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

Thursday thoughts and throwbacks

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

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

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

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~ incremental ~

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

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

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

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

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

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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	-	greenwaste bin
4	5 more bead frogs	-	overgrown lovage
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

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

Time of Isolation - Day 2194

wishful Wednesday

in which our plucky heroine knows that you don't know what you got till it's gone...

I miss so much of what was good and easy in the Before Times in the summer. I miss there not being "fire season". I miss being able to "go swimming". I miss being able to cook without worrying about dangerous parasites in our food. 

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~ another warm day ~

"Hot Town, Summer in the City"...I miss access to water. Seven years ago we had a city pool a short bike ride away from Acorn Cottage, but that pool has been shut down ever since the beginning of the pandammit.When I was a child in Los Angeles, most of the places we lived had a swimming pool in the backyard. It was a different world all those long (or short) years ago. While I am grateful for running water at all, I do very much long to submerge my body and just float for a bit...

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Went to the copy store for hardcopy of the knitting graphs for the Murano Squares pattern I'm using for the Tabby Cowl and also the Acorn and Oakleaf Sweater pattern and charts. While I don't intend to make that sweater as shown, I want to really be clear about knitting the acorn and oak leaf cable, as my intention is to make that part of my future Aran-style cardigan sometime this winter. It is good to have some ongoing knitting. The cowl is first, because small and fairly light. Soon I'll also start on the Northern Lights cardigan, as that gets knit in several pieces (sleeves first, and then the lower body) before they are all joined together for the fancy colorwork yoke. That should work out really well coordinating with the probably weather over the next few months. 

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It will likely be safe to use boxed spinach in my crustless quiche. Not only do I first wash it well, but then it gets thoroughly steamed, cooled and chopped to bits, then mixed into the quiche ingredients and it all is baked at 350°F for a half hour. By the time it comes out of the convection oven the entire casserole is bubbling hot, so surely over the 158°F for 15 minute requirement.

I have some ideas for a substitute for raw celery, which is a required ingredient in egg salad and potato salad. Mischa suggested water chestnuts, which have the advantage of coming in small quantities. A not-huge jicama root might also work, if cubed up small, or a rather bland apple? Also wondering about peeled Persian cucumber cut into cubes? Or maybe just not try to replicate what once was easy. 

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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	-	-
4	5 more bead frogs	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes- 
- always grateful for the heat pump cool air
- Past Me has been good about putting extra portions in the freezer, so there are usually meals that can be put together when I don't feel like cooking
- chatting with Mischa

Time of Isolation - Day 2193

Monday miscellany

in which our plucky heroine...

Spent enough so much time Sunday combining the various "cats invade" images into a single page printable image, that by the time I finished the local copy shops were all closed. My plan is to make a miniature "large scale art book", at 1½" tall it would be about an 18" full size book. It will be an edition of at least two, since my miniature library needs a copy in addition to the one I plan to send to Kestrel

Guess a miniature coffee table will also be needed! For some reason I've been imagining something midcentury style with a partial mosaic tabletop, (maybe using the colored eggshells I've been saving) Time for more image research, maybe Sunset Magazine's "Furniture You Can Build" will have something inspiring?

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~ well worth it ~

I rode again to the St Johns Library this morning, inspired by the most recent post in "Slowpoke", Carson Ellis' substack journal. She mentioned that there were coloring sheets available, which sounded like fun. Her post has much better photos and information about the mural in the children's room as well.  While the librarian was busy tracking down where the coloring pages were, I looked carefully at the other details of the remodel I'd missed on my first visit, things that my pal Ursel (the architect) had mentioned, like the ceiling treatments in the transition hallway. Overall I am really glad seeing "our tax dollars at work" as refurbishing and making more accessible and beautiful such a needful public good as libraries makes me happy.

(photo above is of a small detail on one of the two new colorful outdoor sculptures at the St Johns Library)

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Discovered Adam Cleevely's conversation with Xandy Peters a wide ranging interview. I'm going to have to check out more of Adam's podcasts. I was a tiny bit familiar with Xandy Peters since knitting their renowned pattern Fox Paws back in 2014...

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My old overalls pattern has some very mysterious leg gusset pattern pieces that it isn't clear to me perzactly how they join the rest of the legs. My original overalls made from this pattern are long gone, but hoping that the oldest pair of overalls I made for Beth years ago will maybe have helpful information. Karen and I plan to look tomorrow during our regular Tuesday video chat.

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

today's gratitudes- 
- an almost two hour phone call with dear friend Rois
- beautiful beads for future froggies arrived today 
- I found some Japanese-style printmaking paper at the art store today that should work well for pages in the "Cats Invade" tiny book

Time of Isolation - Day 2191

recombinant refurbishment

in which our plucky heroine takes time to play...

Today decided to refurbish and reconfigure two pairs of earrings into one. Back in 2013 dear Ariadne gave me these lampwork beads she made, knowing that I enjoy wearing grey and black together. I turned them into earrings of course, but the floss tassel finial wasn't quite right.

Even earlier, sometime back in the 90's at OCF, I acquired some black porcelain horse charm earrings... they were quite heavy, so in 2009, some "time with the wet grinder thinned them to no more than 3mm thick; while some of the whimsical sculptured detail was lost, they are now light enough for comfort"... A vintage whiteheart bead and tiny sky blue enamel coordinated with my (OCF trading circle) turquoise beads, but still for some reason they were rarely worn.

I'd been hunting through my bucket of beads recently looking for frog materials, and cogitating for quite some time prior about what might combine well with the Ariadne lampwork beads, when my black horse earrings caught my eye. Aha! and it was the work of a few minutes to deconstruct them. As a way to further embellish the horses I decided to add a few spots to each in decorative triangles, carefully grinding away with the smallest round diamond burr in my little box from Harbor Freight. Once they dried (always grind under water for safety) the tiny dots were subtle, but visible. Wirework combined beads and horses into a pleasing pair of new earrings! Photos tomorrow when it is daylight...

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~ 1⅜" x ⅞" ~

Between other errands downtown, stopped off at Clay Commons yesterday afternoon and could not resist bringing home this exquisite hand painted ceramic vessel. An addition to the tinyworld art gallery.

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Excellent news about the knitting pattern quest... Cocoknits very generously sent me a PDF copy of the Oakleaf Family Tree pattern complete with all the charts. Huzzah and vast gratitude!

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Initially my thought was that the carbon monoxide alarm needed a new battery, but when replacing that made no difference at all to the chirping beeps, I thought to read the VERY small print on the back of the battery door... Oh, five chirps in a row means "end of life" (not for the humans) but the gizmo itself. So off to the hardware store this morning. I forgot to bring my monthly discount flier, but asked the cashier if it was possible to look up online, and so she tried, but that didn't work. When I said, "well then, I guess I will come back again tomorrow instead" she generously offered me a $5 off coupon, which being the same as the flyer coupons was just as good!!  Now all I need to do is decide where to install it; the old one plugged into the wall, but this one does not. The internets say 12" below ceiling in the hall outside bedrooms, but not too near a bathroom, or air vents, which makes me think most people have bigger houses than Acorn Cottage. 

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"Happiness is excitement that has found a settling down place, but there is always a little corner that keeps flapping around."

~ e. l. konigsburg

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July SMART goals (x=extra)

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

today's gratitudes -
- Cocoknits sent me the knitting pattern I've been seeking
- mango slaw (modified from smitten kitchen)
- kindly cashier at Ace Hardware
- the man at the hardware store wearing silver and black dotted knee socks with black bike shorts and a silver brocade jacket... there is whimsy in the world!

Time of Isolation - Day 2181

Tuesday tidbits

in which our plucky heroine is absent-minded...

While the art store does not, the hardware store does have 28ga brass wire, and I'd only enough left on the current spool to make 8 more frogs. Forgot there was a whole box on the workshop shelf of  "thin wire", including several spools of 28ga brass. And now I've run out of suitable beads. Monday spent part of the day out looking for frog beads size 8/0. There were none, and if more frogs are desired, beads will need to be ordered from an online shop.

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~ "3rd times the charm" ~

Assorted printed rayon pieces, along with the wee floral embroidered piece will all be stitched together as a long narrow panel to embellish the center front of my new summer popover dress.

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Visited the newly reopened St Johns Library. The Carson Ellis mural in the children's room is spectacular! It covers all four walls from the top edge of the shelves to the ceiling, and I must return again just to take the photos I was too dazzled to get at the time.

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Homeostasis. Never not grateful for the ongoing efforts. The cut on my left hand from pruning last week is almost completely healed. While not deep, it did require several days of bandaging while the inflammation did its job, and continued to itch ferociously for several more days. Now there is barely even a scarred place for most of the line, and a small centimeter long section still busy transforming back into me again... and I just learned that the muscular part of the palm below the thumb is called the "thenar eminence". What a great term!!

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After failing to locate any suitable beads on Monday, whilst heading to catch the bus towards home, Village Merchants resale shop caught my attention and I'd not intended to, but came home with a set of very melodic (and not very spendy) wind chimes. I have always wanted some, and shall enjoy the random pleasant sounds very much.

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So far have been struggling to access Knitter's Magazine #45 Winter 1996 which contains the pattern with the acorn and oak leaf cable pattern. Not via the library, which has it in their collection but lost somewhere in "offsite storage", not via ILL; and not on Ravelry or for sale online somewhere. Have put in another ILL request for just the pattern and not the whole magazine, and also an email request to "cocoknits" which is affilliated with the designer, and answered my Ravelry query. We shall see... I did locate a similar oak leaf cable here though sans acorns, and a blog post and photo of a different oak leaf cable from a Japanese knitting pattern book. In other knitting news, my Lettlopi order arrived yesterday and soon it will be time to begin knitting the northern lights cardigan 

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June SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Babs brooch	thinned apples	greenwaste bin
2	5th god lino block	add under elastic	recycle bin
3	5th god corner block	white scarf hem	recycle bin
4	enamels for John	add more elastics	greenwaste bin
5	tie-dye pillowcases	Viking bag strap	greenwaste bin
6	bead frogs	x	recycle bin
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- public libraries 
- after many years, finally lovely windchimes
- homeostasis

Time of Isolation - Day 2179

weekend wanderings and wonderings

in which our plucky heroine makes it to the library...

... and picks up 2 relevant to one of my current rabbit hole reference books to greatly enjoy. The more I read, the more possible it seems to design my own variation on an Aran style cardigan. Alice Starmore's "Aran Knitting" and Norah Gaughn's "Knitted Cable Sourcebook. By also combining the information in these with the "Twisted Stitch Sourcebook" (also Norah Gaughn's). I forsee much pleasurable time spent sketching ideas, and studying my "favorites" list from Ravelry.

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~ Brambly Hedge? ~

Vestia sent me a whole box full of pieces of fabric, assorted blue plush upholstery scraps, a length of very fancy trim, smaller bits of gingham and stripes, and a six yard piece of cotton, in an allover print of leafy foliage in blue on a white background. Not sure what the various bits will become, other than the generous length of blue and white botanical printed cotton is asking to become a Brambly Hedge dress. That has long been a fantasy of mine (dress, petticoat, apron, and flower trimmed hat); perhaps it shall now have a chance to become real. 

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A while back the Magic Pants pattern came across my radar, and the idea of nether garments that don't bite the waist or tummy is really appealing (that discomfort being why there is such an significant gap in my wardrobe. Given the current yardwork challenge of dealing with the back yard, this project is heading to the top of my priority list. Obviously there will need to be a toile made to check the fit, but somewhere in their wide size range ought to be something suitable. Once I unearth some muslin fabric, it will be full steam ahead. There are YouTube tutorials from the designer, and also multiple positive reviews such as this one online...

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Freezer with no fridge is better than fridge with no freezer... This afternoons' discussion during the Sewing the Way Forward meeting, about someone who unplugged their their fridge to turn it into an icebox, by freezing containers of water, and transferring them to the fridge, which had been adapted with insulated containers or some kind of liner flaps to help keep the cold air from falling out when the door was opened. Also talked about regional variations in what foods are stored "cold" at the grocery store. Very interesting topic.

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Saturday headed out for assorted errands and discovered my Hop card (transit pass) was empty. It was unexpectedly difficult, though ulimately possible, to refill it at the grocery store. Once back on the pleasantly air conditioned bus I wanted to check out the White Lotus Market set up in the parking lot behind Fubonn. Was not as much of a treat as I had hoped: a few rows of albeit interesting food booths and some crafts booths that mostly offered plastic trinkets. 

Takoyaki is not something I'm likely to make at home, so a tray with a few of those was my lunch, and I headed over to the far end of the parking lot where there were trees, hence shade, and no people to unmask and enjoy. I'd never had it topped with shaved bonito before, which added another layer of flavor and texture. 

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June SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Babs brooch	thinned apples	greenwaste bin
2	5th god lino block	add under elastic	recycle bin
3	5th god corner block	white scarf hem	recycle bin
4	enamels for John	add more elastics	greenwaste bin
5	tie-dye pillowcases	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- blue leafy calico from Vestia
- takoyaki, a rare treat
- my Moody Blues summer coverlet

Time of Isolation - Day 2172

Friday fragments

in which our plucky heroine reads and naps, and does chores, and cogitates...

Today I washed the grids and cleaned the blades of the box fans, and remembered that after three weeks of taking my allergy meds, the pollen should no longer be incapacitating. I've not needed it in the summer before, but usually have managed to keep the backyard less of a jungle. So, start the meds now, and make a note in the bujo for next year about being better about yardwork once the grass starts.

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Read two different post-change books this week. Ariadne had recommended Station Eleven, and though I can only sometimes bear to read post-viral post-apocalyptic tales, this one was richly told and well worth reading.  Libby links from that novel led to Arboreality, set in a future Vancouver Island. I'll be recommending that one back to her the next time we chat.

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Doing a rolled hem on the black cotton voile headscarf is even more tedious than on the white one, since it is more difficult to see clearly, might be worth adding an extra lamp while working on this one. Am about a quarter of the way done, probably by the end of next week it will be ready for blockprinted decoration. If it didn't make such a significant difference in appearance (to me) I would machine hem them.  Current plan is for opaque white printing of 5th god motifs on the black scarf, and the white scarf will be overdyed first with either pale brown or pale blue, and I'll revisit the breeze block print design in chocolate brown printing.

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Whoops I forgot that B&K were getting ready to leave for Junefaire and therefore no video chat this morning. Zoomed home from the launderette (shrink-drying the new rayon batik fabric) only to look at the crossed out note on my calendar. Sigh... Multiple nightmares last night so didn't manage to get up early enough for yardwork, shall have to check on temperatures in the crepuscular evening and maybe get some done then? (early evening note: 90°F/32°C at 6pm on the front porch, so no yardwork tonight, it won't be cool enough until it is too dark for yardwork)

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Unearthed the missing utility bill hiding under origami paper?! Since today the post office is closed for Juneteenth, tomorrow's chores will include taking all the bills to the post office and then the library as a treat.

Several of my holds are in, including the Alice Starmore book of Aran knitting. It seems contrary to think about knitting this time of year heading into even hotter weather, but planning a future textured cardigan for later in the year is on my mind. Between Knitting In The Old Way, several Elizabeth Zimmerman books, Norah Gaughn's book of textured patterns, and what I hope to harvest from Alice Starmore, it might be possible to assemble my favorite parts of Aran style knitting into a future cardigan. I mostly knit colorwork, but greatly admire the textured knits my dear friend Ariadne makes for her family. I've been perusing Ravelry and tagging my favorites in that genre to gather ideas about what best pleases me...

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June SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Babs brooch	thinned apples	greenwaste bin
2	5th god lino block	add under elastic	recycle bin
3	5th god corner block	white scarf hem	recycle bin
4	enamels for John	add more elastics	greenwaste bin
5	tie-dye pillowcases	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- ebooks 
- the scent of linden, and of summer jasmine
- remembering that I still have friends

Time of Isolation - Day 2170

I think I can I think I can...

in which our plucky heroine gets things done...

Over this last week I finally gathered courage, located boot straps, and have made significant progress on the Babs brooch project. My intention is to have finished it by the end of the weekend. The remaining steps are to solder the brooch findings in place, drill the various needed spots for riveting the layers, prepare the pearl pins, then assemble the pieces, polish the setting, set the enamel, attach the pearls and the brooch pin, and take a deep breath and call it done.

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~ aurora cardigan? ~

Earlier this week got caught up in playing with a photo of the Winter Night knitting pattern thinking it might be a good use for my collection of Lopi and Lettlopi yarn. Mostly I don't wear pullover sweaters, so a rough cut/paste helped me imagine it as a cardigan, possibly using the cuff band also at the hemline, and adding star dots to the body. There is just about enough yarn in my "Icelandic/Lopi" storage box to complete this with a striped varied dark color background, only needing to acquire a few light colored skeins for the aurora motifs, what decorative borders used, and the stars...

※※※

wardrobe refurbishment update:
Found some scraps of medium blue interestingly textured silk from a thrifted camp shirt, a good if slightly darker color to edgebind the blue striped herringbone pinafore; with much piecing of binding strips, should be enough for all the edges. 

Foolish me didn't think to contact Bolt absolutely as soon as the post about deadstock velour showed up this past weekend. I headed over there Wednesday afternoon only to find that alas both the black and the teal had already sold out. My choice was between lime green and dusty rose, and the idea of lime green undies did not appeal... but since good velour is so very hard to find, a few yards of dusty rose and thread to match are now in storage here, likely enough to see me out, along with the venerable (gradually diminishing) black velour

※※※

5th God printing block is almost complete, so of course I have finally unearthed the missing original block. Since it is not in as good condition as remembered, I'm not at all sorry to have worked on a new copy of that design. 

Having the lino cutting tools temporarily stored in the boro baskets is helpful, since the baskets keep the tools handy and their sharp ends protected. A taller narrower basket triad would be even better... shall look for have found a skinny jar (that formerly held capers) to use as a suitable mold for just such a possible future project.

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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	recycle bin
4	boro basket 3	cut back mint	greenwaste bin
5	boro baskets 4 & 5	mended pillow	greenwaste bin
6	sharpening box	scrubbed stove grates	x
7	8 jars pickled beets	x	x
8	7 jars strawberry rhubarb	x	x
9	ikat pinafore	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- leftovers 5 flavor eggplant and shrimp bok choi stir fry
- a pumice stone works really well to clean off the iron stove grates; not "like new", but no longer greasy/sticky despite regular washing
- determination finally kicked in

Time of Isolation - Day 2150

Friday fragments

in which our plucky heroine is charmed...

Earlier this week the birdfeeders next door were spangled with goldfinches, which was such a delightful visual way to start the day.

Also rabbit rabbit rabbit for the first of May!

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~ acorn tassels~

All I ever want to be speedy is my sewing machines and internet connection) As previously mentioned, I am not a fast knitter. Some folks can bang out a Sophie scarf in a few days, this one took me a whole month of intermittent knitting. The last several days of which were taken up in creating these knitted acorn and oak leaves added to the tips instead of pom poms or tassels. It was so slow because sock yarn and tiny needles. It is fairly narrow, and long enough to wrap around my neck and tie, intended as supplementary warmth over a turtleneck, which was hard to imagine Thursday afternoon, when it was 83 F (28 C) on my front porch

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Monday my friend Poni was willing to take me on a trip to Linfield Gallery in McMinnville to see "Continuality" by artist Tammie Dupuis. I've been following Tammie on social media for years now, she is one of my artist heroes. Highly skilled in multiple art forms and thinking deeply about what she intends to communicate using those skills. It was wonderful to see the actual pieces, which are so much stronger and more resonant in person than in tiny pixel images online. Rather like the difference between an LP and a live concert. I was particularly taken with the "Counting Coup On Curtis" series of portraits, which combine beadwork and mixed media in a unique way that really needs to be seen in person.

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Eeee!! new Becky Chambers coming this autumn!

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"Acorn Cottage Crafthouse"could be a good name for Discord server, I need to look up how to start one...

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May 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 -
- goldfinches first thing in the morning
- pad see ew
- Tammie's artwork is amazing, impressive, and inspiring 

Time of Isolation - Day 2121

Sunday snippets

in which our plucky heroine sees something pretty...

... it moved too fast for a photograph, but might have been a Western Tanager? There was a bird on the japanese maple, and it looked a bit like a goldfinch with a reddish head. Not as bright as some I've seen in years past, but late April early May is the right time of year

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~ a favorite motif ~

This is the cast iron door knocker here at Acorn Cottage. I found it years and years before ever moving here, and carried it around in my "hopeless chest" in addition to other less weighty bits of wishful thinking. Never expected it to have a door to grace, though it has now been here for over twenty years. Acorns and oak leaves, in various configurations, have been one of the oldest of my resonant decorative motifs, (along with the running horse reguardant), long before my SCA activities where they are now part of my personal heraldry.  

Being quite close to finishing the slow Sophie scarf, rather than my initial idea of finishing off the pointy tips with pom poms as a few folks have done, it occurred to me that small knitted acorns and oak leaves might be an even better embellishment. I've used those on prior knitted projects to decorate a hat, a tea cozy, and as brooches. I was hoping I'd copied out the "recipe" for them; there are two folks ahead of me in the library line for "100 Flowers to Knit and Crochet" which is the book that contains the directions.

While I only intermittently remember to add index data to my BuJo, after failing to find any helpful blog posts, and hoping not to have to wait weeks for the library book, it occurred to me to try and cross reference between when I made various projects, and the various years of journals on the shelf. Bingo! et voila!! surprisingly I had even made a specific notation in the rudimentary index. Directions for both acorns and oak leaves are both where I can access them.

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Ten years ago I was deeply into carving blocks to print on fabric, and making clothing for my Blue Cedar House SCA pals; I miss those good times we had... still, might be a fun single crafternoon one of these days to print some trim for decorating next winters long janes.

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Have been trying out two of the glucose hacks today. A spoonful of vinegar in a glass of water before meals isn't a treat, but isn't horrible either. Figuring out how to start each meal with something vegetable-ish is challenging, but possible, particularly breakfast. My usual morning museli is a bit odd following some steamed veggies! Although the protein/fiber/carb balance for my museli is pretty sane. (adding whey protein and flaxseed meal to 2T soaked rolled oats)   

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My left foot is intermittently painful again. Not all the time.  Dr Google suggests it might have a broken small bone, and is not the most accurate of diagnosicians. But wouldn't that hurt all the time, and wouldn't that have some sort of injury as a cause? So hard to figure out what response is appropriate. If every intermittent ache or pain sent me to medical care, I'd be living in their waiting room. OTOH, I don't want to foolishly ignore something either.  

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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	accordion pouch	tiny beaded star	greenwaste bin
3	bone acorn earrings	electric bill found	recycle bin
4	stripey pinafore	shirt sleeve length	recycle bin
5	-	tax papers	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- a dark almost black blood orange that was really fragrant
- helpful Past Me wrote down the directions for tiny knitted acorns and oak leaves in an earlier BuJo and indexed the pages
- phoned Poni about getting a lift to the show at the Linfield

Time of Isolation - Day 2117

Saturday snippets

in which our plucky heroine becomes confused...

Last night the moon was so bright outside, shining through my window at 2 am that it felt like morning. Awakening, wondering why the light was coming from a different direction than usual... and after looking outside to see the moon floating above the houses to the south, crawled back into bed and eventually back to sleep

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~ well begun. a quarter done ~
.

After talking with Ariadne this evening, she identified this yarn as Patons and some online searching makes me think it is probably Kroy Socks FX, in the "Cascades" colorway. Which info I would have added to my Ravelry project page, save that the Ravelry website is having some Serious Issues tonight.

After dropping one of the glass lampwork buttons on the floor found me crawling under the computer desk looking for it, said rummage also turned up this long lost and tiny beaded star charm, which will become a sweet marker for "the right side" of my current knitting project. (Apparently I made this one star back in January 2021) That marker, along with using a strand of contrasting yarn to keep track of the increase rows, makes this Very Easy knitting.

This Sophie scarf, when completed, will be a great addition to my accessories "wardrobe". Just as my overall clothing goal is to have a small assortment of garments in a few colorways, that coordinate together well, it will be very pleasant to also have the scarves/jewelry/socks that allow me to feel like I have made an effort to look "put together". 

If it does what I hope (ie keeping my knit top turtlenecks from drooping) then I may need want to make one or two more. It is odd how only some knit fabric seems to lose its lycra aspect more quickly than others, but if it is cold enough to want that extra layer of warmth, it is cold enough that extra help in keeping my neck warm is also good.

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Today it got warmer and warmer and warmer all day, so much that the spring fruit tree flowers seem to being drawn out into the bright world. Yesterday the quinceling had clusters of leaves with the barest beginnings of pointed buds, and by the time it was dusk today, there were flowers scattered across the branches. Earlier this week I managed to get in some actual yardwork, cutting back the watersprouts on the apple tree, and carefully hacking away at thelower reaches of the feral roses so that they will be less likely to bite me when the yard gets string-trimmed. Speaking of which, today in the Very Warm afternoon, a trip to the hardware store meant that there is now a backup roll of nylon string trim cordage and a spare bobbin to keep filled so as to make tidying the yard at least a bit less of a trial. 

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The stripey shirt with the Ariadne lampwork buttons is just about complete. Three more buttons to sew in place and it can go live on a hanger next to my other shirts and blouses. I might not overdye it taupe after all, as the micro stripes are subtle enough that it reads as grey. The remaining blouse in my current sewing queue, will be from fabric purchased in 2022...

"I fell in love with this printed fabric last year, for some reason the combination of the complex colorway and the conversational landscape really spoke to me, so much so that I broke my intention to not purchase new fabric, and bought enough to make a blouse. There are practically all the colors in my wardrobe to a greater or lesser degree, as well as a whole variety of bright or subtle accent colors.

I see teal and turquoise, of course, which is what first attracted my eye, as those are the newest colors in my everyday clothing. In addition, there are indigo blues from dark navy to pale, taupe, greys dark and light, a number of green and greenish mixed hues, and some startling pinks and even a tiny bit of yellow and white. The landscape feels very PNW to me, with islands in water, and here and there the woodland rhododendrons."

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Why oh why is it always the best beloved items that go missing? Fingers crossed that my favorite retractable tape measure (the Clover "Shiro"), misplaced somewhere here in the house, will turn up again. I lost one three years ago, and managed to find another one online to buy, but the passage of time has only depleted whatever supply might have remained, and I am Out Of Luck.  Now mind, I do have several/plenty of other tape measures both for lumber and for fabric, but this one is has tactile superiority. It is/was a square with rounded corners and all the external edges gently rounded as well, and a smoothly recessed retractor button, all of which is much more pleasant to touch than the sharp corners or rough edges of lesser tools. Online searching has turned up nothing at all suitable as a replacement. It might be time for cakes and ale...

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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	-	tiny beaded star	greenwaste bin
3	-	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- helpful librarians + printer access = finally Federal tax forms
- finding a lost beaded star
- Past Me bought pretty fabric
- "Mirabile" by Janet Kagan - not sure how I found this book, but very glad I did. It can be added to my very short list of SF that has a protagonist who is both female and not young. In addition, it isn't about warfare, but rather about biology, and the worldbuilding/culture building in these short stories feels charming and diverse.

Time of Isolation - Day 2095

somewhat less than ideal

in which our plucky heroine has eye trouble...

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

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

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~ was a sunny day ~

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

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

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

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

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March SMART goals (x=extra)

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

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

Time of Isolation - Day 2081

Pi Day

in which our plucky heroine remembers to celebrate...

I always mean to, each year, but rarely remember in time to cook something special. This year I managed to. Dinner was shepherd's pie, made half from leftovers, some diced up frozen lamb slices from when Beth and Karen visited a while back, and some of yesterdays cooked carrots, added to some sauteed onion, and sugar snap peas. I made gravy in the same pan as the onions, seasoned with homegrown thyme and some of Penzey's Justice herbs, and a splash of tamari. I never make gravy, but pie needs it. While doing all this, was also steaming two little yellow potatoes, so the 6" oval dish was topped with some golden mashed taters and stuck in the convection oven to brown. Made enough for a meal tomorrow as well.

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~ pies for today ~

Once the improvisational shepherd's pie was in the little convection oven, I started working on the tiny pecan pie(s). It turned out that there was no pan of a suitable size that the recipe called for; switching to using silicone cupcake liners made a half dozen tiny "pie-lets". The only change I made was to use Lyle's Golden Syrup instead of maple syrup. The recipe was not at all difficult, other than dividing the shortcrust, and later on the pie filling, into six individual compartments. OTOH, it is as easy as pie to peel the liner from one of the rather sticky baked miniature pies, and the (⅙/recipe) small thin confection is just the right amount for dessert.

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There are two green eggs in the remaining egg carton from Drusa. I shall save the shells, once the insides are used for cooking, with the intention of making some sort of eggshell mosaic for the tinyworld.  I did that ages ago, back in May 2020, with an excellent result.  

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The Icelandic cardigan remodel has been quite successful! It is currently already wearable, as proven this morning while out and about. The length is just right, and the new front button bands look like they have always been there. The too long ribbed cuffs will be removed in favor of the narrower double row of matching dark I-cord, and might add a neckline edge row of the lightest color. Maybe.

It is being fun sorting through not yet stitched up fabrics and current wardrobe to pick out all the various possibile options, and I've devoted an entire page in my journal for the notes. There are plenty of knit tops, and several print blouses already in the closet; enough lycra cotton jersey for two pair of fresh long janes, and the already dedicated brown linen for a new pinafore. A second pinafore would not be amiss, maybe using the brown ikat wrap that was originally a gift from Marian? I'm much of a mind to turn things currently stored on the resource shelves into garments to actually wear. You can't take it with you after all...

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I've been enjoying Brenda Dayne's textile and knitting podcasts for many many years now, and wondered why her posts had stopped. Her story is fascinating and horrifying at the same time: a routine antibiotic treatment causes unexpected and anomalous long-lasting neurological effects.

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

today's gratitudes -
- there has been enough of the various colors of Lopi yarn
- years of cooking has me able to improvise. 
- no howling wind last night, so sleep was easier

Time of Isolation - Day 2074