Voting, hats on, tattie scones

I got my mail-in ballot filled in, ready to take to the dropbox Tuesday when I pass by there anyway.

And found a simple recipe for potato scones, aka tattie scones, from the nice Baking on a Budget man on YouTube.

How you melt butter when you don't have a microwave and you're boiling potatoes for mash.

I also ground up some flaxseed to add in to the mash, butter, flour, salt and pepper. You just mix, form a flattened ball, roll it a bit, cut into equal parts, fry in a dry pan.

I added a pat of butter each. With the sharp cheddar and spinach, it worked out well for a lunch when I couldn't think what to have. Yogurt beaten with lime juice, then strawberries added, for dessert.

The scones will work for practically any meal. I'll probably fancy it up a bit with spices next time. Meanwhile I have four more in the fridge.

I notice that for the first time in many years of growing, my Korean spicebush, viburnum carlesii, has put out berries. It's been flowering for years but I don't think it's got all carried away like this before 

And, out walking, another beautiful day, I spotted this holly and those reddish leaves might be poison ivy. If so, here's the holly and the ivy.

The hat is coming along, now bound around the cut edge. 

I used some bias binding I had lying around, and stitched both sides at once, to save stitching twice around. It works pretty well. 

The binding means that when I attach the two parts, crown and brim, I'm stitching fabric to fabric, so there's no fraying of the straw. It's protected in a channel of tape. 

There another option too, next hat I try. That's to just cut and bind a brim and pull it on over a silk headscarf. I might try that look.

About health, I continue walking, as I said above,  exercising to yes2next, and visualizing. 

Visualizing is becoming more and more fluent and full of movement and color, faster and more spontaneous than when I started.  I swim, fly, glide, swoop, like a bird that can swim, great adventures. After about 15 minutes I tire and taper off.  

It's very calming, despite the drama in the narrative, very steady slow pulse when I stop.  I really recommend that anyone who can visualize, not everyone has that brain kink (!), might try it. In these days of panic and fear, it's very useful.

October seems to be the Month of Doctors. This week the cardio, just wanted a follow-up after the hip surgery, next week the dentist checkup,  following week the hand surgeon about my jerky finger, then the month finishes with the dermatologist.  All this for a basically well person. All covered by insurance, too. All within a few minutes drive. The dentist office is a bit beyond my comfort range, and I may get help with a ride. 

Happy day everyone, I hope you have the medical care you need, or can find it.  Everyone should.

Yes, everyone should have everything, sez Ted and Big Ursy