Good news, flower futures

This morning I got emails about the heddle and the lucet. The lucet shipper alerted me to a status change in my order. This is not usually good news, often meaning they can't do it, but this time the change was that it's shipped.  The heddle has been shipped USPS and will be a couple of weeks.. let's hope.

And last evening I was happy to revert to my favorite sock pattern, and did the toe area in no time. One stage procedure.

I don't know about the recipient, but the knitter is happy.

Yesterday also saw the prep for this year's flower garden. I'm waiting now for potting soil, but the plan is underway.

Indoors I planted some cotton seeds, and have some for knitting friends tomorrow.

After the picture I pushed them into the soil. They're in the kitchen till they germinate and I can transplant them outside. 

They get several feet tall, according to the friend who grew some in her community garden last year. These seeds were in the cotton bolls I carded and spun a while back to make the fiber and wire birds nest. 

I must remember to add it to the Easter decor.

Soon Handsome Son will be here with cheese and crackers and other good things. I have the vegetables ready to go.

Here's the cheese table

Happy day everyone, if you're in the hospital, get well wishes, if you're convalescing, get strong wishes, and if you're still seeking a diagnosis and treatment, get info wishes. 

Sez Ted and Big Ursy and Pony and Ursula 

Easter Sunday, but still work to do

Happy Easter if you celebrate. Chez boud it's happening tomorrow, when Handsome Son is free to visit and bring his share of our meal.

But first, to attend to a pressing issue: the proposal to rescind protection for Chaco Canyon, sacred space, against drilling and excavating. I've made my comment against the proposal to BLM. Please do likewise, no matter where you live. We only  have one planet and five days to comment on this pressing issue.

Found online

If that's not working, go to the Sierra Club website, which has a way for you to comment. Act.Sierra Club.org is what I used. I did it through a New Mexico resident on Spoutible.org.

There's also protectchaco.org

And last evening, in need of a project while I'm waiting for my rigid heddle, I was faffing around on Norah Crone Findlay's blog thinking about a lucet for making braid. 

She mentioned that its a form of spool knitting, just two prongs instead of the usual four. Lightbulb. I can use my cardboard and stick spool knitter as a lucet fork! I had been looking at lucets for ages, beautiful tools, but as usual wanted to make one. A while back I showed you a rather flimsy cardboard one I made. 

Then last evening I tried a couple of cords on my steam driven card and stick version

And ended up deciding I'm worth a real lucet, so I ordered one

Like this but maple. It's another of those ancient textile skills.

This is like mine on order. 

And had you ever wondered about how before the advent of photography, fashion got around so wealthy people could order their bespoke gear? Dolls. Dressed in the fashion in miniature acted as physical samples. The same used to happen with ceramics and furniture, traveling samples.

Just fyi.  They were used after WW2 to promote Dior's New Look, and even revived during the pandemic when salon shows were closed. After a good bit of searching I found they're about 27" inches tall. To learn more, go to the wonderful Haptic and Hue podcast or website.

Now I'm off to find my Easter tray of eggs and rabbits and cats. I'm late getting it out this year.

Here, it's official!

See the sample miniature Wedgwood cup and saucer. With Emily the cockatiel's eggs, decorated. I painted the other real eggshells, too. 

Happy Easter Sunday, or Just Sunday!

Up early, so I got back into training!

 Up very early this morning and I decided this was a good day, first of no coughing, and with actual breathing, though a bit stiff, to get back to weights. So I joined April and Aiko and worked out for 30 minutes using 5 lb weights. 

That was good. Later I also had a walk, not wanting to miss the lovely weather.  First day I've seen violets.  

And the Korean spicebush is nearly in bloom and ready to release a wonderful scent any day now.

The last chance for daffodils 

I've been hearing a lot of birdsong, and yesterday I noticed the mockingbird is back. That might account for some of the singing, since they have quite a range.

Yesterday was a day of puffy clouds, blossoms and birds. 

Also a mystery moss, I think, an emerald carpet of fine straight fronds. It's in a damp area, moss friendly, so that's why I think moss.

This time of year is precious because it's warm enough to walk and the mosquitoes haven't started up. I notice that despite the spring activities of the birds, the juncoes haven't left yet. Usually they're gone by now to wherever they summer, but they're maybe checking the weather at their destination and deciding to wait.

Cooking today was about that penne with cashew  white sauce, which I'll bake on Monday, since we now know that's when Handsome Son is free to celebrate Easter.

Yesterday I tried another idea, to go with my roast potato dice and a ground turkey croquette. A date, lemon, onion relish. And it definitely worked. 

I think this is worth doing again.

Last evening I treated myself to a new Beka rigid heddle, to continue my bandweaving backstrap style. This one is halfway in size between the tiny one I made and the medium one I wove a scarf on. 

There was also a beautiful small one, lovely wood, good small size. However it's made in Lithuania and the shipping would treble the price, oh. So mine is coming from Minnesota instead.

Happy day everyone, e came through her surgery and is now convalescing at home, great news, and many vibes to her to regain her strength. 

Long gone, and never forgotten, my feline textile assistants, or supervisors. 

That was the cake that was, and a finish and Freecycle

I baked a sweet potato, raisin walnut cake for Handsome Son's visit on Wednesday, and we had a nice time on the deck, with tea and cake. He agreed we always need cake and offered to pick up any ingredients I might need! 

I explained I usually have ingredients, it's the energy that runs short sometimes. So I saved some in the freezer, and after we'd enjoyed some and I'd had a bit for breakfast,  we are here

Last night I found a great old black and white Alec Guinness movie with Joan Greenwood, on YouTube, highly recommend. I think I may have seen it decades ago, some dialogue familiar, and it's worth a second look.

It's a great rendition of Father Brown and I kindly overlooked the production errors such as Father Brown wearing the soutane in England, it's illegal, and other things, but Guinness is so good, nevermind.

I have triumphed over the socks, now done. I started knitting early this morning, while listening to a Yale lecture on Islam, very good presenter, Paul Freedman.

Anyway here's the complete pair on my battered old feet and off 

I even had yarn to spare, to my surprise. Anyway I was so pleased that I finished a crocheted whistle lanyard

And I'm Freecycling for Handsome Son who is trying to get away from packrat mode, so this helps and it's much easier for me to do than him.

Weekends are good for freecycling, so I'm hopeful. There are three shirts here, and I kept two for me. They're in good shape but are way too large for him now. For me they're practically dresses, but maybe nightwear.

Happy day everyone, we have no idea yet when we will celebrate Easter, whatever day works, when he gets his weekly schedule tomorrow.  Normally he works Sundays, but we'll see.

 

 

Still there, we'll get it clean again 

Misfits and cherry blossom

Today Gary's weeping cherry burst out and cheered up a cold grey day.

And Misfits arrived, Robert in charge 

Missing from the picture because I didn't notice it in the bottom of the box is a package of shredded mozzarella. Also missing because they didn't send it is another can of pureed pumpkin, for which I got a refund.

I splurged on Better than Bouillon because I'd heard good things, and I'll be parboiling all the potatoes ready to roast, some for whenever Handsome Son is free for Easter. I have other vegetables ready, green beans, corn, mushrooms for our dinner and he'll provide some meat and dessert. Probably ham, it seems to be the time.

Back at the counter, cashews to make a cream sauce with penne, sauce from Young Man Cooking. I'm planning to bake this, too, and add in to the Easter fare, a first. 

Cans for the food pantry as usual. The bag's getting heavy, so I'll get it in next week.

Lovely Envy apples, they're a favorite if I can't get gala or Rockits. Blueberries to go with yogurt, or anything really. 

If you look at the picture of the pink truck arriving you'll see shrubs across the street which my neighbor conferred with me about, pruning out the winterkill, since the landscapers don't get pruning. I thanked her for her service. 

The socks are coming along and I'm vowing not to do this pattern ever again, ever.  

It's been a learning experience and I'm going back to my regular patterns after this, less stress and sturm and drang.

Happy day everyone, and send good thoughts to blogger Mitch, whose two old cats, Dudo and Moose,  have crossed over, after a long and wonderful life with Mitch and partner. Hard day for them all.