Spice bush, cabbarole, wire art

Saturday was icy winds blowing all over, so walking didn't happen. Things like recycling did, which includes walking to the end of the block, the wind blowing me and my flattened cardboard around like helpless prawns, I expect that's some kind of resistance exercise. 

And weight training came in handy when I found some **** person had slung a huge pile of cardboard on top of, not in,  one container so that it also weighed down the lid of the next container, the one I needed to get into. Entailing forcing up the lid, plus the many pounds of cardboard resting on it, holding it with one hand while wrangling my recycle bucket with the other.  Yes, that, and the breathing exercise from cursing throughout,  was some strenuous time.

However, the patio gave me two nice things: the spice bush blooming away and scenting the wind, great experience, here's a professional view, top left, viburnum carlesii aka Korean spice bush

And the honesty, which declined to grow again where it had done well, in the strawberry pot or in the ground, where I'd next flung seeds defiantly, decided it would do this instead

As you see, happily growing in the sage pot. Well, if it's happy who am I to argue? This means I'll get at least a few more silver disk seedpods to add to my collection.

Indoors I did a bit more on the wire and yarn work

I'm going to leave it alone for a day or two then see what should happen next. Add? Subtract? Rearrange? We'll see. Meanwhile I wove a couple more plain yarn squares just to get skillz.

But the main event was the cabbage casserole, heretofore to be known as a cabbarole, which sounds like an antique carriage but never mind.

What it amounts to is salted chopped cabbage, with an egg and yogurt sauce with flour, I used chickpea, baking powder and cornstarch, big pinch of pepper. Then grated cheese on top.  Baked 50 minutes at 350°f.

Here's a serving with fresh picked chives, very oniony because the first picking of the year.  It was good and I now have a reason to buy cabbage. 

Next time I make it, which I can, with the other half-cabbage chopped and frozen, I'll use a smaller baking dish so there's more interior and less exposed top. 

I used this one because I could mix in it and put it straight in the oven, saving dishes. And I think a pinch of nutmeg would be good.  Overall though, it was worth doing, nice texture, bit of crunch on top, nicely blended inside. 

So there's several lunches. This would go nicely with sausage or chicken or something like that, too, but it worked as a main for me today. Also welcome on a drafty cold day.

Yes, this doesn't refer to the kind I cooked, but it's all good.

And creatively speaking, this is possibly me in a previous existence

Happy day everyone, make stuff and decide its fate! 

And let's hope for the best for Ukraine's fate.

Eclipse, frost and unconcerned turtles

Lovely walk Sunday, to keep my legs working, turtles out, just the usual little group, middle of the picture near the water, evidently the turtle convention went away.  

The concrete rabbit is still there, a bit battered, aren't we all.

 The spice bush on the patio is getting under way

And I topped up the future flower planters with new soil

I also put out the coleus I kept going over the winter, started from seed last summer, and looking a bit shabby now.  Then I checked the weather forecast, frost. 

So the coleus came back indoors. And the seed packets went back in the drawer for now. We can get a frost as late as early May, so there's time.

The wire and handspun experiment is going on,

 

to the accompaniment of

Thanks to Liz H., for the recommendation, it's very good.

It was a bit of a tired day after an eventful week, rain, tires, earthquake, pinloom arrival, also latest tea shipment when I was down to the last spoonful. The last is high on the list of stressors. If the eclipse includes the Rapture, I may not resist!

Happy day, everyone, you do you; don't be eclipsed by a little minuet among the planets. 

Photo AC

Spice bush, henbit, Textiles and Tea

This morning the Korean spice bush on the patio finally after many years and many false starts,  is blooming, wonderful powerful scent 

And there's a bed of henbit, on the patio, where the landscapers can't eradicate it

Yesterday's Textiles and Tea was a joyful dance through color and form, using all kinds of yarns and additional items. Basketry gone wild!

She also teaches adults and children and has the usual experience: children are open to anything, whereas adults have to be led away from their preconceived assumptions and plans.

This work really makes a person want to try it. But her grasp of design and color are terrific, much more complex than they seem, to be aimed for as a stretch goal.

Happy day everyone, whatever you have in mind, go for it! Give your inner critic the day off.