Textiles and Tea, tapestry, sock start

I started a sock for the Sock 'n Glove Ministry, while listening to the latest Contrarian, with founders Jen Rubin and Norm Eisen discussing the felon's current edicts. Reliable reporting coupled with making. A win.

Another day of excitement, Gary taking all kinds of trouble to get me a battery, so now we hope it's done. He wants to take it to the dealership to get them to tighten it in place better, so I'm good with that. Some technicality about the terminals.

And Textiles and Tea brought Molly Elkind, a former tapestry weaver now weaving in paper, after a shoulder injury stopped her tapestry work.

She uses 140lb water color paper, painted then sliced into strips then overpainted then rewoven. Definitely worth visiting her website. 

I used to do paper weaving, with paintings and photographs, and taught a couple of community classes at the library to kids. They love paper weaving, worth it to try if you have grandchildren. 

Even quite young children can manage it if you tape down the  top of the strips to keep them still. I used my little paper shredder, which cuts strips with sawtooth edges, very handy for keeping the strips snugly together.

Happy day, everyone, get weavin'!

Return of 8 pieces of silk

 The weather is like this this morning 

Walking is not happening. Instead I thought I'd try a return to Qigong, which I used to do regularly. I found a good leader here and tried the ten minute routine to see how Helen manages.

I love Qigong, which suits me better than Tai chi, so we'll see.

I needed a calming routine this morning after an exciting late evening. About 10:30 Gary came over to get my keys. The plows were coming around and he wanted to move my car, with his, to get our spots cleared.

Wind-chill well below zero f. at that point. He and another neighbor dug out the ice left by the plow and scattered ice melt. 

Then he tried to bring my car back. It looked like the battery wasn't working. Again. Eventually they did get it started. I couldn't see much but I think they had to use the jumper kit. It was one am before they got my car running and back home. Then they went home. What gallant friends. 

Then this morning Gary called and confirmed they did jump it, and he'll start looking for a new one. We went through all this last year, they were none anywhere to be had, and he ended up charging it overnight himself. He'll try again for a new one. Terminals crossed!

Last night I had not only the draft stopper between storm and front doors and the door curtain drawn, but I propped a pillow on end against the curtain to try to exclude drafts. They were whistling in.

You see why I needed to get calm this morning.  By Thursday the cold will abate.  Meanwhile it's staying home, heating soup and knitting gloves. Or maybe socks. 

The attempts to use pinloom squares is back to the drawing board. There seems to be a mismatch between weaving and knitting, which I haven't figured out yet. Perhaps the squares will be better employed as the center of another lapghan. We'll see.

This afternoon it's Textiles and Tea, so you'll hear about it later.

Meanwhile, I plan to have this blog be an oasis for activism, good food, good making and good hope. Any comments trying to draw attention to bad news will remain in the ether. Just sayin.

Photo AC 

Just this

 Today's view

Today's significance

Today's viewing

Today's food

This is not a happy day. But let's stick together. We're worth it.

Unruly and other thoughts, and a new dye

 I messaged President Biden my thanks for ERA, which some of us have been pushing for,  over decades. Almost our last chance to text him before he's out of office.

And here's the current reading 

He's been on QI and other TV places. I didn't realize till recently that he's a historian as well as a comic. This should be a good take on what is more and more a comic organization.

The box o' stuff is now on its way to Pine Ridge to keep people warm, and I'm looking at a new idea involving pinloom woven squares and gloves with knitted cuffs. These, if they work, will go to the Sock 'n Glove Ministry, their turn.

Upcoming in the kitchen, roasting a chicken for fast food in case the cold snap in the next couple of days affects power. I always have the gas stovetop to cook on, so it's unlikely to be urgent, but I like to be prepared. Cooked chicken can survive a few hours, and our outages are rarely more than that, sturdy power company.

And as I was heating up today's boudabaisse soup, I put chard in the bowl first, to wilt as it heated. And look wha' happen!

Those red dots are liquid from the thawed out chard, and 

As the soup heated, the chard turned it a lovely dusky pink. I think I've added a source to my natural dye range. 

Happy day everyone, you never know what you'll find out 

 

Good news for plants and people

This morning I finished boxing the completed lapghan, which turned out very warm and sturdy with its fleecy backing. The backing is dark grey, works well with the colors. You can see it through the lacy squares. So now it's draft proof, always a good thing with granny squares.

I added in three pairs of fingerless gloves, after pressing and airing lapghan and gloves.

Then I added in a few skeins of bright colored yarn and a couple of sets of knitting needles and a circular. Just in case anyone would like to knit. It can be helpful if you're in crisis, which these recipients certainly are.

So now it's gone. I made it to the PO and got a warm welcome from Lou behind the counter. I suspect he thought I'd gone when he hadn't seen me in a while. People wonder.

So that was good for everyone. And one of Biden's final acts of his presidency 

Fair warning: I'm not entertaining any legalistic comments on this, whether it's legally binding, what the DOJ has to say, or the national archivist, none of it. I just want with my fellow American women, to savor the moment. Thank you Joe.

I've been pushing for decades for this simple few words to be enacted. Including messaging Joe asking for his declaration. Twenty four words, meaning everything.

Back on the ground, I did a bit of home gardening.

Here's Gary's anthurium which had outgrown its tiny starter pot, ready for a bigger one, and coleus, already rooted strongly in water, which will go to Gary along with the anthurium once it's settled.

And clockwise, the anthurium with her brave new leaf, coleus for Gary, new prunings from the potted coleus starting in water, and three tiny succulent leaves started in the tiny pot from the anthurium.

It seems a bit early in the year, but the coleus had put on a spurt, the succulents are putting out new growth all over, so I took my cue from them. They know what they're doing.

Happy day everyone, one way to resist is to enrich our own lives however we can, so I'm doing that.

Photo AC 

New soup, new element, resist!

Today, glumly wondering what to make for lunch, I took a look in the small freezer, the fridge one, where I put leftovers and future soup makings.

Found

The salted milk I poached the cod in, and the rest of the crushed tomatoes from a tomcheese bake.

Big handful of red onions, umami seasoning, cumin,  garlic, no salt because both the milk and the tomatoes already had salt.

Simmered for quite a while, maybe half an hour, then blended,  and finally added in the last chunks of cod.

Dill thrown on, and this easy shortcut turned out to be good enough it should have a fancy name. Bouillabaisse is already taken, hm. 

While I think, and invite your naming participation, here's a thing

I was talking about designer bookcases today online with an artist friend, both of us wondering why you'd have a whole big bookcase and put three curated items in it.

I have a couple crammed with books, then there's this 

As you see, the Dollivers and their dogs,  in their retirement home, upstairs from various materials involved in making.  Not designer fodder.

Happy day everyone! Resist. And those of us with privilege, let's use it for good.

Lapghan almost there, Misfits box

 This morning I finished the crocheting part of the lapghan 

It's about 40"x 30". Now I plan to back it with fleecy grey fabric to make a non drafty wrap, then steam press and send off, with gloves.

I like how the lapghan colors work, with the grey acting like a rest for the eyes, and a uniting element. I'm hoping it cheers the heart of whoever receives it. I have a box ready to go.

And today's Misfits arrived 

Raisins, first time I ever saw them at Misfits, so I got an extra bag for the freezer. They'll feature in various baked goods. Also in a nice tangy sauce recipe I like.

Mushrooms for an upcoming omelet  mixture with chard. Blueberries with yogurt.  Simple stuff just now. January doldrums, low energy time.

I wonder if there's something in the chiming bowl meditation? I did one yesterday for pain and was encouraged by how much better Helen did. And one this morning for relaxing the jaw.  I'm a grinder, and that seemed to have an effect, too. So we'll see. 

I can't see any harm, given that I'm not in the actual room where the video is done. I imagine there the vibration would be more intense.  

I'm told that people with pacemakers are cautioned for this reason, the chance of interference with the set rhythm. I doubt if I'd do an in person session with afib, either.

Anyway happy day everyone, whatever rings your chimes.

Computer assisted art Liz Adams