Textiles and Tea, stitching, peppers and flowers

Yesterday's Textiles and Tea featured installation artist, weaver and indigo expert, Rowland Ricketts. He explores the ecology of growing and using indigo, acknowledging its  terrible history in the US, involving enslaved people forced to work it, and the comparatively benign Japanese history of the plant. He studied in Japan, and now teaches and exhibits in the US. 

Here's some of his  work, huge installations, recalling clouds,  mountains, grain silos, and sometimes including the raw plant installed on its own wall, to illustrate the journey.

Back to my own humble work, the stitching is so satisfying. I don't know when I've enjoyed handling fabric more.

The sashiko stitching here is done more loosely, so as not to sculpt the fabric, this being a different idea from the earlier ones.

And note the precautions as I processed the latest Serrano peppers. The seeds are wonderful on spaghetti, worth the effort. But I'm proceeding with caution.

Flowers from the patio. The daisies are over, but zinnias and marigolds are still going. The hummingbird and butterflies have mostly departed, so I feel free to pick now.

The balsam flowers are going to seed, so I'm hoping for many more next year

The Haggard Hawks puzzle from a few days ago -- I  found two answers, but I think the second is the official one

SICKDAY

JACKDAW

Did anyone find another?

Happy day, everyone, I hope you win your race, or bet