Textiles and Tea, 365 poems, cosmic joke

I published this yesterday, but found it seems not to have published after all! So here it is now.

Tuesday's Textiles and Tea was probably better suited as a podcast, nice spinner and weaver and teacher, Michaela McIntosh, chatting interestingly about other weavers, with few slides, but here they are. 

She's holding up the scarf she's wearing, which she wove. Behind her is a favorite loom, but the wall tapestry is one she bought in South Africa as an inspiration, and aspiration, piece.

She also made some good points about giving handmade items. She's had the experience of spinning and weaving a piece as gift, to have it go unappreciated as "homemade"! She cautions only to give to people who know what they're getting. So it turns out there's a weave worthy category of people, as well as the knit worthy well known to knitters.

The episode was low-key, but I still felt like a bit of spinning after I saw her basket of yarn, so there's that, now that the Izzies are on their way and there's no immediate knitting. I'm still musing about the weaving of the skirt. I'm thinking of converting the panels, too, to another use.

Yesterday I baked as planned, half and half chickpea and AP flour, walnuts and cranberries. The chickpea flour adds a lot of protein, as well as a nice golden color.

Hot from the oven

Cooling on a rack, with crumbs for the birds, now long gone, patio pecked clean. These muffins toast very well, too.

And yesterday the birthday book arrived, so my year began. I decided that I've reached the age where you don't put things off, so whatever day the book arrived would be Day One of reading. Accompanied by one piece of candy, a daily small event to look forward to.

The candy is very good, and as you see from the poem of the day, I think Somebody is playing a cosmic joke on me!

Happy day, everyone, Handsome Son is coming today for tea and muffins and bringing a box of free cycling for me to do, and let's hope no further cosmic jokes will happen. Ed note: he did, we got a lot done, no jokes.

 

Snow, Purim and winnowing sub

 I woke early because the room was bright, and I got up to this

At last, enough snow for a picture. Today will be up to the 50s f, so it won't last long.

Yesterday's winnowing was replaced by a bit of cleaning, same principle, improving my surroundings. I noticed my ancient refrigerator, still working, was depositing condensation down the inside back wall. 

So I took out and washed the bottom  drawers and the floor under them and put everything back, much better now. Nothing actually left the house but I think this is a good substitute.  Cleaners don't usually clean inside items, or behind them, so there's usually a few things to do, even when you have cleaners. 

On winnowing,  today I'll turn ny attention to art materials, mainly frames.

Speaking of art, last night I dreamed about the current ArtShaped piece and how to do the next stage, very helpful. I also dreamed I was doing the work outdoors in a town square, with friends and blogistas and passers-by looking on and commenting.

I've done tapestry and other fiber art work  this way, in a library, public free to come and ask questions and tell me their European grandmothers used to do these things. But I don't think that's what will happen with this piece.

I do have some good ideas now for today's work on the head, and need to gather materials to start the torso. Dreams as studio assistants work a treat. 

Meanwhile a green powerhouse soup happened yesterday.

 

Vegetable stock simmering first, before spinach, chard, broccoli, scallions and yellow potatoes get involved, with cappellini in the last couple of minutes.

Then here's the chorus of spices. Baharat, black pepper, basil salt I mixed ages ago and finally remembered to use, za'atar.

Sprig of Thai basil, aromatic. Served with a half pita filled with sharp cheddar and toasted.

I also baked a batch of dried cranberry/ walnut muffins

 And here's one toasted for this morning's breakfast

If I'd remembered the day

I'd have made my favorite hamantaschen

Next time I bake, maybe. Happy day if you celebrate it, well happy season, really.

And now, more than ever

Baked plain and fancy, knitting

The day started with a ring and a knock, and Gary handing in this plate.

Iced danish, warm. Great morning greeting.

So one was a second breakfast. The other was an afternoon accompaniment to tea.

And I needed a batch of something.

The makings of cranberry walnut muffins

I never seem to stretch this recipe to a dozen. Anyway some for Tuesday when Handsome Son takes us to get the DNR form signed and delivered, then home for lunch and a cup of tea with muffins.

Meanwhile I started a pair of gloves with a new color selection.

Nice evening, everyone,  enjoy whatever you're up for. My cleaners come tomorrow so I tidy this evening.