Friday, July 11, 2025

Local gardens and "weeds", Misfits

Today's morning walk was shorter because I was a bit tired from yesterday's exertion which included a five minute HIIT workout in the evening with April and Eiko.

It's cool and bright-cloudy today, just what a lot of wildflowers like, such as these dayflowers

Blue points of color among the pachysandra 

 Down the street there's a nice show of white daisies and yellow orange daylilies 


And to prove I did the ironing, here's me modeling the favorite pink shirt. I upcycled this, years ago, Liz Claiborne thrift store find, shortening the sleeves and hem and using a cuff to make a pleated phone pocket, and a button band section to make a tiny decorative pocket. 


The fuzzy hair tells you the humidity is up there. Here's a couple of shots of those fancy designer details (!)



And the Misfits bag is out for pickup.


I recently asked Misfits if they did a senior discount, and they replied no, but we do notify you of specials. It was worth a try in this expensive year.

While I was waiting, I decided it was cool enough to prune the sage.



In the foreground a bunch of leaves, which have now gone to friends, one of whom came right down the street to collect and chat.

Then Haleem arrived, effortlessly swinging a box of groceries onto the step.



Some of the canned goods are for the food pantry, the bread is to avoid baking in a heatwave, the chocolate bar is for my nerves, and the fruit needs no introduction. Except the apples are Rockit, small and crunchy. The peaches need a day or two, then I may freeze them.

The graham crackers are a current taste, crumbled into yogurt with lime or lemon juice.

In food and gardening, when I was clearing the counters ready for misfits prep, I notice several tiny potatoes now sprouting. So I sliced off just the sprouting areas, diced and roasted the rest for lunch with malt vinegar, and planted the sprouts in a container.  Waste nothing.

This afternoon is about reading and dozing on the deck, and admiring my pruning. Unless a lot of insurance related calls and messages happen.

Happy day, everyone, seize the day and the potatoes.







34 comments:

  1. Great idea to make a phone pocket for the shirt, did you do the same with the other coloured shirts? I am always disappointed with pockets on women's clothing, they're never big enough to hold what I need to be carrying. Thank heavens for backpacks.

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    1. I always add pockets to any garment I make, and add them to anything bought, or deepen the pockets if they're too shallow, which they usually are. I can't manage without pockets.

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  2. I love those pockets. And that color is perfect on you. Your looking great, fuzzy hair and all. I used to have hair to get fuzzy in damp weather!

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  3. Chocolate for nerves sounds good to me. I have been saving a bar of Toblerone for quite some time. I am not sure if I am proud of that or not.

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  4. Love the pink shirt...and your alternations/pockets! I've purchased a few thrift store items with good labels, and always been pleased.

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    1. Always nice to get designer gear for so much less than retail.

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  5. It will be a nice thing to be able to go through my clothes and get rid of a great deal of 'work clothes'. I've got scads and scads of 'work clothes' and they are what I wear mostly. I wonder what I will have left!

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    1. When you set aside the ones you wear most, it's surprising how much there's left. That's how it's worked for me.

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  6. You could not look finer than you do in that pink linen shirt! You are so right about pockets. I have dresses that I love but will never wear because...no pockets. I am not good about putting new pockets on or in. They always look problematic and clumsy.

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    1. It may only be lack of practice with pickets. I've done a lot of them. You can buy side pockets, then you just open the side seams and insert them.

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  7. Love the additions to your lucky bargain-find shirt. And you look so cute in it! My hair is only straight and straight...and thin--lol!
    More potatoes to come. Nice! Have a super day. :)

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    1. My hair's much thinner now but it curls or fuzzes up and looks a bit thicker.

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  8. The shirt looks good on you. I like chocolate for nerves. I thawed some wild plums so I guess I'll be baking. What was I thinking? Planting the sprouting bits is an excellent idea.

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  9. I like the idea of graham crackers in yogurt! Kind of brilliant. So, too, if you shirt upgrade. Very clever and cute!

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    1. The graham cracker idea was Suzanne's. We made a collaborative recipe - I did the lime juice, she added the graham cracker crumbs.

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  10. I get most of my clothes from resale shops now but I do always avoid things that need ironing... That shirt is cute on you and I like how you added pockets. I always need pockets these days.

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    1. Pockets are vital. It's a garment crime to omit them.

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  11. Dayflowers are a good example of a plant that most people consider a "weed" but that I like. They are pretty.

    I am pretty much to the point where I won't buy a shirt if it doesn't have a pocket. I need some place to put my glasses!

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    1. I think men are better provided for in general. Pants pockets are deep and useful, and the inside pocket of sports jackets. I've always wanted inside pockets. I guess a lot of dress shirts don't have pockets.

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  12. My mum's favorite flowers were daisies, she loved their "faces". I have to admit, I love them as well.
    I took a pair of scissors to a linen dress last summer to improve it. It was to tight about the knees because of the design, so I shortened it which allowed the more voluminous thigh area to flow, and then I made a pocket, similar to yours, for the dress.
    Jack got a box of used clothes yesterday, including a rather short housecoat which would make a great jacket. Now I just have to figure out how. It's red plaid with fleece lining and a hood. He loves it.

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    1. I love that kind of adaptation and recycling. You'll definitely figure out the jacket.

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  13. you are very cleaver redoing that shirt to suit you.
    I need to trim my sage and French tarragon.
    cathy

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    1. I still have a big pruning job on the butterfly bush.
      I like to make clothes do what I want. Today's shirt has three pockets. One is the chest pocket it came with, and the other two I made from the material off the shortened sleeves.

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  14. I used to enjoy pruning. Now days it’s just murder on my poor back.
    The shirt looks lovely. Very clever and. Green. The saving the planet green, not the colour lol

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    1. I don't like pruning, but I do it. Thank you for the nice words about the shirt.

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  15. In spite of all your travails of late, that's still one winning smile you got there!

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  16. I read an interesting discusssion the other day that addressed buying thrifted clothing and upcycling them. There are two schools of thought apparently - one being that it's perfectly ok to do that and the other that we're taking away clothing from people who really need it. It's become 'trendy' to buy secondhand from thrift stores which has made the costs there increase. A couple years ago I had occasion to visit a Salvation Army Thrift shop and was astounded at the prices. I mentioned that to a close friend who is a member of that church and she said that there are actually two prices - one for the general public and another for those in need. That made sense and I was glad to hear it.

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    1. Speaking as one who lives below the poverty line and could not have clothes unless thrifted or donated, i think the concern is overblown. Largely this is because I take small sizes and the real need is in larger sizes. All the designer labels are small sizes. So if you're a large affluent woman maybe it's an issue, otherwise I tend not to think so.

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  17. Replies
    1. Thank you. I think the term modified is better than up cycled. I may adopt it.

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