suddenly it isn't summer

in which our plucky heroine notes the changing season...

wasn't sure about waking up early enough, but it was still barely drizzling and quite cool, so picked plums before breakfast. Then it started to rain in earnest while I was online chatting with sister. Very glad to have finished the Pelican and got it in the post yesterday, as I don't ride my bike in the rain, because spectacles don't have wipers.

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~ time to preserve ~

My friend Wanda gave me plum starts twenty years ago. Before it really began raining this morning, I picked almost 2½ pounds of nicely ripe plums from that small tree, which are now washed, cut up, and put in the freezer. Future breakfasts will be very tasty!

In addition, as for what to do with the too-early-picked alley plums, they have become 8 small jars of "spicy asian plum sauce"* a good homegrown answer to hoisin sauce. Three weeks ago, after the alley pirates plucked all the not-ripe-but-purple plums they could reach, my good neighbors wanted to pick the tall ones using their ladder, and I offered them the use of my fruit picking tool as well. They sweetly left me a bowl full of what looked ripe on the outside but was very much still green and tart inside. Plums do not ripen off the tree, they soften, but their flavor doesn't really get any sweeter or more complex. After three weeks, some were getting too soft to use at all, so since there were just about 2 pounds, it was a perfect fit for plum sauce, and my pantry condiments can start getting refilled. 

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Yesterday was the 3D printer event at Albina Library. It was so much fun to try and wrap my brain around something different, and I want to learn more so as to be able to create my own objects for the tinyworld. But since that complex skillset isn't mine (yet), just used some of the free files from Printables, and made two little mission style plant stands, and a tiny Dala horse. The brown plastic, makes the Dala horse look as if it was made of milk chocolate, a peculiarly large not-Easter-bunny. (in 1:12 scale at 1" tall it is about 12"). I'm wondering if I can scale it down even further and print it in color. 

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The Pelican medallion in a simple setting with beaded wire edging.

actual size 1½" diameter
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September SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	8 small jars plum sauce	plums in freezer	-
2	printed 3D plant stands	-	-
3	printed tiny Dala horse	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- homegrown tree fruit
- free tech programs at the library
- Joan Huntley, Britta Hall, and the year of Tigress's CanJam, whereby I was introduced to home canning and encouraged to make it be one of the skills I practice every year  

Time of Isolation - Day 2238

* One of my kitchen tenets is to put effort into making high-flavor condiments that can then be used to add savor to simple meals throughout the year; plum sauce takes the place of things like ketchup, and hoisin sauce, and if homemade, has no weird ingredients that require a chemistry degree to decipher, just things like tamari and garlic and vinegar and cayenne, and plums...

Spicy Asian-style Plum Sauce:

2lbs. fresh plums - pitted and quartered 2½C sugar ½C vinegar 3T soy sauce 1T ground ginger 2 minced garlic cloves 1/8tsp cayenne

Combine all, and bring to a boil, then simmer til the fruit is very tender. Puree, then cook till very thick It will take some time to cook down... Keep watch so it does not catch and burn When suitably thickened, jar and process ≈4 8oz jars - ¼" headspace - process 10 minutes

recipe can be multiplied

Friday fragments

in which our plucky heroine returns to blog posting...

The last few days have been really focused on enameling, and something about spending much of the day standing in front of a 1500°f oven, alternating with intensely close focused work (basically one grain of sand at a time) is exhausting. I've done very little else this week, other than basic maintenance ie showers, cooking and eating, sleeping, and movement early in the day before the hot yellow daystar gets too enthusiastic

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~ progress report~

Pelican enamel took more time than anticipated to complete, but eventually by the end of last night was ready for me to set aside time this weekend to make the setting. If all goes well, it will be in the post on Monday. I enjoy trying at least one new thing in each piece of regalia, and in this one I chose to add texture to with an assortment of bent wires meant to evoke the sense of "bird nest". Am pretty happy with the result.

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"find out who you are and do it on purpose" - Dolly Parton 

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Finished all the knitting on the Tabby Cat bandana cowl, and will do the same sort of 2 color/2 stitch i-cord bind off as I did on the Cloud Mountain bandana cowl...  here are a few helpful links for Future Me, as foolish Past Me left no notes on my blog or on my Ravelry project page: 
i-cord bind off and alternating 2 color i-cord

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I was going to focus today on fabricating the setting for the Pelican, but since I am hella tired on account of getting up at first light to spend some serious time with the loppers and the Felco pruners, in order to fill the greenwaste bin before the big truck came to pick it up. Shall try and remember to do that task just a tad sooner next week, eh? Decided that instead, defrosting the freezer today was a better choice for the amount of spoons available rather than working with sharp objects and fire, and getting that kitchen task done and dusted before Monday's faucet replacement made sense. The empty freezer, slid away from the wall will allow both the annual mopping behind, and attaching the second Talenti tub shelf. 

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August SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 Talenti shelves	Talenti shelf up	greenwaste bin
2	acorncap earrings	2nd pot lid rack	recycle bin
3	teaspoon earrings	painted mailbox	greenwaste bin
4	glass button earrings	Strombecker lamp	recycle bin
5	poppy pod earrings	reglue earrings	greenwaste bin
6	red cube earrings	porch storage	greenwaste bin
7	Pelican enamel	painted grille	x
8	x	defrosted freezer	x
9	x	2nd Talenti shelf	x

today's gratitudes - 
- binder clips, which are great for keeping bags of foods clipped shut in the chest freezer
- someone put magazines in the local little free library, two of which have provided me with a plentiful supply of smooth paper to use underneath when sifting counterenamel
- "Ka" by John Crowley (am about a quarter of the way into it and very curious about where it will go...)
- four of my digital library requests all arrived this week
today's gratitudes
- Acantha generosity, in particular the 2qt Dansk cookpot
- Pelican enamel successfully completed
- Using doubled mylar bubblepack grocery delivery bags as temporary cold storage for freezer contents has worked really well. I've been saving all of them for ages, for various uses, and had enough to double bag the entire contents of the chest freezer. Put down several layers of bath towels in the tub, then stacked the food in doubled bags, then covered with blankets.

Time of Isolation - Day 2233

Monday miscellany

in which our plucky heroine tries to keep cool...

It was supposed to be less hot this weekend, but I must have blinked and missed it. The bubbler/waterer attachment for the garden hose finally arrived, and my plan is to move it from one young tree to another in order to try and reduce their heat stress. 

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~ well begun ~

Meant to share this image last week... Bending the cloisonné wires is the slowest part of the whole process of creating an enamel peerage medallion. It requires great precision at a very small scale, and takes me multiple hours to complete this step, before the layers of enamel can be added.

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I realised this weekend that I almost never ever leave the house door open (with the screen in use for air flow) which is why I've not noticed for at least twenty years that the screening itself is damaged. I can safely ignore this particular problem that I have been obsessing about for the last few days, and move on to deal with other house issues.

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The porch flooring repair and the kitchen faucet replacement are scheduled for the beginning of next week. Fingers crossed it all goes according to plan and doesn't turn up any further damage that needs repaired. In addition, I was able to pick up two more cans of the hammered dark bronze Rustoleum from Fred Meyers closeout shelf, for  painting at least the exterior front screen door, plus as much of the other two as is feasible. 

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Very incremental wardrobe progress over the last week. My batik summer dress is slowly being pieced together from various leftover scraps, one or two seams per day. Though if we get the Super El Nino winter that is threatened, I'll still have a great many more days to wear it. No great loss without some gain. The Tabby Cat Cowl is also coming along bit by bit, as I mostly only knit on it during zoom meetings.

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August SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 Talenti shelves	Talenti shelf up	greenwaste bin
2	acorncap earrings	2nd pot lid rack	recycle bin
3	teaspoon earrings	painted mailbox	greenwaste bin
4	glass button earrings	Strombecker lamp	recycle bin
5	poppy pod earrings	reglue earrings	greenwaste bin
6	red cube earrings	porch storage	x
7	x	painted grille	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes - 
- located two more cans of Rustoleum spray paint 
- finished bending Pelican wires
- frozen organic blueberries

Time of Isolation - Day 2231

assorted Pelican regalia

in which our plucky heroine collects together images of some of the Pelican medallions I've made over the years...

for my non-SCA friends, these pendants and brooches are regalia (symbolic jewelry) worn by folks who have received an honor for ongoing service to the SCA organisation at a highly significant level.

one of the smallest enamels


very small Norse filigree style


large Pelican in a textured nest


Pel-Laurel pearl border


Norse style enamel Pelican


Pel-Laurel with diapered border


triple Peerage collaborative medallion


Large lozenge Pel-Laurel


Black Pelican 


basic Pelican

 
the "bad" Pelican


Birka style silver filigree


Celtic style Pelican

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Thursday thoughts

in which our plucky heroine continues forward momentum...

leaving some tasks undone to deal with long delayed commissions

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~ more than half done ~

Golden Torc and Purple Fret award enamels for Ian

3 partial days in front of the kiln, but all this enameling done before the heat wave sets in... Once the tiny pendant settings are made, this project will be complete and ready to post. While other house tasks fall by the wayside (I see you Mt Dishmore) it feels really great to be tackling and finishing the various projects that have been on hold.

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Yesterday decided to take a chunk of the afternoon to go downtown to the "Clay Commons" market. The park it is in has a fun fountain, and there were maybe a dozen different booths with a wide variety of pottery arts. There were two different artists that had tiny ceramic pieces as well as more usual sizes, so it might be necessary to return prepared to shop for the tinyworld. Since I was downtown already, also stopped at Dick Blick to get a tube of Caligo Safe Wash ink in opaque white for future printing of the 5th god blocks on a black voile scarf...

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As part of my ongoing sew as much as I can for myself, have been continuing to work out TNT patterns for everything. Underthings have particular challenges in finding a balance between stretch and comfort. I'd hoped that using cotton lycra bands to replace waist and leg elastics would work well, but waist bands were not robust enough to hold the undies up where they belong, leading to an annoying case of "droopy drawers". Have ordered elastic from WAWAK and am now committed to refurbishing the 7 pairs already made. 

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I want to find the shade cloth curtain so it can be put in place over the western window before the heat really hits us. I've moved the worm bin back into the laundry zone for now. Might find one of the extra watering buckets and prep it to keep my rhubarb happy, ditto for the backyard persimmon. Also making some extra ice cubes will help for my own comfort, and it is finally time to switch to summer bedding and put away the flannel sheets and the comforter... There was a piece of tie dyed fabric from a play day at the local art store, and it turned out to be just the right size to make two small summertime pillowcases for the buckwheat hull pillows.

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June SMART goals (x=extra)

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

today's gratitudes -
- white nectarines are the best
- finished enameling before the heat danger set in
- new T Kingfisher library hold waiting to be picked up tomorrow 
- tie-dye pillowcases

Time of Isolation - Day 2163

Third time is the charm

in which our plucky heroine makes further progress...

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

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~ almost finished ~

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

~ and, finally done... ~

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

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

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June SMART goals (x=extra)

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

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

Time of Isolation - Day 2152

Saturday snippets

in which our plucky heroine returns to the workbench...

My video chat last night with Mischa was wonderful and wide ranging, as it often is, and in response to one of the topics we talked about, my day began with setting up my workbench zone to tackle the setting for Babs' heraldic regalia brooch. Of course, before that could happen, there were other morning chores, but turning on the shop pickle pot first of all meant that later, it would be ready for dealing with soldering or annealling... 

And before returning to the workshop, there was adding fresh food and bedding to the worm habitat, and dealing with laundry. Washing the duvet cover means first taking it outside to untie it and remove the inner duvet, since there are always bits of downy feathers that come loose, which is better outdoors. That washed while breakfast happened, and as today was going to be chilly and sort of damp-ish, a quick bike ride to the laundromat (+ 75¢) spun the cover warm and dry, ready to tied back on the duvet...

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~ third time is the charm? ~

Truth be told, this project has been sitting on the workbench for more time than clearly remembered, as there were first one and then another failure. The brain weasels of Imposter Syndrome had more than one field day. The first enamel had to be redone (which happens occasionally, sometimes for unknown reasons), and then my initial attempt to fabricate the complex setting failed when about halfway done. Ugh! And it sat in a box on the workbench for months and months, sticking its tiny little tongue out at me...

Yesterday, when it turned out that there would be an unexpected porch visit today, Karen suggested that if one or both of the Olympia projects were done, they could courier it back north. Well, that suggestion combined with the "Do One Thing Different" conversation was enough torque for a restart. While it may not look like much, and being only 1" x 1½", the setting is really complicated. The upper layer has the serrated bezel to hold the enamel, and will be riveted to the lower layer through the four lugs on each point of the diamond shape. The lower layer, which is not yet completed, has four additional lugs centered on the sides of the diamond shape, which now have "pearl cups" attached. That soldering task was nerve wracking, as possible failure then was at the highest point, until all four were well placed and not melted. It still needs to have the pin findings soldered to the back, holes drilled for rivets and pearl pins, the upper and lower pieces riveted together, the setting polished, the enamel set, and the pearls attached. Fingers crossed that all goes smoothly.

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When Beth and Karen stopped by today, they dropped off some interesting potential pinafore fabric for me. Cotton herringbone in medium blue warp and light blue weft, so the overall color is sort of pale denim-ish, and the herringbone stripes are really wide, like 1⅜". While it isn't perzacktly my color, it is adjacent, and I'd been wishing for a wide stripe to play with seamline zigzags on skirt gores. I'm taking this as the universe delivering just such a thing!

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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	long jane borders	recycle bin
7	lots of drawings	removed 2 ferns	greenwaste bin
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- starting the day differently yielded different results
- a porch visit from Beth and Karen
- more than halfway done with Babs brooch
- the worm bin appears to be thriving

Time of Isolation - Day 2060

Monday miscellany

in which our plucky heroine is tuckered out...

Staying up late last night and working like a madwoman was needful, despite not having the stamina of thirty or more years ago. And my project is a success, both in itself and to remind folks that I am not gone but just isolated. And a success to remind self that I can do complicated things, which ever bears repeating.

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~ 15½ hours... ~

The Laurel medallion I finished working on last night... with a complex two-sided setting that required much cogitation to fabricate, and the disc background under the blue enamel engraved and stamped with a charge from Laeriel's heraldry. This is what I do. The whole piece is 1½" (38mm) in diameter.

Since it needs to be at JuneFaire for her elevation on Saturday, it was most propitious that Mr Dawson was coming down here today and could hand carry it north to Olympia. This meant it need not be trusted to the tender mercies of the USPS, and could be then carried the rest of the way to the event by Elanor. I love it when our impromptu SCA courier crew works out.

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Always a treat to see my friend and colleague Bill, though the days we shared a studio space are decades past. He's always a font of fascinating information, and today, among other topics, I learned about "pine bark iron", one of the materials in his most recent set of inlaid spindle whorls. The texture on the reverse of the one made from that iron was like Ponderosa bark made tiny, (those trees being what we called "ice cream trees" when I was a child, for the sweet vanilla scent). 

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Long ago, there was soup made, but spell check translated "avgolemono" as "demonology" (which says something about common vocabulary?!?) and so it has been renamed in my lexicon. Nonetheless, it is a favorite simple meal. As I also wanted to bake a lemon cookie, which requires 1 egg yolk, the extra white was added to a second egg, and along with a cube of rice from the freezer and a heaping spoonful of "better than bouillon", dinner was ready in a trice. The cookie(s) baked while I was eating my soup, and now the kitchen is filled with a toasty lemony fragrance.

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June SMART goals (x=extra)

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

today's gratitudes -
- demonology soup (avgolemono, according to spell check)
- gifts from Jen: Totoro origami, and a recipe from Kestrel
- a visit from Mr Dawson, with conversation and a hug
- many positive comments on social media (re my handiwork)

Time of Isolation - Day 1792

weekend wonderments

in which our plucky heroine pays attention...

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

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~ halfway there ~

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

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

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

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

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June SMART goals (x=extra)

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

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

Time of Isolation - Day 1791

werk werk werk

in which our plucky heroine enjoys a reprieve...

This morning has my favorite weather pattern - "June Gloom", where the morning sky is grey and the air gentle and cool, which made my morning constitutional very pleasant indeed. Today will possibly stay that way all day, so my plan is to turn on Mr Hot, my venerable enameling kiln, and spend the day in the workroom Getting Stuff Done!

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~ and it's blueberries all the way down ~
>

not sure what went right that hasn't ever in the past, but there's more than a handful of unripe berries... Might need netting for protection later, 'cos our plucky heroine isn't the only one who likes blueberries!

A quick check of the backyard plantings, and there are more sugar snap peas coming on, and the smallest signs of tomato formation on Juliet's lowest blossoms. The potato greens keep growing, and I'll try to fill just a bit more mulch atop them before the pot is too full.  

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I'd pretty much given up on finding any more, but I found someone on Ebay selling three tubes of my best beloved hand cream, the one that keeps the skin on my paws from cracking, and doesn't smell horrible. Soon it will be in the post headed my way. This bit of slightly spendy self-indulgence will push back a little further in time the necessity of settling for a less functional bit of everyday body care. 

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~ just the start ~

Custom SCA Laurel regalia project. This is about 6+ hours into it so far (not including design prep time; am trying to do a better job of keeping track of how many hours each part of the process takes). Hoping to get the cloisonné enameling finished tonight (that may be a bit optimistic) so I can start building the complex setting tomorrow.

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June SMART goals (x=extra)

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

today's gratitudes -
- June Gloom is my favorite weather
- Sharpies are so useful! 
- denatured alcohol to remove sharpie ink
- finding my favorite discontinued hand cream on Ebay

Time of Isolation - Day 1789

Friday fragments

in which our plucky heroine blinks ...

"everything can change in the blink of an eye, so let the good times roll before we say goodbye..."*

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~ weighted branchlet ~

It is apparent to me that pears just want to grow straight up. The pear tree behind Rosehaven, when I lived on a hillside in Seattle, was tall enough to support a pulley clothesline out the second floor upstairs window. The pear tree in my next door neighbor's yard here is so tall that they have no access to the fruit.  Not only is our plucky heroine a devoted disciple of the "Grow A Little Fruit Tree" creed, but have been learning ways to modify the growth of young trees in various ways, not just by pruning.

In the photo above you can see how the weighted branchlet is not quite horizontal, while if you look closely in the background there are two unweighted branchlets growing vertically. By adding a weight to a new branch it stabilises closer to horizontal, which will encourage the eventual formation of fruiting buds rather than just vegetal growth. The new growth on the Bosc pear is still very tender, but attaching a soft rubber band to a hardware store nut makes a weight that can be looped over the branch without damage. It looks a bit odd, but once the branch growth sets, it can then be removed easily.

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I keep wanting to take a nap for a few hours in the middle of the afternoon, somewhere between 2:30 to around 4pm... is this normal? is this a sign of aging? of stress? or?? Once it gets to be actual summer, instead of sunny over 80°F (27°C) ostensibly "springtime", I will definitely turn crepuscular and nap away the hottest sunniest part of the days.

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Much productive communication back and forth with Laeriel and we have settled on a plan for her medallion. There is a voided quatrefoil stamp in my collection of tools, just about ⅛" wide, and by placing that in the center of the cross hatched background, we can reference her motif without all the faffing about with a green central enamel with gold outlines, and just use a clear transparent blue overall for the background. Her husband Wolfegar will be creating an etched backing plate for the setting, so this will be a collaborative piece of regalia. I am much relieved at the design change, as it will be much simpler to fabricate, and better show the diapered pattern.

※※※

Internet Archive has an assortment of Grateful Dead concert recordings, and listening to Providence Civic Center/1974 while out for an evening bike ride was a real treat, if not as much of a treat as actually being there. (I don't actually remember which concert and what year Charlotte and I drove down from Boston to see them there, back in our younger days...)

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May SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	heraldic fern painted	added pea trellis	greenwaste bin
2	XP2 sun protection	planted Seckel pear tree	recycle bin
3	-	Juliet tomato planted	recycle bin
4	-	marigolds planted	-
5	-	pear branchlets weighted	-
6	-	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
- nuts and bands: figured out a simply way to modify branchlet growth
- Internet Archive's collection of Grateful Dead concert recordings
- today's gratitudes - - nuts and bands: figured out a simply way to modify branchlet growth - Internet Archive's collection of Grateful Dead concert recordings - Past me got to hear a lot of great live music back in the 20th century...

Time of Isolation - Day 1754

* from: "The Bug", Dire Straits, Mark Knopfler

making and mending

in which our plucky heroine eats the frog...

well not literally, of course, but I did spend too many hours today doing admin tasks, which is one of my least favorite thing ever. (I'd even rather clean the bathroom fixtures than make phone calls) Got partway through one set of confustication, and made appointments to deal with two more. Will return to the fray tomorrow. Incremental progress is still progress.

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~ so tiny and blue ~
.

On October 6th I mentioned the heraldic blue wolf enamel I had been commissioned to make, to embellish an SCA coronet, and today Cathyn sent me a photo of the completed project that it was made to decorate:

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More mending: one of my wintertime underdress/slips was becoming worn out around the seamline between the skirt and the bodice, and was also too longwaisted. Why you may ask... because I rather cobble together these underlayers from various bits and bobs on hand; this one had originally been made from a thrifted and wonderfully embroidered black jersey skirt and a thrifted black rib-knit tank top. When the tank top wore out, I tried to copy it with a different fabric, which mostly worked but had a different stretch factor. The only part of this that anyone sees is the decorative hemline extending below my everyday pinafores, the rest merely provides wintertime insulation. Folding the slip at the bodice/skirt seam let me use the serger to clean finish the new seam as I cut away the worn parts and incidentally and insignificantly shortened the whole thing by about an inch

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The two big spider plants in the south facing window have been direly in need of repotting, as for some reason they seem to push themselves up and out of the soil? (either that or they somehow consume the soil leaving themselves high and dry in midair, only tenuously connected to their roots?) Anyhow, after dinner it was time to tackle the largest of the three, and a long messy task that was, though satisfying. Now it needs to settle back and hopefully add new roots from the nodes that now are in contact into the fresh damp dirt.

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October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	ScribeTober 1	removed frost	yard waste bin
2	blue wolf enamel	prune persimmon	old light crap
3	shibori scarf	tidy walking onions	recycle bin
4	robin and holly acorn cap ornaments	string trim parking strip	yard waste bin
5	Kenya skirt	long jane waistband	-
6	x	black winter slip	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. made significant progress on the admin tasks, despite frustration
2. repotted the largest of the spider plants, and it will be able to return to its living room window home soon
3. my second round of testing (post antibiotic) came back clear of any bacteria...huzzah... buh-bye E.coli!

Time of Isolation - Day 1556

Monday miscellany

in which our plucky heroine is feeling a bit swamped...

Tomorrow will be busy, I have six different tree services to phone and get risk assessment consults/estimates; asking friends to recommend helpful options was in fact quite useful. Turns out that there is also information on the city website about tree service providers, as well as information about possible replacement trees...  

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~ Order of the Grey Goose Shaft ~

This medallion, started a while back, is completed and ready to be shipped to the recipient. It feels good to be back at the workbench again...

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It occurred to me that the toile of the fingerless bike gloves could be useable, if I stitch down the serged seams to be neat and flat. The double layer improved version is better, but the toile is not that far off from the final pattern, and an extra set is always useful. A few hours of hand stitching would be a peaceful evening project

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Sewing tasks for me in progress: gores for plaid flannel slip.
Sewing tasks for client upcoming: alterations on green wool cosplay Star Wars tunic, then altering pattern and making a green linen one for summer wear.

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May SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	4 tiny books	half front yard mowed	yard waste bin
2	10 tiny books	more front yard mowed	recycle bin
3	tiny footstools	replace cloudlight bulb	dead rosemary
4	acorn bowls	clean large paper lantern	yard waste bin
5	angora goat lino	pocket brown pinafore	yard waste bin
6	mini cushions	reframed raindrop print	recycle bin
7	copycat sunhat	partial backyard mowed	wonky kitchen light
8	OGGS setting	front yard mowed	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. Chopped up cucumber mixed with yogurt and seasoned with Justice is really tasty, I like it better than tzatziki. My jar is almost empty, so I will need to order some more from Penzeys. I wish they still had their shop downtown near Powell's Books...
2. I started marking the kitchen ceiling in a four foot circle centered on the electric box. I think that the simplest option will be to use paint for improving the appearance. Maybe with some sponge texture...
3. I might be dog sitting later this summer, it will be fun to have Wellington as a guest again.

Time of Isolation - Day 1420

progress report

in which our plucky heroine is taking a breather...

or, one of the reasons I don't drink coffee!

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~ well done ~

The heraldic enamels for the new Stromgard coronets are now completed; last night I turned off the kiln around 11:30 after the final firing. The white enamel detailing of the "mane" on the sea-horses was some of the most challenging enamel I have done, due to the minute scale and intense focus required. Even with the lighted magnifier, this is near the limit of what I can see clearly, and more importantly what I can manipulate. Just one wobble of the brush tip shaping the lines and it is all to do over again. And after the lines are shaped, the remainder of the surface needs to be very carefully examined to be sure that no grain or haze of enamel is left anywhere else on the surface, lest it be permanently attached in the heat of the kiln.

The painting enamel (finely powdered glass, rather like talcum powder), mixed with lavender oil, is first gently dabbed more or less into place with a 3/0 brush. Then once it is slightly less liquid, a 10/0 brush dampened with water is used to manipulate the oily mixture into more precise alignment to create lines finer than would be possible with cloisonné wire. (this is not the only way that painting enamel can be used, but is the way I most commonly find it useful in my work)

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Tomorrow is Pie Day (3/14) and I've planned to make a pear tart in celebration. I made one last year in January, remember is as really tasty, managed to track down where I copied the recipe, and have several Bosc pears in the fridge...

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This is a most peculiar and Bosch-esque piece of percussion...  (scroll down the video and turn on the sound)

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This essay, by the artist Luann Udell is worth the time to read:

“NATURAL TALENT” VS. PERSEVERANCE: Which Works Best?

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March SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	red enamel samples	bathroom undersink access	some driveway moss
2	turn buttons	-	recycle bin
3	6 tiny books	-	yard waste bin
4	2 velour sports bras	-	recycle bin
5	Stromgard enamels	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. I managed to complete the Stromgard enamels, and they look good to me, and hopefully to all concerned.
2. Albuterol. I very rarely need it, but when I do, having an inhaler that does the thing necessary makes a huge difference. My lungs, not my most functional body part, have never been "right" again since got sick while visiting family last year.
3. three good zoom meetings with family and friends

Time of Isolation - Day 1348

spring forward

in which our plucky heroine plans to go to bed early...

in an attempt to foil the somatic confusion that always occurrs when the clocks change.

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~ very small indeed ~

The enamel champlevé project has moved past the making samples stage and into the multiple trips in and out of the kiln stage. The two pieces now have their first layer of transparent blue. I'm very glad I decided to use a lighter blue than I first tried, as the champlevé cells intensify the color value. Next will be adding transparent green to the tiny laurel wreaths...

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Last weekend I was chatting online with my pal Acantha, who mentioned that she and Gersvinda had gone to Kachka to eat pelmeni (dumplings) and other treats. I remembered seeing the packages in the freezer case at the grocery, so decided to try them as a slightly extravagant treat. Boy howdy those are tasty! I topped them with a dab of butter, a spoonful of greek yogurt in lieu of sour cream, and a splash of vinegar (this combination suggested on the package) If I had some fresh dill, that would have been a great addition...

I wonder how difficult it would be to DIY them, as I accidentally found out that Kachka also sells the special tool to form them into the charming little hexagons. It might be worth an attempt, to be able to add a different new option to my made ahead meals... There are a number of recipes online.

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~ just the right size ~

Leah and her husband Randall like making pottery enough that they turned their attic into a pottery studio. I have a few lovely pieces that they have gifted me with over the years, and yesterday, when she came to visit with Ursel, she gave me this sweet celadon dessert bowl, much to my delight!

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Not much sewing is happening, other than I have almost finished making two new very comfy cotton velour sports bras. Such a fast and easy project to complete, they take just about an hour from start to finish...

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March SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	red enamel samples	bathroom undersink access	some driveway moss
2	turn buttons	-	recycle bin
3	6 tiny books	-	yard waste bin
4	2 velour sports bras	-	recycle bin
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. the new small pottery bowl from Leah is just the right size for small treats, like yogurt with fruit...
2. the cotton velour sports bras are much nicer on my skin than the harsh synthetic fabric used for conventional bras. I keep wondering if there is a way to construct a conventionally styled bra with fabric that was nice instead of nasty.
3. I managed to get the laundry off the clothesline before it was really rained on this morning. If I had put it out earlier Friday, I wouldn't have left it out overnight. Only the second attempt to line dry the washing this year...

Time of Isolation - Day 1344

restored to wholeness

in which our plucky heroine has been running errands, doing chores, and getting some backlog work done...

two loads of laundry washed, dried, and put away, ordered and picked up prescription refills, called gas company re their compulsory meter upgrade timing (which will entail removing both rainwater barrels, sigh and alas), a trip to medical land, and suchlike, as well as time spent in the workroom enameling

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~ "all better" ~

Back in 2014 I made this SCA Laurel medallion for a dear friend, and last year the regalia (though thankfully not my friend) had an unfortunate accident and was cracked on some concrete. Enamel, being glass fused to metal, can last for centuries, but like any glass, can be damaged by impact. While I learned long ago to not attempt to repair other people's enamel work, every part of this pendant was the work of my own hands, so I knew well all the materials and techniques used, and could safely do all that was needed to make it whole again.

When I removed the cloisonne enamel cabochon from the setting, even more of the red background cracked and fell away. This often happens after stress fractures in the glass. Fortunately I still have some of the same red enamel originally used, and a day in front of the kiln and at my workbench saw the piece restored to wholeness once again.

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I was really happy with how the "what to do with the leftover salmon" option I came up with... adding some mashed potato and long cooked onion leftovers turned the salmon into something that was easy to make into patties... one on a plate with Dubliner melted over the top was Just Right, and the other went into the freezer to become future meals.

The frozen meatloaf patties I made earlier work just as I had hoped to become an easy dinner on nights I am working. Cooked slowly over the simmer burner on the stove, it gradually browned on the outside as the interior thawed and cooked. Some zucchini chunks were also cooking in the little convection oven, and so all I needed to do way to take a break from my workbench every 15 minutes or so, stir the veg, and turn the meat, and dinner was done with minimal effort on my part.

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The cardigan project is, at this point, about halfway done... Earlier this week I ordered a skein of black Lettlopi for the cardigan trim bands, which will be the last remaining part of the body before I start in on the striped sleeves. That skein of yarn will be the only one purchased specifically for this project, as all the rest are from my box of assorted Icelandic wool, much of which is leftover from previous knitting. I'd hoped to use the "black sheep heather" color wool for those edge bands, but there just wasn't enough contrast with the chocolate wool of the body. I keep looking at the original inspiration bolero photo that inspired my project for ideas, though my own cardigan has strayed substantially from that spark...

Once that yarn arrives, I will refer again to two different YouTube tutorials on applied I-cord: This one is a little clearer on where to pick up the stitches and how to turn corners, and this one is a little clearer about how to pick up more than one stitch at a time, and a particularly good way to do the decrease portion of the I-cord.

Before I knit the stripey sleeves, I'll use the suggestion of my pal Leslie, and test stripe color patterns by winding various yarns onto a piece of cardboard, taking a snapshot, and then simply unwinding it and trying several different assorted options. Much less troublesome than actually knitting samples.

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February SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Jedi tabard	wall storage bathroom	recycle bin
2	5 jars marmalade	wall storage utility	recycle bin
3	tiny camel print	dark of night neckline	recycle bin
4	superb owl traybox	3 separating zippers	-
5	grey acorn brooch	bathroom access hatch	-
6	pinch pouch	wool pinafore	x
7	wooly bear brooch	Goran Laurel	x
8	teal acorn brooch	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. more partially prepped meals in the freezer: salmon patties, and meatloaf patties have made cooking dinner this week much easier. I need to do more of this kind of preparation.
2. I am not dead, mostly due to my own quick reflexes and decent situational awareness... While on my way to the bus stop after my medical appointment, I was walking across the street in a crosswalk, with the correct light and all the other drivers stopped when a delivery driver came careening through the intersection without stopping. I jumped backwards and screamed. The truck came close enough to me that I felt the wind of their passage; had I been one of those folks who look at their phones instead of their surroundings, I would have died. The adrenaline was such that I totally neglected to get their license plate number...
3. There was enough bead cable to restring the necklace that goes with the repaired Laurel regalia...

Time of Isolation - Day 1332