Quiet Wednesday. At first

 I was up long before dawn, ready to go, and did a bit. Knitted on the glove I started yesterday, continued on the final sock of two pairs, and stitched, too.

I've been continuing to add to my Kindle library with great bargains on great works. Now I've added lovely funny Trollope, and I'm currently into The Warden, a favorite.

So, just the way I switch from craft to craft, I switch as I read, Mansfield Park to Cranford to Trollope. With Pym and other writers as the spirit moves me.  I don't mind following several books at once. 

Fall walk, local leaf peeping, cheerful Halloween ghosties

And a mystery plant near the cosmos, where I scattered wildflower seed 

No idea what this is. Identification welcome.

I had written up to here before the day suddenly changed..

Then I came home, read Trollope, dozed off, read more, decided to make a very unusual for me, cup of coffee. 

Then I noticed a brand new water stain had suddenly appeared on the living room ceiling. 

And went upstairs to find the source. Suddenly my feet on the rug were wet. The water heater had sprung a leak. Good thing I was home.

So I turned off the house water, called the plumber and Gary. Gary, with baby A.,  came over, she lay on the rug looking interested while he mopped with towels and tried to find the source, which we didn't.

The plumber came in no time, good having a long-term plumber based about a mile away,  drained the tank, turned off the power, and early Thursday I should get a new tank installed.  Meanwhile I have cold water, that's fine.

And I don't know why I just don't set up direct debit for the plumber at this rate. 

So that was Wednesday, and I'd written the first part of the heading before it all changed.

Happy day everyone, let's hope your sudden emergencies have sudden help.

History bounding and tattie liftin'

After watching several Ash youtube videos about historical sewing and techniques, including ties at the waist rather than the elastic I use, I thought I'd try a bit of history bounding. 

That's, more or less, using historical techniques on a modern garment. So I'll  use ties on this green upcycled skirt, mainly because it came with a ready made matching tie. Also a casing, which I may discard, a bit clumsy.

I'll just stitch a casing and thread the tie through, leaving an opening at the side seam.  

This skirt is almost done, not really making, more like altering. 

And it's late July, so harvesting the potatoes is up this morning. Tattie liftin'. 

I could have left them longer to grow bigger, but we're having so much rain that they're likely to rot, so I lifted them this morning, tiny baby new potatoes, ready for steaming and buttering. 

Notice the two red potatoes, two more than I usually get. They're less eager than white to grow for me 

Here's a special request from Gary. He planted this vegetable and has completely forgotten what it is. I promised to ask you. So here we are.

And my daily updated flower arrangement, one daisy, one brown eyed Susan, one zinnia.

Happy day everyone, may your bounding, whatever form it takes,  be joyful!

Trees and saris

 Today the mystery plant is twice as tall as the last pic you saw, 

Has started unfurling five part compound leaves. 

So it may be ash, hickory or black walnut, unless you have a better idea. In any case it will probably be about fifty feet tall when it's done.  Most likely a squirrel donation. All local trees.

And remember the doctor's appointment postponed from September 2 to late December in account of Ida? One hitch is the follow up mammogram to the scare I had in the spring. It's not over yet. 

Anyway how to get it done on time.. so I called the doctor's office. No chance of an appointment before January, better stick with December after all. But star nurse Christine said, nah, this is easy, when she got back about fifteen minutes later, a landspeed record, I already faxed over a script, just call them and set it up. Which I did, and they did, for October, bang on schedule. Middle management gets it done.

Breathing happily, I promptly had a good idea. While the sari is waiting its turn to be made into clothes, why not let it hang, to air out and lose the packing creases. In a doorway.

I replaced the tired handweave which will get a turn in the dryer to dedust it.

New portiere. And you see how much fabric this is. I knotted it up at the back so the front would just brush the floor.  You can see the drape. Perfect for a skirt, among other things. 

I'm going to be that old lady who always wears green silk..so much fabric. Or that woman who cuts up portieres to make dresses, like that woman and the curtains in the movie.

Here's the pair, wedding sari left, new sari right. Approved by antique dolls in their shared rocker.

Once again my stuff is multitasking.

Question for plant experts

This savage feller showed up out of the ground cover, and I'd like to know what it is, if anyone can help. It's very thorny and has tendrils galore. In fact it was trying to lasso the Russian sage, which is how I found it as I was tying up the rs and got stabbed in the process.

I've pulled it out but would like an id. Not wild grape which we have around here.

Very unfriendly, probably a defense against animals.