NFS

in which our plucky heroine cogitates...

and continues to make a modicum of progress. Mt Dishmore is diminished though not gone. Mt Washmore is almost dry on the clothesline and will be put away before bedtime. I figured out that making the beaded dragon in two halves and joining them together is easier than having very long loose wires flopping about, and lets the wire ends be neatly tucked inside the dragon tummy.

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~ better ~

The mailbox has been successfully repainted to a dark hammered bronze. It is an improvement that probably only I will notice, but it makes a difference to me. And once (eventually) when the house and trim are repainted, it will look quite suitable indeed. I first removed the mailbox and attached it to the clothesline in the side yard for the first coat of paint. Once that was dry it needed to return to the front walkway. The 2nd coat of paint was applied in situ the next day, after taping many old newspaper sheets all around to catch any overspray. 

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Now that the smoke has temporarily cleared, it will be good to order replacement filters for my portable air cleaners, for the house, and for my P100 as well. Bought some white duct tape to reconstruct the Corsi-Rosenthal box.  No way to know if the winds will bring the smoke back this summer, but nothing wrong with being prepared.

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Many many years ago after some trading circle or barter fair I came home with some small pieces of mammoth ivory. Looking through my supplies and materials for something to complement some vintage bone buttons, a few of the fragments seemed almost Calder-esque, and created a very appealing sort of dynamic symmetry.

The challenge is how best to neatly attach such tiny pieces together while still allowing independent movement. My first thought yesterday was to use jump rings, but rings large enough to function that way looked too clunky. My new idea is to form very small wire arched "staples" to be glued in place and somehow interlinked. There will need to be experiemtation.

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I just discovered this brand new magazine "Purl" all about knitting techniques. I've just ordered a copy of their first issue which has just made it into print. The theme of the first issue, very appropriately is "cast on" and it appears that it will be a Useful Reference.

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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	recycle bin
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 -
- Past Me made corn pancakes and froze them
- spray paint is easy
- my dear friend Mischa

Time of Isolation - Day 2222

throwback Thursday and other thoughts

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

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~ on the trail ~
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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.

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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.)

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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.

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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.  

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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.

workable Wednesday

in which our plucky heroine hopes for improvement...

I ordered a kitchen faucet from Home Despot, and also an actual "deck box" to replace the tatty plastic tote that lives on the front porch and has magic marker instructions to the postie written on top. While the faucet isn't my ideal dream option (which doesn't exist, apparently) it seems to meet enough of my criteria, and after months and months of looking I remind myself that done will be better than perfect. Progress on my goals for this summer is proceeding.

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~ a distant memory ~

At some point when I was young there was assorted Strombecker dollhouse furniture. The images I've seen of various pieces of this distinctive wooden furniture are peculiarly resonant, though I've no idea when I played with them, or where they ended up over distant years and many many moves. There once was a table lamp similar to this one, but with a green base, so when I found two for sale on Etsy at an affordable price I clicked "purchase"... 

Unfortunately the interface had already sold them to a different buyer but didn't tell the seller, who was most apologetic, and offered me this yellow base one instead, at a discount. It was in "as-is" condition, and it was obvious on arrival that the lamp base had at some point met up with teething, either a puppy (or maybe a child?) 

My first stage repair was to fill in the multiple divots with wood putty, and once that solidified, carefully sand it back to smooth with 400 grit abrasive paper. While I was originally going to repaint it a solid color, it is tempting to just leave it as is; the variegated color reminds me of a large pottery lamp we had back in the 1960's

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Today began the process of spray painting the mailbox dark bronze. Every exterior side has been sanded with fine sandpaper, washed, and dried, as per the 0.7mm tiny instructions on the back of the can of Rustoleum. The mailbox has been removed from the wall and is currently attached to the clothesline next to the chain link fence and propped in place to allow each surface being painted to be vertical. 

Astonishing how something so quick makes such a difference. It still needs at least a second coat all around, but the hammered finish dark bronze is already so much more attractive than the former patchy appearance. The second coat should deal with the one spot where I touched the paint before it was fully dry; I'll spray it in situ (after the mail is delivered tomorrow) instead of removing it to the the side yard, and tape up plenty of newspaper around the area to protect against overspray. Then it can sit there overnight until truly dry. 

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Still mulling over the 7in7 earrings challenge since #7 has not been made (and I also missed #1). This afternoon while chatting with Mischa I remembered bells! I have two different tiny sizes, stored for some reason in the in the drawer of washi tape?! that might be perfect components for a pair of dark brown earrings. Hmmm...

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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	painting mailbox	-
4	glass button earrings	-	-
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 -
- chainmail pot scrubber, also can hold paintbrushes to dry vertically
- Home Despot has free home delivery
- homemade kombucha

Time of Isolation - Day 2220

trust your brain

in which our plucky heroine woke up with a new idea...

Remember those red cube shaped beads that have been a conundrum to me for months? Dunno if brainstorming earring ideas for the last several days has been shaking things loose inside my head, but this morning I woke up  with a brand new idea for a way to combine them with other beads that wants sketching, and looking through the bead bucket for possible companion beads. Stay tuned for later today, and Trust Your Brain, it is a good one!

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~ day 6 of 7in7 ~

Well, this was interesting. My initial concept was to join the red beads together with wire, threading a single bead on each loop. That looked unfinished, so various combinations were attempted. Using 28ga brass wire from the hardware store was helpful as it remains inexpensive enough to play with. I kept combining beads in various ways, walking away to do housey chores and coming back with fresh eyes, and starting over until an arrangement felt right.

This current iteration highlights the red cube beads by surrounding them with 11/0 glass seed beads, freshwater pearls, a tiny turquoise bead at the base and a red white heart at the top. If these earrings are keepers, might buy some 28ga silver wire (thin enough for seed beads) and redo them, but for right now my goal is the freedom to use the materials I have on hand and play with them. I'm actually grateful that these uncooperative beads "forced" me to try over and over again to come up with multiple options, which is so different than the way my usual handcraft interactions occur. Usually I have a specific outcome desired, and all efforts are to bring that about. I've heard it described as "process vs project" and I'm usually more on the project end of the seesaw.

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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	glass button earrings	-	-
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 -
- the creativity of my sleeping brain
- dipping my toes in the process end of the maker pool
- the postal clerk was really helpful 

Time of Isolation - Day 2218

Saturday snippets

in which our plucky heroine enjoys blue sky...

This morning the AQI numbers were good, and it was possible to see all the way across the river to the west hills. An early morning bike ride before breakfast was an unmasked treat. It is still very hot here, but better less smoke-filled air is a huge improvement!

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~ so kawaii ~

Tiny (1¼" x 2") foxes woven from beads and wire.  One is for my pal Mindy, and I think the other needs to live with Almandine...

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Any time Past Me cooks enough for several meals, Future Me wins. There are corn pancakes in the freezer, and several different soups. Dinner is easy. Later tonight I am going to poach the chicken thighs from the fridge, and make some of Hutch's Amazing Peanut Sauce to go with, and try using the frozen cilantro as a test. Cold chicken salad is another excellent summertime meal

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~ day 4 of 7in7 earring challenge ~

Some vintage glass buttons from my button basket seemed to need to be combined with the tiny pressed glass acorn bead drops. Simple, but effective and very wearable... So much fun rummaging through assorted bins, boxes and baskets full of many years accumulation of trinkets and treasures to find inspiration for more earrings.

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While at the Fred Meyers store to refill my transit pass, I checked out their paint/housey repair section... Not only did they have Rustoleum spray paint, but perzactly one left in stock of the dark bronze color wanted. And it was on sale at 35% off! My lucky day!!

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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	glass button earrings	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- acquired Rustoleum for mailbox renewal
- AQI is vastly less dreadful, currently at 31 (Fair) as opposed to almost 200 (Unhealthy, verging on Very Unhealthy)
- enjoying playtime created by 7in7 earring challenge

Time of Isolation - Day 2216

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.

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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.

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~ 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...

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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...

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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)

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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

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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

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~ 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... 

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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. 

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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...

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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

Third time is the charm

in which our plucky heroine makes further progress...

The curse is broken, the project that stymied my mojo has now been completed successfully. Dare I imagine that the impetus for more creative endeavors with metal and enamel may be stirring? Stay tuned... I suspect that next will be a few limoges style enameling projects, as that is the best option for Really Tiny tidbits of regalia.

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~ almost finished ~

This morning the base plate for this tiny 1" x 1½" heraldic brooch was in the pickle pot after the final soldering had been completed. The handwork that remains is all assembly. The bezel plate will be riveted to the base, the enamel will be set, the entire brooch polished a second time, and lastly the pin attached to the brooch hinge on the back, and the pearls attached to their cup settings...

~ and, finally done... ~

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Of course nothing else of note was finished today, the laundry is still on the line, and no dishes were washed or yardwork done, but given how long it has been since the beginning of the brooch project, that is a small price to pay. I did however make some really yummy chicken and bok choi stir fry for an early dinner when it got to be around 4pm and my tummy reminded me that there had been no lunch. 

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I finished carving the 5th god dancing crows and rats printing block over the weekend. It is intended as a border print, and also possibly for a scarf edging print, though for that use it will also be necessary to create a square corner block, perhaps with the sigil of the two hands and the motto "No Hands But Ours", and also for me to put a rolled hem on at least one of the squares of cotton lawn. Doing those hems may be my next bit of pickup work, being eminently suitable for not just working while in zoom meetings but also for stitching while on transit, (block carving is definitely not transit friendly).

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June SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Babs brooch	-	-
2	5th god lino block	-	-
3	-	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- tricksy tiny brooch is finished
- did not run out of either propane or patience
- 5th god lino block finished

Time of Isolation - Day 2152

Tuesday tidbits

in which our plucky heroine woke up to intermittent rain, and wind, and the sort of blustery weather appropriate to the season.

An early morning message let me know that our usual Tuesday morning zoom was derailed as Turquoise had car trouble... this circumstance allowed me to shift admin tasks earlier in the day, and deal with acquiring the various money orders needed for tax purposes. A long loop by bus and tram took care of that, and eventually brought me home again around lunchtime. 

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~ deconstruct reconstruct ~

Long ago I was gifted with a bracelet of acorn-ish charms made from round green glass beads with the textured bead caps seen above. Neither bracelets or bright green are really part of my wardrobe, but back in January, after finding some teardrop shaped turquoise/taupe glass beads, took apart a few of the charms to use the bead caps as part of new acorn earrings. Those so quickly joined the ranks of my favorites, that curiosity sought through the beads and bits for what else might turn into another pair of acorns. While there were no more beads of a suitable shape, there was an unused-for-years bone clasp, each half of which was just the right size and shape. Rather than let it languish in the storage drawer of bone and antler bits, it has a new destiny!

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Since heading out to get to the post office as early as possible had meant no time for breakfast, and seeing the Max tram just pass by heading south meant a wait of at least fifteen minutes, it seemed like a good idea to get something sustaining from a local coffee shop. Savory cheddar bacon scone was my choice, and a rare treat and a delicious nibble while waiting for the next transit tram to arrive.

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Almost done making fair copies of all my admin paperwork, and tomorrow will be another trip to the post office to get each of the envelopes hand cancelled by the postal clerks to prove day of mailing. This year the USPS no longer guarantees that simply dropping envelopes in their post boxes has any relation to when they will be stamped as actually mailed. The weather tomorrow will be equally blustery as today, but the forecast thunderstorms are not till mid to late afternoon, so the excursion should be manageable.

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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	bone acorn earrings	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 -
- cheddar bacon scone from Posie's Cafe
- sewing "kits" to allow for incremental sewing breaks = intermittent reinforcement
- made all my admin errands happen while managing to escape the worst of the hard rain
- the halves of the vintage bone clasp turned out to be the perfect size and shape for a new pair of acorn earrings

Time of Isolation - Day 2105

keep on keeping on

in which our plucky heroine struggles...

it is hard to feel as if my isolated handcrafty life has any relevance in this world of deepening horror, but I am determined to not let despair swallow me. If we give up, they win.

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~ daily drawings ~

day 23 - Shrek's Ears miniature live succulent; just the right scale for a specimen plant in the tinyworld... it is now about two inches tall, having doubled in size since my pal Karen gave it to me. I drilled a hole in the bottom of the tiny ceramic condiment dish to turn it into a planter. 

day 24 - a lampwork necklace of beads made for me by Ariadne in various assorted designs: smaller beads in turquoise and cream, some with trailed feathering or dots and several larger focal beads with raised and flat dotted patterns, more elaborate feathering, and one very long thin oval with multiple feathered stripes. 

day 25 - small but pleasing, this Japanese (sewing) tape measure feels good in the hand, and sees almost daily use here

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Only a little sewing progress this weekend, but I did notice that while I didn't actually mirror the sleeve pieces, they are only about ⅛" off from each other, I suspect that I might be the only one to notice, once the shirt is done. Looking forward to making a sample sleeve placket next.

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While sorting out and putting away "Richard Scarrys Great Big Bucket O Beads"(TM) which I had unpacked all over the worktable seeking possible tiny bits for a not yet finished tinyworld project, I saw these teardrop shaped beads that were an interesting turquoise/light brown irridescent glass... which reminded me that of my pair of earrings made from some vintage acorn charms that combined a textured metal bead cap with a round bright green glass bead. I never wore them, as while I have an assortment of acorn and oak leaf earrings, in this case the shape only vaguely resembled an acorn, and bright green is not one of my wardrobe colors... 

However, these teardrop beads are a great coordinate for the teal and chocolate brown colors of the current wardrobe sewing I'm doing, and the shape was much more acorn evocative. It took longer for me to unearth some headpins than it did to disassemble and reassemble the earrings. I suspect they will be in regular rotation as an accessory now.

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I'm not sure what to do about my tech troubles, as it is unclear what the cause(s?) are. Video chat with my friends has become, in the last few years, a vital tool to maintain my sanity. And recently, as in the last several weeks or so, it has gone from occasional glitches of video or audio, to being almost unuseable, particularly the video transmission, in both directions.

At first it was just Zoom, but now it is also other platforms I've been trying as alternatives. The occasional glitches one becomes used to, when a message pops up that says "your internet is unstable", but now I can't share my video from the laptop at all, though I can see other people most of the time. Sometimes I can share video from my phone, as long as I don't use the wifi.

It would be very useful to have some sort of a diagnostic flow chart to use to figure out what to change or what to do, as there are multiple systems and bits of hardware, and the problem could be in any of them. Is it in the Very Old Modem? The router?? If it wasn't an intermittent problem I would wonder about my internet connection, but it worked just fine up until earlier this month... Maybe somewhere in the wires that connect everything? Are there too much junk files inside the laptop? Does something need to be updated that I have not done so? The laptop itself is fairly new, so itself shouldn't be a problem. I am looking to find "the end of the string" so I can begin to untangle this difficulty.

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January SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	final alphabeast drawing	painted mini tree	recycle bin
2	calendar master pages	new bin for  cedar shakes	orangeflower water
3	5+ jars fig mostarda	drawstring cords	large broken bin
4	page 2 resipei	workbench tidy	2 bags paper
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

Friday's gratitudes -
- a simple dinner: stir frying some baby bok choi with green onions, and throwing a few (frozen) shrimp in at the end. Having already made Thai peanut sauce and already cooked purple barley in the fridge made it an easy complete and tasty meal
- I am really enjoying the 15 minutes drawing 100 day project, it is like daily gratitude in a different mode
- Karen brought me a different wall mount land line phone, that is grey and white instead of green (so it looks like it belongs in my kitchen), and that has a clever way of keeping the handset from falling off. I like it a lot more than the previous phone
Saturday's gratitudes -
- a house full of all sorts of bits and bobs suitable for creative reuse, and the tools and knowledge to do so
- half-size oil filled radiators... one under the computer desk, and one in the bathroom 
- refurbished acorn earrings
Sunday's gratitudes -
- sunny and dry (if cold) so I was able to ride to the store and get another dozen half pint jars
- the store clerk kindly scanned her magic card for the shopper discount (I've misplaced the card I had fifteen years ago, and rarely shop there, so never bothered to replace it, as almost never are the sale prices on what I might want to purchase.
- mmmmm... blood orange marmalade! There was a 2#bag of organic blood oranges in the produce box this week, and while I did eat a few out of hand, most were turned into preserves. I still remember the very first time I tasted a blood orange, on a trip Mr Dawson and I took to West Kingdom 12th Night many years ago.

Time of Isolation - Day 2036

do you know where your towel is?

in which our plucky heroine is uncertain but does her best...

Whilst out and about on my bike this week, my brain came up with an alternate idea for the Babs brooch project - to use flat back bezels for the pearls instead of pearl cups! That project has had me stymied for months. When I mentioned this idea to Bill last night he agreed it was an idea he had used more than once, and gave me a few additional suggestions. I miss the days when we shared studio space and could bounce ideas back and forth so easily. Indeed, I miss a great deal from the Before Times and Days Gone By... but that world is gone forever, and it is up to us to make the best of the world we do live in.

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~ back in service ~

In the last week or so, ever since it rained, there have been bees again at the hydration station. I don't know if they need more water this time of year, or if it took them that long to find it again, but it makes me happy to see them drinking. And in other buzzing news, while out walking Wellington this morning, we passed a wall covered in ivy, that was all abloom, and so full of bees that the buzz was audible half a block away. On days when despair dogs my footsteps, the life of the natural world lifts my heart.

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Noticed yesterday that one of the few remaining bath towels are getting a bit threadbare in places. They must be almost forty years old now. The first one acquired in 1988, and the others made from fabric bought in Idahell a few years later. 

Years later on one of the trips to West 12th Night, there was some fabric shopping in Berkeley and in Oakland. There is still a length of black waffle weave cotton on the fabric resource shelves, originally meant for a bathrobe, but now it will probably become as many bath sheet size towels as can be fit into however much yardage is there. And if needs must, fabrics-store.com also carries a very nice linen-cotton waffle weave.

Even more years ago than that, a waffle weave towel was a surprise and a delight in the hotel we stayed in in Rome, being eversomuch nicer and more functional than terrycloth. My travel companions thought it very odd that my souvenir was a towel, which took a good deal of effort to find a shop that had them for sale.  

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~ elaborated lunarias ~

Earlier this month my original idea was to paint decorations on the lunaria pods. Even after a coat of nail polish on both sides, they were still really flimsy, and a backing of bright purple felt somehow wasn't just right. So each one was embroidered with a border of beads, and another layer of lighter purple felt attached, with a ribbon for hanging sandwiched between

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One side of my blue computer spex broke apart at the temple hinge. Since there is nothing to lose by trying to DIY repair it, given the expensive repair the last time the other side broke, I'm trying some JB Weld epoxy. They can sit on the workbench overnight and shall hopefully be somewhat solid in the morning. Fortunately my shop glasses serve almost the same function, and tis probably time to order another computer pair from "eye buy direct".

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At my yearly well woman oncology exam on Friday, found out that all the eastside facilities are moving to single new building, that is unfortunately a lot further away. Currently it's a single twenty bus ride from home; the new building isn't even in Portland, though thankfully still can be accessed on transit. I am not relishing the idea of spending over an hour and a half each way (two transfers/three different buses) plus a fair bit of walking in a location that is not intended for or amenable to pedestrian access. Grump!!

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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	x	x
10	5 jars spiced applesauce	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x

several day's gratitudes-
- the Hydration Station is in use again
- passed an ivy-covered wall that was humming, covered in bees
- waffle weave towels
- back up spex
- former shared studio with Bill was both educational and encouraging.
- unexpected old friend showed up at Crafternoon
- there were bead needles at the art store, and the set came with a very thin needle threader; for such tiny needle eyes, the tool wins!!
- after much rummaging, may have managed to find the vital bit of paper this afternoon after my unsuccessful attempt to get the jab this morning. (I've never needed it in the past for vaccination, only my insurance card...)

Time of Isolation - Day 1925

weekend wonderments

in which our plucky heroine pays attention...

Whilst riding my bike early this morning, saw Coyote being chased by a pair of crows across the park near Acorn Cottage. Felt like I'd fallen into a Charles DeLint tale...

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~ halfway there ~

The heraldic enamel Laurel cloisonné work is done, (after grinding away the four tiny air bubbles not visible last night, and re-firing this morning). Everything always takes longer than estimated or expected. Now to build the complex hexafoil setting, hope to have it completed tonight...

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The titanium soldering strips really made a difference in placing the bail and anchor loop, letting me angle the shaped setting and space the finding parts appropriately and easily. They are a good simple bit of technology that I've had for a while, but am still figuring out how best to use.

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~ time it was and what a time it was... ~

Dad was young, and I was even younger... I will never not miss you.

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June SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 amanita softies	planted sprouty taters	yard waste bin
2	Laeriel enamel	dyed yarn brown	recycle bin
3	Laeriel setting	replace clothesline	danger bug
4	-	new smoke alarm battery	yard waste bin
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- seeing Coyote
- enamel turned out well
- titanium soldering strips

Time of Isolation - Day 1791

Sunday shards

in which our plucky heroine feels fragmented and fragile and somewhat flat...

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~ simply pretty ~

Cricket (northern) asked me to make a rectangular pendant, with pierced holes to attach charms to. A very specific size and shape was requested, and once the sketch was approved, it was straightforward to fabricate, and one that will hopefully match her intentions. The piercing along the lower edge is 14ga, which should allow 16ga wire attachments free movement...

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This looks like good clear information about how to prune Black Lace Elder Sambucus nigra, (particularly as mine has become quite overgrown, and much taller than I can pick the elderberries from).

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Have stitched down the ends of the elastic straps on my newer P100. There is no more need to have them remain adjustable (once acquired), though of course must needs be manufactured that way as everyone's head is sized differently. They are more comfortable (and tidier) when worn with strap ends neatly sewn down rather than flapping annoyingly about ones face

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It feels harder and harder to grasp fragments of hope... still... here are two different essays that have helpful things to say:

We can live well, even though we don’t have a higher purpose

[not a] "utopia (a no-place), but perhaps rather a pluritopia (a many-place)"

Shoving at the Thing From All Sides or: thanks, Diane di Prima

If we are fighting for a pluralistic, multicultural world, then we must fight for it in pluralistic, multicultural ways.

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May SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	heraldic fern painted	added pea trellis	greenwaste bin
2	XP2 sun protection	planted Seckel pear tree	recycle bin
3	heraldic plaque	Juliet tomato planted	recycle bin
4	spicy peanut sauce	marigolds planted	greenwaste bin
5	3 prs undies	pear branchlets weighted	-
6	-	turtleneck to Eames top	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes
- Moomins
- Kestrel wrote down her recipe for how to make strawberry ice cubes for me, complete with illustrations. Jen is going to send it to me
- zoom with Jen, which helps me not despair

Time of Isolation - Day 1770

I can haz eyebrows and other weekend whatnots

in which our plucky heroine experiments...

...so, somewhere in the intervening not quite twenty years since my previous passport, the feds changed the rules about photos, and wearing ordinary eyeglasses is no longer allowed. Never-you-mind that I never take mine off save for sleep and bathing.

And somewhere in those years, my wonky thyroid erased my eyebrows, so without my spex, my face looks odd indeed, and the photo I got at the local FedEx store is probably the most hideous image of my not very photogenic self ever taken. So... I thought, as much as I find cosmetics to be unpleasant in a tactile sense, it occurred to me that might be the way to seek visual improvement.

I purchased a small tube of very basic foundation, and an eyebrow pencil in a sort of grey brown color, and after spending some time in front of the bathroom mirror, my face looked less alien. Who'd have thought that eyebrows were so vital. The foundation did much to even out the rosacea as well. I'm going to see about getting another photo taken.

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~ it's citrus season ~

When I stopped at the store on Saturday, it was their annual citrus extravaganza, with basically all types on sale for $1.99/pound. While there were no Seville oranges, they did have some very nice looking organic blood oranges (I find the ones noticeably darker reddish/greenish on the skins are more often very red inside). About 1¾ pounds (along with sugar and the juice of two lemons) made five 8oz and four 4oz jars to replenish the preserves shelf.

I still vividly remember the first time I ever saw or tasted a blood orange, on one of the trips I took to Berkeley with Bill, back in the LongAgo. We were wandering around, enjoying the sunshine and the jasmine, and stopped at a small store to get some munchable snacks, and I was astonished at the dark red citrus inside what looked basically like a small ordinary orange, and by the subtle complex almost berry flavor. 

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Today it occurred to me to find out if I could wear my barrettes as if they were brooches. My handknit pullovers and cardigans are made at a fairly large gauge from Icelandic yarn, so it was indeed easy to thread the clip through the neckline ribbing! This makes me really happy, as I have a box full of various hair decorations (embroidered beadwork, chased metalwork, ribbon roses, and other confections) I've not been able to wear for years now, that I will be able to enjoy more frequently

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Tonight I turned some of the baked winter squash into a sort of curried stew. I'd begged the aunties for some suggestion for what to do with my abundance of squash, and they suggested a curried squash soup, with onions and apple and broth, topped with yogurt. Well, I started cooking some onion, then saw the Napa cabbage in the fridge and grabbed a few leaves...

I didn't have any broth, so added water, curry powder, a bit of bouillon concentrate, and some Thai fish sauce to the almost tender veggies. Some of the cooked squash chunks from yesterday added body, and a spoonful or two of applesauce for sweetness; rather than pureeing it to soup, I just poured the whole pan into a bowl, and added a dollop of Greek yogurt... It was yummy!

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January SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	blood orange marmalade	bike headlamp	yard waste bin
2	-	-	recycle bin
3	-	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. eyebrow pencil!
2. blood orange marmalade
3. hair barrettes to "brooches"
4. curried squash stew

Time of Isolation - Day 1634

wheel keeps turning

in which our plucky heroine takes a box to the post office on Boxing Day...

~ Advent Swap day 26 ~

a carved stone (fluorite?) flower makes a very fancy stitch marker...

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The fruitcake cooked beautifully into a lovely tall cylinder. I trimmed off the rounded top and turned it upside down on a saucer, then basted it with a bit more booze before wrapping it up again. Of course I had to nibble the bit trimmed off and it was swoon-worthy. The combination of the tender fruit, the subtle crunch of the pecans, and the spice/almond+ flavor of the intervening cake was all I had hoped for. I don't know if I want to add the marzipan and icing to make a traditional cake, or just leave it plain and cut slices bit by bit to have with tea...

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Today's work, now completed, was to finish setting the white Pelican enamel pendant, carefully package it up for shipping, then head off on my bike to the post office... it was busy, but nothing like it was three days ago. I'm feeling pretty good that almost every day I am managing to get one or more of my chosen work tasks completed.

Now that the birthday and winter holiday gift season is mostly ended, I decided to order a rotary cutter and blades to go with my new "Sekrit Santa" cutting mat, and also to order John James yarn needle set (in a handy storage case, which may keep me from loosing them as I seem to be prone to doing).

And, after much thought, also ordered a yard of the same color grey linen as my partially worn out pinafore, to make it a new bodice... the price per yard had gone up yet again, but there was a one day discount coupon code, so seemed like the best option.

I figured that starting with new fabric would be a better use of my time than trying to patch the worn-to-a-ravelling spots with some of the less visible inner pockets, and then having to also patch the pockets afterwards. I've done that when there was no way to get similar fabric for repairs...

Fortunately there was a record of which color grey I purchased previously back in 2019. I don't expect the new dyelot to be a perfect match, but since I'm replacing the whole bodice that is less critical. And with a whole yard, there may be enough to add a stripe or two around the hemline, to coordinate.

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	7 jars quince	kitchen plumbing	old plumbing
2	dried pears	heat pump installed	old furnace
3	dried persimmons	return vent vanes	high pitched whine
4	linen gauze privacy curtains	bedroom register	yard waste bin
5	tiny peach charm	bike flat tire	recycle bin
6	1-wire Laurel setting	restring necklace	x
7	"merry mathoms" stamp	x	x
8	white Pelican setting	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. the package my sister was sending me for my birthday finally arrived, after taking the scenic route. It turned out to be a lovely scarf featuring a fun mermaid and sea creatures print, in a wild assortment of colors on a deep teal background. (teal, light turquoise, black, white, taupe, grey, golden yellow, burgundy, peach, and dark grey/lilac) The scarf will be a great accessory for my planned sewing projects this winter.
2. I spoke to the medical office and asked about simply getting my A1c test done there, returning when currently broken machine is repaired, instead of having to go to the main hospital lab, which trip takes at least a half day or more, and also requires much time spent in contact with possibly infectious and unmasked people... Since there is no urgency about the test, I was told it was a valid option and I will be phoned back when repairs have happened and I can simply ride over there on the bike, rather than multiple bus transfers etc...
3. when Ursel and I were window shopping, I saw a coat fastened with toggles that were only attached using bar tacks. I hadn't thought of that, which would be a very secure way to attach my raincoat fastenings. Though I will of course add a decorative leather patch over the cords, for appearance sake.

Time of Isolation - Day 1272