Early flowers and Misfits

 I was out early, no no walking and looking at flowers this morning, at a cool time,  in anticipation of 90°f temps this afternoon.

Here's the honesty that planted itself in the sage container, and other places, not where I'd planted it. The empty strawberry pot is where I planted seeds.

This one is the plant Mary and Steve told me to leave alone. It's a bit different from the others, though, the flower heads with fewer petals, but it's honesty. I'll take it.

And here's the almost last of the daffodils 

It looks like another flower maybe a bit like the columbine? It's a narcissus of some kind, but more sculptural than the other frillier daffodils.

I finished the shoelaces and learned quite a bit about the yarn which every now and then sort of seized and wouldn't slide through the knot. I think yarn fatigue. Anyway I had to learn some fixes, too, using a crochet hook and darning needle, all good. What happens when it sticks is a stray loop that can't be eased in. But when that happens after two feet of braiding, you don't want to start over. And I haven't found a way of unpicking that works. Workarounds rule.

I think part of the difficulty is that I was working off a center pull ball. This changes the twist on the yarn as it gets under way. I think next time whatever yarn I use I'll use outside pull. Anyway, next, on to the aglets.

Thank you everyone for the suggestions. I have a couple of other ideas to try, using materials I have. I don't have super glue, nail polish, a hair dryer nor heat gun. I'm committed to using what I have for this project, so, onward.

Then Jeff arrived with the Misfits box, shortly after Gary unloaded a huge container of rice on me (he's moving, winnowing his food supplies). I'll nudge him about the food pantry in this process. The rice is now divided into smaller containers and in the freezer.

Here's cans for the food pantry, choc treats for the Great Me, Envy apples, they're so good, crisp and juicy not tart, container of organic wildflower honey, two lots of shrimp, which will be good with some of that mass of rice, block of vital cheddar cheese, container of tiny sardines, for putting on toast for tea.

Salad greens, bananaz, beautiful smelling strawberries, to go with yogurt, some mozzarella shredded cheese, because the last lot made a wonderful pasta sauce. 

This is a small order, and I thought I'd ordered bread, but seem not to have.  I'll live. It's probably a sign to make baguettes. They'll be good for shrimp sandwiches with greens. I might even make mayo. But let's not get carried away now.

Happy day everyone, knit on. When the current sock and the aglets and the notebooks are done, I'm going to embark on the bandweaving adventure.

 

 

Tea cred, mystery rice and ratchet thinking

This picture of today's breakfast, rice with apricots, cup of tea, presents a challenge to my tea cred and a cooking mystery.

The tea is fine, made with good leaves, boiling water, in a pot. Last night. 

I get so tired of getting up and making breakfast tea that I'm treating it like coffee, making ahead, reheating when I need a cup. 

Not as good as fresh brewed, but acceptable before I get my eyes open. But I expect to have my membership in Posh Tea Fanciers revoked any time now.

The rice is a bit crunchy, despite being simmered for several hours last evening, then refrigerated overnight.  

I think the mixture of milk and water may have dramatically slowed down the cooking process. Or something.  

I usually cook  rice in water then add the milk and continue cooking. Maybe I'll resume that approach. If anyone knowledgeable about food chemistry can explain, please do. 

And here's one of those reports of "scientific" findings that could be funny if it were less annoying and likely to be believed. Probably by people unused to looking at the premise then considering winding it back to see if it's backwards reasoning.  Ratcheting is what I call that where you can't turn it back on itself.

They don't indicate who did the studies, graduate students? Undergraduate social work majors? Or how big was the sample and where drawn? Ten of the writer's friends? A dorm floor?

Because I think you can certainly reverse both propositions to claim that people who are easily distracted tend to have messy desks. And that people who make healthy choices may tend to keep their workspace organized and neat. 

There's also a school of thought that says out of clutter come great ideas. That a totally tidy house is a preparation for death.

I'm just sayin'. This is coming from a maker with many interests, who, between projects is neat, the better to start up again. But in mid-flow, the best word would be welter.

Anyway that's where I am, after no walking because of days of rain, now threatening ice. Possibly a little stir crazy.

Bear with me!