weekend whimsy

in which our plucky heroine looks all around...

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

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~ Rosa ~

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

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

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

2 ½" high, almost 3" diameter
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With the weather so hot as to make actual cooking less of a treat, a glance in the fridge showed the ingredients for a sort of panzanella. Well, there was a slice of leftover bread, cucumbers, feta, salad greens and suchlike, all that was missing was a tomato... Then I remembered that there were Roma tomatoes in the freezer, intended for making another batch of Awesome Sauce! Peeled and partially thawed, it was cut into chunks and added to the proto panzanella. The tomato did collapse into shreds, but added good flavor and moisture. A hack worth remembering.

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

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

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May SMART goals (x=extra)

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

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

Time of Isolation - Day 2123

Tuesday tidbits

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

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

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~ deconstruct reconstruct ~

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

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

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

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April SMART goals (x=extra)

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

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

Time of Isolation - Day 2105

sociable Sunday

in which our plucky heroine leans into her current obsession...

It seems that lately all I want to do is refurbish my worn clothing, sew a few new garments to replace those too worn to mend, and plan out how they all will interact nicely. In this time of multiple systemic collapse, why am I focusing on such a frivolous thing. It isn't all I focus on or take action about, but it is the only thing that brings me any delight, pleasure or even satisfaction. I can't make there be snow in the mountains for summertime water, or sanity in the halls of power, but by golly I can have clothing that pleases me to wear and amuses and delights random folks out in the world. 

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~ is grey okay? ~

The finished stripey shirt finished, plus details... As currently existing, the fabric reads as light grey from any significant distance, with the handmade glass buttons definitely and defiantly taupe and black. While am still tempted to overdye it, so as to let it join with the brown sector of the wardrobe, that color group already has multiple shirts and blouses, while the grey/black group is quite sparse (and also missing any pinafores in good condition) Alternatively, a taupe overdye would let it play happily in both colorways.

... I tried on the finished shirt today, and discovered that I have two (2!) different and unmarked sleeve pattern pieces in my pattern envelope. One is for a three-quarter sleeve, and one for a full length. Guess which one was used to mark out the shirt fabric... Yup... a significant oops!... the shorter one, which makes the sleeves about two inches too short. Fortunately, there are fabric scraps remaining large enough to cut two wide strips, which will be given a bit of embroidery decoration, then used to lengthen the sleeves. A bit below the intersection of armscye and side seam the entire sleeve will be sliced open and the additional fabric will make the sleeve the correct length in the least disruptive way.  And, two new sleeve pattern pieces will be cut, and each one will be labeled with RED magic marker as either "full length sleeve" or "three-quarter sleeve"

 . 
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The beets that came in my produce box still had their tops. I remembered to cook the beet greens while they were still in good condition: first melting some butter in a saucepan, adding some of the Ethiopian spice alternative that the aunties gave me, then some green onion and the chopped up greens. It was, when mixed with a scoop of cottage cheese, just enough for a single lunchtime serving. I miss life in the Before Times when we could safely eat in restaurants, but at least the savory flavors can still be enjoyed. 

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Today was alarmingly warm, for the beginning of April. It was almost 85°F on my front porch this afternoon. This does not bode well.

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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 -
-Sunday is the day of the week when I get the most social contact, usually three zoom meetings with different groups of people. - faux ayeb begomin for lunch
- Bartlett pears are so delicious
- being able to share a few sewing tips online
- most of the time, I've enough colors of embroidery floss for the projects that I want to make

Time of Isolation - Day 2096

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

Friday fragments

in which our plucky heroine reaches for bootstraps...

The warm weather on Monday was a fluke, as going forward throughout the week the weather returns to the more usual for this time of year. It has been grey, and drizzly and not particularly warm. Which is fine. 

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~ not buttons but tiny shelves? ~

There are many tutorials online about turning avocado pits into buttons, and how sturdy the inner seed becomes as it dries. Out of curiosity, decided to slice up the most recent one... These little semi-circular slices, while they could be trimmed into small discs and drilled with holes, rather call to mind miniature wall brackets, and could without much difficulty be repurposed into 1:12 scale rustic decor for the tinyworld. Hmmmm....

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With my focusing on completing unfinished projects, the ruffle-edged pillow shams have been completed, and hopefully soon be on their way to their new home, and the bank account a bit more pleasantly enlarged.

The Icelandic cardigan has been ungrafted into pieces, and is getting marked center back and either side in order to better line up the upper and lower sections. Sister made the sweetest interpretation, that once it is altered to fit me, 'twill be like "a warm hug from Dad".

While there are more of my own personal wardrobe projects eagerly awaited, my immediate next effort is to finish Bab's heraldic brooch. Maybe the experimental abalone inlay project will get its turn not too long after that (to replace the lost Mexican silver horse brooch), that is, once I finish with the small enamel award pendants for John. Those enamels are the last thing in the workshop line, my queue is almost empty.

Time to experiment as well with what sorts of enameling I can do without using silver. I switched to a fine silver ground over four decades ago, for technical reasons. Copper has always been less spendy, but much trickier for cloisonne. Now that silver (never inexpensive) has more than tripled in price, it is really affecting the choices artists must make, and it is probably time to switch back to copper... I'm considering moving away from  my beloved cloisonne to limoges style enamel for regalia, as one example.

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The last week or so have been particularly rough. Aside from the multiplicitous dumpster fires that are our current timeline, which are more than enough for anyone who is paying attention, there is no obviously immediate personal reason. Doing my best to seek and pay attention to small joys and bits of goodness is sometimes enough to contradict the brain weasels. But not always; recently the weasels are winning. Plucky heroine is Very Stubborn about not giving up, though. I seem to remember an idea of making an actual ARTifact of anti-brain-weasel serum, maybe time to revisit that idea. I think Acantha had some relevant ideas...

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It is always a small thrill when my internal database tosses out a word that fits my writing perzactly, and the spell check says nope, but double checking several online real dictionaries says yes, and then that dopamine moment of clicking "add to dictionary"

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Month SMART goals (x=extra)

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

today's gratitudes -
- Super Supportive - Chapter 274 !!!
- using chevre as a feta substitute (not quite the same flavor profile, but an improvement on a bike ride in the cold rain)
- quince rosewater applesauce
- that dopamine moment of clicking "add to dictionary"

Time of Isolation - Day 2066

Monday microclimates

in which our plucky heroine sees signs of spring...

It might be a bit early, though winter has been greatly remiss in sending us cold, rain, (or even snow) Today the temperature on the front porch was 72°F (22°C), warm enough to be out riding my bike without cardigan or jacket... scattered here and there were cherry blossoms, even saw a star magnolia in full flower, as well as daffodils, crocus, and anemone. Here at Acorn Cottage, the snowdrops are mostly done, but aside from rosemary and the long lasting hellebore, the only things almost flowering is euphorbia. There are tiny tiny leaf buds on the quince, and before too long, it will be necessary to take the string trimmer to the grass, which has been gradually becoming more and more shaggy all winter.

Today was all about making some progress on quite a few various projects, but nothing is yet completed. Icelandic cardigan pieces pinned together, another few letters on the resepei embroidery, pillow sham pieces laid out and cut to size, found the right size drill bits for the heraldic brooch rivets, 

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~ day 61 ~

Standing in my kitchen making breakfast, and realised that I'd not yet drawn my beloved hand forged iron pot rack! It was made by my friend Heidi in exchange for my stepping in at the last minute to sew her Viking era wedding dress when her seamstress bailed. My dear friend Bill made the set of hanging hooks, and helped me attach the rack to the wall framing above the stove. (yes, I know more than one blacksmith, and in fact know at least four more in addition to the two mentioned above, including one who was a winner on the early "Forged In Fire" show...)

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the BIG herringbone fabric (Ikea curtains from Beth and Karen)... it was a pleasant surprise today when I held it up against my shirts and dresses in natural daylight, it is a significantly better color than it looked under artificial light... still a bit more pale than my usual preference, but definitely in the right indigo color family; a pinafore made from it will have many friends in my wardrobe

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I participate in a weekend online group where one of the members gives a short talk  and then we discuss the topic presented. If no one volunteers, the other option is to watch a short video. As yours truly really does not prefer video as a mode of learning, I have been trying to volunteer at least once each quarter. The first time was really scary, but as I have been doing this on and off for some time now, it has become challenging but not too difficult. Now I mostly struggle to figure out some topic on which I have both experience and enthusiasm, that would also be of interest to folks who are distant from my various venn diagram demographics. This one seemed to be appealing, since it got quite a few votes when we were selecting topics for the coming quarter. I will be presenting it in May, and by then my current actual 100 day drawing challenge will have been completed...

Objects of Affection - a 100 day drawing challenge

100 day challenges are a useful way to explore activities and/or to develop new habits. This particular challenge combines noticing various things that we appreciate in our surroundings, and taking a short time each day to draw them. This is not a challenge about being a "good artist" but rather a way to encourage the hand eye connection, a type of human interface that is often neglected in our education and lives. This challenge requires only curiousity, functional hands, fifteen or less minutes a day, and extremely minimal supplies (index cards and a pencil). The small size and simple materials make the project less "precious", making it more accessible. Needing to find a new "object of affection" each day turns this challenge into a different form of gratitude meditation, which is one of the ways I have found it very valuable.

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~ alteration and repair ~

After chatting with Beth and Karen about various ways to refurbish handknits, the old Icelandic cardigan sitting in the closet called out to return to service. It was Dad's, I think a souvenir of one of their many trips while he was in Germany working for Erno on the European branch of the space shuttle. It has always been much too long in the torso for me, so my current plan is to remove quite a bit of the center of the body, then graft the upper and lower parts together .

Before that could begin, it was necessary to remove the crocheted button bands; fortunately the center front steek had been reinforced with machine sewing. Once I marked the upper and lower future edges to graft using cotton yarn as a sort of lifeline, I first unraveled the lower edge from the cardigan. I tried pinning it in place where measurements would likely place it, but for some reason it wasn't as level as would be ideal. I shall need to lower the back edge somewhat, curving the grafted edge to create the equivalent of short rows. It will be a challenge. Once the body of the cardigan is better fitted to my short round self, I will add new button bands, probably with multiple rows of I-cord, and reuse the original cast pewter buttons. 

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March 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 -
- warm enough to be out without a jacket
- the three holes in the icelandic cardigan I am refurbishing were not moth holes, but rather spots where the color change of the yarn had come undone and therefore let the stitches drop
- simple tasty steamed veggies for dinner 

Time of Isolation - Day 2062

a rare remembering from the dreamlands when awakening... moving into still green water pond edges swimming with a man and a dog companions newly met across to open maze edges waterweed rough coated dog like a deerhound and man hair all spikey no fear explore?? woke up thinking that was Very Odd indeed. Water in the dreamlands is usually both active and dangerous, and this reminded me more of the pond out past DeCordova decades ago where John and I went skinny dipping, the whole being equally weedy and nowhere deeper than my shoulders. Also dreamland folks are rarely so benign. 'Twas much better than waking up from a nightmare...

tiger tiger indigotiger

in which our plucky heroine has a basically mundane day...

Is it winter? Is it early spring? depends entirely on where you live and on where you look... I'm calling it late winter, as we've gone from almost warm enough to go without a jacket back to almost cold enough to snow. There is the tiniest bit of green showing here and there on the tree limbs, not leaves yet of course, but signs of where there will be buds. There are snowdrops flowering in the front border, and under the Wanda plum. (saw a video yesterday about how to lift and transplant snowdrops to spread them around the yard; must needs remember that once ours are done flowering

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~ burning bright ~

tiger 7" wide, 6" tall

The teal linen pinafore is done, and I have decided that it does in fact want to have the bodice pocket added... This is one of the sample block printed tigers from last year used here as decoration, needle-turned applique onto some of the teal linen. Being able to leave just an edge of the black background around the tiger helps set it off from the almost but not quite the same teal color. Once the applique is finished, it will be faced with another layer of linen to protect the hand stitching, and then the whole thing top-stitched in place as the front bodice pocket. 

In general, I prefer to design my garment embellishments so that they can be worked on separately from sewing the clothing, and added on afterwards, and/or removed at the end of a garment's life span, and used on another piece. I'll be doing that with the "time is a dressmaker" hemline applique from my (made in 2019, and now sadly threadbare) brown corduroy pinafore, which is planned to be replaced with a new brown linen one this year...

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A day to cook up an assortment of things, so as to have an assortment of new things to eat. Kale from yesterday's produce delivery will become some kale bulgar salad, and the rest of the cilantro and green onions will season the greens and rice bake breakfast casserole, and seasoning for some of Sister Gigi's corn pancakes. Right grateful that I have so many good recipes, and really need to get on with creating hardcopy of all of them!

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

today's gratitudes -
- handwork, ever consoling, ever satisfying
- mulitcraftualism
- Quah, 1974, Jorma Kaukonen
- the knitting needle size gauge, rarely used for its intended purpose, but ideal for stripping cilantro leaves from their stems

Time of Isolation - Day 2051

begin again

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

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

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

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~ festive meal ~

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

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

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

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~ mirrored plaid ~

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

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

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~ day 1/100 ~

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

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January SMART goals (x=extra)

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

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

Time of Isolation - Day 2014

A small improvement

in which our plucky heroine has a fairly quiet day indoors...

Doing a little bit of productivity, and a fair amount of planning. If I had rain boots, going out for walks in foul weather would be less fraught. This will require research, and possibly contacting Tullia

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~ the right tool ~

Sewing a transit pass case: while I missed, I am sure, much of the useful content since I do not speak Japanese, I was able to follow enough of the video to create a functional and useful case. Instead of using what appears to be double sticky tape to hold the clear vinyl in place, I used washi tape just on the edges and removed it when done with the internal edge stitching, as shown in a different tutorial. Had to forgo the tiny D-ring, for lack of such hardware, but a leather loop and split ring serve the same function. The new finished case is nowhere near perfect, but it is perfectly functional and a lot less flimsy than what was previously in use...

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Earlier this evening I started cutting out plaid flannel shirt, mostly becasue it is actually a fairly simple sewing project, the only two challenges being properly mirroring the bias plaid front, and then adding the tower placket to the sleeves. My intention is to cut out the rest of the pieces tomorrow, and put in some time every day until it is finished. It may not yet have made much difference, but moving even one packet of fabric and pattern out of the emporium and into the wardrobe is helpful. Another warm wintertime flannel shirt will be very welcome.

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If the forecast is correct, tomorrow might be a good day for a bike ride to the post office. Today was Much Too Damp! 

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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	1 pair undies	Gamma bucket lid	recycle bin
4	2 alphabeast  drawings	one page of the embroidery transfer	recycle bin
5	1 alphabeast  drawing	daypack mended	recycle bin
6	phone pouch	cleaned keyboard	x
7	transit pass case	undie waistband	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- knowing that done is better than perfect
- Mt Dishmore is (temporarily) vanquished
- being able to talk about deep topics with my friend Mischa

Time of Isolation - Day 2008

Monday miscellany

in which our plucky heroine starts another pick up project...

It was still pitch dark when I left the house to head for my medical appointment this morning. Raining, but not raining hard. I always plan on extra transit time, since better early than late, which meant that there was no time for breakfast at home. I arrived about forty minutes before my check in time at the medical center.

There is a rooftop plaza with half a dozen round tables and benches on the second floor of the medical building, accessed through doors in a glasses in hallway. I've never seen anyone out there, but it is unlocked, and was the perfect isolated outdoor but sheltered spot to eat my breakfast, a bowl of oatmeal porridge from the cafe downstairs.

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Did a bit of downtown shopping, since I was already out and about on transit. Some blue Saral transfer paper from Blick, in the hope of an easier time with the kid art embroidery project, and several skeins of deep red DMC floss. Then, since downtown already, stopped at Muji to look for 2026 pocket calendars that start on Mondays. Last year I waited until January, and they were all out, but I was in luck this time. I love Muji for stationery supplies. Also found a raised mesh steel tray that might let me use air fryer recipes in the wee tabletop convection oven.

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After I got home, I experimented with the transfer paper, one of the two tracings of Kestrel's drawing and the unbleached linen fabric... turns out that I had to press really firmly several times to get the lines visible. Not a flaw of the technique, but rather the bumpy surface of the fabric, even though well ironed. But it did work, and I was able to then trace the blue chalky lines with a .005 Micron pen. One of the two pages is now ready for stitching!

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~ 2nd page first ~

This promises hours of peaceful pleasure. The transferred artwork has been inked with a very thin .005 Micron pen in preparation for embroidering. When this one is finished, there is the first page to do as well. Eventually they will hang on the wall in the kitchen here at Acorn Cottage, much to my delight. I adore kid art, and this two page illustrated recipe is from a kiddo I adore muchly.

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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	1 pair undies	Gamma bucket lid	recycle bin
4	2 alphabeast  drawings	one page of the embroidery transfer	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- Uninhabited outdoor rooftop plaza at the medical building, perfect for breakfast (it had stopped raining by then)
- we have a Muji store downtown
- Photoshop

Time of Isolation - Day 1997

Tuesday tidbits

in which our plucky heroine gathers mathoms...

and an assortment of "extra" advent swap treats, and wrapped everything that wasn't already wrapped. Why? Well one of my friends posted today that they never saw any of the FB Advent Of A Better Year group posts before today, and had been hoping to participate this year. While I can't send them an entire bonus box, I want to send them a container of as much random daily dopamine as I can rustle up. Gol-darn ay-eye eff-bee algae-rhythms are not sharing messages or posts on that platform in any kind of reliable way. Fortunately said pal is local, so we can find a way to connect in person! 

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~ Advent Swap day 2 ~
.

The origami box was really carefully folded, with a clever use of washi tape triangles to seal and decorate the wrapping... inside, a less than 1" tall little amber colored glass vase, just right for the tinyworld! (a single rosemary floret and a wee sprig of chickweed were about the right size)

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I keep adding things to the shadowbox over the last several years. All the books on the shelves have content (not blank books). The fire in the fireplace is built atop an LED tea light, and flickers nicely. Now, after queries from Ashe & Co. about the two small drawers at the bottom of the bookcases, I am wondering what needs to be stored in there? I was thinking about a functional magnifying glass. Also maybe things like a deck of cards, and maybe I can find the box of dominoes I made a few years ago...

I realised as I was falling asleep that I could make a functional miniature magnifying glass. Long ago we got a few dozen very small clear quartz cabochons for an SCA project, where they were used as magnifiers. When I checked this morning, I still had a few of them left in the Box Of Rocks... Will need some design work, but the fabrication is all within my skill set

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Took a midday break to ride out to the St Johns Tiny (free little art) Gallery. I've learned that if I like the art on display that month, to head over there as close to the beginning of the month as feasible. There were still quite a few of the paintings from this months show to choose one from; 2½" square gouache "snapshots" from a road trip the artist took. I took home one that showed scenery in the Columbia Gorge, and left a collage and two spherical floral pompoms in exchange.

The weather today was a bit raw, and my hands would have been happier had I worn the naalbound mittens instead of the embroidered fleece lined mitts. I also need to make self either an earflap cap to wear under the bike helmet, or the triangular layered ear covers that attach to the helmet rigging

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

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

today's gratitudes -  
- handmade lampworked glass tiny advent gift this morning
- carrot coriander soup cubes in the freezer = easy breakfast
- found all my singular samples of my own homemade advent treats.
- at the post office, I didn't want to deal with locking up my bike when all I needed was to drop the bill in the mail slot, so I rolled it alongside me through the door. Then the kind woman who was heading in after me, held the door so it was easier for me to go back outside. She wasn't at all fussed, just friendly and told me to have a safe ride.

Time of Isolation - Day 1984

a successful Sunday

in which our plucky heroine speaks about how...

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

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~ Escheresque ~

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

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

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

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

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November SMART goals (x=extra)

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

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

Time of Isolation - Day 1976

my arm is a noodle

in which our plucky heroine gets her jab...

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

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~ just for fun ~

"above the clouds, the sun is always shining"

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

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

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

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

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September SMART goals (x=extra)

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

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

Time of Isolation - Day 1926

Eugene rinse cycle

in which our plucky heroine forgot to check the weather apps ...

In the middle of last night, awaken to the pleasant drumming of raindrops on the metal window awnings and roll over back into dreamland. In the morning, remember that most of yesterday's laundry is still pinned to the line, and cross "put laundry away" off today's list of housey chores.

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~ "When Halley came to Jackson" ~

I just love this Mary Chapin Carpenter song (and the picture book that goes with it)

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Put another round of Gersvinda pears into the food dehydrator. Once the whole bin has been processed, there may be enough to fill the largest Fido jar with pear "candy" goodness for the next year. This time I am peeling the pears before drying, as leaving the peel on last year was less than ideal. 

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It never occurred to me before that pancakes could be made ahead and used as flatbread. Eversomuch easier than making actual bread, and will be a nice alternative. Pamela's gluten free mix is my go-to, as it is really tasty, and even halving the recipe on the package makes more than our plucky heroine can eat at one time. A few flat-cakes stashed in the freezer equals a few additional fast meals on days when the cope-o-meter is pointing to E.

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September SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	4 barkcloth tea towels	box fan grille	greenwaste bin
2	yellow triangle pouch	needle gauge herb stripper	greenwaste bin
3	knitted pony	pruning elderberry	recycle bin
4	8 jars quince apple  rosewater sauce	pruning nandina	-
5	6+ jars fig lemon marmalade	picked moar figs	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

weekend gratitudes -
- moar figs to turn into marmalade
- I was lucky to be alive in the bright world at the same time as my late friend Stef. Though we never met in person, we met online every week...
- the sound of rain and the scent of petrichor 
- pancakes can become flatbread
- YouTube is full of origami tutorials, such as this big origami bowl
-  Zoom remains a lifeline 

Time of Isolation - Day 1911

wishful Wednesday

in which our plucky heroine dreams of cooler days...

It is still humid, but slightly less hot, and there were a few scattered and splattered raindrops when I rode my bike to the post office this morning, though unfortunately not enough to really count as precipitation IMHO. The numbers on the thermometer might be a few degrees lower, but as it is still above human body temperature, still not very comfortable to spend much time outside. Obviously, staying indoors is my best strategy. My wish for today is for coolness and grey skies, and enough rain across the forested lands to help slow or put out the many raging fires.

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~ remember this ~

another wish, to never forget the truth of these words...

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Batik dress progress report: all that remains is hemming the dress and adding pockets, but I am not entirely happy with the shape of the simple bound neckline, as it hangs pretty far away from my neck on both sides, more like a scooped neckline, which isn't a preferred style. Not quite sure why it is pulling outwards. It is wearable, but it reminds me too much of the muu muu dresses my nana wore (well basically my popover dresses are muu muus, but often I add interest with neckline area details) I want to design a more decorative yoke and apply that as an "afterthought".

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Neighborhood noticings:  School started this week, and the big new house on the other end of the block has a little going into first grade, and were getting photographed in the front doorway with their shiny new backpack and a big grin. Riding past the park, saw a man doing some sort of wheeled parkour, where he leapt and balanced atop the railing while on his scooter!

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August SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	4 jar storage trays	tiger block	greenwaste bin
2	4 jar storage lids	bright rayon top width	recycle bin
3	dried basil	indigotiger popover  hem extension	recycle bin
4	3 jars apple/quince rosewater sauce	bike rear wheel	window AC
5	3 kitchen towels	new apron straps	apple tree prunings
6	x	frame for Pyle cartoon	greenwaste bin
7	x	x	recycle bin
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- I can stay inside and hide from the heat
- girded loins and made actual (if miniscule) admin progress
- cricket song at night is the soundtrack of summer

Time of Isolation - Day 1863