manufactories (not just the single display that most shops have) makes me sad and wistful. There were so many years of shopping there, from when it was a special excursion from Olympia to Portland, and then once it was a few bus transfers away. It was such a reliable source of everything sewing related, a literal warehouse of fabrics for garments, for quilting, for home decor and all the notional items needed to make use of that fabric. We will not see its like again.

※※※

Additional impetus to the declutter and tidy plan: sorting my smaller fabric scraps by color, as well as making clear what size of scraps are worth saving. It would be useful to have a modest box for holding packets of boro basket materials, since there are additional uses for such small containers of holding. I want to experiment with a triadic option next.

※※※

May SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Rosa sketch	Bad Smell gone	-
2	boro thread basket	-	-
3	boro basket 2	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- seasonal asparagus
- dopamine hand sewing
- adorable tiny boro thread "baskets"
- Past Me cleverly ordered backup filters for the heat pump air handler. Current Me cleverly made a pull handle from duct tape to more easily remove the filter next time, as it is a Very Tight Fit.
- the Bad Smell was not the house wiring shorting out, but a package of Soft-Kut printing block, now returned to the art store.

Time of Isolation - Day 2125

weekend whimsy

in which our plucky heroine looks all around...

or at least up and down. Parts of the weekend were a treat, and parts were a trial. Successfully trying out a new to me handcraft technique, remembering the frozen Roma tomatoes, and visiting with friends online were treats. Spiraling down into dark weasel territory on Saturday night was hard; the worst of the brain weasels don't actually lie, they contain just enough truth to really hurt. Erroneous choices can't be undone, and chances noticed too late will not come again in this lifetime. The trick is to find the small joys still possible.

※※※

~ Rosa ~

Mischa and I are gradually setting up a new Wanderhome game (our first since Steph left the bright world), building new characters and a new place to create stories. I'd only barely dipped into the world of "gaming", in a particularly gentle, interactive, non combat-driven way, when my newest friend Steph was diagnosed and C all too quickly took them away. The rough sketch above is Rosa the maned wolf, my new character. They are a peddler/trader and deal primarily in spices, dyestuff, incense, miniature bells, colored floss, and tiny shrine furnishings.

※※※

The tiny shreds of fabric and ends of thread leftover when sewing become frelch and have apparently a magnetic attraction to caster wheels. Rather than my vain efforts to neatly dispose of them in the large waste bin in the workshop, it occurred to me that small scrap holders in the immediate vicinity of the sewing machine and serger would be a better and more direct option, easy to empty into the larger bin as needed.

Ann Wood's "Stitched Vessel" tutorial (which has been sitting in my file of patterns-purchased-but-not-yet-made for ages) seemed like it was a perfect solution. Several hours of hand stitching turned into this boro-esque thread basket. A second one is already on my work table, also using the random cabbage from assorted wardrobe sewing projects; there are so many potential uses for such appealing small containers! 

2 ½" high, almost 3" diameter
※※※

With the weather so hot as to make actual cooking less of a treat, a glance in the fridge showed the ingredients for a sort of panzanella. Well, there was a slice of leftover bread, cucumbers, feta, salad greens and suchlike, all that was missing was a tomato... Then I remembered that there were Roma tomatoes in the freezer, intended for making another batch of Awesome Sauce! Peeled and partially thawed, it was cut into chunks and added to the proto panzanella. The tomato did collapse into shreds, but added good flavor and moisture. A hack worth remembering.

※※※

was not expecting thrilled to see this on Saturday morning when I checked the weather for the rest of the weekend: 
Issued: 10:57 AM May. 2, 2026 – National Weather Service...
HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM TO 11 PM PDT SUNDAY... 
- WHAT...Temperatures up to 91 degrees F expected. Significant cooling expected overnight. 
- WHERE...Greater Vancouver Metro, Lower Columbia River and Cowlitz River Valleys, Inner Portland Metro, and East Portland Metro. 
- WHEN...From 8 AM to 11 PM PDT Sunday. 
- IMPACTS...Hot temperatures may cause heat illnesses. 
- ADDITIONAL DETAILS...There is around 5% chance of high temperatures of 95 degrees or greater in urban areas around the Portland-Metro area. Overall Moderate HeatRisk with relieving cooling temperatures overnight. Highs will be near record breaking temperatures for this time of year.
So it wasn't a big surprise that the temperature this afternoon on the front porch was 94° F (34.5° C). Very grateful for the magic cool air machine aka heat pump.

※※※

I've rather fallen in love with the printed motifs of this fabric, and think it would could make a very fun autumnal shirt. Rather more colorful than my usual wont, but there are almost all the colors I do wear: brown, and grey, and teal/turquoise, and blue, as well as all the rest of the rainbow, in a playful admixture of shapes that reference mid-century design.

※※※

May SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Rosa sketch	-	-
2	boro thread basket	-	-
3	-	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- heat pump aka magic cool air that falls from ceiling
- left foot less painful
- using frozen tomato as salad flavoring
- anti-weasel serum from friends
- riding my bike past the park, seeing families celebrating birthdays or other special occasions, life happening in a pleasant public place. 

Time of Isolation - Day 2123

taxman

in which our plucky heroine has a dining table awash in papers...

but managed to ride to the post office early this morning and get each of the four Envelopes of Payment hand-canceled and photographed so as to prove they were posted today. I'll be organising the receipts and paperwork copies into an envelope labeled 2025, and very much look forward to getting my table back again!

※※※

~ hold it! ~

Last week a recent tutorial post from @bookhou caught my eye and I couldn't wait to try making this little accordion pouch/bag. It is the perfect size to hold my transit pass and card case, and let me use a special scrap of embroidered fabric so I can enjoy it every day!

 . 
※※※

Not sure when I'd run across information about a new podcast "In Your Spare Time". Various different writers and folks will be reading each of the blog posts that Ursula LeGuin wrote starting in 2010. There are 130 posts, so as a once a week podcast, there will be over two years of things to enjoy. I am planning on enjoying the ride...

※※※

My sleep schedule is entirely out of whack. Am now in some sort of only sleep for about five hours or so at night, then can't get back to sleep, and end up tired all day and taking afternoon naps. Shall have to research how best to improve this; suspect that starting off by setting some kind of regular "bedtime" might be where to begin...

※※※

April SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	glass button shirt	apple tree pruned	recycle bin
2	accordion pouch	tiny beaded star	greenwaste bin
3	bone acorn earrings	electric bill found	recycle bin
4	-	shirt sleeve length	-
5	-	tax papers	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- 4 envelopes of payment safely posted and documented
- Wrote another verse for my filk, now there are three. It might be done. Two wasn't enough, but three might be enough to go on with...
- Managed to fit all my errands, and my grocery shopping between the stormy weather. Now safe at home listening to the rain and thinking about a short nap.

Time of Isolation - Day 2106

QID

in which our plucky heroine is still slightly off balance, but improving...

Not sure what waking every three hours does to one "proper" sleep cycles, and I've never timed how often my non-alarm-driven night waking occurs. There were no nightmares last night, though. And most remarkably, in my final dream before getting up today, I dreamed I could skip! Would that it were true, as I've been peculiarly disturbed by the loss of that coordinated ability, and have tried from time to time to re-learn it.

There was also a benign verbal interchange with an analog dreamland person (who was reminiscent in ways to both G and to B) concurrent with my skipping down a woodland pathway similar to but not OCF... (it most certainly wasn't OCF or analog OCF, as it was empty of any other human people)

※※※

~ 3 color stenciling ~

My intent had been to stencil a patch for the pocket of the new brown linen pinafore with a cave horse, just like the one that is "worn to a ravelling" and past re-use. However, apparently my cave horse stencil set has been misplaced, alas... Fortunately I did write up the process used to create the stencil, and posted it to my blog years ago. Making up a new stencil likely guarantees that the missing one will show up soon; it will also be good to have a second stencil, albeit slightly different. Before long, there will be a new cave horse patch for the pocket, just requiring a few additional steps.  

※※※

I put up various foods in shelf stable jars all year long, as a way to have things otherwise unobtainable, or just for the frugal pleasure of storing local bounty. The few apples from the backyard tree, and the quinces from the side yard often end up as "sauce" for pantry storage, and are usually brought out as a special treat for dessert from time to time. This week, however, those jars are a necessity. Antibiotics four times a day ie every six hours, that are best taken with food, but not with dairy. The dairy, in the form of live culture yogurt, is also every six hours, on an alternating schedule. (My phone alarms every three hours 24/7 for the next week, sigh) Other than the doses that line up with mealtimes, food with pills seemed a bit challenging, as string cheese or cottage cheese are my snack of choice. Turns out that a few spoonfuls of applesauce, or in my case quince-apple sauce is both easy to deal with nocturnally, and light on the tummy. 

※※※

Today there was also a midafternoon trip to the store to get some crackers, and Toby's Tofu Pate, which will work well for another speedy middle of the night micro-meal option. I rarely keep crackers in the house, and rarely eat soy products, so ditto for Toby's, and they are spendy for how "easy to eat" they are. I tend to forget though, how delicious they are. Somewhere I have a recipe for DIY tofu pate that is very similar to Toby's, and it is likely time to return to making my own version of "Goddess Dressing", which has completely vanished from the local grocery stores One recipe lasts me for about a week of everyday salad dressing, and is also delicious instead of mayo for use in tuna, egg, or noodle salads:

Tahini Goddess Salad Dressing

⅓ c oil 2¾ T tahini 2½ T cider vinegar 2 t tamari 2¼ t lemon juice ¾ t salt 1 T minced parsley 1 T minced chives 1 minced clove garlic (or ¼ t garlic granules)

Mix together the tahini and the oil first, to allow the tahini to be smoothly incorporated. Then mix in all the other ingredients. You can add some water at the end, if the dressing is thicker than you prefer.

※※※

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	brown linen pinafore	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 -
- homemade apple-quince sauce
- a useful and useable search box on my blog
- single use bandage scissors turned into kitchen scissors, still going strong ten years later
- the metal lid I found at Goodwill that fits venerable crock pot perfectly  

Time of Isolation - Day 2082

red sky at night...

in which our plucky heroine rides home into the sunset...

The westering sky this evening was really spectacular, painted with various colors of red, magenta, and vivid madder. Had I not been on my bicycle I'd have tried harder to capture it on camera. This week has been a good one for noticing nature. I saw a house finch perched on the salad table cages, a hummingbird just sitting in the Japanese maple next to my porch, and the goldfinches are definitely here, at least for the moment.

※※※

~ potsticker lasagna ~

Made up my usual filling (ground pork, minced Napa cabbage, green onions, and cilantro, seasoned with tamari, ginger, garlic, oyster sauce, xiaoshing wine, and sesame oil), but set layered flattened tablespoons of filling between four wrappers in a custard cup and steamed for about 20 minutes... it cooked while I made up the rest of the filling into individual gyoza. I'd been seeing this concept in various places online and wanted to try it. Was not difficult, and results were successful as a dinner ready by the time the rest of the gyoza were formed and in the freezer... 

...but, in the future, I'm more likely to mostly continue my habit of making a large batch of individual dumplings, as once frozen they store really well, but this, while it wouldn't store well made ahead, was an easy meal to cook at the same time as doing the rest of the prep work. Next time remember to be a bit more generous with adding broth or water over the top before steaming, as the wrappers were partially stuck to the sides of the custard cup. And, while wandering online checking out the concept, also saw an easier way to fold the individual dumpling wrappers. Double win!

※※※

Yesterday started with a kitchen crash, as while barely awake I somehow knocked one of my quart mason jars off the countertop, to shatter when it hit the concrete floor. Ugh, and alas, since it was one of my favorites, being turquoise blue rather than the more usual clear.  So, instead of continuing to make breakfast, it was necessary to find a paper sack, Very Carefully pick up the larger shards of glass, go get the vacuum to gather up as much of the smaller bits as possible, and finally with great care wipe down the entire area with damp paper towels. Do you know that tip? The damp paper towel grabs the tiniest glass fragments, the ones almost (or actually) too small to see, but after wiping the area, if you hold the paper at an angle, the bits of glass sparkle. Once there are no more sparkles, then the area is clean and safe again!

※※※

~ simple decoration ~

Though the teal long janes were technically complete, one design detail often part of my style is to decorate hemline edges in one way or another. In this case, rather than add block printed trim, a faster option was to use Alabama Chanin reverse applique with several layers of scrap cabbage from the teal jersey fabric. One of the easiest options that came to mind was to simply trace around the edge of a thread spool in a line of dots, far enough apart to allow for stitching, and then cut away inside the dots. The tone-on-tone textured border is subtle, and, as the dots are stitched one at a time, is also flexible enough to allow for needed stretch.

※※※

While am still wishing for the Exactly Right Sort of grey fabric for a new pinafore, there are enough much higher priority projects and garments on my list to keep me busy for months. It recently occurred to me to modify my TNT pinafore pattern into a cross back apron... as both a kitchen apron  and a workshop apron would be most useful. I'll use some of the odd greenish-grey Ikea curtain fabric (I've no idea why that is on my resource shelves) to sample the concept, and if it works as well as imagined, that will become a shop apron, and the Marimekko poppy fabric can be a somewhat more decorative kitchen apron. Use what is on hand.

※※※

February SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	plaid flannel shirt	rice bags	greenwaste bin
2	23 postcards	INTERNET!!	recycle bin
3	teal linen pinafore	hydration station	greenwaste bin
4	bedroom shelves	grey felt slipper	recycle bin
5	tiger pocket	teal turtleneck	greenwaste bin
6	teal long janes	long jane borders	recycle bin
7	lots of drawings	removed 2 ferns	greenwaste bin
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

assorted gratitudes -
- sleep when tired. After bad insomnia, was so tired by late afternoon that a nap was essential. Set alarm for an hour and managed to wake back up and be functional.
- easier faster way to fold dumpling wrappers (not that my other way was difficult)
- Karen is going to send me a mini skein of red sock yarn to make tinyfolk hats.
- almost caught up on drawings.
- my good neighbors have several bird feeders in the side yard between our houses, which means I can enjoy the birds as well!
- the cotton lawn fabric from the Sewlarium is fabulous! Finely woven, not slubby, can be neatly snipped and torn, 60" wide and only $8/yd!!

Time of Isolation - Day 2058

begin again

in which our plucky heroine manages to catch up on sleep...

After the sound barrage between 11pm to almost 1 am, and then another at around 2:15 am, it was in the wee dark hours before adrenaline finally wore off enough for sleeping. So it was no surprise to me that my normal early waking was much delayed, though not quite all the way til lunchtime! My rest had been chopped into three chunks, but totalled over 8 hours so hey ho...

... and in the begin-as-you-mean-to-go-on category, I bundled up in layers of wool and went out for a walk in the middle of the day, despite the cold drizzle. It might not have been first thing on awakening, but done is better than perfect. An unleashed but thankfully friendly spaniel came over to say hello and left muddy footprints on my chore coat that will need to be washed off. Last year was not much of a success in getting morning light in the eyeballs, so I have room for improvement. Also encouragement to finish raincoat, make better fitting rainhat, and investigate finding better footgear than my Birki garden clogs.

※※※

~ festive meal ~

The traditional New Year's meal, with some elaborations on my part. Black-eyed peas and steamed greens, with carrot coins in a saffron/golden syrup/cream sauce, and some of Sister Gigi's corn cakes topped with a dab of sour cream and Awesome Sauce. 

Just realised that my blue-and-white Dedham Pottery plate fits very well with the Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit start of the month ritual

※※※

Alas I did not manage to complete the preparations for my 2026 calendar before January 1st. Hopefully folks will still enjoy it, even if a bit late. The otter/orchid design is sketched, but still needs inked. It will then need for me to have a good rummage to find suitable paper to create master copies, and also for me to sit down, glue in the drawings, and write out the months and their days and dates.  

※※※

~ mirrored plaid ~

The uneven plaid fabric of my shirt in progress is now perfectly mirrored, as mentioned earlier. I am going to do something similar for the cuffs and the collar, though they are not usually cut on the bias. (tempting to do that for the cuffs, though) The sort of subtle detail of having the fabric balanced might only be actively noticed by others who sew, but the harmony makes a difference

※※※

My daily bit of resipei embroidery will have to happen after my dinner, as there are still housey chores and creative endeavors yet undone. 

※※※

~ day 1/100 ~

Today is the start of the 100 day drawing challenge "Objects Of My Affection". To begin this series, I chose the handmade carved and bentwood tine style box made for me by dear Kate, that holds my sewing tools that are in daily use. I remember when she was working on these boxes, I was able to help her with the sewing where the oval side walls are joined. She made the overlap on this particular box echo the neckline and shoulder straps of my pinafore bodice. 

※※※

January SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	-	-	-
2	-	-	-
3	-	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- made a delicious traditional meal for New Year's Day
- had a great phone conversation with the B's
- did two of my intentions today: walking outdoors (despite rain) and started the 100 day drawing challenge
- Past Me bought self a Carson Ellis calendar for 2026, and it is on the wall in my bedroom now, where it will provide a year of enjoyment

Time of Isolation - Day 2014

a few tiny Tuesday tidbits

in which our plucky heroine is grateful for homegrown bounty...

The persimmons, picked before tree ripe (because squirrels) have been finally getting to the right stage to be peeled and cut into slices for the food dehydrator. Which is now humming away sitting on top of the washer. I shoved the bag of cement currently in residence there as far over to one side as safely possible to make space to run the dehydrator. There are enough additional persimmons on the folding table in the kitchen to do at least one or two additional batches once the current batch is dried. I also put aside 2 cups of pulp to make spiced persimmon pecan tea bread. 

※※※

I started the "resipei" embroidery (in red on linen) project, and had to hold myself back from just doing that all the rest of the day. The difference once the stitchery follows the marked out lines is so satisfying. I'm using a single strand of the DMC floss, doubled; the stitched lines nice and thin, and chain stitch will smoothly follow the sharp curves of letters and words. This will see me through the December and into the new year at the very least.

※※※

Currently re-reading Digger (the Omnibus Edition) by Ursula Vernon, and Basin and Range by John McPhee. Reading about geology is about as peaceful as reading cookbooks, when it comes to bedtime books. The omnibus Digger is much too LARGE a book to read in bed, but makes a nice mealtime companion. Very grateful to Mischa for sending it to me, back in the Before Times.

※※※

December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 pairs underwear	vegetable steamer legs	fridge science experiments
2	knitted shrew	shrew eyes	yard waste bin
3	1 pair undies	Gamma bucket lid	recycle bin
4	2 alphabeast  drawings	one page of the embroidery transfer	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- "Digger" by Ursula Vernon
- homegrown persimmons = homegrown sweetness
- Helga remembered I wanted eye dropsfrom Costco, they were on sale, but not in stock when we shopped a few weeks ago, so she picked some up for me today while she was there. 
- Gersvinda is going to give Ursel and I a lift from Metro Paint tomorrow. 

Time of Isolation - Day 1998

sort of slow Sunday

in which our plucky heroine does a fair number of tiny tasks...

... because incremental progress is still progress

※※※

~ many tiny owl boxes ~

All during various weekend zoom meetings, origami does not require much of my concentrated attention, but gives my hands something productive to do... After my earlier dive into making wee owls from painted egg carton cardboard, those owls needed to be packed away to become part the next Advent Of A Better Year swap at the end of 2026. Hence, many many two piece rectangular boxes have been folded. I'm going to put my notes from this year's swap, the master copy about "what the swap is" for including with bonus boxes, and the contact info from participants, as well as my origami box master models, the instructions and preferred sizes. It might be time to give the swap it's own notebook. And think/research setting up a Discord server for next year.

※※※

After rummaging around found a suitable frame, just right for the Cuisine of the Angels print, and made a narrow mat covered in metallic blue and silver Japanese paper to set it off nicely. It will be a perfect addition to my "gallery wall" on the west side of the kitchen above the chest freezer. 

※※※

Not yet attaching the toggles to the raincoat, but did a bit of faffing about with cut paper and the sample toggle. Next step will be making an actual sample of the overlap to sort out specific placement of the various pieces. This is what results from choosing to follow my own concepts rather than following a sewing pattern. I get to figure things out myself, particularly since the various design choices combined in this coat project are no more particularly standard than my own size and shape. When it is done, it may see me out, depending on how long I remain in the bright world. There are already so many aspects of this that make me really happy. The fit is great, the length is great, and the pocket location/style/execution are probably the best I have ever done. Now as long as I can get the front closure to work (and not somehow screw it up at the last minute) I will finally have the raincoat of my dreams. This image of a wool topcoat with leather toggles is my placement reference, since it has been ages since I had a duffle coat, and must needs be paying attention to where the various overlap vs edges vs parts of the toggle should be placed.

※※※

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	much pruning	x
9	mat for angels print	angels print framed	x

today's gratitudes - 
- all the bits and bobs on hand to frame the kitchen angels print: a thrifted frame, bristol board, decorative Japanese paper, and glue stick adhesive
- visible progress on the knitted shrew, have made it all the way to the top of page 5 (of 19 pages, but still progress) 
- the new electric toothbrush is noticeably smaller and lighter than the previous one, hence more comfortable to use. 
- my weirdly achy ribcage pain (rolled over wrong in bed?) is less intrusive than yesterday, and there were brief chunks of time when I didn't feel it.  

Time of Isolation - Day 1982

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

Sunday snippets

in which our plucky heroine enjoys visiting friends in the pixel world...

Last winter I wanted to add red lentils to the earthquake storage shelf, more than just the little Talenti tub full, since they cook really quickly. Though I found a consortium of organic farmers in Montana that did direct sales and carried larger amounts, they have been out of stock for months. I was worried that there may have been a crop failure, but today when I checked, they were finally available again. The per pound cost is significantly less than what I can buy them for locally, though it means I need to figure out good storage for a ten pound bag. Probably another bucket and gamma lid set from TAP Plastics, like I use for my canning sugar storage. And this is another example of the Vimes Boots Theory in action. Right now I can afford to buy ten pounds of lentils at a time, rather than by the half cup full out of the bulk bins at the store.

※※※

~ who's looking at you... ~

Tiny owl ornaments just over 1¼" tall, made from egg carton cardboard, feather scraps, thin craft wire, and some random twigs. These will all be packed away to wait for next year's advent swap... I've made a dozen so far, and cut out the ovoids for two dozen more... I suspect that by the time I finish those I will be quite done with tiny owls!

※※※

Long ago when I was in school, we had a friend Hutch, a Vietnam vet. I still have a Vietnamese wedding blanket he gave me that hangs on the bedroom wall here at Acorn Cottage. I remember one time when we were all hanging out on a summer evening in the bus he and his lady lived in, and he cooked this delicious cold chicken salad for dinner. I still have and use that recipe, and think of him every time. I don't know if he is still in the bright world, as the last few times trying to track him down were not a success... not at the former address, and no listings online under either of the names I knew him by, back in the day. But if as they say, we are never all the way gone until the ripples we made have all disappeared, then he is still here, since I am still mixing up that sauce...

※※※

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	-	-
4	a dozen owls	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce (recipe from Hutch years ago) drizzled over a lettuce and arugala salad, with cold roast chicken from yesterday.
- Today was dry and breezy enough that it was possible to line dry the bed linens, so tonight will have the wonderful fresh air scent.
- online zoom visits, never not grateful for...
- Helga will be taking me on a Costco run

Time of Isolation - Day 1964

inky-dinky-doo...

in which our plucky heroine finds an ingredient...

I've never tried making ink, but then I've never found oak galls before. Out for a walk with Wellington early this morning, on one of the nearby streets there was something unusual. At first glance, my thought was mushrooms, but they were far too regular in shape, and there were a lot of oak leaves on the ground...oh, those must be oak galls! One of empty pickup bags served as to hold some to bring home, and there will be another gathering trip on our afternoon walkies. 

According to various online instructions, making ink takes a bit of time and effort, but isn't difficult. Basically you grind up the galls then steep them in rainwater for anywhere from a day to a month. An iron compound turns the brown liquid to deep black, so soaking some rusty iron (or steel wool) in vinegar for a time provides the iron. Combine the liquids after straining them. Gum arabic can be added for a thicker consistency, and some folks advise adding a clove to the finished ink to help preserve it. 

※※※

~ it's beginning... ~

... to look a lot like Advent Swap! About ⅔ of the folks who've signed up have sent in their gifties, and the rest should arrive soon. Alas several folks forgot to include the return postage that allows me to mail back the filled boxes of treats, but hopefully that will also be rectified. It is exciting how many new people are in this year's group!

※※※

Haven't yet become comfortable with Affinity.  I still need to learn how to  properly get the results desired. Something I am doing, or not doing, causes my photos to become less crisp and more blurry, which is the opposite of what I want. And I haven't yet figured out keep forgetting how to save properly either, in the format and location desired. (hint to self : it is via "Export" not either "Save" or "Save As") Patience grasshopper...

※※※

~ mullein blossom ~

most of the plant is not only done flowering but grey-black and completely senescent, but here and there along the blossom stalks there are these new bright flowers.. a little confused as to the season, but lovely nonetheless...

※※※

Earlier this week started some sample tiny owl ornaments, and since the results are pleasing, cut out enough oval discs from egg carton cardboard for another two dozen, which would result in one full set of swap treats for next year... They are the sort of small handwork task I can do while online 

※※※

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	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- the camera my dad gave me 20 years ago takes excellent macro photos.
- found the long time missing cap for my turned wood seam ripper
- oak galls!
- nephew Alex sent me his old Samsung S9 phone, which I intend to have activated. I need to replace the battery, since that is its weakness, and get it an Otterbox, but it might be the answer to my current phone dilemma.

Time of Isolation - Day 1962

Monday musings

in which our plucky heroine wakes up early...

and while sitting looking out the living room window, enjoys seeing juncos foraging amongst the weeds and undergrowth in the front yard. They may be common, but they are so delightful.

This afternoon I moved some wood chips from the driveway pile to front yard, using refurbished wheelbarrow. Also reconfigured the mulch around the future pear thicket, to keep it from right against the young tree trunks (which is not healthy for them), and moved some bricks into circular edging to keep the mulch in place. Then I was tired. Picked up the not currently needed watering buckets and moved them next to the back door, rather than leaving their uncharming selves in the middle of the front yard. Considering getting this "bubbler" from Lee Valley, and timing how long it takes to fill a 5 gallon bucket. Could instead of repeatedly filling plastic buckets in the summer, just set a timer to remind self to move the gizmo from tree to tree once the right amount of hydration has been delivered to each one, which would have the added benefit of encouraging intermittent movement

※※※

~ hams and bacon ~

I've been thinking about overlays, the way that history leaves traces, the way that memory adds a veil over what remains or has changed... when I was young, encyclopedias or even sometimes dictionaries would have visual diagrams where there was information printed on a transparent page that would show the locations of body parts, or of the interior of plants, and suchlike. Now it may seem quaint, but it is a resonant concept. When I walk around the downtown, or in places from my past life, my mind populates the spaces with what no longer exists. There is no "Powells Technical Books", no "Daisy Kingdom", and Winks Hardware is now across the river.

※※※

a better shoelace knot ... will have to try it out for myself

※※※

The oldest of my Fiskars spring loaded snips, the pair that lost its orange little closure toggle several years ago, has been kept shut ever since by looping the handles closed with a hair tie, which is less than ideal. Instead, a scrap of upholstery leather, a bit of time with the lacing punches, and a dab of Barge Cement et voila, there is a little narrow sheath that the snip blades slide into and are held in place by the pressure of them trying to open. Much safer and more tidy.

※※※

went to Pearl Hardware to buy some of the special candles that fit in the camping candle lantern. Used to be able to get them at REI. Not that it is camping season, but after The Way Forward this weekend that went over some of the ways to be prepared for Unknown Future Challenges, one of the topics was emergency lighting. I have a lantern for the windowless bathroom, of course, but a second lantern with the correct acoutrements seems like a good idea

Walking east across downtown to get transit home again, stopped in at Dick Blick, and while window shopping, found that they carry a vast array (the full line?) of DMC floss, and also Cranfield Caligo Safe Wash printing ink, two needful handcraft supplies that it is excellent to have available locally. Especially the floss, so difficult to judge the colors accurately online.

※※※

October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	6 lunaria pod ornaments	wheelbarrow tire	greenwaste bin
2	5 more lunaria ornaments	cardigan cuffs	recycle bin
3	5 golden origami dragons	reattach wheel to wheelbarrow	recycle bin
4	5 mini amanitas	vegetable steamer leg replacement	recycle bin
5	18 penny luck envelopes	leather scissors sheath	-
6	10 holly&bells ornaments	x	x
7	more penny luck envelopes	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes - 
- leatherworking tools and the knowledge of how to use them
- the varied vivid gradients of maple leaves this time of year
- I splurged on a small bit of black cod for my dinner. It is my favorite fish.
- 'twas a minor adventure: Pearl Hardware + Dick Blick. Adding minor adventures at least once a week might be a way to increase well being.

Time of Isolation - Day 1952

my arm is a noodle

in which our plucky heroine gets her jab...

Last night a cold front came through, and the weather shifted. Drizzle, some rain, and the ground is damp with droplets. Apparently Wellington does not like the rain. We have repeatedly answered his whining, or little barks, or just sitting and staring at me with attempts to go walkies. Emphasis on the "attempts" rather than the "walkies". Quirky little dog is full of quirks. 

※※※

~ just for fun ~

"above the clouds, the sun is always shining"

...those were words on a card mailed to me the year I lived in Idahell. They are a sort of minor touchstone. Tonight there was an online zoom intended for intuitive artwork, which I didn't really grok, but took to be something like freely artmaking without pre-planning. This is what mixing it up with crayons on a page in my journal turned into. Shapes that could be letters and words and landscapes. 

※※※

When seeking out beads for the lunaria ornaments, an abandoned project also turned up, a bag of assorted black and white felt beads with two vials of japanese seed beads also black and white... intended to become "beaded beads" all counterchanged. Since now there were readily available beading needles, the felt beads have all been properly decorated. They are asking for some sort of appaloosa pendant next. Material objects are demanding, at times. Not quite sure where to take this, but it will be interesting. 

※※※

Shopping news: Today I ordered some back up single vision computer glasses from Eye Buy Direct, since my attempt to repair the temple/hinge with epoxy only sort of worked. And I ordered a pair of backup shoes from Ebay, since the shoes that best fit my feet are no longer being made. And as a treat after my jab, the new Carson Ellis calendar (I love her artwork) which reminded me that it is time to get back to inking in the drawings for my own "AlphaBeast" calendar for 2026...

※※※

After trying to take Wellington for a walk this morning, it was time to head out to the pharmacy in St Johns to try again to get my booster vaccine. Fortunately the little piece of cardboard (Medicare card found yesterday) contained the right bit of data needed for approval. "Make your arm be a floppy as a noodle" is the best instruction for a relatively painless injection. I wish someone had told me that as a child, since the less you tense up, the less resistance and thereby the less pain. I probably looked rather peculiar afterwards, with how I kept waving my arm around, in various range of motion directions while riding home again, but that does help with the aftermath of the jab, as does good hydration. Had I not felt the vaccination initially, I'd be uncertain it had even happened; my arm is not sore at all!

※※※

September SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	4 barkcloth tea towels	box fan grille	greenwaste bin
2	yellow triangle pouch	needle gauge herb stripper	greenwaste bin
3	knitted pony	pruning elderberry	recycle bin
4	8 jars quince apple  rosewater sauce	pruning nandina	greenwaste bin
5	6+ jars fig lemon marmalade	picked moar figs	recycle bin
6	dried pears	picked plums	x
7	4 jars pickled beets	small radiator foot	x
8	11 jars salsa verde	spex temple	x
9	5 jars strawberry rhubarb	got Novavax jab	x
10	5 jars spiced applesauce	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x

several day's gratitudes-
- knowing that the weather was going to shift, I picked all the figs that were ready, and now have enough to make a 2nd batch of fig-lemon marmalade
- was able to get my Novavax jab for 2025/26 today
- a good long conversation with my old friend Sharon

Time of Isolation - Day 1926