SMART goals, looking backward

in which our plucky heroine wobbles towards 2022...

This morning twas time to soak the black-eyed peas, which will be put to cook overnight with some allium and a ham hock for tomorrow's meal. There's an assortment of fresh greens, and I'm going to add carrot "coins", and mix up a batch of Sister Gigi's corn cakes, to start 2022 off with as much luck as may be possible.

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2021 wasn't entirely a wasted year, even though it often feels like it. Grateful that I have been keeping even this cursory online record of my immediate life, which allows me to revisit in memory some highlights of what I accomplished...

I made things for the beloved children in my life; I recycled the baby hat I made for Kestrel into trimmings on the neckline of a little wool cloak for 4year old herself, made her a kuspuk to match her favorite cartoon character "Molly of Denali", and knit and sewed a whole set of gifts for the child-within who turned out to be baby Liam.

I revisited the world of tiny Nandina, making an assortment of miniature clothing, and even dabbling in tiny Chinese food and even tiny fortune cookies! I made Almandine as part of my experimenting with spun cotton. I even figured out how to make a jack-o-lantern complete with flickering light...

There was another in my "making art for a change" blockprints, which makes three now. While I didn't do as much scribal arts as in years past, I did create a few original pieces that I challenged myself to try new things and expand my skills... I am quite pleased with the Mano D'Oro scroll in particular.

Acorn Cottage requires constant upkeep, and encourages ongoing effort at repair and refurbishment. One of the best things I thought up was to create a weighted screen door closing setup, with some screw eyes, paracord, and a massive eye bolt. My new five burner stove remains a constant source of pleasure, having finally replaced the former dysfunctional (two burners no oven) cooker.

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This morning I woke up in a very different mood than the previous day, and instead of dwelling on how very much is now missing from all of our lives, and mine in particular, I instead was filled with thoughts of gratitude, remembering all the various unexpected ways that friends and family let me know that they were thinking of me, of noticing specifically who I am. I may be distant, but I am very definitely held in love by those dear to me. May it be so for all in this time!

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SMART goals challenge 2021

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	postcard for Mom	cardigan mended	excess dust rhinos
2	candied grapefruit peel	replace nose pads	recycle bin
3	beaded stars	replace wall hook	recycle bin
4	miniature quilt	moved old computer	fabric cabbage
5	cloak for Kestrel	diffuser for cloudlight	yard waste bin
6	original SCA scroll	pruned persimmon	some of the branches
7	Kestrel kuspuk	saved food using snow	all the branches
8	6 jars orange marmalade	darned Totoro gloves	recycle bin
9	5 jars applesauce	power bar kitchen	random books
10	horseradish	power bar workshop	recycle bin
11	matzohs	long power bar computer	extra apples
12	charter #1	rain capelet binding	yard waste bin
13	Black Ice cardigan	new mask elastics	yard waste bin
14	charter #2	new mask nosewires	recycle bin
15	6 jars sumo marmalade	alter An Tir knit top	bag of fabric
16	rainbow baby cardigan	wall mount Couroc tray	bag of fabric
17	rainbow baby hat	refurbish apron straps	bag of fabric
18	rainbow baby booties	prune Japanese maple	bag of fabric
19	wire planter cage	cover smaller sleeve board	bag of old fur
20	prototype mesh wash bag	cover larger sleeve board	yard waste bin
21	5 jars blood orange marmalade	baby plants repotted	recycle bin
22	3 jars Awesome sauce	skirret cage adapted	yard waste bin
23	4 jars strawberry rhubarb sauce	temporary biffy	taxes done
24	two large blue planters	remove thumbhole cuffs	yard waste bin
25	bone Viking threadwinders	planted herbs	recycle bin
26	original Luttrell-inspired scroll	pruned forsythia	yard waste bin
27	two Adiantum charters	pruned persimmon	recycle bin
28	red Laurel enamel	repotted artichokes	paper recycling
29	tiny placket tee for Gwen	computer zone shelf	rogue garlic plants
30	teal knit tee for Nandina	cardboard back gate zone	yard waste bin
31	teal knit skirt for Nandina	pruned forsythia	recycling bin
32	red/grey top for Nandina	started cucumbers	yard waste bin
33	red/print skirt for Nandina	backyard mowed	recycle bin
34	setting for red Laurel	Nandina's legs	big bag of fabric
35	samara earrings	woodchip back gate zone	big bag of fabric
36	three baby baprons	repot tiny tomato	big bag of fabric
37	two more baprons	repot strawberries	big bag of fabric
38	teal/Mod top for Nandina	repot peppers	yard waste bin
39	Nandina striped knit dress	epoxy canister handle	yard waste bin
40	4 more Nandina clothes	paracord loops for plants	Ailanthus cut down
41	Nandina schoolgirl pinafore	end caps for cloches	recycle bin
42	tiny red rucksack	planted salad table	yard waste bin
43	baby clutch ball	repotted eggplant	yard waste bin
44	Nandina leather vest	otterface needlebook	yard waste bin
45	baby blanket	cleaned iron soleplate	recycle bin
46	miniature sofa	dollar store mini table	yard waste bin
47	Nandina Chinese food	single bulb garlic strings	broken oven bits
48	garlic scape pickles	repair broken bowl	old frozen food
49	6 mesh laundry bags	1 trim attached shower	yard waste bin
50	BLM print	garlic pulled and strung	yard waste bin
51	tiny fortune cookies	planted cucumbers	recycle bin
52	fox head blank	screen door weighted	yard waste bin
53	tiny chickens blanks	bedroom window AC	recycle bin
54	block printed trim	fabric stash sorted/culled	recycle bin
55	twirly skirt	lower L molar surgery	yard waste bin
56	Mano d'Oro scroll	Nandina painted shoes	recycle bin
57	four jars dilly beans	removed burned apples	yard waste bin
58	pickled beets	pruned lower apple limb	recycle bin
59	Greek masks block carved	resize Kestrel kuspuk	yard waste bin
60	pillowcases printed	pruned small plum	recycle bin

overflow SMART goals!!!

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
61	snood for Ariadne	pruned quince	recycle bin
62	memorial calligraphy	pruned sage	extra cardboard
63	tiny fox "Almandine"	grapevine pruned	recycle bin
64	fig lemon jam 5 jars	fox head painted	-
65	Almandine clothing	horses blouse collar	-
66	windfall applesauce 5 jars	much plum pruning	-
67	Nandina blouse	windfall fruit gone	-
68	postcard #1	rodent removal	-
69	postcard #2 and #3	bicycle tube replaced	-
70	applesauce 16 jars	side plum pruned	-
71	Awesome Sauce 7 4oz jars	apple tree pruning	-
72	Awesome Sauce 5 4oz jars	moar apple pruning	-
73	5 pints tomato sauce	added bat embroidery	-
74	tie-dye top	freezer defrosted	-
75	knitted elephant	pears dehydrated	-
76	roses kerchief	more dried pears	-
77	6 jars persimmon ketchup	plums harvested	-
78	6 jars pickled beets	sample leaf and stem	-
79	5 jars pear chunks	pruned Japanese maple	-
80	8 jars quince jelly syrup	assemble OMAR	-
81	sparkle horse kerchief	repaired door closer	-
82	miniature hemostat	picked quinces	-
83	carpenter pockets	stove installed	-
84	3 jars spiced pears	leather thimble	-
85	some candied peel	teal popover dress	-
86	more mini papel picado	jelly cloth	-
88	final quince jelly	30 persimmons dried	-
89	several looper potholders	many persimmons dried	-
90	woven paper stars	pruned Japanese maple	-
91	Coptic booklet for Dad	pruned persimmon tree	-
92	knit pants for Deb	reset back door latch	-
93	wool top for Deb	AC removed for winter	-
94	-	cleaned keyboard	-
95	-	lower wire shelves	-

SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely

is it memorex

in which our plucky heroine wonders is it nihilism or is it realism...

It has been snowing on and off for a few days now, warming up during the day, and dropping into the 20's at night. Mostly it has warmed enough, up into the mid 30's, so that the snow is not really building up. I've been trying to get out in the middle of the day and take a sanity stroll, when it is the "warmest". I feel somewhat better on days when I get outside, even for an hour or so. No bike riding for a while, though, alas.

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~ creativity challenge ~

Small folded paper stars, made from strips of vintage sheet music... K is making a music themed wreath next year, reusing various discarded items from their instrument repairs, worn out strings, and suchlike. As I offered to make her some of these stars (which I recently learned to make) she brought me some old sheet music books in similar condition, which has plenty of good paper to use for crafting holiday ornaments. I'm thinking that a garland of "lucky stars" would also be pretty

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Really struggling these last days of 2021, feeling wistful about the Before Times, feeling worried about the friends I am hearing about who have breakthrough Covid, feeling very much like an overarching why bother with anything. It feels as if I will always be isolated now, like doing things with other people will never happen again, and the activities that gave me joy are gone forever. I was describing to a friend how it feels as if life has had all the modulation sucked out of it, in a great graphic equaliser of reality instead of of sound. There is a big difference between the way I determinedly continued forward when I was younger and struggling with depression and with confusion, but hopeful inside that it would someday improve. (and over many years of effortful personal growth, and a modicum of luck, it did. My mid 40's to mid 60's were ramped gradual improvement as I built a life that made sense to me, that had enough balance between time alone and time with people, and had work that fed me both literally and virtually) It isn't depression when reality itself is rather flat, and missing crucial pieces. And I remind myself to be grateful every day for food and shelter and other people, even if they are pixel world folks. I am grateful. I am not living in the street in the snow and ice like I did that winter in my late 20's. I have enough of everything but contact. That vitamin T (T is for tactile) deficiency is getting pretty strong. I continue, I perservere... because really the alternative is unthinkable

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Truly, raw egg is beastly to clean up. I knocked over the bowl of beaten eggs intended for my dinner omelet, and about half the bowlfull oozed down the crevice between the stove and the countertop. Ugh. I needed to stop cooking and deal with it. Which entailed taking almost all the things off the bakers rack and moving it across the kitchen so that there was room to winkle the stove away from the wall and countertop, so I could wipe up and wash down the side wall, the side of the stove, and a substantial amount of floor.

After that cleanup was accomplished and the stove replaced in its correct location, I realised that I could easily reset the shelf heights of the narrow upper shelves on the bakers rack before putting it back in place. The shelves were originally set as tall as possible, because the little convection oven lived there. A few taps with the rubber mallet to loosen the shelves, and they are now replaced lower and their contents easier to reach! This is good, since I have been storing things there I use all the time (that formerly lived on top of the stove), like the pepper mill, the salt box, the soy sauce dispenser, and the oil jar.

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Just finished with the sewing for Deb's project yesterday. Each of the fabrics she picked are challenging in different ways. The beautiful hand dyed jersey for the leggings was wriggly and delicate, and I initially followed the pattern instructions for assembly, which it turned out was not a good idea. I had to redo the waistband, which didn't work as the given instructions suggested, and tore when I tried to carefully insert the elastic. The undyed wool for the top is one of the most ravelly and odd fabrics I have had to work with in ages, it is some kind of pique weave, and the weft is basically thin soft singles yarn which disintegrates if I try and pull a thread to get straight of grain. I did my best. All the seam allowances were serged, and all the edges bias bound. Pants took about three hours and the top will came near to the same amount.

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	carpenter pockets	pruned Japanese maple	yard waste bin
2	3 jars spiced pears	pruned persimmon tree	recycle bin
3	some candied peel	reset back door latch	recycle bin
4	more mini papel picado	AC removed for winter	extra cardboard
5	final quince jelly	cleaned keyboard	recycle bin
6	several looper potholders	lower wire shelves	-
7	woven paper stars	x	-
8	Coptic booklet for Dad	x	x
9	knit pants for Deb	x	x
10	wool top for Deb	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitude -  Still here. Still alive. Still functional, more or less. I guess that today I am grateful for my spare pair of eyeglasses, since I have once again set my regular spex down somewhere in the house...

A special booklet

in which our plucky heroine dusts off her bindery skills...

Siblings, spouses, and grandchildren all wrote wishes and appreciations for my Dad. A group effort, the initial idea was from my sister, my sister-in-law printed out the pages, and I bound it all into a keepsake booklet.

The lying press, awl, and the piercing board made it easy to place the stitching holes

as there were only a few pages, I used a tabbed binding to add enough width to the spine for easier stitching, and to give the little booklet a feeling of substance

Beginning to sew the Coptic stitch binding that will allow the book to open flat so that each page will be easy to read

The covers are bound in vintage marbled paper, and I chose an unobtrusive waxed linen for the stitching

The sewn binding, and a sense of the size of the booklet (8 1/2" x 5 1/2")

I always hear this phrase in my Dad's voice...

with love from all of us!

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	carpenter pockets	pruned Japanese maple	yard waste bin
2	3 jars spiced pears	pruned persimmon tree	recycle bin
3	some candied peel	reset back door latch	recycle bin
4	more mini papel picado	AC removed for winter	extra cardboard
5	final quince jelly	-	-
6	several looper potholders	x	-
7	Coptic booklet	x	-
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitude - the bookbinding tools we created years ago, when I was living in Olympia, which continue to work well for me my whole life long.

joyeux noel

in which our plucky heroine makes preparations...

There will be a small but festive meal tonight, as another turkey roulade is in the works, which with some sweet potato, and a green salad, will be a delight. There were a few persimmons that were forgotten on the windowsill, about to be turned into a loaf or two of persimmon tea bread for the week to come. Earlier this week I braved the bus trip and Trader Joe to replenish the pantry shelf with boxes of shelf stable cream, which sits alongside the Bobs Red Mill dry milk, and dry buttermilk that enable much of the pandemic cookery to happen.

I'm going to spend some sewing prep time today, on the project for Deb, and maybe also on the raincoat toile for me. Once I get the sleeve for the raincoat sorted out, I can try making a "wearable muslin" with some of my grey canvas/denim, with the intent of creating a chore coat. I am eager to get busy with various projects in the works for January, the enamel regalia commission, some new clothes for 2022, and completing the calendar drawings in time for 12th Night.

However, I think that maybe tonight I will simply sit down with a cup of tea, my new silky fleece throw wrapped around my shoulders, take up my long neglected knitting, and enjoy some sweet cartoons to watch on HBO...

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~ creativity challenge ~

Thank you mysterious Sekrit Santa... as you can see, I've already been having fun with the gift of a looper loom and loopers! (which I opened on Solstice) It's a gift that creates more gifts to share!! I've been enjoying the simplicity, and the chance to take a break between other tasks. Just have to be careful to not overdo it... the weaving is easy, but the binding off the edges with the crochet hook is really hard on the wrists.

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I don't remember when I first ran across the artwork of Raymond Briggs. The animated version of his "The Snowman" has been delighting people for 40 years

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the upcoming forecast graphic looks rather like a holiday pullover, sprinkled full of snowflakes and accented with red. We are due for a cold snap, though currently the yard is rather a green and soggy Christmas; I expect that we shall see some snow in the next day or two.

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	carpenter pockets	pruned Japanese maple	yard waste bin
2	3 jars spiced pears	pruned persimmon tree	recycle bin
3	some candied peel	reset back door latch	recycle bin
4	more mini papel picado	AC removed for winter	extra cardboard
5	final quince jelly	-	-
6	several looper potholders	x	-
7	x	x	-
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitude -  the warmth of central heating. Many would scoff at the thermostat setting of 65, (compared to last year when I kept it at 60) but when I remember the winter I spent living in the back of a van on the street in Cambridge, and when I think of all who remain houseless this winter, that number seems worthy of gratitude. And I remember the winter I spent in North Idaho in a drafty cabin, without running water or any heat other than the wood fire I must needs keep going or freeze. There isn't a day that I don't count my blessings.

Some holiday cheer

in which our plucky heroine wishes joy to all who celebrate:

today's gratitude - I was able to renew my drivers license entirely online... no need for going to a crowded office, taking a number and waiting, and so on. The photo is just the same one from the previous, and it still looks like me, albeit a bit of a younger me than currently seen in these parts.

wistful Wednesday

in which our plucky heroine feels caught in nostalgia...

It was good yesterday to talk to the family and friends who called me with natal day felicitations. Overall it was a quiet day. Some packages arrived on my front porch. I went ahead and opened my sekrit santa swap package, like I do every year, for the Solstice and my birthday. I was pleased to get the potholder looper weaving loom from my wishlist, and immediately set to weaving one, with the rainbow loops included in the package. No such thing as too much rainbow! Still, I miss so much the years when instead of sitting quietly in my living room alone, there would have been a Saturnalia party, with festive treats and friends warming the house and my heart. Maybe someday we can gather again, I can only hope...

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warm in winter:

Tonight I experimented with making something new for supper: tsumire-jiru (a japanese fish-ball/miso soup). It had showed up somewhere in my internet rambles, and looked tasty. This was easier and faster to make than I imagined, and there is enough leftover in the pan for a portion tomorrow, maybe for breakfast? Given that the cost of any sort of meat or fish has risen so very noticeably in the last year, a warming meal that uses a minimum of protein to such good effect is a good addition to the recipe book!

The recipe called for fresh sardines, but I substituted rockfish, since that was what was available. I suspect salmon would have been a better substitute, if much more spendy, as the rockfish was so mild as to be bland. (Also the recipe comments allow that it could be made with canned sardines?)  Still, the basic technique is quite straightforward enough that I may attempt it using chicken minced finely instead of fish, as an experiment...

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Still working away at getting the sewing commission work for Deb done in a timely way. I think I hate Simplicity patterns. The way they suggested making the elastic waist was awful, and tore the fabric when I tried to insert the actual elastic. Am going to redo it a different way that will give a cleaner finish.

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	carpenter pockets	pruned Japanese maple	yard waste bin
2	3 jars spiced pears	pruned persimmon tree	recycle bin
3	some candied peel	reset back door latch	-
4	more mini papel picado	AC removed for winter	-
5	final quince jelly	-	-
6	x	x	-
7	x	x	-
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitude - Today there was a large shoebox sized package on my front porch, which turned out to be a second birthday gift from my brother and sister-in-law. In addition to the wonderful picture book "The Shortest Day" that arrived yesterday (on the shortest day), they also sent me the 3qt saucepan from my wishlist. So, not only something to feed my spirit, but also another something to help feed the body I live in... I love them so much and wish that we didn't live thousands of miles apart!

the shortest day

in which our plucky heroine marks another trip around the sun...

This is just plain lovely... happy Solstice one and all!

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"And so the Shortest Day came
and the year died.
And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
To drive the dark away.
They lighted candles in the winter trees;
They hung their homes with evergreen;
They burned beseeching fires all night long
To keep the year alive.
And when the new year's sunshine blazed awake
They shouted, revelling.
Through all the frosty ages you can hear them
Echoing behind us - listen!
All the long echoes, sing the same delight,
This Shortest Day,
As promise wakens in the sleeping land:
They carol, feast, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
And hope for peace.
And now so do we, here, now,
This year and every year."

~ Susan Cooper

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today's gratitude - I'm still here, still above ground, still making and sharing as best as can be managed in this second year of the COVID plague...

another day, whatever day, Monday I think...

in which our plucky heroine perseveres (and preserves) through dark days...

Two batches of candied citrus peel are currently completed, have been rolled in sugar and dried enough to keep well, some in jars for next year, some to send to my dad, and some for a future fruitcake... One was bog standard orange, and the other using the pomelo skins, which may or may not be actually huge grapefruit after all. Pomelo makes the most succulent candied peel, some of those strips are almost a half inch thick, and translucent like stained glass. If I'd remembered to save some of last year's candied peel, I could have baked my fruitcake weeks ago... I'm rather a bit late this year, (my holiday fruitcake will be for 12th night).

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~ creativity challenge ~

making things for Sekrit Santa Swap, so not able to share the photos here, yet... I have been exploring a bit of papercraft, and getting back to a bit of bookbinding and heraldic painting. It has been fun, and I intend to do a bit more of that in 2022. In particular, I want to explore the possibilities of the Turkish Map Fold structure

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This essay is food for thought, about the things we lose...

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	carpenter pockets	pruned Japanese maple	yard waste bin
2	3 jars spiced pears	pruned persimmon tree	recycle bin
3	some candied peel	reset back door latch	-
4	more mini papel picado	AC removed for winter	-
5	final quince jelly	-	-
6	x	x	-
7	x	x	-
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitude - two new baby pear trees (in 1 gallon pots) arrived with the aunties on Saturday! One is a Seckel pear, and one Bosc, they look rather like wee little sticks right now, but hopefully in three or four years there may be pears growing here at Acorn Cottage! I need to find out how best to keep them safe and happy now that winter is almost here, and figure out where best to plant them. So bright and early Monday I called Burnt Ridge Nurseryand asked for advice; was told that temperatures in the 20's are no problem, as long as the temperature stays above 10F the trees will be fine just as they are, since they are dormant. and if it looks to go down to single digits, then keeping them insulated from the cold will be needed, but it doesn't normally get that cold here in zone 8.

Tuesday tidbits

in which our plucky heroine carefully peels citrus...

There are an assortment of holiday season confections and special treats, all of which require advance preparations. If I want to make fruitcake, I need to have already made candied citrus peel. If I want to send my dad candied peel for his birthday, I need to make it far enough in advance for the post to deliver it. If I want mince tartlets, I need to have made quincemeat beforehand.

This is why the kitchen here now has a pot full of orange peels cooling down on the stove, and I am taking a break before I start in on the pomelo. The store had them labeled as "Shattuck Pomelo" and a bit of research found that grapefruit are actually a cross between a pomelo and the common orange, and was originally known as a "shaddock". Citrus seem to be rather promiscuous. That said, the previous time I acquired a pomelo or two, the extra thick rind made extra succulent candied peel, even better than grapefruit.

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beauty in the time of isolation:

It is a thing that can be enjoyed twice... first in the initial eating, and then with the peel turned into a confection!

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I made a new-to-me tasty roasted chicken dish tonight (recommended by Sister Gigi): Pomegranate-Sumac Chicken It had the delightful tang of the pomegranate molasses, and I was able to use some of the new denizens of my spice rack (Aleppo pepper, and sumac). I cut the recipe in half of course, and tipped the pan juices that remained after baking right into the crock pot with some leftover box broth and some chicken stock from the freezer. I am probably going to add a bit more garlic and up the spices the next time I make this. It would combine well with a tzatziki salad and some saffron rice, had I thought to make those ahead as well. Since there is a cucumber in my veggie box today, that will be tomorrow's dinner!

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	carpenter pockets	pruned Japanese maple	yard waste bin
2	3 jars spiced pears	pruned persimmon tree	recycle bin
3	some candied peel	reset back door latch	-
4	more mini papel picado	AC removed for winter	-
5	final quince jelly	-	-
6	x	x	-
7	x	x	-
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitude - I will be getting this excellent safety mask soon, and it will be useful both here in the workshop, and when out and about in the world. 

monday music and miscellany

in which our plucky heroine continues catching up, bit by bit...

Each day I've been trying to get at least some housey tasks done, trying to get progress on some of the long delayed commission work, and trying to make a modicum of progress on some of the creative projects that will bring pleasure to my friends and family. It feels like all I do is whinge, to no particular result.

We are all in this situation together. Some of my friends have begun behaving as though the plague is over, returning to former social behaviours. I wonder how many people during the real plague did so. Of course, though this is a pandemic, it isn't quite the same. A different disease, and we do have vaccines.

I just don't feel okay with going to indoor gatherings, with being physically adjacent to people even if everyone is masked. My friends in Seattle are going to send me a new kind of respirator mask, with replaceable filters, that promises a better fit than the duckbill N95s, which should make things like going to stores and riding transit much less fraught.

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~ creativity challenge ~

I really like this English style of half-timbering, and am gradually collecting exemplar photos, as my plan is to begin assembling the dollhouse after New Years, and rather than follow the suggested instructions slavishly for the cottage, I will instead follow my own tune and make some stylistic changes to customise it to my own tastes...

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I realised today that I needed to renew my drivers license, which expires later this month. Since I no longer have a car, I only think about it when I need to show that sort of ID, and I somehow forgot to put that on my to do list for the month... Fortunately, it is apparently possible to simply do the whole process online, without having to set foot in a DMV office, and if all goes according to plan, a new card will "magically" appear here at Acorn Cottage.

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All the assorted winter holidays are galloping towards us at a rapid pace... and while there won't be a lot of festivities here at Acorn Cottage it probably isn't too soon to start enjoying some traditional music:

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Some of what I've done lately: made liquid cooked starch from kitchen cornstarch (1 part cornstarch, 2 parts cold water, and 4 parts hot water, cook till clear), and used it to starch silk, made the now stable (and cardboard-y) silk into bias binding, used the bias to edge-bind the silk top for Debs project. She has two more garments for me to make for her project, a plain wool pique top (self bound) and a naturally dyed jersey pair of pants.

I also cut out and polished the bronze Minoan horns for Tamras project.  So far a good start to the week. Next up is the very last bits for the pockets project, and graphics for Dad's birthday. After that, I really want to make up a toile for the raincoat project, though I've no idea what to use for trial fabric. I'll just have to pick something not too flimsy, that I don't mind if it doesn't turn out a "wearable muslin"

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	carpenter pockets	pruned Japanese maple	yard waste bin
2	3 jars spiced pears	pruned persimmon tree	recycle bin
3	some candied peel	reset back door latch	-
4	more mini papel picado	AC removed for winter	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	-
7	x	x	-
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitude - Tamra brought me Saint Lucia saffron buns today!

Sunday snippets

in which our plucky heroine cogitates...

There has been a lot of thought happening, but not so much only a modest modicum of actual accomplishment in the last week or so. Bits of stitchery, calendar artwork planning, and the fruit on hand is gradually getting turned into pantry preserves...

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beauty in the time of isolation:

last weekend dear M had the delightful idea to visit the Japanese garden... They had never been, and I hadn't been there since before the time of isolation. As it was both late in the afternoon, and quite blustery, the garden was less crowded than usual. We eschewed taking the helper bus up the steep hill to the garden entry, for reasons of less exposure to others exhalations, but instead walked up, which I have never done before. It was only a bit strenuous, and plucky heroine resolved to continue walking every day to continue to build strength.

There are vistas of various expanses both micro and moderate inside the garden, and always the exquisite beauty that restores a sense of well being to the spirit. For some reason this contorted maple caught my eye, and seemed to mirror, with its age, leaflessness, and the droplets sparkling on the twig tips, precisely how I am feeling currently, my own advancing notice of decrepitude, and my own dogged determination to still find the loveliness of the world despite all that is happening.

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Last week the star anise that Tamra sent me was the other thing that showed up in my mailbox. Since I have some cinnamon sticks, the only other missing ingredient for making spiced canned pears is white balsamic vinegar. So I went looking online to figure out if there was any sort of DIY substitute for it... apparently it is made from white wine vinegar with grape lees marinated in it, and possibly sugar. I'm thinking that maybe adding a bit of grape syrup to white vinegar would work, though it would darken the finished results. Although for fruitcake, it doesn't really matter if the fruits are dark. As long as they are tasty! I'm also planning on using dried pears, dried persimmons, dried plums (all rehydrated in alcohol), dried cranberries and some raisins, in addition to homemade candied peel. It won't take much of any one thing, but the taste should be rich and strange...

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Continue to mull over the idea of parental care, and what are the possible benefits, drawbacks, and issues involved in moving Mom here, should Dad predecease her. I am the only one of the sibs with a single story home, that even has a ramp to the front door, and while I do not have the physical strength to be a caregiver, I could be the person on hand to supervise and coordinate her care. There would needs must be some physical changes in the house, and enough of my belongings put into storage that the remainder could be rearranged to accommodate space for using a wheelchair and walker, and a hospital bed. If we sibs were able to organise for the sort of hired helpers to care for Mom's physical needs, this might be a way forward that would avoid the necessity to place her in a facility, which is the one thing that she has said for many decades is something she really does not want to have happen, and the one thing that my Dad does not want for her. Further thought is needed, and also figuring out if this can be done in a way that does not break me.

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Last week I celebrated Ursus by taking an afternoon nap. I've been having really disrupted sleep recently, and I was tired. The weather was astonishingly warm today, so I went for a quite long walk prior to napping, and spent about an hour doing some pruning on my own Japanese maple. Now the leaves have all fallen, I can easily see where there are branches and bits that are not alive any more, or are criss-crossing, and I trimmed all that away, as well as the branches that are encroaching on the front porch.

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	carpenter pockets	pruned Japanese maple	yard waste bin
2	3 jars spiced pears	pruned persimmon tree	recycle bin
3	some candied peel	reset back door latch	-
4	more mini papel picado	AC removed for winter	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	-
7	x	x	-
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitude - somewhat better sleep...

There are two things that are creating an improvement. First, dear M was able to reset the Awful Thermostat, so that it now keeps the house at 65 instead of at 60. Amazing what a difference five degrees makes! 
 

I am also finding that making myself go to bed before midnight and aim for eight hours or so of sleep is actually making a difference in how I function. As many have suggested (and I now confirm), checking information online, and/or random scrolling on my phone, or even reading e-books before bed, do not help either physical or mental well being. Instead, I use my under the covers winding down time to gently nudge my brain to mull over my daily gratitudes and to build gentle fantasy plans for future projects.

a dog on my doorstep

in which our plucky heroine takes a small detour...

meet the new denizen of Nandina's world -  a surprise packet arrived in the post box today, containing this charming Japanese carved wood Akita dog, just 3" tall at the tip of its ears. No note inside, a delightful mystery, edited: gift from my friend Eva... I was imagining that someone might have been emulating the spirit of our beloved late friend Russ, who sent anonymous gifts at random to people...)

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my friend Mari created a new holiday quite a few years ago, and it is one of my very favorite holidays - Ursus! ... here is what she has to say about it:

Hello Beautiful People! Have you heard about Ursus? Ursus is a long holiday that extends from Nov 30 to Jan 11. Why is it the middle of the silly season? The season of rushing and buying and frantic sewing? End of the year deadlines and family drama? Because Ursus is to remind us to find our inner calm- take time to relax- we celebrate by taking time to read a book just for fun, take a nap or have a cuppa with a friend. In the North we snuggle up with cozy socks and blankets and enjoy a bit of hibernation away from the cold. In the South, we might go to the beach, lounge in the hot tub, have a cool drink with mates. "But I don't have time to relax!!" Mate, no one else can relax for you. The stressors will all be there when the time you take is done- but you will be keener and better able to take on the world. So take a moment, take a deep breath and enjoy life and all it's wonder.
HAPPY URSUS!

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~ creativity challenge ~

Miniature (faux) hemostat sawn from a scrap of pewter sheet. A friend asked me if I could make one for the Frida Kahlo ofrenda she is creating... (the same friend I made a set of miniature papel picado for last week)

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November SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	roses kerchief	leather thimble	recycle bin
2	6 jars persimmon ketchup	teal popover dress	yard waste bin
3	6 jars pickled beets	jelly cloth	recycle bin
4	5 jars pear chunks	30 persimmons dried	-
5	8 jars quince jelly syrup	many persimmons dried	-
6	sparkle horse kerchief	x	-
7	miniature hemostat	x	x
8	-	x	x
9	x	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitude - on the first day of Ursus, I let myself sleep in. I am grateful that I have a life where that is an option, in a world where so many people do not.

enough is as good as a feast

in which our plucky heroine is thinking about wardrobe planning...

I don't need to participate in SWAP, since I certainly do not need eleven or more new garments. This is, however, the time of year when I cogitate about clothing. My long ago desire to have enough clothing so that laundry could be done less frequently has finally come to pass, and now my personal sewing is mostly focused on replacing what is too worn to mend, or filling holes in my wardrobe (hello raincoat, I hear you).

It was interesting to fill out a grid of what I mostly have, with one axes being my three primary colorways, and the other axes being types of garments...

~{ 3 season wardrobe }~

#	BLACK/GREY	TEAL/INDIGO	BROWN
pinafores	grey linen black linen black corduroy black rib	dk denim denim jacquard turquoise essex	brown cavehorse brown corduroy
blouses	black/grey flannel	horses ditsy rickrack MCM floral prize floral	black/brown flannel mushrooms brown oxford
tops	many t-necks wintertime blk/grey stripe indigo/black plaid AC crow 30 Year	tie dye vine lt mushroom dk mushroom t-neck AC dot stripe	t-neck
outerwear	chopshop classic blackhorse akita patchwork stripey vest	galaxy lopi solbein classic vest	AC roses
dresses	lt grey stripe multi stripe	batik pinstripe
leggings	5 pair		1 pair
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This sort of planning chart helps me think clearly about what I might want to make next, although some of what appear to be gaps are not, actually, when I stand in front of the closet choosing what to wear, since almost all of my clothing coordinates well enough to please my artist eye. I don't plan on making any more knit tops, since the drawer that holds them is chock full. Over the course of the next year, I plan on making one new pinafore, from the dk teal linen, and an AC jacket featuring the teal jersey,  because more than once I've wished for just those particular garments. Some of the knit fabric on the resource shelves is going to become more leggings, in the teal/indigo group, and maybe some with brown accent trim on the bottoms (since I don't have enough brown knit for a whole pair) Once I get a decent toile for a raincoat, I will probably make up the brown Goretex fabric, as I rather desperately need a replacement for the ancient 20+ year old very ratty looking outdoor jacket.

So looking at this and thinking... Since I have the niches in my everyday wardrobe filled with enough garments, the most useful use of my personal sewing time would be to get started on a coat toile for a raincoat. Now to work on shifting my brain to where it might enjoy making (probably multiple) toiles. There is a reason that I do most of my personal sewing with TNT patterns. I find fitting a new pattern to be challenging, with all the faffing about with mirrors and using my camera and tripod, and so on. But it would be lovely to just be able to have a new, well fitting raincoat. The only way around it is through...

Between the larger garments, what I really want to be sewing are smaller things... a new hat or two, some bedsocks, a winter kerchief in grey/black (now that I have finished the two AC ones I started earlier this month, they are in almost constant rotation, being warmer than the printed cotton lawn lawn ones I wear all summer). I'm also going to dig out the wonderful yarn I bought last winter, and start on a new cardigan... with audiobooks to keep me company.

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beauty in the time of isolation:

I never get tired of moss worlds. They always remind me of this song...

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After several years of not doing one, I have begun planning for a 2022 calendar. Returning to one of my early themes, it will be another alphasketch, with plants and animals and lettering.

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November SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	roses kerchief	leather thimble	recycle bin
2	6 jars persimmon ketchup	teal popover dress	yard waste bin
3	6 jars pickled beets	jelly cloth	recycle bin
4	5 jars pear chunks	30 persimmons dried	-
5	8 jars quince jelly syrup	many persimmons dried	-
6	sparkle horse kerchief	x	-
7	-	x	x
8	-	x	x
9	x	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitude - I have enough. Enough food, enough shelter, enough people who care about me. Enough that I am cogitating on how I can find ways to make a difference in a world that needs all of us doing what we can to help heal what is broken and care for what needs cared for