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 ~
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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

Discontinuity

in which our plucky heroine is reminded that we live on a planet...

and not every place has the same time simultaneously.

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~ signs of hope ~

In the side yard, there are buds on the Quinceling, that will eventually turn into beautiful flowers and then with luck into large golden (lumpy) spheres of fragrant fruit. And in the parking strip, forsythia is showing signs that spring is on the way. It was planted there twenty-one years ago, from an alleyway sprig from behind a house that was being torn down. Sometimes what can be salvaged finds a second life...

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Successfully started the I-cord borders on Icelandic cardigan; multiple rows will take some time to complete. Chocolate brown petersham ribbon has been ordered for steek facings. The sleeve cuff ribbing will be removed and a single row of I-cord replace it to coordinate. This alteration/mending project is very satisfying, and will be a constant Dad hug from the past once completed. There are other current and future garments to be friends with it, like the brown chambray blouse, and the next to be made brown linen pinafore and brown ribbed cotton long janes.

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Further enshittification: my local pharmacy is now closed on weekends, as of middle of February. Since I mostly only use them for prescription refills, it was a surprise and not a treat to find this out only after riding my bike over there on Sunday to try and request a refill... on Monday, dreadfully long lines, 14 people ahead of me. Might have been better had I managed to get there right when they opened. Returned to pick up prescriptions midafternoon Tuesday, when in the past there might be only a few folks waiting, and instead, there were even more... I commiserated with the pharmacy clerk about how changes she hadn't asked for had made her job more difficult; she seemed grateful I was sympathetic rather than grouchy..

And a number of TriMet bus routes are being either reduced or discontinued. Two that will specifically affect how I use them are 75 and 19. Line 75 reduced after 6 pm, is a route that extends far across the metropolitan area. And line 19 is being entirely removed, since there are other lines between a quarter and a half mile away. The fact that line 19 also directly serves a major area hospital and other associated medical facilities is irrelevant.  After all folks that need hospital services all have cars, or can easily walk there. If they are going to remove that line, at least they ought re-route the 20 to cover hospital access. Sigh... grrr...

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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	-	-
3	-	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- made it to the bank before they closed at 5... managed to walk to the bus stop, then bus, then Yellow Line, then Red Line, then walking more.
- payment for pillow shams, and then later a photo text (with heart emojis) of them in situ. My various sorts of work are for making specific things that folks cannot purchase ready-made in shops
- naps...
- the gradation of yarn colors of the I-cord center front cardigan bands looks quite purposeful, in a good way  
- Krups little electric grinder, intended for coffee, but I use it for flaxseed and for spices

Time of Isolation - Day 2071

Saturday snippets

in which our plucky heroine desperately needs a more regular sleep wake cycle...

...though unsure that Time Change Day tomorrow will help the situation.  Since there was much tiredness today and no napping, perhaps an early bedtime will ease dealing with the "lost" hour? Worth an attempt anyway...

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~ alteration ~

After removing both the crocheted button bands and a bit more than 4" of length from the middle of the body, the next step in reconfiguring the Icelandic cardigan will be grafting together the patterned lower edge to the now shorter upper body. In order to level the hemline, there needs to be about 1½" more length along the back than in the front, which necessitates creating "darts" on either side in more or less the underarm zone. Once grafted in place and the various yarn ends woven in they will be virtually invisible. 

When knitting cardigans or pullovers one often does this needful shaping (as the anatomical fact is that our necks are not centered on our bodies, but extend further forward than back) by knitting short rows much closer to the neckline. Once this section is dealt with, what remains will be replacing the button bands. In the past, it has worked very well to use multiple rows of I-cord, so I'll just park these two YouTube links here that have Useful Tutorials... This one is particularly good for turning corners... This one is also very clear. The last step, aside from sewing on the buttons, will be deciding what to do about the messy edges of the steek. Here are Kate Davies suggestions for various ways to finish them off. Here is some specific instruction for using ribbon on the steeked edges of an Icelandic cardigan from Hélène Magnússon

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There is a rabbit hole easy to fall into, of beautiful jacquard woven ribbons from Europe particularly the ones from KAFKA, some are pictorial, and some even organic as well. It is being difficult to pick favorites, and so very tempting to choose something compatible to finish the steek edges on the refurbished Icelandic cardigan. 

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March SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	ruffle pillow shams	cardigan length	-
2	-	-	-
3	-	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- unexpected tiny porch visit from Meagn
- the first singlar forsythia flower
- alterations on the Icelandic cardigan proceed apace and well

Time of Isolation - Day 2067

Monday miscellany

in which our plucky heroine makes plans...

Found this madder red yarn in my storage box; it was obvious what it needed to be made into. I have no idea where or why it was acquired, since I pretty much don't wear red. Still, it is lovely and soft, and the alpaca content means it will be very warm. I'll start off with the medium stitch count, and go down at least one needle size, as per my usual

As often attempted, I plan to try and learn at least one new thing with this project, in this case a tubular start for 1x1 ribbing, which will also require me to use Judys magic cast on, which I've never done before. My initial numbers based on the pattern are: 108 stitches - 1x1 ribbing - 28 st/4" over unblocked ribbing... (unfortunately, there is no red yarn in my tablet weaving supply box, as my tinyfolk, (especially Kenya and Nandina), are clamoring for tiny red hats of their own. I do have a cone of undyed yarn, though, which is easily transformed by using food coloring + vinegar.

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A while back, promised to send Mischa some candied orange peel. As the Cara Cara oranges are very tasty this year, I've been indulging self with them, and saving the quartered peels in the freezer. Yesterday they were blanched, and today sliced into strips, and simmered in simple syrup until well saturated with the sugar solution. They drain and partially dry off on a cooling rack, and will get rolled in granulated sugar and finally run through the dehydrator for better storage. I still store mine in the freezer, as they don't get dry enough to be shelf safe for long, but they do okay for the few days it takes to post them to friends. In the Before Times, I would make them for my dad, and dip them in dark chocolate as that was his favorite confection.

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Remember, that even in the worst of times, there may be sparks of beauty, wonder, and whimsy. Don't give up, if you do, they win

“And I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, 'If this isn't nice, I don't know what is.”

- Kurt Vonnegut Jr., A Man Without a Country 
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Currently taking pleasure in thinking/planning about wardrobe refurbishment, and looking through my resource shelves to find possible fabric choices that coordinate. Have almost completed all of the teal selections (pinafore, plaid flannel shirt, long janes, long sleeve turtleneck); still have the cotton print for a blouse, and a partially finished teal/turquoise batik rayon popover dress that needs reconfigured. Am currently hand stitching some simple Alabama Chanin style reverse applique bands to add to the hemlines on the long janes.

Although there aren't the exact fabrics here I would choose for new pinafores, it is going to be interesting to figure out how to use what is here to create new coordinates to take the place of the worn out clothing. Next up, I think, will be the chocolate brown pinafore, as I do have that linen, plus matching corduroy for edge binding. All that will be needed for that one is for me to create a decorative pocket using the cave horse stencil. Another pair of brown replacement long janes as well. Other than that, there are enough other garments in that colorway still in good shape. Looking further ahead to grey/black/taupe. I've no solid grey garment fabric at all, so a new pinafore will require further thought. I do want to use the asian landscape fabric (grey and black with tiny metallic accents to make a shirt. There is just enough fabric, and it will provide an opportunity to use the set of lampwork glass buttons Ariadne made for me ages ago. 

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February SMART goals (x=extra)

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

Sunday's gratitudes -

- glass fermentation weights, that also keep orange peels properly submerged
- managed to get a bit of a bike ride today, between the rain
- the whistles are gradually disappearing from local little free libraries.
- found a skein of madder red alpaca yarn in one of the yarn boxes. It might need to become a MTI hat...

today's gratitudes -
- being able to use the search function on my blog to find a particular bit of info that one of my sewing nomad pals was looking for
- interesting fabrics on the resource shelves
- the "University of YouTube"

Time of Isolation - Day 2056

chatoyance

in which our plucky heroine, inspired by today's Advent swap gift, is thinking about hidden brightness that shines out depending on your point of view...

The Advent of A Better Year swap this year is doing a good job at encouraging me to get out of bed each day. Clever and or pretty wrappings and the contents that each person made an effort to find/make/purchase to bring sparks of delight to the (unknown) recipients. It really is my favorite thing in the whole year, many participants have come back each year so far, and I hope that all bodes well for finding more ways to build and maintain connection and thoughtfulness in 2026. 

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~ days 11, (and 10, and 7) ~
. 

Today there was a tiny cylindrical wrapped gift in drawer #11, which contained a beautiful chatoyant tiger eye sphere with a small dished base to keep it from rolling away. This will likely end up as a tinyworld mantlepiece decoration, either in the library/Advent shadowbox, or in the future planned sitting room. 

Yesterday, I was pleased to unwrap a Very Small golden maneki neko, that I am guessing is 3D printed. The only thing I "collect" are maneki neko that are less than 1" tall, and over the last almost thirty years I have 22, all different. Apparently this year the advent swap is doing its best to increase my collection, as so far I have added two more unique beckoning cats. I am just delighted!!

Earlier, on day 7, there were two corbies and a skull. I'm tempted to turn the pair of corbies into fireplace andirons as they are just the right size for a tinyworld fireplace. The skull will be added to the box of Halloween/Samhain decorations.

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Last month, since what would have been my regular biweekly dairy delivery fell on Turkey Day, my porch box was empty, and it was another two weeks before my next delivery. Yesterday I remembered to double my dairy order, as they don't deliver on Christmas day, and it was all in the box waiting for me today. Will repackage and freeze some of the half and half, as it spending an entire month in the fridge seems dicey

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The knitted shrew project (so SHREWd) is finally completed! So kawaii!! I hope that the recipient likes it as much as I do...

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 pairs underwear	vegetable steamer legs	fridge science experiments
2	knitted shrew	shrew eyes	yard waste bin
3	-	-	recycle bin
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -  
- remembered to double my dairy order, as they don't deliver on Christmas day
- shrew is finished and looks so adorable
- Today at lunchtime, a free educational zoom presentation by Ali (from 3 Dotted Penguins), an overview of the tools and supplies used for block printing. It was helpful to hear her compare and contrast the various options she has worked with.
- Brenda Dayne's Cast On has for years been my favorite if occasionally intermittent podcast. The combination of her voice and pacing, the assorted topics she chats about, and her particular point of view are so satisfying in a way I've not found anywhere else...

Time of Isolation - Day 1993

can't begin any sooner

in which our plucky heroine wonders if different challenges would be easier...

Patting myself on the back, I just spent the whole afternoon doing financial admin tasks, and though not even halfway done, have made some significant progress. Still have a lot to do before the end of the year, and I feel right foolish for procrastinating so long on what turns out is not dreadfully difficult, just tedious and complex. I shall do my best to remember this tomorrow, when more of the same is on my task list. If only one could be removed, not sure which character flaw would be my first choice, imposter syndrome or procrastination. They work together as saboteurs...

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~ final foot ~

Last night figured out how to use a yarn needle to make loops through the cast off edges (as if to pick up stitches) since the scale of the shrew haunches is too small to do so easily with the knitting needles. Shrew is very close to being finished, just needs the right leg stiched up, toes made and tail knitted on... so kawaii that I'm almost tempted to make another one as a friend to the tinyfolks, said desire tempered however by a clear memory of how I feel about knitting with the 4/0 needles

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Still have some homegrown persimmons in the right stage (firm enough) to cut up and add to kale bulgur feta salad... and am wondering if in the summertime, could do the same thing with peaches or nectarines? I will also try it with a few of the frozen plums. The original recipe is just savory/spicy, not sweet at all, but the tiny addition of fruit sweetness adds so much. While my original change was to add a spoonful of dried currants, then switched to raisins, and I suspect my original inspiration was when 17 year old me was learning about cooking while mostly working as a dishwasher at Smoky Joe's Cafe in Saratoga Springs, and watching Gordon stir fry vegetables and adding in all kinds of ingredients that never would have occurred to my limited experience and palate...

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 pairs underwear	vegetable steamer legs	fridge science experiments
2	-	shrew eyes	yard waste bin
3	-	-	recycle bin
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -  
- homegrown persimmons in the kale bulgur feta salad
- got past my anxiety and procrastination to begin admin tasks 
- cooked up half the produce on hand into various partial or completed meals. This is always a goal of mine (though not always accomplished) as it makes everyday life easier.

Time of Isolation - Day 1992

Tuesday tidbits

in which our plucky heroine sits in on a free webinar...

Nature Journaling workshop online tonight sponsored by the Multnomah County Master Gardener Association. It was very well taught, the instructor gave good examples and also did well at tying concepts and encouragement to what folks would be likely already comfortable with. (Unfortunately, my internet was having connectivity issues, and kept dropping my online connection, which made for a choppy viewing.) 

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~ day 9 ~

Today's Advent swap trinket treat was this bundle of 4 bone "hair pipe" beads... wondering about using them to make earrings...

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"I've given it a lot of thought, and here's what I think art is: it starts with an artist, who has some vast, complex, numinous, irreducible feeling in their mind. And the artist infuses that feeling into some artistic medium. They make a song, or a poem, or a painting, or a drawing, or a dance, or a book, or a photograph. And the idea is, when you experience this work, a facsimile of the big, numinous, irreducible feeling will materialize in your mind."

~ Cory Doctorow

... from this essay from their blog.

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Much better progress on the knitted shrew. Both arms have been completed and stitched in place. Currently working on the left leg, which gets the toes added in a sort of stumpwork fashion rather than knitted on.

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While talking with Leslie this morning, I was telling her about my idea for a new 100 day project - "Objects of Affection" to start January 1st. She wants to also spend more time drawing, so I've committed to actually do the thing: one 15 minute drawing per day for 100 days. Probably the easiest way to prepare would be to get a bundle of index cards - having the project not be "precious" is best.

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I just love this artist's interpretation of the Lascaux horses... for more of their work, see Natee (they/them) on BlueSky

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 pairs underwear	vegetable steamer legs	fridge science experiments
2	-	shrew eyes	yard waste bin
3	-	-	recycle bin
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- I gave my snacks to the young man at the bus stop who was cold. He was only wearing a hoodie and said he wished he had a jacket; I have a jacket, so I gave him the hot snack I'd bought. But what was impressive is that after he finished eating, he went all around the bus stop area using the bag from my hot snack to gather up the junk folks had left on the ground: old drink cups, deli containers and suchlike. There are no trash deposit bins anywhere near, so he put the trash in the little can at the front of the bus instead.
- Tried out the make rice "noodles" from a few layers of rehydrated rice paper wraps stuck together and cut into strips. Worked fairly well, though not as delightfully succulent as my beloved Chow Foon...
- Found pale peach color laceweight wool in my box of wool embroidery floss. Used double is perfect for shrew feet, toes, and fingers, and removed the necessity to dye yarn, which made the very slow project a bit faster.

Time of Isolation - Day 1991

Monday media and miscellany

in which our plucky heroine trusts herself...

I've been making toys for longer than I can remember, well more than fifty years, and should by now remember not to panic when pattern directions are lacking. A bit of restitching today (and not continuing to work on a project when it is really time for sleep) will yield much better results and a calmer happier self...

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~ day 8 ~

a pair of whimsical earrings, which appear to be little plates of faux sweets? (assuming that the spiral item is gingerbread roll)

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My left hand is still sore from stabbing the palm with the 4/0 knitting needle last night. Still, I went ahead and stitched up the shrew, doing my best to make front and back match up okay. I stuffed the body and head with bits of wool fleece prior to sewing them up. Little shrew-ling looks pretty odd without any front legs or rear feet, or tail...

Words of wisdom: add the eyes last, the placement is better. Since I'd sewed the eyes in place when suggested by the pattern (prior to knitting up the body back and body belly and assembling the torso) my guesstimate of eye placement was incorrect. It was easy enough to cut the yarn holding them in place and replace them more symmetrically, at the same time as I embroider the nose. Much cuter shrew face:

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Still sorting out the best way to substitute cotton lycra fabric as a substitute for waist and leg band elastic, since it varies so wildly in both lycra content and "stretch and return" factor. I thought I had it dialed in after the last batch of undies, but the current fabric seems to stretch more and not be inclined to return to it's original length. I'm going to have to redo the two pairs just finished, as knickers that fall down are not the desired finished product.

I miss when it was easy to know what to purchase for good waistband elastic; when one could go to Fabric Despot, or one of the other large independent shops and see the options for oneself, and buy it per yard instead of pre-packaged lengths. (I feel the same way about blister packed hardware, FWIW).

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current domesticated news: Prepared and brined another turkey thigh yesterday, and plan on cooking it for tonight's dinner (Roast at 350°F until interior is at 165°F) There is the last of the roasted sweet potato still in the fridge, and some green beans that will be steamed for veg. Managed to deal with Mt Washmore and Mt Dishmore, and will be putting things away while the turkey roasts this afternoon...

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 pairs underwear	vegetable steamer legs	fridge science experiments
2	-	-	yard waste bin
3	-	-	recycle bin
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- having a new roof on the house means not having to fret about the "atmospheric river" of rain that will be dumping water on us for the next few days
- an idea: to start a 100 day art project in January: "Objects of Affection". (Very small 15 minute drawings of beloved artifacts)
- TIL that it is possible to place an order with Costco online without being a member, though it does require paying a non-member surcharge of 5%

Time of Isolation - Day 1990

Saturday and Sunday snippets

in which our plucky heroine enjoyed a sunny afternoon...

On Saturday I walked almost three miles (between transit stops) doing various errands, including a trip to Bolt Fabrics where I picked up a different sort of Clover chalk marker, and a half yard of cotton lycra for strips to use as lingerie elastic. By the time I headed home again the clear skies had turned back to drizzle, but the daypack was full of assorted supplies for the rest of the weekend

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~ Advent Swap day 5 ~

A little sparkly ornament, made from beads, glass crystals, and a mother-of-pearl button, with a handmade copper hook for hanging. By next year, with luck and effort, there will be some sort of wreath to display the myriad small decorative ornaments (like this one) from the Advent swaps, both from this year and the previous years...

~ Advent Swap day 6 ~

Kenya is as delighted as I am with today's Advent gift... a miniature throw pillow, beautifully embroidered with an ombré shaded mushroom motif, which will be a great addition to the tinyworld

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Yesterday I finished knitting the head of the tiny shrew, and started on the body. Feeling hopeful about finishing this project sometime this month, but today I am so frustrated with this project. I am unclear about how the back and the belly are meant to fit together. Then I somehow stabbed myself in the palm with one of the Very Small Very Sharp knitting needles. OW OW OW OW!! I refrained from throwing the unfinished shrew across the room and went to wash my hand off.

I wish that designers used line drawings instead of photos, so as to make it more clear to my brain. Reading ahead, nowhere in the pattern does it call for adding stuffing to the body of the shrew, yet I am pretty sure it should not remain an empty skin! Had I been a test knitter, I would have so very many many questions. Parts of the pattern are obvious, and others are "as clear as mud"

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One thing that is particularly inspiring to me is seeing the various creative ways folks come up with to wrap their tiny gifts. While our plucky heroine is partial to using origami (since my ability to "wrap" gifts seems to be a weak point in my skill set), I have seen everything from cloth wrappings, to paper cylinders, to reused gum ball containers, as well as tidy (or untidy) paper wrappings. Some fastened with plain tape, with washi tape of various designs, or with metallic or glittery tape, and even with sealing wax! It makes daily December dopamine even more of a delight!!

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David Byrne : Tiny Desk Concert

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 pairs underwear	vegetable steamer legs	fridge science experiments
2	-	-	yard waste bin
3	-	-	recycle bin
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- my cranky side back seems to have settled back down, which makes me think that whatever set it off was something out of alignment, that magically realigned in dreamland
- the widely varied Advent Swap treats folks come up with to share, and the creative ways they wrap them...
- today the air was soft for most of the afternoon, and so my laundry got mostly dried. Tomorrow there will be a nice freshly laundered duvet cover, with the scent of line dried laundry, nicer than any perfume

Time of Isolation - Day 1989

throwback Thursday

in which our plucky heroine remembers when the world was different...

- 5 years ago was well into the first year of isolation, and a struggle.
- 10 years ago Acorn Cottage got a new refrigerator, the same one currently in use
- 15 years ago was the last month of the year of Tigress Can Jam, and I was busy making quincemeat preserves, yum! and thinking about making pear persimmon cake (recipe below scavenged via the Wayback Machine, dunno if I ever made it, but would be a good time of year to try it now)
- 20 years ago, I had not yet started writing in a blog, but I was busy with moving into Acorn Cottage, which happened in early December

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~ Day 4 ~

Not just the fridge door is steel, but so are the house doors, and the kitchen cabinets, so there are plenty of places here at Acorn Cottage for decorative magnets to live. This magnet might be vitreous enamel; the reflections and gradations doesn't really look like resin, and the blue is just right for me... Thank you unknown artisan for this tiny addition to my home!

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Got back to some knitting on the Very Complex Shrew pattern, and have finished knitting the head, which puts me at the bottom of page 6. I need to rummage in the bead bin and find some small black beads for shrew eyes, which get attached at this point. The next step will be to pick up and knit from the neck downwards, creating the back of the shrew...

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Pear persimmon cake with maple cream cheese icing

2½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
1 stick butter, softened
1 cups milk
1 cups pear puree or pear sauce (you can use apple, but the pears add a nice texture)
1 cups pureed soft persimmons (freeze and thaw fuyu persimmons to soften)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. fresh grated ginger
1 tsp. ground cardamom

Prepare a bundt pan with buttter & a light sprinkle of flour. Preheat oven to 325°F. With a mixer, cream butter and sugar together until it is light and fluffy, about 7 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. In another bowl, combine pear & persimmon purees with milk and ginger. Add ½ c of the liquid ingredients to the butter/sugar and mix for 30 seconds, then add ½ c dry ingredients, mix for 30 seconds and repeat, alternating between wet & dry, scraping the bowl down after each addition. Pour batter into prepared bundt and bake for 60-75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, and the cake pulls away from the edges of the pan. Invert out onto a rack, cool completely, and glaze with cream cheese icing (recipe follows).

whiskey cream cheese icing

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 tbsp. maple syrup
2 tbsp. Irish whiskey
2 tbsp. powdered sugar

Beat softened cream cheese with powdered sugar, maple syrup, and whiskey until fully incorporated. If too thick to pour over cake, whisk in milk or cream, one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Pour over cake and enjoy!

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Being curious, I turned to the internet to find out what the writing on the medallion on Lucky Robot's torso signified. Apparently 招财 (Zhāocái) is an inscription meaning "to attract wealth/treasure", which is quite appropriate given the rest of their component parts!

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	-	vegetable steamer legs	fridge science experiments
2	-	-	yard waste bin
3	-	-	recycle bin
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- online image search
- steel doors (of various sorts) are a good home for decorative magnets
- the Wayback Machine of the Internet Archive

Time of Isolation - Day 1986