The role of serendipity and that kind of thing

Sunday's walk in a high 70s, low humidity day was about wild flowers still going,

 tiny fungi appearing

Shoe for scale

and, home again, a sansevieria which had sprung from Gary's hanging plant which summered on my deck,  

now with its own pot and no doubt planning to join its friends indoors. And another zinnia

They slow down then, when I think they're done,  we get a couple more warm days, and they go right on.

Then there was a rummage around my small stash for possible hat material, which yielded a silk waistband saved from a skirt made from a sari piece, clearly wanting to be hatbands, enough for two.

So invited an international spy to model this simple upcycle.

And another happy find, a shibori-dyed length from an old pillowcase, already doubled and hemmed, for the side of the new hat. 

I thought I'd better fit this part first, then add the crown and after that the brim. The crown part is tricky, stitching a straight piece around a circle, and needs a bit more energy than I had, so that's for another day.  

All the pieces need to be double, so I'm thinking about that brown batik for inside the crown and the brim, to cast shade. I have various gauges of wire, no need to buy millinery wire for the brim.

One of the pleasures of upcycling is figuring out what parts are already done for you, so everything doesn't need to be from scratch. 

Stoking the inner spy, the fish goes on and the broccoli. Different sauce each day keeps it interesting. Today it was some of that five alarm hot Indian condiment, mixed with yogurt and a splash of malt vinegar.

This is the heat level that needs you to dip your fork in, then pick up the food, not dip the entire piece in the sauce.  Dessert was lime yogurt with blueberries.

I'm still (not) getting used to the loss of my friend. She used to watch me out walking, from her house overlooking my walking path, to see if I was doing well, and her house is close. Hard to accept she's not there, when I go to text her. I pass her house daily. 

Happy day everyone, we got this.