Of easels and dyes and other things

Giving away the easel, weighed a ton, reminded me of the brief period as a teenager when I tried oil painting and, being broke, needed to invent a cheap easel.  

I found three bamboo canes, used a rubber band to hitch them together at one end,  then splayed them to stand in a triangle, one pointing forward at the top to hang a canvas or whatever I found to paint on.  Weighed a few ounces.

It worked fine until I moved on from oils, partly because of allergies, partly because it's such a dull, plodding old artform. I got much more into drawing and when I could get the paper for watercolors, did them. The spontaneity appealed to me.

And many years later I had an interesting experience with dyeing yarn. The indigo picture reminded me. I'd used beets, notoriously fugitive color, to dye yarn I'd spun, to see what would happen. I'd used a mordant, forget what, maybe alum, and the red color seemed to be, surprisingly, holding up.

Then I hung the skein to dripdry over a container. As the dye dripped out, the color went with it until I had a container of reddish liquid and -- a beautiful hank of green yarn! Natural dyeing is full of surprises. 

This saori weaving detail has some of that green yarn, faded from being in strong light. The yellow is probably onionskin, and the blue possibly Kool aid, good dye material. I wouldn't drink it.

Rainy Sunday came with a discovery of Ustinov playing Poirot on Freevee 

Look at that cast. 

And there's the Funeral Ladies book, a Foyle series 

And there's stick weaving and knitting also in progress. Plenty to do.

Here's the progress of the stick weaving, embroidery floss on darning needles. Reading left to right, you can see it's improving 

Getting the hang of sliding it off the needles, the hardest part, a bit tricky for my fingers. The trailing ends would be threaded back into the weaving but I left them out, to show the stages of learning.

9/11 is coming up and I registered for an online evening meditation session. That seems an appropriate way to observe it and the current state of the US.

And lunch notes: I roasted the rest of the carrots and potatoes with olive oil and the last spicy sausage fritter. Good discovery, long red pepper ground over carrots is very good. It's a fruity sort of grind, and is really interesting with the sweetness of the carrot. Noted for future reference.

Happy day everyone, resist and cope is the goal. And make things.

Billie agrees 

Late summer reading, resting your eyes and art

Sunday feels like a day off because  one of my (many) pills is to be taken six mornings a week, and I chose Sunday as the day of rest. It means I don't have to time my breakfast, which seems like an amazing piece of freedom. I know, easily amused.

Then I started my day with this YouTube yes2next video.  It's great and you might consider it. 

Mom Aiko used 2lb  weights,  daughter April, aged 60(!) used 8 and 10lbs. I used 3 and 5 at different times.

My library, unlike one of my pills,  does not take a day off, so I went in to return Brideshead and take out the Foyle waiting for me. And I picked up a jigsaw puzzle because I haven't done one in months.

I found I'd skipped over one episode of Brideshead, so I watched the last one, by which time I was glad to be done with them, especially the popeyed Cordelia. On to Foyle!

Sunday lunch was more crisp breaded hake,  roasted potato dice seasoned with long red pepper (relative of black and white pepper but fruitier heat) and basil salt, which I'd ground from kosher salt and dried basil. 

Plus a side of portabella mushrooms sliced and cooked in butter and olive oil, with a peppermint leaf crushed and torn in. It looked like a quiet dish of food, but it was packed with flavor. 

Dessert was yogurt beaten with lime juice and sugar, blueberries added in.

My long awaited Anne Tyler came in Sunday morning and took me less than the afternoon to read, including watching butterflies and hummingbird moths 

and failing to capture them in pictures, listening to the cicadas beedling away, not the deafening ones this time, then resting my eyes, and dreaming, on the deck. Anyway, about the book -- it's very brief but vintage Tyler.

Definitely recommended. 

I returned unfinished the Lily King book Euphoria, set in some exotic part of the world among anthropologists, who, like the climate, are hot, humid and oppressive. 

I disliked it the same way I  dislike Kingsolver,  too green and intense. Which probably means that if you love Kingsolver you'll like this novel. This is a kind of negative recommendation. I'm not designed for the tropics,  even reading about them.

Gary has returned, singing to his dog, talking to his daughter and me  both at once, she on the phone, and looking well but thinner. He finds he's developed a gluten sensitivity. So I need to remember that,  when I bring baked food over. 

I do a nice fruit crumble with an oat flour topping, gluten free. That would work.  His health is less robust than mine these days, so I hope he does better. A nice dish of plum crumble would help.

Happy day everyone

It's worth fighting for. Resist! Read the preamble above aloud.

Because I'm worth it

Wednesday day was cleaning family day so I was out again, third day, steaming hot weather. I spent quite a bit of time in the library, took my lunch sandwich with me. 

There was an interesting example of male privilege at work. The public puzzle is set up on a table with no chairs and people are invited to stop by and work it, usually meaning a few minutes. 

There was a man today who'd drawn up a chair, put his belongings around the table,  so nobody else could get close to take part and he'd drawn all the pieces close to him, crouched over to work them.  

I looked over briefly, as did a couple of other people, but it wasn't worth asking him to make space, who knows what would be the response. And there he sat the whole time I was there.  Hmmm. That's a first. Maybe it was obliviousness as much as anything.

Then I needed to shop for dishwashing sponges. And while I was there, well I haven't had ice cream in literally years, so why not.

 At the checkout the lady said, yeah, it's an ice cream kind of day! I do agree. And once home, whoa was that good. Just a little dish of dulce de leche, it's rich.

My contractor friend Michael came in the afternoon to pick up the kitchen cabinet to get on with the reno on it and we had a visit. 

A couple of days ago my front door lock broke down, probably worn out. Gary was instantly trying to fix it and wanted to install a new one.  

Michael and I both know the complications Gary loves to introduce,and will certainly want me to have a chiming video camera coffee-serving high-tech thing with, as Mike said a revolving disco ball! 

We both know and love him, but Mike will get and install a simple Kwikset for me before Gary gets home.  Chances are he'll have forgotten by then, so this will work.

Always something! 

I love my neighbors. But it's lovely and peaceful on both sides, no hammering and drilling and nail guns while everyone's away.

Happy day everyone, duck complications wherever you can. And here's Wednesday's entertainment 

Friday, HP, gardens and plans

June 27 is Handsome partner's birthday.  He died in 2011 on Handsome Son's birthday, so we decided to celebrate HP on his own birthday and reserve Handsome Son's own birthday for him. 

I had strawberries and graham crackers for breakfast, the strawberries in HPs honor, his favorite fruit, always at its best around his birthday. I used to feature strawberries in his birthday cake.

Friday I took sugar to the food pantry and found that the person who runs it has to do everything. So when I send my quarterly donation check, she has to go do the shopping. It adds to her workload. So I decided I'll spend the equivalent on useful nonperishables from Misfits and take that over instead.

Summer is a hungry time, with school out, and no lunch programs. She showed me her empty shelves. In our small town there are fifty families, all working people,  but unable to meet their expenses and needing the food pantry. 

I encourage everyone who wants to help to check locally what's needed, then provide what we can. Now more than ever it's a good thing to do. With bigger food banks, more employees and food contacts, money is more useful, but it pays to check their preference.

Today the daylilies are bursting out, and the patio looks so summery. Also cool enough to be out there. 

See all the buds on the hibiscus. Last year was its first, with two blooms. This year will be a bit more showy.

And I'm making more cordage, to continue the basket. I love doing this and my hands are limited in how long they can do the movements without locking up. So I seize the day, so as to have a supply ready.

Below is an experiment with fine rushes. They wouldn't twist, so I braided them into a decorative shape to attach to the finished basket 

This is how you use a clipboard for braiding. It's also good for  small weaving, especially paper strips.
 

And I baked the carrot cake. 

I included dried cranberries, but omitted the walnuts I had thought about including, because the boy next door is seriously allergic to nuts, and I wanted to share.

It's nice but so labor intensive no wonder it's special. All that grating of carrots. It's quite rich so I may not bother with a fancy frosting.  

Meanwhile my neighbors are happy with their share, showed me the kitchen they're renovating (I know, I've been hearing it happening nights and weekends for ages), and their daughter recruited me to help with her girl scout Gold Award. She's doing a project to help seniors avoid financial online scams.  

I'll be happy to help. I've worked with girl scout Gold Award projects before.  

Gary will also have his share of cake. 

Late addition: the cake got excellent reviews!

I have the fourth season of Foyle for my weekend viewing. The only little drawback to watching a series is the signature tune earworm.. currently it's Pie in the Sky, soon to be replaced by Foyle.

Friday evening I'm online with friends, so I have to remember to get supper in time.

Happy day everyone, please feed people if you can, sez 

Ted and Big Ursy 

Backed up by Food Warrior Fluffy.

Quiet day, with fruit sauce

Saturday I slept on and off, Covid booster aftereffects, between watching a Foyle's War episode 

and reading Sayers' Unnatural Death. 

There was a welcome rain, saving me from watering my seedlings. 

I made an apricot sauce to go over yogurt, about all I was up for today, after managing roast potatoes and an egg for lunch. A touch of amchur, mango powder, gave a great citrus flavor, and it set up very nicely.

All's well.  My energy is taking a day off. I did manage to change the bed and do a load of laundry, so there's that.

Happy day everyone Ted sez.

This weekend 's entertainment

I started the weekend last evening with a viewing of one episode of Foyle's War, never fails. The acting is so good, and Horowitz -- such a great scriptwriter. I have three more episodes to go. One per evening.

I was really pleased about one part of this. I noticed on my library account that it was ready for pickup, and drove to the library without angst about getting in the car, driving etc , just back to feeling pretty normal about errands.

Then, this morning,  cool but sunny after overnight rain, I went walking, most of my aches from overdoing having left. I made it to within a couple of hundred yards of the pond, but had to conserve energy to get home. 

I saw this on the way, under a tree where I've seen robins. 

Maybe a robin's egg, right color. It looks as if the little occupant didn't make it out. I wonder if a bluejay raided the nest. But nature's so abundant, it doesn't do to mourn every loss.

And here's a chipped old favorite Chinese teapot in her second career rooting coleus seedlings.

I've been reading that Atomic habits book, which could have been a long essay, but there are some good concepts there.

One I noticed this morning. He says when you don't seem to be progressing steadily, as in my walk, the effort isn't wasted, it's stored. I really like that. It means I'm banking walking ability to draw on soon and get me to the pond. I don't have to push further every time. 

On which subject, I want to explain when I talked about weights yesterday, I didn't mean to trigger competitive feelings. I just named where I am. Larger weights than some people, smaller than others.

Everyone's different. One person gets enough resistance from four pounds as another might get from thirty. And experience counts, if you've been lifting for years or are just starting. 

But I do say whatever weight you use, please use weights designed for the purpose. Don't listen to people saying oh, start with anything, water bottle, can of peas. They're not designed for your hand the way starter dumbbells are.  

Dumbbells are balanced, with a center place to wrap your hand around. When you're starting, good form is important, to avoid injury. Your wrists won't thank you for many reps with a bottle or can. And I was advised to work in front of a mirror, to observe form.

Small weights aren't  expensive, so I don't regret buying weights meant for a hand to grip.  And if your hands are older and weaker, they'll thank you. Mine did. Just sayin. I passed on the smaller ones to another beginner a while back.

This is the end of today's dogmatic speech, stepping down from the worn out soapbox now.

Food today is about soup, toasted cheese sandwiches, tofu katsu, and whatever else I think of.  I'll bake the tofu sticks this time.

Happy day everyone, be yourself, everyone else is taken, maybe Oscar Wilde said that, maybe he just planned to and Marge Simpson got in first. Joke alert..