throwback Thursday and other random thoughts

in which our plucky heroine has a somewhat better day...

While I didn't make it to the art museum today for Free First Thursday, I did make it over to Guardian Games instead. We are going to be playing Wanderhome at some point in the foreseeable future, and I decided to treat myself to the actual book as an almost birthday gift. (My other almost birthday gift being DVDs of Bluey seasons 1, 2, and 3; apparently the entirely reasonable theme for the upcoming year involves escaping to alternate gentler and more kindly worlds. Can't imagine why...

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~ Day 5 ~

Today's treats were a dozen of these unusual small dragonfly?? shaped beads...

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Managed to get the whole length of the front yard adjacent to the sidewalk covered with two layers of cardboard, which I had been intending to do for ages now... The neighbor from the house of the naughty dog asked me what the cardboard was for. It helps kill the grass, without adding additional plastic to the area. I wish I had more pieces of big cardboard boxes! My plan is to line the front edge with the big SWP boxes, and plant flowers in them, interspersed with pretty (and edible) things.

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~ putting away Spooky Season ~

Masu boxes are not just for the advent swap, but are everso useful when keeping tinyfolk decorations all together. I will be wrapping up each of the fragile glass pieces in tissue before storing them away for next year...

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Ugh, and ouch. It doesn't take very much being out in the cold with my hands unprotected before the skin on my fingers starts to crack... and it takes days for the cracks to heal up again. I've used a combination of several layers of (liquid bandage) new-skin, covered with several layers of criss-crossed micropore tape, to make a little "cap" for my poor sorry index finger. And I will have to go back to wearing gloves when washing dishes or preparing food...

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throwback Thursday:  Fifteen years ago I was in the middle of the Dark Days Challenge (eating foodstuff from, as I recall, a 100 mile radius from where you live) and rediscovered how much I enjoy egg drop soup for breakfast in the winter. Might need to get back to that nowadays! Ten years ago I was doing an experiment dyeing wool yarn with pokeberry vinegar, and got some beautiful results...

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December SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	rainbow cowl tassels	more clothesline	recycle bin
2	-	cardboard down	-
3	-	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. Wanderhome was actually in stock, in a shop here in PDX, in a location I could get to fairly easily, and I had dosh on hand
2. there was a bunny in my front yard today!
3. Arlys sent over a large box of misc craft supplies (that she was using for miniatures); I will sort it to see what I can use (if anything), and will donate the rest to SCRAP or Goodwill.
4. Had a pleasant video chat with Stef last night in lieu of gaming, since Mischa was under the weather.

Time of Isolation - Day 1604

Monday miscellany

in which our plucky heroine feels somewhat less wobbly...

And as a way of warming the kitchen I've started pre-baking the quinces... 20+ minutes in the oven at 350°F and they are much easier to peel and cut into pieces. Then they can be frozen or cooked further as desired, and the cores and peels added when making quince or other jelly.

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~ hopeful ~

Garlic, iris, hyacinth, and tulips... planting bulbs is a statement that there will be a future. These are a statement of not just bare survival but also of beauty in the world. Thank you Acantha for sharing this hopeful gift, and when they bloom, or come to full growth, I will think of you!

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This is a fascinating article about the garnet and gold metalwork found in the Sutton Hoo archaeological site.

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~ getting ready ~

This is the second year I have coordinated the (secular) "Advent of a Better Year" swap, where everybody gets 31 tiny wrapped gifts, one for each day in December. Everyone gets a random assortment from all the other participants.

There are 20 sets on the table currently, five more sets I've not yet made a box for, there's a package of goodies for the swap out for delivery today and one tomorrow, someone driving up tonight with their set, and I am still waiting to hear from one more person, but I've turned my worktable into Advent Swap Central so that once all the goodies arrive (hopefully in the next day or two) I can do the mix-n-match, and seal up all the boxes and take them to the post office...

*Notice: next year our plucky heroine is moving the deadline for tiny treats to arrive here back two weeks, from October 31 to October 15, to better allow for "shipping and handling" time.

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November SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	Halloween cushions	repot spider plants	recycle bin
2	applesauce	harvest persimmons	yard waste bin
3	cat head graphic	moar pruning	recycle bin
4	6 jars to ferment	grape pruning	yard waste bin
5	lime curd	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. a great porch visit with Ashe this weekend, when they drove down here to drop off Advent Swap goodies from their family
2. learned a new origami box fold
3. I don't know how they end up there, but there were three! spiders in my bathtub this morning! Fortunately for them, I keep a spider catching cup and a postcard in the bathroom, so I can remove them safely and without harm to either of us
4. Acantha sent me flower bulbs as well as garlic to plant

Time of Isolation - Day 1589

happy Halloween!

in which our plucky heroine hides in the dark...

I miss the good old days in the Before Times when I could easily open my door and interact with the few trick-or-treater kids that showed up here. Now I turn off all my outside lights and wait out the two hours or so that I can hear folks roaming around. It was dreadfully cold and rainy, which probably cut back on the activity. Maybe next year I will do the thing where you put out a bowl or bucket full of candy with a sign that says "take one", as some of my friends do.

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~ spooky season reigns supreme ~

This might their favorite holiday...

along with the wee felt witch, and the playmobil tiger baby, who both love to join in the celebration! I'd a few more festive decorations (the vintage cat head banner and the little candy buckets) that I had hoped to make, that may have to wait for next year. (though I may paint one of the banners to add to the Spooky Season challenge prize packet, along with the orange skirt and the trick or treat bunting... I'd also like to make a bigger spun cotton jack-o-lantern, and adapt a circular LED tea light to be a table.

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the second package for the Advent swap arrived in my mailbox today - yay! Fingers crossed there will be many more...

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checked "Ballot Tracker" and my ballot has been received and counted. Always a good feeling!

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Picked 20# of Fuyu persimmons yesterday morning before it started raining; wasn't everything on the tree, but the most visible. Kat and Grendel came by at lunchtime for a quick porch visit and I sent them off with some persimmons and some quinces; it was lovely to see them.

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October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	ScribeTober 1	removed frost	yard waste bin
2	blue wolf enamel	prune persimmon	old light crap
3	shibori scarf	tidy walking onions	recycle bin
4	robin and holly acorn cap ornaments	string trim parking strip	yard waste bin
5	Kenya skirt	long jane waistband	recycle bin
6	pumpkin overalls	black winter slip	yard waste bin
7	Textile Livestock	harvested quince	recycle bin
8	applesauce	pruned apple	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. sorted out how to get access to my Norton account
2. my ballot was accepted and has been counted
3. being able to gift folks with homegrown tree fruit
4. took out various containers of proto soup, which are now all in the crock pot turning into rich flavorful broth and sending out enticing smells, rather like a 1930's cartoon. I can just imagine the slightly wiggly hand at the end gesturing "come this way"

Time of Isolation - Day 1571

when did that happen?!?

in which our plucky heroine is feeling a bit like Rip Van Winkle...

Biokleen Free and Clear laundry powder is completely gone! As in I went to the store and there was none on the shelf. And there was basically no dry powder laundry detergent any more. Not at New Seasons, not at Freddies, not at Safeway...  From what I have been able to glean online, using powder laundry detergent is no longer popular in the US?!  (re Biokleen, which I have been using for well over twenty years, the company had been bought out several years ago; the new owners decided to discontinue that product, which has been gradually hence disappearing from retail shops.)

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~ just needs a cover... ~

My latest miniature book is almost ready, the block is done and the spine reinforcement is attached. All that yet remains is to create and attach the cover, and this "edition" of nine copies is complete. Most will be part of the Advent Swap, with a few going to special individuals. Wondering if I ought to make a second edition...

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in the park yesterday, as I was riding past, I saw a woman calling crows, standing under the big trees with a pan full of food...

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~ the Brian Duncan Memorial Tree ~

Not raining today, and the fragrance was perceptable when walking past the Quinceling, so it was time to harvest. I filled the Japanese tote bag three times over, each time weighing self + fruit and subtracting selfweight to get the final total of 39.2# of fruit! That will make a lot of quince jelly and membrillo, and possibly other preserves...

Just harvested 39+ pounds of quince from the little tree in my side yard. Tree was planted in 2018, and in six years has grown from a wee little knee high thing to about a (pruned) height of six feet, and a robust producer of delicious fruit

an assortment of quince recipes:
easy peeling and cutting tips
Pliny's quinces preserved in honey
Quince-o-rama part 3 The quest for Membrillo
Membrillo and quince squares
Tartine's panforte with candied quince
Quincemeat

~ when the Quinceling was new... ~
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I am being tempted by Last Homely House Kate to make a rainbow colorwash pin board for the Emporium door. While she makes some amazing patchwork including English paper pieced hexagon quilts, I know myself too well to go down that particular rabbit hole. I might, though, be willing to piece squares into a cover for one of the reconfigured pin boards...

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October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	ScribeTober 1	removed frost	yard waste bin
2	blue wolf enamel	prune persimmon	old light crap
3	shibori scarf	tidy walking onions	recycle bin
4	robin and holly acorn cap ornaments	string trim parking strip	yard waste bin
5	Kenya skirt	long jane waistband	recycle bin
6	pumpkin overalls	black winter slip	yard waste bin
7	x	harvested quince	recycle bin
8	x	pruned apple	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. the Quinceling has had a fantastic crop this year
2. for some reason, the cool weather made yard work feel good today, and there was much pruning...
3. Ursel shared a really fun way to make a dragon ornament

Time of Isolation - Day 1564

snippets and scraps

in which our plucky heroine takes a break...

Over the last few days, have repeatedly girded loins and spent numerous hours doing admin, and have hopefully come to a brief resting spot in the various bits of official paperwork that needs doing. Still a lot further to go, but for the weekend there is time for rest and recreation, a nice long bike ride, and some walking around the neighborhood. Trees are starting to turn color here and there, and I just noticed today that the tree full of quinces is ready to be harvested, as they are becoming fragrant. (I sniffed at them a week ago and nada, so...)

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~ pumpkin overalls ~

Today I added the finishing touches to the Spooky Season overalls for Almandine: a festive embroidered jack-o-lantern on the chest pocket! It was necessary to pay a visit yesterday to Sewlarium, as I'd no orange floss at all... Finally all four of my current tinyfolk have something special to wear for the holiday later this month, and to dress up in when I take my photos for the challenge I am sponsoring over at Tiny Rag Doll Nation on Ravelry.

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Found the missing edge binding fabric for the raincoat project, which was the final part needed to move forward. For some unknown reason it was on the soldering bench, underneath a pile of papers to be recycled?! Since the autumnal weather is here with enthusiasm, getting the raincoat finally put together is an excellent plan.

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Being tired of being annoyed by the kitchen oil dispenser every time it was used, which was pretty much every day (it somehow oozed oil (from the cap?) so that the top was always slightly greasy, as was the saucer it lived atop on the kitchen shelf), it was the last straw when the counterbalanced cap decided to stop working and remain stuck in the open position. I decided that the OXO 5oz precision dispenser might be a better option. It is a bit smaller than my current container, but it is eversomuch better configured. Not only does the spout not drip at all, but the innards of the cap are removable, so that the entire thing can be periodically scrubbed clean. I am sorely tempted to get a second one for the tamari, which is also being stored in a sub par container. (I keep the large "back-stock" of those in the pantry, but like having small dispensers handy...

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October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	ScribeTober 1	removed frost	yard waste bin
2	blue wolf enamel	prune persimmon	old light crap
3	shibori scarf	tidy walking onions	recycle bin
4	robin and holly acorn cap ornaments	string trim parking strip	yard waste bin
5	Kenya skirt	long jane waistband	recycle bin
6	pumpkin overalls	black winter slip	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. I ordered a DVD of "Over The Garden Wall" as my October treat, and it should be delivered next week.
2. The new cooking oil dispenser works better than any I have had in the past, which makes me very happy indeed. Just as poor design drives me bonkers, good design is a delight
3. I picked up an assortment of acorn caps in various sizes, some of which should work well as a base for miniature vintage style Halloween candy buckets.

Time of Isolation - Day 1559

crashings and bashings

in which our plucky heroine uses her little sledgehammer...

While most of today was fairly productive, part of today was rather destructive! I have not been sure what to do with the remainders of the former ceiling light fixture from the kitchen. There was a metal strip, and a large textured plastic piece, both too long to fit in the wheelie bin. Then I thought to copy how M had bent the largest metal piece in half with a hammer. It was easy to dent the metal strip enough to bend it in half, making it a legal size to dispose of. Next, by laying the plastic diffuser atop the burden cloth, then covering it with some scrap denim so no sharp bits went flying, I was able to fairly quickly bash it enough that it was reduced to bin size shards. Now there is a bit less garbage in my side yard.

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~ mutual aid ~

Yesterday Gersvinda stopped by here on her way down to Corvallis to pick up a small packet of gifties I had been saving up to send to Acantha, who had messaged me earlier to ask if I could use any of the excess garden bounty from points south. I said yes to some winter squash and onions, maybe a small cabbage, and a definite yes to orchard apples... All of which are visible in the photo. Unsprayed orchard apples can be buggy, but with the funky parts cut away, there will be some good applesauce made from that 5 gallon bucket full to put into storage.

There are also a few unseen medlars, which I mistook for small onions until I pulled them out of the bottom of the box. Dealing with them will be an interesting experiment. The bright blue things are silicone fermentation airlocks, and there are also some of the good heavy glass weights to go along with. I had been wanting to try again at making fermented condiment(s), and now I have some spiffy tools to use! Very grateful for the generosity of my friends!!

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Being tired of wrestling with the lid to the 5 gallon sugar bucket, the search was on for a Gamma lid (those clever constructions that snap onto the bucket rim and have an airtight inner lid that screws on and off). After much searching online (no, I don't want the cheaper off brand version with the bad reviews), finally found them at TAP Plastic, and took some time off this afternoon to go pick one up. It was a beautiful autumnal afternoon to be out and about running errands, and I managed to time it to avoid the "schools out" transit rush...

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While it was still light after dinner, I spent some time with the string trimmer tidying up the parking strip and along the front sidewalk. Then did as much cleanup of the dead stalks of walking onion as I could bear to do, until my knees and back were screaming too much for me to continue. (almost done with that task). After sweeping up the grass remnants and gathering the stalks, all that went into the greenwaste bin. As a change of position, I did a bit of pruning away of the vertical growth on the persimmon tree. The green wheelie bin was full and my back was done!  at least for today... Still, it was a very productive few hours. If it isn't raining tomorrow, I will dig out the second extension cord and try to do some string trimming on the south side of the house.

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October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	ScribeTober 1	removed frost	yard waste bin
2	blue wolf enamel	prune persimmon	old light crap
3	shibori scarf	tidy walking onions	recycle bin
4	robin and holly acorn cap ornaments	string trim parking strip	yard waste bin
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. amazing generous mutual aid produce delivery, from Acantha via Gersvinda, showed up on my porch this morning! (also included fermentation airlocks and glass weights!!)
2. I managed to get some yard work done today
3. by the afternoon, it had turned into a sunny day, which meant the laundry on the line was able to dry...

Time of Isolation - Day 1550

Wednesday whatnots

in which our plucky heroine tries not to worry...

The major Florida hurricane "Milton" made landfall just about on top of where my elderly auntie lives. I have been somewhat obsessively checking the weather, despite that there is nothing at all I can do at this far remove. I did call her yesterday, and let her know I was thinking about her and that I love her.

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~ embroidered edging ~

Since we are well into October, and I am sponsoring a "spooky season" challenge for Tiny Rag Doll Nation, I wanted to get started making a few prizes for the random drawing winner... The bias gored skirt is such a fun way to use striped fabric, and this time I decided to give it an embroidered border using chained feather stitch. I love how elaborate that embroidery stitch looks, and how easy it is to do! (description and tutorial)

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As part of my attempt to improve my health, and to increase resilience, I will be experimenting with making some brine-fermented veggies... With this intent, I went ahead and ordered some of the glass weight discs, as I'm pretty sure my previous effort(s) were foiled by not being able to keep the contents properly submerged. I want to try ginger garlic carrots, and also beet kvass, as both of those have been recommended to me as good to start with.

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Checking on the remaining tree fruit here... the quinces are not quite ripe, but getting close. The persimmons are nowhere near ripe yet, being mostly green. And the second crop figs are still quite hard; they almost never ripen. I really need to rewatch the Useful Video and make notes about how to prune figs for a better first crop. Indeed, I really ought to start a notebook about the various tree fruits here and how best to care for them!

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It occurred to me to try to remove the layers of frost from the upper sides of my chest freezer by sort of chiseling it off with a large screwdriver and a hammer. Carefully of course. It was possible to place the screwdriver "chisel" just past the actual edge of the freezer, and a few strong taps with the hammer had a surprisingly large "iceberg" break loose, without have any adverse effect on the freezer itself. It took eversomuch less time to work my way around the circumference than it would have to defrost the whole thing in the usual way!

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October SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	ScribeTober 1	removed frost	yard waste bin
2	blue wolf enamel	-	-
3	shibori scarf	-	-
4	robin and holly acorn cap ornaments	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. My aged Florida aunties residence home facility is not in an evacuation zone, and is a designated "shelter in place" location, so I can only hope that she is okay...
2. I made a delicious vaguely red Thai curry inspired meal tonight with chicken, greens, and a mixture of carrot and sweet potato, and thought to put half of it in the fridge for tomorrow before actually eating dinner. Future Me will be happy
3. I defrosted the chest freezer by carefully using a very large screwdriver as a "chisel" and hitting it with a hammer
4. Did I mention how much I enjoy my Wednesday evening game time with Stef and Mischa?

Time of Isolation - Day 1549

a change of pace, or at least of venue

in which our plucky heroine stays active...

in the interest of seeking novelty, I rode my bike home from the grocery Saturday taking a different route. I found a sort of hidden book store (Arches Bookhouse) off the beaten path in a residential neighborhood, and shall need to return and have a look round inside... The other interesting things I saw were what appeared to be a printmakers garage studio, with what looked like several folks taking a class, and a large press slightly visible inside the building. And rummaging through the books on offer in a little free library, a boy with a cat on a leash. While I sometimes am frustrated by the difficulty of life without an automobile, I also know that travel at this slower speed lets me notice so many more kinds of details that make up the bright world...

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~ hydration station ~

Two bees drinking... this makes me so happy! The stump left after removing tree from front yard last month supports a large shallow dish of water, well furnished with rocks and pebbles so no insects need drown. Today is the first time I've seen the hydration station in use, and now every time I look there is drinking happening. This is just what I'd hoped for; it was heartbreaking to have to remove the big shade tree, but at least this small goodness can result.

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My gathering basket was in need of some serious scrubbing, after my leaving the plums there for three days, so I not only soaked and brushed it, but also mixed up a bleach solution in a spray bottle and used that several times, interspersed with thorough rinsing, and finally set the whole thing out to hang in the sunshine in the side yard all day. It is now sweet smelling again, and I'll be sure to do my best so my absent minded self doesn't space out. (it avoided any mold contamination, but had I waited even one more day, it would have been all over)

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"Behave yourself"... well that was a first for me, being hit with what I expect was bot censorship, and all my personal FB feed from the last several days has been removed. Not sure what triggered it, since the warning note doesn't say, just threatens "further action" if my (bad) behavior continues. (I suspect it was my recent post about the quartz mine in Spruce Pine NC, which provides a crucial material to the semiconductor industry worldwide, and is located smackdab in the middle of the current SE USA flood disaster zone.)

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September SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	a dozen tetras	porch valance	plum logs
2	tiny doll shorts	mask elastics	oldest pinafore
3	Almandine clothing	origami boxes	recycle bin
4	skirt for Opal	bleached basket	yard waste bin
5	cardigan for Opal	sharing plums	recycle bin
6	black top for Opal	x	x
7	Pokemon patches	x	x
8	4 jars strawberry rhubarb	x	x
9	8 jars plum ketchup	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. when I stopped in at Groc-Out I was surprised and delighted that they had alphabet noodles! I'd been wanting some to make creative things for the tinyworld, since I have misplaced my former container of the same, and also the little banner that said "Trick or Treat". At 59¢ a bag, I can get as wild as I want.
2. compliments from strangers - someone on the street told me he thought my mask was radically awesome, and a store clerk told me she admired my pinafore, and that she had a similar one at home!?
3. when I started really going downhill in discouragement during Crafternoon, we shifted the topic to "things that are improved or improving" and came up with: condors being reintroduced in their historical range, eagles no longer endangered after the DDT ban, and the current dam removal and extensive habitat restoration on the Klamath River (being led by indigenous tribal groups)

Time of Isolation - Day 1540

Wednesday whatnots

in which our plucky heroine has much on her mind...

Much of my spare brain activity currently consists of thinking about outdoor space and garden design, and putting various options into task and resource order. I've decided that I want the sidewalk edge of the front yard to be "semi-permeable". To have a partial barrier, but not as enclosed as a solid fence. What this might consist of (plantings? panels? open fencing? sculpture??) is not yet clear to me, but I much prefer the yards that have this effect of enclosure to those that are just flat grass. I suspect that over time I may develop a clearer concept overall and in more detail for the exterior aspect of Acorn Cottage, which will allow me to gradually make decisions and choices that will bring me more comfort and delight

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~ sky koi ~

Looking westward a few days ago, the vault of the sky is speckled and spangled with reflected sunlight. I wish I was a better photographer and could catch the nuances my human eyes see in the bright world.

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...sigh, I had been feeling somewhat better the last few days in the lower righthand quarter, and then somehow, after a pleasant midafternoon bike ride, it felt like all my clunky SI connections decided to go sideways back into the land of pain with a rattley-bang, for no particular reason, while I was sitting down writing some notes. Bodies are weird. Maybe they will find their way to a better alignment while I am sleeping?

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~ week 13 : cardigan ~

I knew as soon as I made the knitted skirt way back in week 1* that I was going to want a matching cardigan, so went ahead with Dawn Smith's Raglan Sleeved Cardigan for Tiny Rag Dolls pattern. Whatever top Opal wears with it, she always looks put together; if I ever figure out a tidy way to fasten a necklace, she needs some beads or pearls to go with... and shoes! (somehow her Birkenstocks just are not quite the right thing for this outfit)

Since out of all my tinyfolk, Opal started out with the least amount of clothes, I chose to really focus on creating a complete 13 piece wardrobe for her over the course of the 13 week challenge. I also made quite a number (not sure how many total) of "extra" garments for my own tiny rag dolls as well as for Kestrel's crew. I need to put together a mosaic photo of the mix-n-match as well as the whole wardrobe as a flat lay image...

*I don't like "straight" skirts, so I went with an A-line style instead

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.

I won the random prize drawing back in week 10, and as my TRD tinyfolk are much smaller than the AG mini dolls, Dawn offered to custom make me a crocheted top, in the color of my choice (from the colors she had available) I picked a pumpkin orange, which turned out to be a perfect match for the striped gored skirt, and the orange buttons she chose are just right. Plus, the button loops and buttons are functional!! How cool is that!! (I have someblack silk set aside to make Opal a long sleeve top to wear under the camisole, to keep her warm.)

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September SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	a dozen tetras	porch valance	plum logs
2	tiny doll shorts	mask elastics	oldest pinafore
3	Almandine clothing	-	recycle bin
4	skirt for Opal	-	yard waste bin
5	cardigan for Opal	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. I just plain love the sweet crocheted top that Dawn sent me as my prize for week 10. It matches the striped gored skirt perfectly, and has functional buttons and button loops!!
2. more tinyfolk treats from friends: a bag of miniature silverware, buttons and buckles, and a big packet of colorful fabric scraps to play with for wee clothing and tiny quilts...
3. the Moody Blues bed quilt got washed and hung on the clothesline to dry, so it has that wonderful line dried scent which makes going to bed just that much nicer.
4. I figured out that I can choose to work on the neverending dots scribal project when on non-critical zoom, which has had the result of moving that scroll incrementally closer to being done.

Time of Isolation - Day 1529

fragments from week 2

in which our plucky heroine notes the ups and downs...

One of the better parts of the last week was Gersvinda and her trusty truck, and being able to bring home a Bosc pear tree from the 25% off tree sale at Portland Nursery. Her work schedule makes it challenging to spend time together, so it is a treat when the stars align. And it was her suggestion, when the closer nursery had only one scraggly espalier left, that we go a little further and check out the other site... Bingo, there weren't many pears left, but Bosc was one of the three varieties I had on the list... so... it is currently in the backyard waiting for me to decide where to plant it. I am considering near the fence and adjacent to Feral Grape (who will need to be pruned back). There is a big pear tree next door, which will be good for pollination...

Acantha, during our conversation earlier this week about garden planning and flowers and such, suggested that I pay attention to what sorts of outdoor yards and gardens that I find appealling, while I am out and about on my bicycle... Well, I never thought to do that in all my years!

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~ Mx Green Jeans ~
>

The belated last of the week 11 pants project is this pair of cargo pants for Almandine. Here she is hanging out while I type this blog post; the shelf my monitor sits on is cluttered with bits and bobs, but makes it clear as well how very tiny the tinyfolk are.

This is actually the last week of the 13 week Tiny Wardrobe Challenge, and the garment of the week is a handknit cardigan. I will probably feature the one I made for Opal, back a few months ago when the challenge started. Mostly because I want to spend more time enameling and less time playing, now that the weather has cooled down. Eventually though, I do want to try making a tiny handknit cardigan with the faux cables that Dawn shared a link to a while back...

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Time to start thinking again about items and planning for the Advent Swap. Here are two different origami containers: This simple masu-style box is a classic; folded from 3½" square paper it makes a perfect 1¼" box for packaging up treats. This twist-top storage container is a bit more tricky to make, but would be great for flat treats; start with a 5" x 2½" rectangle to make a 1¼" packet...

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I've been continuing to try and rest, and stretch, and ride my bike, all in the hope that my CrankyBack/Hip/Haunch will stop being quite so cranky. There has been some improvement - it isn't waking me up at night. I don't know if stepping up onto stairs is still problematic (as I found out last week at the transit center); Acorn Cottage is thankfully all one level. I was able to put my socks on this morning, with difficulty but without tears. Getting old is not for the weak...

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This is a lovely illusion, but since Instagram won't share it here, you will have to go see for yourself...

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September SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	a dozen tetras	porch valance	plum logs
2	tiny doll shorts	mask elastics	oldest pinafore
3	Almandine clothing	-	recycle bin
4	-	-	yard waste bin
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. BLT made with homegrown tomato
2. Acantha is brilliant! Looking at peoples yards is a good way to figure out what I like and what I don't like, and a good way to start thinking about design of outdoor space.
3. today was cool enough that I had to put on my chore jacket in the evening.

Time of Isolation - Day 1526

15 pounds of pears

in which our plucky heroine feels grateful to Gersvinda...

Gersvinda returned my fruit picker, along with about half a bucket of tasty pears from the tree at her mother's house. As per the last few years, most of the pears are destined for the dehydrator, to make yummy dried pear slices, though I may have to make a pear tart as well. or something?

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~ plum preparation ~

Today was the first day of plum harvest. I will never not be grateful for the feral plum thicket, and the delicious fruit that recurs without any input from me. Today I realised that the best way to begin picking on a fully laden branch is to start as high up as can be reached, rather than at the bottom, as I had been doing. Since as the fruit is picked, the branch begins to rise as there is less weight, which also makes the lowest plums on the tip easier to reach. D'oh! It will be several days before I have gathered the plums I can access while standing, and then it will be time to deploy the fruit picker for several more feet of reach. Another nice thing about prune plums is how simple they are to process for freezing, all that is needful is to cut in half and pop out the pit; easiest fruit save blueberries...

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The body was no more crankypants than normal at bedtime last night but by the time I returned from my morning bike ride my right leg had become excruciatingly painful. Sort of a combination of SI joint and hip with a tinge of sciatica. I'll rub it with some salve and hope for improvement, since a shower and a nap did no good at all. I hate it feel betrayed am worried when my physiology goes sideways without warning, despite that these sorts of random occurrences have happened to me for years, and despite that this sort of thing is common to most all humans, particularly of a certain age. If it does not improve, it may be acupuncture time. I miss the pool, and being able to do water exercise.

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Despite being rather lame today, the dishes and laundry must needs be dealt with. The kitchen needs the space to prepare fruit, and it makes sense to take advantage of the warm sunny weather for line drying kitchen cloths, and bedsheets, both of which benefit from the ultraviolet sunlight.

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September SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	a dozen tetras	porch valance	plum logs
2	tiny doll shorts	mask elastics	oldest pinafore
3	Almandine clothing	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. Gersvinda and her truck will help me get to and from the garden center that has trees on sale later this week.
2. catching up on Mt Washmore and Mt Dishmore
3. several pounds of pears!! Huzzah for mutual aid

Time of Isolation - Day 1520

a bit of mutual aid

in which our plucky heroine notices harvest season...

The trees here are getting closer, and the plums are ripe and ready for me to start putting them in the freezer. Earlier today Gersvinda texted me and asked if she could borrow my fruit picker, as the pears at her mom's house are ready. Of course I said yes! I am glad I have a Useful Tool that will help access more homegrown fruit, and I've much enjoyed the pears she has shared with me in past years. Time to clear the sideboard and make room for the dehydrator. Mmmm dried pears are like candy, and I bet they would be good in this pear tart, too.

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~ week 12 - reversible top ~

I've been using the Tiny Doll Wardrobe Challenge as a way to fill in various gaps in the garments of my four tinyfolk, and this week I decided that Almandine needed a new top. With one side from a scrap of Kaffe Fassett (I think "Millefiori", in brown) and the other a soft green silk with pale red stripes, it coordinates with all the rest of her clothing. And now that I have sussed out how to make Almandine-tail-friendly pants, she is will soon have a pair made from that green/red shot linen that was used for one of the pairs of shorts for Kestrel's dollies...

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SIL Barb phoned me today, and we had a good talk. I wish she and my brother didn't live all the way across the continent!

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September SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	a dozen tetras	porch valance	plum logs
2	tiny doll shorts	mask elastics	oldest pinafore
3	Almandine clothing	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. There will be another indigo workshop in October at the art store! I have enough notice to maybe prep shibori!!
2. Today I picked the 2¼ pounds of ripe plums from the Wanda prune plum outside the bedroom window. I love that tree, seeing the flowers in the spring, and watching the fruit gradually ripen over the summer.
3. Gersvinda will borrow my fruit picker for pears, and likely bring some over when she returns it!

Time of Isolation - Day 1519

one of the noble virtues

in which our plucky heroine thinks about hospitality...

since there will be a familial visit this coming weekend, and it will also be hella hot weather, I am going to try and do what I can to ameliorate the sunshine on the front porch...

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~ partial shade ~

I spent a fair amount of time today beginning to create some additional shade on the front porch, now that the big tree closest to the house is gone. This side of the porch faces west, so for a chunk of the afternoon the sun is high enough that it shines directly into the porch, until the sun is tangled in the remaining tree and dappled light takes its turn.

I thought the pretty blue and white (synthetic fabric) shower curtain would be a good option for the street facing partial shade. It wasn't too difficult to cut in half and hem the raw edges, and the eyelets already in place worked well to attach shower curtain hooks. There weren't suitable hooks or dowels in all my random bits and scraps, so a trip to the hardware store for cup hooks and matching dowels happened before it became so beastly hot this afternoon. I am so glad I acquired the taller step ladder this summer, since otherwise this project would have been completely impossible. (have not yet checked if I can reach the eaves on the south side of the porch...)

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Last trip to the two closest grocery stores 'til the strikes are settled. It may be a good time to visit the farmer's market instead. Our plucky heroine has been a union supporter in whatever ways I can manage, ever since the food drives back in the 60's to support Cesar Chavez and the farmworkers strike. Usually nowadays my support consists of respecting the picket lines and taking my business elsewhere, (though way back when I was dating Gryphon and the longshore union was on strike all along the west coast, my pals and I baked cookies and took them to the union hall)

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Started picking the clusters of tiny onions from the now falling over walking onion patch. I am thinking it would be a good thing to create a second patch somewhere else in the yard, as backup for what is already my allium self sufficiency garden bed. I would also like to check at the garden store nearby to see if they have chive starts. Chives fill a different niche than walking onions do.

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August SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 pillowcases	nut chopper handle	yard waste bin
2	yak print	elderberry harvest	big plum tree
3	tiny bell-bottoms	refurbish Felco	driveway moss
4	tiny camisole	worm bin	recycle bin
5	small pressing tools	plinth wheels	yard waste bin
6	tiny playset	corduroy pinafore	yard waste bin
7	denim hat	pruning fruit trees	x
8	lots of dolly clothes	porch curtains west	x
9	neon tetra block	x	x
10	tiny nightdress	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. taller stepladder lets me reach further
2. walking onions, originally shared from Mud Bay, give me a type of allium self sufficiency in case of supply chain issues
3. outdoor electric outlets, which let me easily use the drill to start holes for the cup hooks, and let me vacuum up all the spiderwebs from the front porch

Time of Isolation - Day 1509

Monday miscellany

in which our plucky heroine goes hither and yon...

and just like that we are back to summertime... on the front porch the thermometer reads 93°F. By the time I made it home again after a trip to the post office and library, a shower was both refreshing and necessary. The package of tinyfolk clothing is off to Kestrel, the too small Yaktrax back to be exchanged, and the lovely book about Shirley Hughes, due tomorrow, is checked back in to go back to it's home library.

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~ summer sleepwear ~

At first when I read that the suggested garment for week 10 was a crocheted camisole, I thought to sew a cloth camisole, add a skirt to it, and make a vintage style cotton slip... but after the vintage tatted lace decorated the hemline, it seemed more a nightdress than a slip. Embroidering Opal's name on the bodice is a nod to Hitty, Her First Hundred Years, which I read as a youngster and which remains popular still. And after I did that stitchery, Opal let me know that she also wanted a bit of floral decoration, so I added a tiny blue forget-me-not, barely visible at the neckline in this lower photo of her having a bit of a midday lie-down.

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The block printed tetra fish have been gradually becoming more colorful, as the bright markings get painted on them.  The set of metallic/pearlescent paints yielded "Halo Blue Gold" and "Pearlescent Turquoise", which mixed together were a good approximation of neon tetra blue, as the painted fish catch angled light in almost the same way as in life. I'm always mildly or greatly astonished at what a big difference a few dabs or lines of paint make! Once the paint is fully dry it will be possible to sew the little silk rectangles into ornamental fractal charms to add to my advent swap stash of treats...

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I shall have to start getting outside as early as possible if doing anything in the yard is going to happen. Since our small spate of rain and cool weather is gone, it will be easier to remove more of the driveway moss. And I noticed yesterday that the apples and plums are starting to ripen, which means not only picking fruit, but time to clear any excess from the freezer to make room for Moar Plums!

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August SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 pillowcases	nut chopper handle	yard waste bin
2	yak print	elderberry harvest	big plum tree
3	tiny bell-bottoms	refurbish Felco	driveway moss
4	tiny camisole	worm bin	recycle bin
5	small pressing tools	plinth wheels	yard waste bin
6	tiny playset	corduroy pinafore	yard waste bin
7	denim hat	pruning fruit trees	x
8	lots of dolly clothes	x	x
9	neon tetra block	x	x
10	tiny nightdress	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x

today's gratitudes -
1. the Lumiere metallic paint set had such good colors for the neon tetras, and I am so pleased I cannot stop looking at the painted fish on my desk.  I am wondering where else tiny fish would be appreciated??
2. Inter-Library Loan, because even a large library system does not have everything...
3. the Internet Archive - not just for websites, but for books, and Grateful Dead concerts, and all sorts of other delights

Time of Isolation - Day 1507

Wednesday whatnots

in which our plucky heroine is having a good day...

When I went out for my morning constitutional, I noticed that the mullein in the front yard, that I had whacked the spent flower stalk off, has now started producing little clusters of flowers between the leaves and the remaining stalk. Then I noticed that those flowers were being actively worked by honeybees, which made me happy. I didn't realise that mullein was a pollinator plant, probably because the main flower stalk is usually above my head. I failed in my photo attempt, though, unless you think the edge of a bee butt is a good result!

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~ not quite zero waste ~

I had a little scrap left over from along the selvedge of the rayon batik I'm using to make myself a popover dress, so I decided that Nandina could use a new skirt. Teal/turquoise is one of her favorite colors. I added some extra width to my usual dimensions (6½" x 2¾" as opposed to 9 x 2¾") for making TRD skirts, which gave it extra flare, and the slightly thicker weave of the selvedge edge also causes it to stand out a bit more, as well as relieving me of any necessity for hand hemming. I think it coordinates really well with a number of her new clothes, like this short sleeve sweater top for example

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The plinth that Tiny Fridge sits on has been problematic for ages, mostly due to design aspects. One of those is the casters, which I did not know enough to make better choices for my initial purchase. I then decided years later that I wanted full rotation casters on all four corners, after my pleasure in how easy the Ikea RÅSKOG utility cart is to move around. Thanks to Lee Valley I was able to source better casters. Now one frequent if minor irritation is removed. I can now easily move the fridge/plinth in order to vacuum and mop underneath, or to access the drip tray to regularly empty it. Happy happy!

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Two more folks are interested in the Advent swap, which might bring us up to 21!!

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August SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	2 pillowcases	nut chopper handle	yard waste bin
2	yak print	elderberry harvest	plum tree
3	tiny bell-bottoms	refurbish Felco	driveway moss
4	tiny camisole	worm bin	recycle bin
5	small pressing tools	plinth wheels	yard waste bin
6	tiny playset	x	x
7	denim hat	x	x
8	lots of dolly clothes	x	x
9	x	x	x

today's gratitudes - 
1. the wheels on the plinth go round and round
2. 5 flavor eggplant is SO tasty (recipe in blog post linked)
3. I noticed today that the grocery has 1# bags of frozen shrimps on sale for 10% off this month. On Wednesday, the "wisdom discount" is also 10% off. I plan on putting a few bags into the chest freezer, as adding a few frozen shrimps to a meal is a fast easy and very tasty way to up the protein...

Time of Isolation - Day 1502