Misfits, snowdrops, daffodils -- Spring!

This morning I saw a Carolina wren again, definitely looking for a new nest location, and I hope she chooses my patio. And suddenly a crowd of robins, running around and pecking and being very welcome, singing in the trees.

We have year-round robins (!) then in spring as suddenly as if a commuter train arrived, they're everywhere. 

Daffodils are starting 

And snowdrops.

Yesterday I had a full house. Handsome Son was here, making short work of a pot of tea and sugar cookies, when Gary and another old friend showed up. 

She was delivering my birthday and Christmas presents, a little late but who's counting. Especially when it's hand dipped nuts, cookies and pretzels 

Wonderful afternoon of chat -- I was friends with both of her now-deceased sisters -- and Handsome Son met her for the first time.  

They're pretty much his friends now, by inheritance. This is all good for his future after I've gone, though they don't like me to talk that way.  The chocolate treats will be shared around. Handsome Son accepted some to take home.

Misfits box stages

Last week's insulated bag and ice block, ready for  pick up when the Misfits driver brings this week's groceries.

While waiting for delivery, I finished the current socks 

I'm doing gloves next.

And here's Jeff, bang on time, arriving, taking the pickup and delivering the box, then on to his next customer.

I now have a lifetime supply of flour, what with absent-mindedly forgetting I'd stocked up on whole-wheat, which I'd put in the big freezer, and that I'd already ordered ap recently. So here's to many loaves to come.

And the Tony's treat was on its way before I knew chocolate treats would arrive yesterday. Not a big complaint though. 

Walnuts for scones and other purposes, cannellini beans for both the beans and the aqua faba. I used to drain it off, not liking the texture till I found out how valuable it is. No more draining.

Berries with yogurt, apples for midmorning snack. Done. Week all set up. I'll also shop in the freezer for mushrooms and green veggies.

The box is now broken down for the recycle.

But happy day everyone, we're not broken down, far from it. 

Today's cute winter boots: the Heritage Foundation, that sinkhole of fake stories harassing good people, have issued a questionnaire about the effectiveness of DOGGY. 

I really enjoyed filling it out with answers (multiple choice) they won't like. Then they end with a fundraiser! 

And here's a positive side to add to tomorrow's Blackout 

It's the giving economy, as described in Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer, in action.

More Freecycle and other textiles

The caper with the thermal door curtain that didn't work out involved taking down the old red felt one. Once down  I decided I might as well put the summer one up, the green and white stripey canvas. 

And there's now a taker for the red felt on Freecycle, for Santa Claus purposes!  

And while the kitchen curtains were down, testing the new thermal that didn't fit, I thought I might as well wash them. I seem to be rushing the season, doing spring things, just because it's in the 40s f. For now anyway.

Here's a new bud or two on the cactus,  which blooms Thanksgiving, Christmas, now late winter, intrepid little plant.

And be ready for Friday

This one day demo was originated by Black people, leading the way. It's symbolic and may lead reluctant resisters into finding other ways, too,rather than just wringing their hands.

Today, cute winter boots enabled by the Southern Poverty Law Center, I wrote to all my MOCs urging them to vote against the current budget proposal in the House today. 

I know mine are already onside, in fact Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman has been at 12 hour long meetings fighting for the budget and against cruel cuts. She's a great MOC for her constituents.

Back at the Tuesday Knitting Group, various projects at work. Here's a discussion 

about how to proceed with this 

While this moebius lace cowl is happening 

Chat ranged over hips, aged parents,  assisted living, fabrics old and new, LEGO, children, cats, medicines, libraries, Mobius strips, changing knitting patterns,  springtime, Joann's closing, deliberate mistakes for religious reasons in building and craft, longevity, and more.  A new member joined us, very nice crocheter.

Then home to a pot of tea to accompany Textiles and Tea with Line Dufour.

She's made barrier breaking large tapestry works, some with the participation of many people in protest mode.

She incorporates ideas ranging from the seven chakras to protests against pollution, and personal grief. As you see, her tapestries are huge. A couple of slides show her planning and design process, and you'll spot the finished works that came from them.

Happy day, everyone! This has been a great Tuesday.

More winnowing

Three more artworks leaving tomorrow, via Freecycle 

Left watercolor and chalk, center monotypes, right pastel. The recipient turns out to be recently widowed and helping a friend in distress, too, so she's so happy with the art. She's had pieces from me before and loves them. Says they're helping. I feel quite teary about that. 

And since I have all these as e-books, where I can enlarge the font, these are also up on Freecycle, with a potential taker

I remembered the artworks in the loft when I was up there, finally fixing a little stain from rain by the window, the cause fixed years ago, and I finally got the Kilz to spray it. 

This was after I decided it was okay to spray the living room ceiling stain from the recent plumbing adventure, and went in search of the safe place I'd put the can of Kilz. There was a lengthy search indoors and out until I finally found it.  It was safe from being found.

Then, since it was found and shaken endlessly to mix it, I thought here's the chance also to do that little stain on the third floor that only I know about.

While I was up there I took a picture of the artworks. There are more of them,  but I find offering more gets people in a blur and they end up not choosing anything. Or maybe that's just me. Now to find a bag for them. 

So, successful afternoon so far. By the way, the cumin seeds in the bread are really good, especially when it's toasted. Just fyi. 

And I did another fun bit of cute winter boots, emailing DOGGY to list what I did last week. Federal employees are being asked for this, so let's all join in and crash the box.

hr@opm.gov

Do it, it's fun. We need fun where we can find it. Thank you, Debby, at Life's Funny Like That, for the idea. I had fun coming up with my five.

Late breaking news: Gary came over this evening with news. He's moving. He needs a bigger place because of growing numbers of grandchildren, and he's outgrown next door.

Next year probably. I need that long to adjust to the idea. It will be great for him, not so much for this neighborhood. He's already gone to contract on a house in a nearby town.  Life will be very different.

Happy day everyone, anyway, do silly stuff that's also useful! 

Resistance today, and Textiles and Tea

Here's how you can help the resistance: if you have a blog, please show these pictures to your readers. This is your mission, if you choose to accept it.

There were massive protests all over the country on Presidents Day, NO coverage from mainstream media. We have to do it ourselves, modern-day samizdat.

Here's just one

And here's the ad that the Washington Post first agreed to run, then chickened out on. Trigger alert, picture of M**k.

Thank you. This is a valuable cute winter boots work you can do,  all set up for you. 

And here's a chance at a bit of fun while flooding an inbox

Then there's art, another form of powerful being and making. Today's Textiles and Tea featured an amazing young artist, Crystal Gregory.

She creates enormous installations, using cotton fiber and industrial materials such as concrete, molten pewter, drywall, ballchain. 

She's considering the contrasts and comparisons of hard and soft, rigid and flowing, transparency and solidity, in modern life and society.

Just look.

This was a museum presentation, with dancers climbing and interacting with the weaving. She also moved the concrete tubes regularly, like inanimate dancers.

Knitted work here, embedded in concrete 

Left,  Anni Albers, groundbreaking artist of the Bauhaus, who came to Black Mountain to work and teach away from Nazi Germany. Right is Crystal Gregory, showing Albers influence on her work.

This is an artist to follow. Upcoming shows in Tribeca, Asheville, Vermont and other places, which she's going to put up on her website. Check her out!

Happy day everyone. Breathe, resist, find a bit of fun, too.