Buds and baguettes

Out walking this morning while the baguette dough was rising, sounds like a traditional English song, early one morning, just as the bread was riiising,  where was I, and noticed that first reddish tinge of budding leaves on the treetops.

At home it's looking as if the honesty finally showed up and has self seeded outside the pot.

And the vinca that came from next door is flowering 

I'm not a fan of vinca because it vines around and makes it easy to trip, but the flowers are nice 

I'd been walking while the baguette dough, this time with bread flour, was rising. Home again to knock it down and fold it a bit and form the baguettes, then leave them for another rise.

Hot from the oven smelling fine and a nice crumb. Lunch, forgot the picture, too hungry, was a chunk of hot baguette, split and stuffed with sharp cheddar which melted, and a green salad. Dessert yogurt and peach chunks. 

The bread flour was excellent but I think next time I'll use a bit of whole wheat too, whole grain always good.   I also think I'll double the recipe and freeze the extra.

I've been following a daily Lenten meditation series written by the nun who receives my knitting with flattering thanks. 

The messages are quite revealing about herself, along with New testament references. It doesn't quite compare with the Mirror book of mystical thoughts,  but it's a nice community of thought. 

I don't think of prayer as words, and certainly not the endless nagging I detect when people are forever petitioning for something.  I grew up more in a laborare est orare kind of mindset. Working is prayer. It's playing the hand you're dealt, not fussing for a better one with more high cards in it. And it's not about religion. For me.

Anyway that's me today. Happy day everyone, send good wishes and vibes to blogger e for a successful surgery and good recovery.

 

Singing for freedom, and walking for spring

 Here's where blogista Anne will be next weekend, taking part in a singing rally

Let's join her in spirit, even in person, if you can.

And today, here in NJ,  warm sunshine, the daffodils bursting out, insects busy everywhere, emerging from underground, the Korean spice bush budding up, some cosmos maybe, self seeded from last year, first forsythia down the street. Lovely day.

And more women's art, from the Fils et Aiguilles blog

And, speaking of hand made items, this morning I sent off a pair of socks and two pairs of gloves to the knitting ministry, with a note taking a little leave of absence, but promising to return.

Happy day, everyone,  so many reasons to keep going and stay joyful. Now I'm off to sit on the deck, to read and to watch and listen to birds.

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.

Wire, weaving and winnowing

The day warmed up quite a bit, the sun came out and I walked. I love this time of year, trees just starting to leaf out, dogwood under way, the last of the daffodils, birds busy singing and making nests.

Home again I set to work playing with wire and weaving. I'd put away the wire, and not seeing it around let my mind create new ideas. 

I realized I can incorporate all my weaving into one little panoramic arrangement. So I threaded wire again and had a lot of fun turning and twisting the woven squares into new shapes. As you see. A couple of pieces, many iterations 

This grouping is beginning to suggest meaning. More to come.

Then I finally did one of those jobs you think about for weeks, then do in about ten minutes.

This time it was oiling the thirsty furniture. Only a few pieces need this treatment, after being vigorously damp dusted by my cleaning family. But the improvement is terrific.

Here's my teak mid century modern table feeling much better after oiling. 

I rubbed in safflower oil, with the grain, then across the grain, then with a terry cloth, and it looks so much better. Then the butcher block island, the oak coffee table, both lovely dumpster finds, and the top of the bedroom chest of drawers. 

About ten minutes every few months, doesn't seem like much to ask, and I usually wonder why it's so hard to get around to.

I might even get around to sharpening my knives at this rate. On the other hand, let's not get carried away here 

And I turned to another annoying thing, this downstairs drawer, where stitching stuff gets dumped, I mean put, or ends up, separated from its upstairs brethren.

 I emptied it out 

Here's finished things, miniature books with woven covers, stump work butterflies, sashiko book covers, bit of gold work, hardanger, woven spun paper.

Very few bits went into garbage. Mainly reels of thread and pins and needles and sewing tools were reunited, some of them upstairs with their friends.

So it wasn't exactly winnowing as much as reorganizing so things are findable.

It occurs to me to wonder if any blogistas would like an artist book, or a stump work butterfly or two, a little present? Cost of postage forces me to limit it to US blogistas. 

If you would like a little something, let me know and email me your address unless you know I already have it, and a little something will be in the mail to you soon.

The other books, not the miniatures from the drawer, are like this 

A couple of them are actually little portfolios with tiny paintings and drawings in them. 

I'd be happy to know they're in good hands. 

Happy day, everyone, share the wealth!

Photo AC