Tuesday, April 4, 2023

The Maid, Easter and socks

 Newest reading, for a library book club I'm thinking of joining


I just began it, and it's very readable, from the viewpoint of a young woman who works as a chambermaid in a hotel, a job she loves. 

She's very bright, but very literal, probably on the spectrum, and loves the satisfaction of cleaning, much easier than dealing with people, who find her weird. 

She discovers a hotel guest dead, and I'm rapidly reading on, to find out whether she blunders into being accused, my fear. 

Meanwhile, Easter is almost here, and the Dish of Easter Observance is out, most of the eggs painted by me over the years.



These tiny eggs are from my late great cockatiel, Emily Hope, which I also decorated.  They're in a miniature sample Wedgwood cup and saucer.


White Boehm bunny with a cast iron cat from Williamsburg, a wooden duckling and Limoges egg shaped boxes.



Eggs displayed on an antique Trenton Potteries spongeware platter.

This is the whole of the Easter decoration. Minimalist.

And spring's here


Gary's weeping cherry


My daffodils both sides of the walkway


Daffodils blooming in turn by variety, to lengthen the season.

In anticipation of the heddle's arriving, it's been shipped, I finished up my socks


Wearing them right now. They're the same length but one foot's nearer, so that sock looks longer.

And I went to YouTube to review backstrap weaving. I know the principle, in fact I've done it, but I needed a reminder about how best to attach the warp to myself.

This is a style of weaving where one end of the warp is attached at a fixed point, the other to the waist of the weaver. Ancient south and central American art form. They sit on the ground, tie the long warp threads to a tree at one end, to their belt at the other.

 You have to attach the warp ends to yourself using a belt, and you need to allow for advancing the woven section, like rolling it over the cloth beam on a loom, so as to keep the working area within reach.  This is not stuff you can just guess.

Most of the videos ignored this vital part, just going on about warping, threading the heddle, some not even mentioning attaching it. One person said,oh, just tie to your belt. Not useful. I really wonder if they're trying to teach or just demonstrate their own skills, but I'm not bitter. I did eventually figure it out. So I'm ready. Again!

Handsome Son is visiting this afternoon, great timing to get a large buttered, toasted hot cross bun, which he doesn't know about yet.

And I've started a very nice puzzle I'm liking


Yesterday's winnowing, no pictures, was a lot of fun. I took puzzles in to add to our library's lending collection, which were very happily received, the librarian doing a little happy dance! 

And she showed me,  on her phone, pictures of the Farmer's Market puzzle you saw here, which I donated, and was last week's public puzzle. Evidently it went over well. It's now back in the collection to lend out.

I was juggling sunglasses, mask, bag and puzzles and couldn't get at my phone when I remembered pictures, oh well.

So that's us today, off to put the kettle on for Handsome Son's tea.

Happy day everyone, weave on, read on, munch hot cross buns, your choice. Or all at once. 



31 comments:

  1. Have not read that book. Let us know what you think when you finish.
    I'm glad you've got yourself all ready for your new loom to come. You have cleared your decks and armed yourself with knowledge!
    I just started a new puzzle today too but what I've mostly done has all involved mulberries. I wish the birds would come back and eat the rest!

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    Replies
    1. That crop of mulberries is starting to be too much of a good thing!

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  2. I like your Easter look. I have some flowers, that’s it.

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    1. It's one platter that comes downstairs for Easter and goes back up after Easter week. Nice and simple.

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  3. My mother in law used to do the whole easter decoration thing.
    I have read the book and enjoyed it.
    Hot cross bun and a cup of tea. I think I might indulge this afternoon.

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    1. Handsome Son demolished his share, liked them a lot, with several cups of tea.

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  4. What a lovely way to always have your cockatiel with you. And beautifully decorated too. Clever you

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    1. I Iove her eggs. No need to blow them like hens' eggs, because they're so small they dry out naturally. I had to blow the others to empty them.

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  5. I always love to see your Easter eggs, especially your painted ones.

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  6. Love your Dish of Easter Observance! That's more decorating for this holiday than I'm doing.

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  7. The eggs you painted over the years are fabulous, and the eggs in the cup too.

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    1. Thank you. I used to paint half a dozen each year, a couple for special friends, one for Handsome Son, one for my collection.

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  8. You are ready for Easter. We had family dinner last evening, which we will consider out Easter dinner since the kids will be at their dad’s tis weekend. I made lasagna chicken. It turned out pretty well.

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    1. Sounds like a nice family event. So the kids get two celebrations.

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  9. I used to collect eggs when I was much younger. and then I had to put the kibosh on it because when people found out, that's all I would get and ended up with a lot that I neither wanted or cared for. I've got rid of most of them, just keeping my most favorite.

    my grandgirls are all about using youtube to learn how to do things.

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    1. Since my eggs are all handcolored, painted, etc, no danger of being given more!

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  10. Puzzle looks fun. I try to have one going all the time, relax therapy. I am on the down hill side of the behemoth Dimi gave me, 1500 pieces. It's a monster and has played with my mind. I won't stop until it's done, I can't wait for that last piece.
    :)
    Tom

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    1. Glad to see you Tom. I was wondering if you were ok.

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  11. Your display is pretty. I will put this book on my list. Wow, spring has sprung in NJ. Is that pachysandra? We still have snow.

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  12. Sitting on the ground weaving sounds like an entertaing way to weave, close to the Earth aspects.

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    1. Especially with the warp tied to a tree.

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  13. The socks look lovely! Enjoy!

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  14. Your 'Dish of Easter Observance' is amazing. The eggs you've painted...my gosh, they are just fabulous!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you. I used to enjoy doing them. Now I just enjoy having them.

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  15. Those cockatiel eggs are remarkable!

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    1. She made lovely eggs, and these are her last ones.

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  16. No decorating for Easter here. I had planned on picking up a bouquet of daffodils if I saw any but alas there were none to be had anywhere I happened to be.
    Glad the library is happy to take puzzles to add to their collection - wish ours had them available but they don't have any interest in that sort of thing.

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    1. I use several libraries and only one has a puzzle lending program. The others accept them for fund raising sales.

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