Sunday, gentle rain, mailbox treasures, freeform ahoy

Woke early today to the sound of a peaceful rain and a cardinal singing in the tall evergreens outside the fence. He sang towards my window then turned and continued in the opposite direction, informing everyone of his territory, I think.

No need to water outside today, then.

Yesterday I followed up on a suggestion from last week's Textiles and Tea, and got this book from the library

It's been out quite a few years, so the actual patterns now look dated and a bit fussy, but the principles are as good as ever. 

Prudence Mapstone is Australian, and textile artists from Oz have long had a wonderful reputation for innovation in the textile arts, making great art quilts and weavings which leave the rest of textile design in the dust 

Here the general ideas of combining crochet and knitting seamlessly into garments is shown with levels depending on experience, and great encouragement to plunge in, not be looking for a pattern. As you can guess, this is very appealing to me, and I fancy adding some interest to my socks this way. I'm all for freeform.

Speaking of socks, here's what came in yesterday's mail, an offering for the Sock Ministry

Joanne Noragon surprised me with them, such beautiful and colorful work. She's a truly skilled knitter and this was a gift from her generous heart. 

It will be added in to the next package, with a note explaining how come there are socks in yarn they didn't give me, and who gets the credit. Joanne, thank you so much.

Meanwhile since she included the yarn tags, I'm checking whether I can invest in some for my own use.

Yesterday also brought the first canteloupe of the season, and that heavenly scent when you plunge in the knife to start cutting.

The seeds are already outside for squirrel Butternut Boy who loves them. And I have a few days of great taste and color to enjoy. Eating the rainbow! Seems particularly appropriate right now.

Today may be about soup,using those collard greens and the liquid along with various other powerhouse greens. Knitting Ministry too. Bit of stitching on the vest. Maybe a bit of freeform crochet, too.

And more (re) reading of Maisie Dobbs, always a great fallback

Happy day everyone, more power to all of us, particularly people struggling with health, politics, war, evil,  and feeling helpless. We're really not, if we do our own bit.

Photo credit AC

Cruella! And other excitements

Yesterday's library movie was Cruella, about which I knew nothing other than Emma Stone was in it again 

It was a ton of fun, if you can get past the premise of women being prepared to kill in support of their work trajectory, that is.

Visually it was the best. Very exciting action, costumes which should have and did get awards, Emma Thompson, surprises, dog actors, what more could you ask for your matinee?

Back on earth again, I started Sock One of Pair Sixteen of the Ministry

Trying to use up the endless taupe yarn.

And today aside from laundry, visit from handsome Son, and other events, I'll be stitching this

Those wavy front parts are only pinned right now, so that's the stitching I'm planning on. 

I saw a reference to a Kate Atkinson in Pam's blog, got all excited, borrowed it on my Kindle then started reading and realized I read it ages ago and had forgotten the title. Oh.

Undaunted I plunged into the new Rosenfelt, and it doesn't disappoint.

Dogs, mystery, Marcus laying out bad guys, just the ticket for a knitting old lady.

And nature never fails. This challenging character with the tiny red hat is about the size of your thumb

Looks like a Jerseygirl to this one. Don't mess with me, life!

Press on, breathe, vote, encourage the good guys, we'll get through this one way or another.

 

A bit of watercolor play, it must be summer

Ages since I got out the watercolors, but that blank book find just came in time to remind me I sometimes like to play a bit with them in summer light.

So I assembled the doings, noted a handy model

Just stuff lying about on the table.

And it started without me 

When the yellow jumped out of the tube and onto the book. I'd squeezed it a bit hard, since the others were dry, and I expected this one to be, too.

I never waste expensive dried up tube colors, just cut open the tube and continue using them like solid pans. If they're good quality, this works. A tip from one of my frugal instructors.

Anyway a few minutes' delicious fun.

Watercolor is pointless if you labor and struggle over it. It's spontaneous or it's nothing. My not very humble opinion. Paint like a kid.

I left out the materials handy so I can do more when the spirit moves. There's nothing like making something to raise your spirits. The product doesn't matter for this purpose, it's the doing that matters.

And I have this whole handy book to use, fun ahead. There might be drawings, rubbings, transfers, who knows. 

Meanwhile, despite numerous plant related visitations  from next door, and a hand dipped chocolate cookie gift, now shared around with neighbors

the blueberry baked goods happened and some went next door

This morning I had one for breakfast, warmed it in the microwave, and when I bit in, juice exploded all over my white tee.  

After I wondered about stain removal I decided no, go with it, and when I get up, I'm writing this in bed, I'll simmer the tee with the rest of the berries, and take advantage of the staining function instead of fighting it.

Tatters is doing some nice things here -- Kantha, an Indian stitching style. I'm familiar with it, living in an Indian population. I love the simplicity of the stitching, adding up to complex art.

And since be summer seems to be here, time to practice

Happy day everyone. We can be happy while helping people who are suffering. We can do two things at once.

A trip down memory lane!

This blogger. a writer and hillwalker, lives almost exactly where I did as a little kid, and in recent correspondence I mentioned that I climbed Roseberry Topping, local sort of mountain there, when I was three, with a lot of help. He promptly put it on his list of hillwalks to do soon, and here it is:

http://becausetheyrethere.com/2014/10/22/a-cooks-tour-of-the-cleveland-hills/

So take the tour.  That sweep of fields across to the hills with the Monument always in view, is permanently embedded in my memory, shows up all the time in my art even when I didn't plan it, and I have a watercolor of a similar scene, one I painted many years ago from memory, one of the earliest pieces I exhibited, at my teacher's urging.

I just ran up to take a quick pic of it, awkwardly from the side to avoid glare, and because it's halfway up my stairwell, can't step back from it, and here's a view, for once without the Monument!