Perfect walking day

 I seized the day, after this morning's COVID booster and before the effects kicked in, to enjoy a walk.

Neighbor's roses

And at home my potatoes are growing at warp speed 

And my lavender is nearly ready, to pick little bunches for neighbors 

This afternoon, I waved my arm about to dissipate the swelling, and stayed home to rest instead of Tuesday knitting. Also to field doctor calls about recent test results. I need to increase one pill, but otherwise I'm fine.

Then I read peacefully on the deck, while various relatives and their dogs showed up next door because Gary's home. He sounds and looks pretty good. Party time!

Textiles and Tea this week was about braiding, which turns out to include, but not be limited to, kumihimo. There's a lot of braiding traditions, and this Brit weaver and braider does research on fibers, embroidery, and creates freeform braiding on various frames.

The last slide shows her at work on a bigger frame, with a smaller one shown at the side. Her very open-minded approach is so happy, light-years different from the rigid rule-bound kumihimo workshop I attended years ago and really hated.  

Holding the little frame in one hand, juggling bobbins with the other, only one way to do it or you were WRONG! I finished the project, not to let it defeat me, then gave the frame to someone who wanted to try it, and I hope she liked it.

But Jacqui is adventuresome, likes to let the  fibers, usually silk, direct the work, and it shows. She's written several books on braiding and embroidery, which are available from her. She commented that if you don't sell through Amazon they list you as out of print, even if you aren't. That was news. I'm guessing her classes are fun, judging from her enthusiasm about it.

She started out in mathematics, but one thing and another, found herself in fiber arts. Where I think she's probably giving more value than as a midrange, non creative mathematician, her own description. A lot of people in weaving have a numbers and science background, probably the planning and symmetry appeals? I'm guessing.

Happy day, everyone, and here's another Haggard Hawks puzzle, which at first I got instantly, dogmatically, wrong!