Fall walking, equinox flowers, hat thoughts

Saturday was about picking up library books, sleeping while reading, indoors and out, going to bed early, before 11 pm, and sleeping till 7. Sunday reaped the benefit. 

The luxury of being able to rest when you need to. After the caregiving years, I'll never take it for granted. And after the shenanigans with Helen Hip, and the grace of Hippolyta, I still marvel at just walking.

The sock advances, and I'll finish it today. The yarn and needles are a bit mismatched, but I hope it's all smoothed out when I steam press.

There's going to be a narrow band of the blue at the top of the ribbing.

On the subject of making things, I'm back thinking about a wide brimmed hat. Again. I've been thinking for years about this hat. No rush. I wear a tatty old straw one in sun, the one whose shadow you saw the other day,  and it's a shape I can model a pattern on.

So first I thought why not use some of that striped linen I showed you a while back. It's washed and needs to be pressed.

Then I thought what about the batik I made a favorite skirt of,  browns with a repeating leaf shaped design. I have a length of it hanging in a doorway, plenty to use.

Then I thought since it will need a stiffening lining,  which I can find, I could get some milliner's wire for the brim. Then I thought why not use the current hat as the base and just cover it with the batik.  

Then I thought why not do that and use the paper pieces I'll create as the pattern to make a second hat from the striped linen, stiffening the doubled brim with rows of stitching. 

And maybe even a third hat from cream unbleached muslin lined with dark green design sari silk, both of which I already have.

That might be where I go. I wasn't sitting like Rodin's thinker, lost in thought for ages. This entire rumination lasted maybe a couple of minutes.  It's how I roll.

Between reading and the Sock 'n Glove Ministry, and hat making, I may have designed my fall interests.

In other news, I took a different walk on Sunday,  further, brisker, because it's cool enough now, along the park path, through part of the park in case there's any fall color yet.  Not quite yet.

There were basketball players, a family at hitting practice with a cricket bat, and kids dribbling a soccer ball.

Home through another development, with newly planted trees. 

All the developments around here have grass everywhere to walk on, so you're never stuck with sidewalk unless you choose to be. I did use the sidewalk when I needed a cane, but now I can navigate the bumpy grass. 

And everywhere, flowers 

The zinnias are fading but marigolds and chrysanthemums are blooming away.

Back home I brought in a hanging basket from outside and moved a philodendron into it in the kitchen.  This is where the grabber stick came in handy, to slip the hanger hook over the bracket. No climbing involved. 

I plan to repot it and cut it back to get more growth going. I like the  structure though, and it will cast great shadows.

Happy day everyone, flowers all round, sez 

Ted and Big Ursy 

Precautions, and Textiles and Tea

This afternoon in the US, there will be a test alert of the emergency services, which will be transmitted via radio, TV and phones. It's particularly important to know this if anyone is, or knows anyone, who needs to keep a  secret cellphone because of living in a dangerous situation. 

This isn't melodramatic, it's a  fact for some women. It means that before 2.20 pm EST, the phone needs to be switched off and left off for at least half an hour,  so the loud alert (plus vibrate plus text) doesn't betray its presence. If there's widespread weather interference to the signal, it will be postponed to October 11.

While we're talking precautions, here's a handy chart of US numbers you or a friend might sometime need, to save for reference

And here's what just arrived, courtesy of the gummint, covid test kits. One package per household, your tax dollars at work. I also ordered a package for Handsome Son, since I have more time to attend to this sort of thing than he does.

On to cheerier, and less US-centric subjects, yesterday's Textiles and Tea featured Barbara J. Walker, (not the knitter Barbara G. Walker)  a weaver and braider who does exquisite work, making her own cords, braiding them, with all kinds of ply-splitting and splicing techniques, which she demonstrated in response to questions. 

You see her wearing a necklace she created. She uses silk and linen in weaving, but any fiber that gives the  color she wants when she makes cord.

These rain chains are a collaborative installation, with Lyn Christiansen, made to resemble the Japanese rain chains which replace gutters and downspouts, and are also beautiful.

 There's more on her website, don't miss it, it's a festival of color.

Happy day,  everyone, one more flower joins the posy, a brown eyed Susan. Eking out the fall flowers as they start to get tired and ready to rest.

Late flowers, backyard in fall, easy quiche

 Yesterday I walked the entire perimeter of the development, cool sunny day

And home again noticed a few bell peppers ready to pick. Gary's been offering me them for ages and I haven't accepted because I don't like bell peppers. Except in a Trenton pepper, onion meatball sub, best in the world.

But since these would go to waste, I wondered if I should pick and find a way to cook them I'd like.

There followed the onion, pepper crustless quiche

Eggs, milk, flour, blue cheese and shredded sharp cheddar, beaten together, poured over the peppers and onions, 350°f 35 minutes. Note to self: do this again. 

Happy day everyone, cook what you like to eat, or get a Trenton sub, whichever is more practical.