Wednesdays Are For Fishin'

Got me a new Fishing Shirt with all kinds of bells and whistles on it that includes loops and pockets and more loops.  It is a man's shirt, all cotton, and of course I was glad I had that big one ordered, knowing all too well the properties of cotton being tumbled in a hot dryer.  Oh, and it is pink and white striped.  It takes some king of macho guy to wear that color fishing.  But for me, pink is great.

Gentle readers, don't judge me, but I failed to report that last week I caught seven rainbow.  This easy, quick aioli sauce is my favorite to use with trout: no bottled tartar sauce for me, thank you.

For the sewists:

Look at the Tessuti site from Australia that was recommended by a friend.  Boy, was I glad to find this shop.They even have free downloads, so of course this shirt was a must:

The Fave Shirt found here and free:

source

Downloads are about 40 pages long, but only have a few lines on each page, so the printer ink is minimal. Then you fit the pattern together like a jigsaw puzzle, ingenious.  Be sure to get the A4 paper, not the American paper that comes in 8.5"x11".  I purchased a ream from Amazon after going to Office Max where I was told no place in the USA carried this style paper (wrong, don't believe everything you hear).  And as for the printer settings using A4 paper, be sure to also set your printer for that size paper.

It will be a fave top; already made one and another is on the machine all cut out and ready to go. It uses a twin needle for hemming the top, so that was another foray into finding the one called for.  The first top I made was a bit snug on the forearm, so it was increased at the bottom of the sleeve for my fat arm accommodation.

Look what opened this morning...

from zinnia seedlings started in April...

The kiss of the sun for pardon, 

The song of the birds for mirth,

One is nearer God's heart in a garden 

Than anywhere else on earth.    ~Dorothy Frances Gurney

Hello in There

John Prine: Hello In There

We had an apartment in the city,
Me and Loretta liked living there.
Well, it'd been years since the kids had grown,
A life of their own left us alone.
John and Linda live in Omaha,
And Joe is somewhere on the road.
We lost Davy in the Korean war,
And I still don't know what for, don't matter anymore.

Chorus:
Ya' know that old trees just grow stronger,
And old rivers grow wilder ev'ry day.
Old people just grow lonesome
Waiting for someone to say, "Hello in there, hello."

Me and Loretta, we don't talk much more,
She sits and stares through the back door screen.
And all the news just repeats itself
Like some forgotten dream that we've both seen.
Someday I'll go and call up Rudy,
We worked together at the factory.
But what could I say if he asks "What's new?"
"Nothing, what's with you? Nothing much to do."

Repeat Chorus:

So if you're walking down the street sometime
And spot some hollow ancient eyes,
Please don't just pass 'em by and stare
As if you didn't care, say, "Hello in there, hello."



Ya gotta remember to say "Hello in there, hello."

July 4th, 2014 at the American Homestead

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.  (Original text of The Declaration of Independence at bottom of post...)

 Local Boy Scout Troop put this is our yard at dawn this morning

 A Snoopy shirt from Julie celebrating the day, modeled by the husband

Daughter Julie sent little patriotic ducks

 now independently floating in water

Declaration of Independence:

This is the final version of the text. Some phrases are different in the first drafts. 

Last Week of June Review

Sweeping off the patio is now my full time summertime obsession.  I feel like the old man in the cartoon from years past who in the fall tracked down every fallen leave from his lawn and bagged it immediately, even desperately catching them as the wind blew them from the tree, leaf by leaf.  The husband thinks the old cottonwoods out back perhaps need more watering, so he has taken to that task of the evening.  The dogs tool around in the back looking for squirrels and I putter with the sweeping as the sun lowers in its sphere.  And the days are now getting shorter, so I hear, making earlier bedtimes easier to explain...people don't understand when you lie down before the sun does.

Liking an entertainment area free of dead cottonwood leaves, this week we will have entertained with friends and a few repasts.  A luncheon, a neighborly get together, and a couple friend tonight: all outside on a fairly leaf free patio.  Tonight I will be making a new salad with sweet potatoes and a rice vinegar dressing that is tossed together with the sweet potatoes and grilled corn cut from the cobs.  The cobs were grilled last night and are safely tucked away in the fridge for their glorious debut today with the sweet potatoes, black beans and a cilantro vinegar dressing. I'll let you know how it turns out.  One other sort-of recipe for a tea punch that was refreshing and tasty was equal parts brewed tea, pineapple-banana juice, orange juice and ginger ale.  That went down fairly well.

Powerful Mary Kay

On the fishing front, we caught nothing this week other than a photo of a blue heron that let me get pretty close to where he was scouting trout.  There are lots of these blue herons around the water.  Last week I caught a 12 inch trout, my largest haul so far.  And he was delicious!

This morning after her walk, Libby SweetPea and I will be making our hospice visits.  Here is an older picture of Miss Libby posing.

She is on a walk right now with her sister Mercy.  Every morning the routine is that they dance around, pulling and tugging at their leashes, waiting for their old dad to get on his hat and retrieve his walking stick. Libby gets the leash in her mouth, and it takes a bit of cajoling to get her to release it so the walk can commence.  Once the 25 minute exercise is finished, she is ready for a nap.  But today she has to gear up and make her visits to her assigned patients.  Two are in an Alzheimer's facility and two are in a nursing home. Libby is pretty easy to handle on her visits since she is an old pro at being quiet and sitting on my lap while being petted; that and she is already worn out from her prior walk.  Staff people at the facilities usually comment on her good behavior, but they have not seen her at home where she tools around like hell on wheels, barking at every neighbor she can view out the front door window.

On the knitting front, I have now ripped out the lace scarf at least three times.  This will not get the best of me.  Here it is in progress, yet again.

Disappointment from Sunday last (this post): that beta test was a semi-ok trial, but it only allows 15 pictures per slideshow on Photosnack.  I am still trying to get pictures downloaded from the Cloud to my computer, following all instructions to the letter, but just cannot get albums downloaded back on my computer.  After googling many answers to this question, the process is still not working for me.  It seems that once they are in the cloud, they stay there.  And there is no putting more than 15 pictures at a time on a slideshow or movie if they are not still residing on your computer's hard drive.  Any feedback on this issue would be greatly appreciated.

And for Paint Party Friday, the Sun is finished:

Ya'll have a great weekend, ya hear?

New Zealand and Australia Pictures Beta Testing on Photosnack

Because I did not make a movie or slideshow from a Scrabble trip to New Zealand and Australia back in 2009, I decided to do so by trying out Photosnack to publish some of those photographs.

Slideshow 1: go here

Slideshow 2: go here

These need more work, like putting them in date order and with descriptions under pictures, so am considering this a beta test, but it seems to be working thus far.  I will include the updated slideshow at the bottom of this blog page when they are in working order.

A Fox and a Birthday and a Sun

The husband received a game camera from Julie and Jack, one of those motion sensitive and infrared cameras that take pictures at intervals after being triggered by motion.  He has had lots of fun with it, and a few nights back caught Miss Mercy sniffing around a tree trunk in the lower back yard.

And he had about a million pictures of squirrels recorded around that stump during the night. But you have seen squirrels, so I'll just post a picture of a small fox that was captured on film.  Fox appears to be about the size of our 12 lb. Mercy.  Sure hope he just eats squirrels and not the hollyhocks.

Last night the husband positioned the camera at a different spot, but there were no more pictures triggered by motion other than a few that perhaps a bird could be blamed for in its flight.

On a different note: today is my younger daughter's birthday.  She has had no contact with me for two years now.  Such a sadness, such a loss.  In happier times, this picture recorded her birth in Michigan in what seems a lifetime ago when her dad and I were students at MSU.

 (Mama and Heidy in hospital)

I am still no closer to figuring out why she has chosen her life path to exclude me and the rest of our family (referring back to a post written in 2012.)  I continue to pray for her daily, and trust her to God's mercy.

(Julie and Heidy, East Lansing, MI)

Look at that old green phone behind Heidy's head.  That certainly dates this photo.

It has been ages ago that I last posted on Paint Party Friday; so  now is the time.  Check out PAINT PARTY FRIDAY and others' artwork.  Think this will be called "Here Comes the Son" (note spelling is correct...John 8:12)

(acrylics: 36"x18")

(diptych: 54" x 18" when placed side by side...all in progress)

John 8:12

King James Version (KJV)

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Blog Sharing

Reading others' blogs is usually not only a fun way to keep up with virtual friends, but also a source of inspiration and a way to introduce new ideas into your (my) life.

That said, let me share with you Mrs. Tittlemouse and her muffin recipe here.  The picture on her blog looked so delicious that I had to make some of those blackberry muffins. The only substitution was strawberry yogurt for plain yogurt.

Here is a picture of the basket that she made and sent me from Kent, where she lives in the UK.

Some of that batch of blackberry muffins will go over to a friend's house next week, using her basket as a carrier.  Thank you so much, Mrs. T.  She also sent a pretty crocheted hot pad, but my camera and that pretty pad did not make it together simultaneously for an image.

Another blog that is a daily read is Mennonite Girls Can Cook.  Here is the recipe we have been enjoying this week.  The bean and vegetable salsa keeps a week in the fridge, is healthy and a low cal way to get your fill.

(source is their webpage)

Sweet daughter Julie sent me a slate sign years ago, and you can see I am still using it in my newly dug and newly planted garden; that was yesterday's project.  My back is killing me today due to all the bending and lifting.

Surprise! He scared me with his moving around in the leaves since I was suspecting a garter snake, but it was only Mr. Toad.  He probably thought I was invading his space.

And yes, we fished again this week.  The most exciting views were of geese and blue herons that hang around the lake.  Those geese expect to be fed, but this one did not get anything from us, so he was a bit put off, as you can see from his open beak.

Am off to eat a blackberry muffin and take more aspirin.  Hope your weekend is a good one.

Gardening in June

High country gardening techniques say

...to prolong the blooming period of columbine you need to interrupt this seed producing process by removing the faded flowers and any seed pods that have formed. The plant then sends up more flowers in an effort to make more seeds. Since columbine are perennial and grow back from their rootstock, you'll still have a columbine in the same spot next year... source

It is a shame to pluck these beauties and denude them of flowers.  But I saved some columbines in pictures just in case we don't get another crop of yellow columbines this summer.

The penstemon were in full bloom this week also.  I cut them down, too.  Ruthlessly, in fact.  But they will exhibit again, history reminds me.  They tolerate partial shade, which is what the sun in the back displays.

I have been transplanting daises also.  The above ones that are caged are white and have a short bloom period, but are worth the wait.  Crossing my fingers they will get enough sunlight for blooming.  I lost bluebells to the lack of sun, and had to transplant purple marshmallow to a different location for better growth.

Marshmallow (purple)

Above are cosmos that were started from seed in April in the kitchen window.  The "before" picture is below of both the cosmos and the zinnias.

And zinnia plants now, almost ready for transplanting AGAIN

And lastly, for historical botanical purposes, is the penstemon purchased for the wildflower garden begun in 2012.

Then (2012)

and now (2014):

Even though I have lost several plants over the winter, overall the garden is doing well.  How is YOUR garden growing?

source (Denslow, public domain)

Trout

Fish!  We caught fish!  The husband and I each caught our trout limit this morning in a bit over an hour in a lake twenty minutes from our house.  We kept the biggest of the eight, six total were brought home.  They will be fried up in a pan outdoors over a grill fire for dinner tonight.

This is a swordfish.  I am on the left and Kathy is on the right, with the fish in the middle, in case you wondered. That picture was taken years ago when we had a girls' weekend in Cabo San Lucas and reminds me of our great vacation.  And no, we did not catch that sailfish.  We just rode on others' fishing experiences.  

And lastly, more painting on the fence.  Think maybe we are through with this effort.  It is getting too hot to paint outside anymore; we are expecting 91 degrees F today.

Done and Done

Finally.  Finished the Shetland Lace Shawl #2 in record time to participate in Fiber Arts Friday blog-along.

Pictures are not great, but the shawl itself is different in that it is made from 100% organic linen from Quince & Co..  It softened up after soaking and blocking, although it was not blocked to points since I will wear it around my neck and those points would not show anyway. So why bother? is the motto of the day.

Here is the model wearing this shawl found in Allen and Budd's Wrap Style, but made in  wool.

Evelyn Clark's ebook looks interesting.  She has this pattern and others at that link.

Go here to see other finished objects this week.

PS: Son in law Jack took this picture yesterday.  Awesome, and not in the sense that kids say it today.  Jack captured God's presence right there in York, South Carolina after a spring rain storm.

Waiting

After six weeks of waiting, I called Knit Picks today to check on a back order of Swish yarn this morning. Their back order was due on May 15, but I had not received an email notifying me it was in stock. Going back to March, while knitting up the Delancey Cardigan, I was just five rows short of completion on the button band when the last of the yarn was used up.  So I immediately went online to order another skein, only to learn it was on back order.  The sweater was begun in January, was knitted through March, and now likely will not be completed until June.  It is like an albatross on my back, but the end seems to be in sight now.

Progress on the Shetland Lace Shawl: have finished the body of the shawl and am on to the edging!  I have joined these groups on Ravelry, all favorites since my trip to Shetland: Shetland Textile Museum, Jamieson & Smith Lovers and the Shetland Guild... This is my second Shetland Lace Shawl and it knits up beautifully.

This will continue to be my work in progress tomorrow, Wednesday.  Lots of people are joining in, and it is always fun to see what others are doing.  THIS is the link.

Back to Shetland.  Remember Ann Cleeves, the author I have talked about before on this post?  Am now reading her latest in the Shetland series, Dead Water.  The main character, Detective Perez, has a White Wife beer, brewed on Unst at the Valhalla Brewery.  It made me smile to know I had also imbibed of that brand of beer while learning the story of the mysterious slaying of the woman for whom the beer was named. Love that beer!  Love Cleeves!

Spring means a new haircut! I was going for the Dame Judi Dench look, but still need the hair to go white.

The Judi look:

The Nancy look:

How is your spring going?