Sunday, July 26, 2026

Days of sunshine and good air, and learning

The weather is lovely, in the 80s, sunny, low humidity, perfect for crocheting on the deck.

I switched to a different design for crocheted socks, this one in regular crochet, because I thought the Tunisian second attempt looked clumsy. I left it on the hook in case I return to it, and got a smaller hook for the new attempt.

This one's a great design for flat crocheted socks. It looked so approachable and I was in the mood to learn something new. I doubted it would be easy, and found I was right. Easy for Leonardo, to quote the real Dylan.

The stitch is half double crochet, no, I didn't know what it was either. Not only that but the design started with the half double crochet foundation. Hm. It makes a very nice starting edge. They tell me.

So I spent quite a while last night and today attempting to make a 13 stitch start of the toe. I lost count of the number of starts I made, but the yarn is looking as worn out as I am. Finally, I'm getting there. It's easy, they said..

Doesn't look like much, but now I've started we'll see. It's the same yarn as the most recent socks I knitted. 

If my hands don't like this, I'm thinking of weaving socks. I can make a cardboard loom, no problem there. But the results might look a bit artisanal. Like those ancient garments archaeologists retrieve with screams of excitement from Scandinavian bogs.

It occurs to me that this could be a fabulous hoax, like Piltdown Man. New Jersey Sock. Around here there are occasional excavations of indigenous areas, right near here.

This was a major settlement of the Lenni Lenape, and it's not unusual to find clay lamps and arrowheads, things like that. 

What fun to weave a sock in natural color fiber, get it a bit muddy, and bury it ahead of the arrival of the University team.  Just sayin. 

Think of the professors who could claim credit and write papers. The number of doctoral dissertations I'd enable. The angry debates in academia. The carbon dating, the applications for a share of the precious fiber.

I might just look into it.

Meanwhile, to more serious things, here's a composition 

And the resulting little bouquet 


And a study in time passing. The Angel Eye hibiscus with one blossom ready to open, one open and the empty saucers from spent blossoms.

Happy day everyone.  

There's a lot of nice people and things and skills around, despite the crushing weight of living in this crumbling democracy. Not on my watch though, still writing and making official comments and generally doing my bit.

One great victory -- the major bank, Citizens Bank, which my condo banks with, and which has been supporting ICE via Core Civic and the Geo Group,their partners in crime, has decided to sever the connection. 

This is after a couple of large NJ cities removed their substantial accounts and more were in the process.  Starve them out, is the way to go. 

Victory Lap!




Still the flag I'll go down fighting for.  We'll clean it up and fly it with pride again.

36 comments:

  1. Here's to that small step with the bank.

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    1. Wiping out the underwriters of ICE prisons is no small step.

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  2. That's good news about the bank withdrawing its 'support' for ICE. Hitting companies in their pockets is perhaps the only way to hit the very wealthy.

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  3. Yes, either bringing massive pressure to force them, here the tipping point was Jersey City taking out massive holdings, in addition to thousands of individuals messaging, etc. The other option is boycotting evil outfits such as Chick FilA, or Target, no excuses accepted. These tactics work.

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  4. In a country that idolizes money, hitting people or businesses in their pocketbooks is usually successful. I hope this is done more often. Can you research the sources of Misfits foods? The current cyclospora is spreading and has revealed a lot of interconnection among brands that get there foods from industrial farms all over not in the location of the company, even those having organic labels. Another disaster in the making and hardly health sustaining.

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    1. Misfits doesn't deal with Big Food. It's organic farmers. I can ask to make sure. Meanwhile I'm not eating any raw greens and fruit, as a precaution. Thank you for being concerned, that's kind.
      There's been considerable success with boycotts over the years. Think back to the grape growers finally being forced to recognize UFW.

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  5. I just don't see how that crotcheted length becomes a sock.

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    1. It folds over. You can go to her channel on YouTube to see the details.

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  6. Well done with the banking, great to see the protests working.

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    1. There's been a lot of success resisting the regime. But you won't find it in the oligarch media.

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  7. I like the idea of the woven socks and promise to react with screams of excitement. beautiful composition and bouquet. I was tempted to type ‘bucket.’ The angel eye hibiscus and its photo are stunning.

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    1. I'll be counting on you for screams! Isn't the hibiscus beautiful? I do nothing but admire it running its own show. My kind of plant.

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  8. Bank needed to read the history of Dutch Shell. Consumers really can make a difference - and overnight. No business is too big to be brought to its knees if its customers unite in a boycott.

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    1. Exactly! But we need to be faithful and patient. It works.

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  9. Good news about the capitulation of Citizens Bank -- a victory for those cities who took action!

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    1. A victory for the whole country! Thanks to the thousands of individuals who messaged and wrote and protested and supported the cities who withdrew their accounts to put it over the top. Great day.

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  10. Encouraging news about Citizens Bank.
    And you’ve inspired me to get out and cut some black eyed Susans for a visit indoors.

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    1. Even though I grow flowers for cutting, I'm still a bit reluctant to cut. But I can't see the susans from the house nor the daisies and zinnias, so I do bring a few in.

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  11. Well deserved victory lap!
    'They' always say something is easy be it crochet or technology.

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    1. I'm at the point where anyone who says oh this is easy is sus.

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  12. This sounds strange but it's good to know that you struggle with crochet as well, I always feel like it's just me.
    I often wonder about future archeologists going through my garbage at the dump, curious what they'll think of us.

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    1. It's comforting to know other people struggle, too, I agree. We all tend to feel everyone else can do all the things. Especially seeing heavily edited and curated YouTube channels.
      I often wonder if future archeologists will ascribe our discarded electronics as some religious rite! Maybe it is,in a way.

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  13. I have a whole list of companies I've been boycotting. Money talks.
    Can you sew socks using a nice cotton or fleece fabric? Maybe that would be easier on your hands. I see lots of samples on line...

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    1. Money talks, and withholding it screams!
      My volunteer work is based on donated yarn from the ministry and other friends. I can't afford to buy materials. But the sock I'm knitting might work as a template if I ever find or receive polar fleece fabric. Thanks for the thought.

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  14. I am pretty sure I will not be crocheting flat socks. Still, one never knows.
    Here's an idea- when you make that sock to bury for the archeologists and professors, make a HUGE sock so that they might think there was a race of giants who lived in your area. Throw in a hat that would fit a large watermelon. Now that would cause a stir!
    Good on Citizen's Bank!

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    1. I love that idea! The abominable Jerseyman! Noted.
      Good on all the people who pressured them into doing the right thing!

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  15. I was lost at the beginning on the crocheting. It sounds like an enjoyable project to make artifacts. Good news about the bank.

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    1. The crocheting is working much better. And I'm feeling better in general.

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  16. It seems, from this vantage point, that the tide is slowly but definitely turning. It won't reverse the dreadful damage already done, but it's a start to halting any further criminal acts.

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    1. We've had many successes in the courts against the regime. This is one of the latest. But you wouldn't know it from the mass media.

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  17. I do not crochet and barely knit so it's all over my head.
    Cathy

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    1. That's okay -- I do it so you won't have to!

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  18. Your flowers are looking lovely!

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    1. I love to admire them and chat with them.

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  19. Hooray for the bank boycott working! Power to the people, for sure. I was horrified to read a column yesterday about the way now being more open to putting a damper in the ability to rely on mail-in voting. I simply do not understand how so many people can wake up every morning and swallow a stupid pill enmasse. Good thing we have our creative pursuits (and pretty flowers!) to help us take our minds off the idiocy.

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    1. The states, not the feds have voting authority. That third circuit judgment won't stand.

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