The sky came by, a bear with attitude, orange

Oh, Hello Robin, so nice to see you! Hello sunlight, you are looking mighty fine this morning. Heavy frost sticks around until about 2:00 in the afternoon and you would think that I would be out in the wonderful daylight frolicking.  I am so conditioned to stay in that that is what I am doing. I have probably taken ten years off my life from this bad habit. I made chili. I painted a box. I ordered a coat. I watched videos of The Black Panther Party- the party of reality. 

 R-E-S-P-E-C-T. 

Don't fuck around and find out...Anyway , on the street in Philly, Black Panthers harassed by cops did not pan out well. The cops ,having been read the laws supporting open carry- turned tail and ghosted out of the neighborhood.   All the while  BP telling them that they sold out, they were  slaves, doing the bidding of white ICE. 

This resonates in my heart. Gandhi never did. I could never quite understand Gandhi but Bobby Seale - Oh yes sir, I get you! Growing up with guns , locked in the closet in the basement, used only for hunting and target practice. I am not shy about them. I was an OK shot  tin can hunting in the Big Empty.  Couldn't hit the side of a barn with a pistol. Too tricky. Besides rifles are obvious, not for killing people initially- they have other jobs... Blah blah, what I am saying is that my mind has changed about rifles these days, living in one of the most violent countries on earth. I must be one of those hypocrites people talk about. ICE has pushed us too far- George Floyd, Renee, many other murders at the hand of "Johnny  white man Law"-  I mean really, just look at the wienies that are ICE. Incel little saltine  creeps protected by the  orange deranged pedo protector and his  puffy lipped puppy killer. It's enough to make you  go to Yeagers and buy a GD rifle.  ( in the toy dept, maybe, but the idea is still viable )

OK

Rant over. On to Meghan-

Last year I gave this bear to Olivia. Bear was dressed in a gingham frock and looked like some Auntie you might find in the kitchen making honey sandwiches...Olivia decided to name her Meghan and dress her in REAL clothes. Olivia has given Meghan attitude, ready for the street, she is.  

They could easily leave the country, Cara has duel citizenship  , which may not last long  if president of Venezuela  gets his way. I encourage them to leave because "Ain't nobody got time for this". Especially with a little Olivia to raise in the best possible way. 

Other than that- today was a nothing day. I brought out my book of color, published in 1980 , printed in the Netherlands. Quality printing! It is a great book and was nearly stolen from me by Erik's Montessori teacher. She stamped it as "Theirs" on the inside cover. I got it back when the school closed and she went back to texas where she belongs. 

The book is packed full of what colors elicit, how they work together, what colors heal and what maybe helped in the "vibe" world . Orange did not have a name until the seventeenth century- has always had self esteem   issues.  Not an especially beloved color, considered the "understudy" and now we all have an allergic reaction I reckon. Due to the orange smear in the white house.

MLK day tomorrow, I will stay in because I must perfect my less than healthful habits, and  will watch on my Mac all  that goes on out there .

Did I ever show you my dandy low vision key board with light? I must show you- It is such a prize! AND it is taxi cab yellow- a cheerful color-  a helpful color! The coat I ordered is yellow so that I will be seen on the road , glowing in the dark.

 Now you probably want one, too. 

Pop on over to Allison's Blog post today for a very good synopsis of shenanigans by  the orange  president of Venezuela.  Always right on the nose with her keen awareness, our Allison .

 

 

 

 

Re use, Recycle, re everything, grow your own....

Yesterday i went to the new location of Ragfinery. it is smaller and has changed , understandably. The entire front of the shop is  second or third hand clothing on a $3.00 rack - clothing too good to chop up into bits of fabric for other uses. 

Dressing rooms ,protected from view with quilts  quilted  from shop scraps,  seem too  large for the space. The new space is limited  with fewer options.   Still- no complaints- we are so pleased  that it is back! 

The bins of bulk fabric sorted into types- wool, cotton, silk, terry, linen, etc. the front bins are sorted and rolled fabric scraps, launered and ironed. In the middle are tables of made items, like felted scarves, purses, bags, mittens, toys- all hand made and offered for affordable few dollars. 

There are notions- a wall full of  spooled thread  on.  pegs- Patterns, cutters, measuring tapes, stuffing, batts- all sorts as well as drawers of buttons sorted by color. Sort of. 

I bought yarn for Fresca for her God's eye project- filling   her corner  of Minneapolis with brightness , hope   as she does. I chose the brightest yarn in the bin.  She has made hundreds of God's eyes, hung them on the chain link fence by her shop, for anyone to take. They go quickly- they are needed for spirit purposes- to know that there is care and art for one's heart. Thank you Fresca- angel.

From the Ragfinery I drove  to the thrift store down the road in the busy part of hiway town. I missed an entire day after Renee was murdered- I zoned out, went to bed, hollowed out, shock and grief...you know what I mean I am sure. so I thought it was Tuesday, senior day, IT was not. That is when. I realized that I had zonked out an entire day without notice. 

A roam around, I bought even more fabric and an apron. A mindless   wander, brain on hold- avoidance of any reality . 
 

You know, the usual....pigs, chairs, tea cups, strange bird....

From there, drove to the Assistance league, not much there but I did buy a clown, hand made by some Gramma, I am sure, Brought it home for the orphans , at least for a little while. Not sure that clown will not end up in the arms of Flora or Emmett. 

This morning the sky returned, there is sunshine and a violet popped out! 

Worthy of celebration!

This afternoon we will have tea and violet creams left over from Christmas.

Windows are full of light- dirt and dust on furniture and in corners shows up  clearly. There will be a bit of cleaning going on. 

To end my day out I went to the grocery and bought a tiny bag full of "groceries'- carrots with the stems and dirt  still on, blueberries from an organic garden, local dairy milk, a bag of chips small enough to fit in the palm of your hand  and a chicken. $$$$ came to 52 . Bloody hell!

 Globby oranges from somewhere not on this earth...They are huge , each one the size of a baby's head- probably one million and forty dollars each. I left them .

Since moving to this house,  years ago, I have wanted a fence and a raised garden. I am a patient woman...Dennis is finally realizing the value of that idea. Of course he will take another 40 years to actually accept it- it's a start.  At least it has been an open discussion...

 

"Choose your battles"...said every married woman on the planet.  

 Leaving you with one of the rather large pieces of fabric in  scrap bin- unfolded it was large enough for a frock.   If I had an idea it would be here now, but I don't and it isn't. 

Lala, Po and Lala in the morning  dried rain splash  window . sun shining through  plastic . Radiant! You could probably get  eye cancer from looking at them for too long.  The sun has shifted, travels along the   horizon in  northern winter, so - no. eye cancer here!  It is already gone.  The sun 
AND my eye sight.

 

 

 

 

a natter and blah blah

 

Good morning. Yes it is dark and foggy. Fog is already burning off a bit and there is a lighter version of sky. 

Today is the day to go out in the world, Ragfinery that has been closed for months now has finally opened in a new location.The new location is even closer to homeless hang outs which is concerning during these colder days. They must stay warm somehow and are not adverse to starting fires at the backs of businesses. That is how a block of businesses lost their lives a few years ago.  

I watched the DOC last night on you tube- "Queen Mimi" . I do recommend it, softens one's heart . Empathy especially for those unable to control living situations, unable to control cash flow, given the boot by a cheating ass hole mean husband after 25 years of marriage . Mimi found an option through her willingness to give/trade/bring sunshine where she landed- which was a launderette in Santa Monica- her story is freaking amazing . She doth inspire- magnificently. 

 

From the deck this morning, coffee in hand- dark but not freezing, Rather dreamy. 

I came in from the deck and in my email was a blurb from Open Culture with a you tube video -

Here

Of course no one could ever compete with the original but this has highly effective  universal appeal. 

Back in the day ,  Maristone Island, someone had a pocketful of Owsleys   and a crate full  of oranges. That was a fine day, Doors ,  Moody Blues , Moby Grape jacked up as loudly as the little speakers could go. Summertime on a vacated island, a cabin, cups of tea,  sunshine, salt and   goodwill . When I am in the throws of death I do hope that day comes back to me to lift me from this bag of meat and  the gravity that sucks all of my weight to the ground . 

Some devoted protestors went downtown the day after Renee's murder- admirable I must say. I am not that- I stayed home hiding behind a curtain of rain , grumbled - my hollow core of sadness could not hold me up. Went to bed- withdraw. Anyway I lifted these from my computer this morning.

We  do what we can, aware of our limitations. Some folks like Queen Mimi  take it on in her own quiet way, some  rally the forces, some will ART,some  get murdered. The feeling of sick , the lump in the throat sometimes subsides when anger and rage surface-can be useful when not misdirected, you know.  I would much rather feel anger than despair . Rage motivates, despair consumes. 

Look for the lighty brighty bits - the sparkly - on the sidewalk, in a jar,   reflections. yesterday Dennis, with his hawk eye vision, found a rhinestone in the dirt. He is gifted that way if anyone can find a needle in a haystack he is the man! That actually happened long ago when his first wife lost her wedding ring in the barn stocked with hay for the horses.. Dennis found it without having to burn the barn down!  Anyway, he found this  shiny  rhinestone- I thought it belonged to the bauble I had bought that is missing one - It was not that but it was a shiny little miracle.

That extraordinary talent made him the best Dentist in the universe. Detail, seeing the un-see-able, finding solutions. Out of the box super power! Sometimes he will come in with the tiniest glass bead the size of a pin head,  on the end of his finger, "Is this yours"?  Or a tiny screw the size of a newborn's   thumbnail- "Did you lose this?"
 

In the time I have been sitting here with you - this happened!

A hole in the sky!

LIGHT! and in the time it has taken for me to tell you about it, clouds once again moved in. BUT wasn't that stupendous! WOW! Teased by promise!
 

 

Lights are off, dark is on, Tinker Bell in a tube

I would not like to die in winter- then my eternity would be  WINTER. Every spring/summer and fall we forget just how oppressive PNW is in the winter. Rain fall has caught up , this area no longer concerned about drought. The crow atop the birch photo taken at high noon  today, when the sky is at its brightest. 

 

Light ,from where ever it comes , catches my attention. Reflections  from the tube vases just about sent me in to delirium- LIGHT!!  Like FOOD! Like a drink of spring water -! I will gather all of the vitamin D I can from these little lights! Looks like a family of Tinker Bell's got caught in the tubes.  I will keep that image and carry on, through the dark tedium of this exceptionally night- time- all -the- time  , clammy, soaked , chill to the bone, climate. 

We managed to get out of the house for Dennis's birthday. Oysters at this time of year are fabulous. A plate of yearlings, an ice cream sundae- and that was that.  Dennis  is three years from being 90. One would never guess to look at him!  His wife, on the other hand, a generation less old than he, appears to be  ancient. Still immature, though- a toy /play freak - like Santa Clause, grow old if you must but NEVER grow up. A motto to live/die by. 

Taking a breather from  so called news, terror, capital bullshit- demented dear leader walking into walls--- I am watching you tube- the New Yorker is my new fave- with their  excellent content .  And Barbara over at this location, has the most informative wonderful posts- lifts us up, steels convictions, gives us fire! Goddess reigns  supreme. 

I went outside- brrrrr. 

I found a bag ,intended to be for 
Christmas ,in the back of my car . Chocolates! A surprise gift to myself, as all of our Christmas goodies have been consumed or given away.  Tinker Bell family caught in glass tubes  and chocolates will get me through yet another day of this fuggin- I -dunno, weather.  If the micro penis masked nazi incels marched down our street, that would be the final straw. I would most certainly end up in jail. Which reminds me- I must go to the ammo store and buy glitter bear spray this week, maybe some spicy Mace.. Nice to have on hand. 

Have a lovely sunny warm day!  Remember to wear your maxi pad sticky side up to keep you in the right frame of mind for this battle we are facing. Never give up. Love you all!
 

 

teas, buttons and murder

It is not like that did not happen yesterday, murder in Minneapolis  by  a  so -called -law -enforcement -incel, but I can not go there , not yet, and you may be grateful for that...Other than Frey's  attention to the murder calling it what it is , there is nothing to say. "Do not believe your lying eyes" . First rule of totalitarianism...

Ok , since we are not going to talk about that right now with our hearts so sore-  first we will have tea, the very last of  Fortnum and Mason that I brought back from London.  Then I will take you to the thrift store where Florida mice from 1970 are on the top shelf.  The thrift store is a mind numbing wander, badly needed-A reprieve from mental and emotional anguish and better than, say, the fentanyl fold . Choose your form of escape wisely...

Hard plastic  10.5"  banks created by Roy Des for  promos- Cheerleader mouse , where you store your nickles  to eventually start a savings account in the grown up bank.  How did Florida mice end up here some 56 years later to be top shelf material in the thrift shop? That is a long way to travel for a mouse. The mice are elderly, a few scuffs and one running around naked, as is the custom for elderly senile mice. I have no nickles to save so I left the mice behind but did buy BUTTONS! 

Tidily stitched on paper/card, organized , lovely vintage buttons- $2.99.

Pleased to have sparkly buttons in the lot-  need more sparkle. they need not be used as buttons but as  decoration like when buttons were first invented  when time began... it was not until buttonholes  that buttons became  functional rather than decorative. . Renaissance  put them to work and  industrial revolution pushed them forward en masse.  hard workers are buttons. Finding such treasure in the thrift store nearly sent me into rapture. 
 

These look like dentures! I could use them for mouths of felted bears...Thinking, always thinking.  Possibilities.

I bought a cool wooden toy for Emmett and these crochet tulips to go with the velvet potted tulips for the littles for springtime. 

That was my escape from the horror - the tip of the iceberg yet to come- yet to be. Project 2025 is moving an accelerated  clip , getting everything in motion before the election and before their prop dies  ( please make that soon)  and before people catch up . Democrats in congress  still think that "rules and laws" apply. They still think that the constitution is more than butt wipe.  They are wrong and they are us. 

  This is the incel  murderer, no name yet just "agent". He looks to be twelve years old- ICE is enticing with money and power and freedom to do as you wish because Noem has your back.  Congress has her back and they are all onboard. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Young mother murdered because...NOEM condones it, trump condones it , this is  just the beginning I am afraid.  Ah yes, you say...but we  sill must vote....See where that got us?  A shift ,if it is to occur, must be a big bold move by the  people. A nation at war with itself and every other country on the globe. Moving quickly before any of us can gain our footing.  

I will "button" my lip before I get into real trouble, good trouble, they say. Granny got a boom boom! Granny got a BAM.

Sorry, I said I would not go there - 

 

 

 

 

 

bird art on the rail, t-towels, orphans fortify the castle

Oh, Hello, I will just leave this here for you...

Before the pelting rain and wind , little bird leaves a gift on the railing. unaware that the rain would sweep it away, organic art is like that.  Never mind, there is more where that came from.

Art on a grand scale , especially in protest,  was highly effective in Vienna , as two architect students , dismayed at the public's lack of concern, built a futuristic city in the  city fountain . It took weeks and many volunteers to construct the eco -town,  using concrete blocks.

Here- A team of Austrian students installed a model city in the centre of Vienna to show how much housing and infrastructure could be built with the €19 billion (£15 billion) that the government is paying to bail out a local bank

The outcome was successful- the government paid attention! The outrage  mollified to some extent,  awareness  protest. Art is a power, no doubt. 

Art @ No Kings march nationwide did have an effect, though small, the orange did shut up for five minutes. Notice was taken.

And now, for a little desperately  needed color - I ordered linen/cotton T-Towels from Spoonflower which came today! Spoonflower had a SALE!  These should make dish washing more fun!  

EEEEK!!!

I enjoy bathing my dishes , pots and pans- getting my fingernails clean, sculpting the suds...warming my hands. When. we moved here there was a dish washer-  had it removed and used the  needed space for kitchen things. A much more pragmatic use .  Never been a fan of dish washers.

Dishes will feel like  it is a party everyday , getting dried by these magnificent towels, how could they not?

 Grey monotonous dull darkness- be GONE-I say! 

Fresca has made the most wonderful marching band hat for one of the girlettes- She used toilet paper core , black  paint and has  cleverly fashioned a feather out of paper. Detailed and fiddly  - she reckons she will make one for each of  the entire marching band !  I marvel! 

The orphans  wear everyday  crowns. They are shored up with heavy matte gel to give them durability because , as I said, the orphans every day casual  wear...There were a few left over rounds of bog roll  core, made  into a chain to protect the castle. Not much protection really, more of a warning to intruders- the orphans , fond of  the  jail ,  are anxious to chain  up a bad guy and keep  him in the slammer. Flora is onboard with that. After she had gone I noticed that the king was still behind bars. I let him out ,  he better behave- cease with his bossiness and pie eating. Flora was cross about his behavior. 
 

The crowns are easy - Fresca's  shako is complicated and masterful! Well done Girlette goddess. 

If I have not posted enough cuteness for this day here is my friend's cat- Norwegian ginger!  And her squirrel on the front step asking  "Please, sir, I want some more."

 

That's it. No moaning today- a break from my  tedium of blah blah blah, this and that. There is too much else to focus on- blowing my nose, sneezing and drinking loads  of tea. Caught Dennis's cold,  I did.