Easter yet to happen here, catch-up, and Franklin Habit's vlog

Today is about setting the table, organizing food and looking forward to tomorrow's celebration of Easter. A little out of step as usual because of Handsome Son's work schedule, but it will be good.

Meanwhile winter seems to have returned.

I was out walking yesterday in bright sun, but quickly fastened my coat and put up the hood, because of stiff icy winds.  Deceptive from inside the house. But as Mary and Ellen would agree, you need to keep moving in order to be able to keep moving.  Even a couple of days off and my legs feel soooo tired, but strength soon comes back.

Meanwhile s couple of updates: the paper tubes have proved to be too much for my hands to manage. I didn't have newspaper so I used catalog type pages, all I had. I think newspaper is vital, soft enough to manipulate. So next time the local shopper comes, I'll try it again.  The tubes will become beads, possibly for a doorway. Anyway they're away safely, nothing wasted.

The other update is the progress of the garlic scapes

No commentary needed here.

Last night I made a cafe au lait, using a filter made into a coffee bag, like a teabag. 

It worked okay once it started. I wonder if coffee bags exist and if they're ground coffee like this or instant. Coffee doesn't usually affect my sleep but last night was all about reading and tossing. But the moon was brilliant, so that may be another reason. Beautiful moon, bitter cold, clear sky.

And I finished these, sincee my paper crafting us in hiatus

Already into the next, a narrow stripe of black and beigy color, tres raffine, insert your own accent there over the e. As I use up the supplies, there may be more narrow stripes in future, possibly multiple colors.

And if you're not familiar with teacher and knitter also crocheter and sewing expert and spinner Franklin Habit's vlog, yesterday he posted a wonderful one about a stitchery gala he attended recently. He's moved from Chicago to Paris and is getting right into the textile art scene there.

Here's a taste of the Aiguille en Fete 

Anyway he's a lovely guy, very entertaining, very encouraging to people at all levels of expertise or interest, take a look. He's crocheting while he talks, in his Paris apartment. 

Late breaking news. Fence Demolition has started 

Paper weaving, and food, surprise!

Yesterday was all about wondering what to eat since the larder was about bare in anticipation of a big Misfits box tomorrow, all being well.

While I was thinking about it, I thought I'd make a broth from the frozen bag of veg trimmings and chicken bones. I just found out that the difference between a broth and a stock is that one has meat related items and one doesn't.

In the background there is the water boiling ready for the bag of gnocchi I found in the freezer when I was getting out the bag of trimmings.

So that decided a couple of lunches. 

Dressed with a bit of Vermont butter and shredded parmesan. 

Meanwhile back on the stove, I figured I'd use the broth to make mushroom soup, long time since I did, using the white mushrooms in the main event, blended, and some leftover baby bella in slices. 

While I was pawing through the small freezer in search of frozen curry leaves for the soup, I found the dried seaweed which I've had for years, and forget I have it, broke a bit off to add. It looks like black grass then when it gets in the liquid, opens up into beautiful green fronds, mermaid hair. 

Then it vanishes on blending leaving a flavor of the ocean.

Among all this I also remembered to follow Chris's prompt about the scallions, and got out the sprouting garlic sections

And planted them in the hopes of scapes soon.

Then to the paper tubes and the proposed bathroom basket thing.

I quickly learned two things. One is that paper tubes are as strong and resistant as willow to manipulate. An unsuccessful attempt at starting a basket persuaded me to rethink.

So I rolled them flat with my heavyweight rolling pin, yet another kitchen tool conscripted into the world of art, and hope I can handle them better now.

Then I needed cardboard for the base of the basket, and in the course of recycling found a very nice perfectly clean folder, glossy card stock.

And traced the outline of the base of the plastic basket for which I have other plans

And this morning laid out the skeleton of what might be a basket, put the second base on top, weighted the whole thing down with a plant watering container. Water is a great material for weighing things down 

Then I got breakfast and a victory cup of tea. The doings will need drying time while I get on with Barking to the Choir, which is very good stuff. 

Gregory Boyle is a Jesuit, and I've had good personal encounters with them, rule breakers all, including the one who married us in defiance of his parish priest, a story for another post if you're interested. 

Anyway, I'm well disposed to the SJs I've known.  They didn't let religious rules get in the way of doing the right thing.

It's possible knitting might happen while I'm waiting for the glue to dry.

There's a title for a collection of essays or poems. Waiting For The Glue to Dry, the Power of Radical Patience.

Happy day, everyone!

More power to Ukraine.

 

Spring definitely here, in time for summer!

 Yesterday brought the first violets

And neighbor's flowering almond

And squirrels busily eating my Japanese maple leaf buds

Today temps in the 80sf.

And a complete Sock One of Pair Nine of the Sock Ministry. Socks 5-8 have been well received.

Leaving me in need of a different form to work on while I get my second sock wind.

Anyone who was around here during the Great Paper Bead Caper will recognize that rolling up paper has got me again. 

This time it's tubes for weaving into a couple of things I need, including a bathroom basket for bottles and a bedroom wpb. That sentence has some weird rhythm going.

Here's some great YouTube enabling ideas

These are based on using newspaper which I don't have. But I do have a few old magazines and a catalog or two. I might use paper bills rather than recycle,. We'll see.

Anyway here's the action

Materials all set up

First tube rolled on the stick thing. Then, a cup of tea later

Caution: one tube is a gateway to frenzy. Like paper beads, which I made by the hundred, there's no stopping place until your fingers refuse to go on. 

This is a cool idea for working with kids. I've taught beadmaking to all ages. Kids tend to be more adept, nimble fingers, but adults, with constant encouragement and supervision and patient demonstration, can do it, too.

Then I rested my hands and watched an excellent Textiles and Tea, with Tommye Scanlin, tapestry weaver, my wheelhouse.

She was an art teacher who came to weaving by making frame looms with her students, later moving to the rigid heddle and always teaching while creating wonderful tapestry art.

Here are paintings, which nowadays she creates as part of her tapestry design process

And she weaves tapestry journals, daily weaving about her day. Each year she adds a new warp to the previous year's output and continues

She's a wonderful artist, and generous in her acknowledgement of her influences, including Archie  Brennan and Susan Martin Maffei, longtime partners in life and art.

Here's her new book, intro written by Rebecca Mezoff, herself a brilliant tapestry artist.

And she publishes daily observations on social media.  She's also a lot of fun.  And now I'm feeling like doing a bit of weaving. Good thing I started the paper tube prep.

Let's not get used to the tragedy of Ukraine but continue to help resist.