Nature notes, weaving, lace and fish

 Sad little nature note this morning

It looks as if the mourning doves have deserted the nest. I saw a dove on the fence above the nest, but the one egg I could see is rolled off, nobody's sitting. It might be disturbance from humans, two visits from neighbors yesterday, or animals -- where's the other egg? -- but nobody's there now.

Mourning doves and other birds do desert nests and eggs, part of what happens in nature, but I felt sad anyway.

In happier news, here's the first skirt panel and pocket, off the loom and ready for finishing and using. I think I'll make all the panels first, then finish as needed.

And here's where that handful of dandelion leaves went

.

Tilapia poached in milk, sauce made from a bit of shrimp stock from the freezer, minced dandelion greens, dash of milk, bit of sugar, steamed carrots. And I tried the chutney, very good, even if I tried it a bit before its time.

 

There's plenty more fish, for a second lunch like this, then probably a curry, too.

Yesterday I decided since the weather is finally warmer, in the 70s, I could retire the red felt winter door curtain, and hang the green and white striped canvas summer one

And take a look at this Spanish lace, with its original architectural design inspiration, top right picture 

Off for yet another Covid booster this morning, recommended now for people over 65, also people with health risks. They're going to need to add another page to my certificate at this rate. I'm already on the back of it.

Happy day everyone, take it as it comes. Expectations are what do us in, better handle with care.

Oh, and the answer to the latest Haggard Hawks puzzle is

SHORTCUT

Tom gave a great clue. Always read the comments when you're baffled by a puzzle.

It's official, the bee's on the lavender

The snail's on the thorn, and the rest of the poem. The lark's on the wing, the butter's on the toast, whatever it is

Yesterday was action packed, three visits from Gary involving collard greens and blueberries, ending in some greens and cooking water in my freezer for future soup, and berries in the fridge. 

His doctor is working with him on his diet, and he's started cooking and eating leafy greens and eating blueberries. Up to a point. He knows I hate waste and asked if I could help with the greens surplus. He overreached a little in his capacity to abandon TV dinners.  Or at least to add in greens. 

The first time he stopped in, I was taking roast chicken and french fries out of the oven. So much for my big talk about leafy greens..

He may rarely cook but he has beautiful cookware.  Definitely shows up my dented old stuff. 

Handsome Son visited, tea, chocolate dipped cookies, date and nut bread, then we did all kinds of condo related paperwork, and he helped me change the warm winter door curtain for the summer canvas heat-blocking one. 

I walked in the evening, one of the most beautiful June evenings, the kind to remember, evening sun slanting across the trees

This is my shared back yard

Further on, rabbits out dining

Until they spot me, then they're off.

About my paintings, two thoughts: you may admire, say oh I can't do that. And I'll look modest and say, ah, twere nothin. Or you'll look and say, heck I can do better than that! And proceed to do so. And I'll look sneaky, because that's the other bit of the agenda.

It's for anyone to try.

Happy day everyone, paint on, eat your greens, support the good guys, vote out the black hats.

Of door curtains, cabbages, cats, beads and other such things

I didn't include a picture of the door curtain yesterday, because by the time I thought of it, the light was too low for my modest camera equipment and ability.

However today is another day, or Day, and I'm busily doing whatever keeps me going.

I started with a chair yoga stretching session on YouTube, really good choice for today. I found how tense I was, and felt a lot better after the stretches. And I wondered about cooking something new.

I found a flatbread recipe, oil, flour, water, kneading, resting, rolling, and thought that might be good, best to stuff with something, but what? And while I was mulling about that I found a great cabbage recipe.

So I switched to that, for lunch.

I added in baharat because it seems to be good with cabbage. The recipe didn't specify salt so I went with that because maybe it would be fine.

That flour, Aurora Mills stoneground whole-wheat, from Maine, is expensive and worth it. I've made my best bread with it, so I'll see how it works with the flatbread.

Here's the YouTube source of the cabbage caper

Picture is of recipe cooked in Teflon, mine came out a bit different in castiron

Here's the second part, after I had to tip it out onto a plate then invert it to finish cooking. After the turning over is when the cheese is added. Then you cover it and cook a few minutes more.

As you see, the cheese is overdone but the inside cooked nicely. I think a lower heat next time. It would be prettier but probably wouldn't taste much different.

Lunch is served. Next time I will also add salt. It does need it. In fact I might saute the onions ahead with salt, while starting the cabbage, eggs and flour, then stir them in.

Anyway it's pretty good.

I also realized ah, here's what I can stuff that flatbread with. There's plenty, so maybe a couple of lunches. Which may be comfort food or victory food, depending on the next few days. Cabbage wraps. I might add in pickled beets. Or maybe on the side.

Cabbage usually gives me really psychedelic dreams, colors not on the spectrum, adventure narratives, last time involving white horses, so we'll see what tonight brings.

And about door curtains, finally I'm getting to the door curtains.  They're like this, at least mine are

Closed

Open

Not to be confused with portieres, which replace doors. Read on.

Here's an Indian wedding sari, a gift

An Indonesian artisan handwoven fringed length, a fair trade piece originally cream, which I dyed with I think onionskin dyes

And a purpose-made Japanese one, hand embroidered both sides in sashiko stitching. These are used in shop doorways to deter flies while being easy to stroll through, because of the divide. From a friend who got it in Japan, and I can't remember the correct Japanese name.

I expect you could have portieres that didn't originate in Asia, but I don't seem to have any that didn't. Funny, because Victorians were mad for them, making them of big handmade paper beads. I used to make paper beads, but not portieres of them. Because cats.

Why tear off doors? Two words: worktops, cats. When cats can come and go in closets without being shut in, needing rescue when you finally find them, or needing the door opened yet again, firm (loud)  requests on this point, you see the benefits of the portiere. The other word, worktops, is what happens to the doors. They end up in the studio with work all over them, cheap and sturdy.

I think I'll spin now.