Daily Notes- April 22- Earth Day

                                                 

This Blue Exercise Ball will have to sub for the Blue Planet on today's post.  And the Good News that the atmosphere is less polluted after only the 40 or more days of quarantine. I love seeing the empty highways.  I love the quiet overhead.  No airplanes.

I hardly think most travelers will put up with the sardine can seating on planes anymore- I won't.  I think, in order to do business the airlines are going to have to change their business plan. And I can't see myself EVER going on a cruise.  And I am rethinking retirement communities.

 My grocery shopping today was lovely.  Over 50% of the people in the store had on masks. I avoided the ones who didn't have them.  There was no line getting in and the store had nearly everything on my list.  There was flour on the shelf. I bought one bag thinking there might be a friend or neighbor needing a bag.  There was no toilet paper.  I push my cart to that aisle first thing on my weekly visits.  They had hand sanitizer. Small bottles- I got 2.  Husband can carry one in his pocket.

Daughter visited yesterday to see if we had cement edging pieces for her expanding flower beds.  She gave up on grass years ago and has a nice small yard full of  clover (she hates mowing).  She found exactly what she wanted in the way of edging and her father broke some longer segments into small ones so she could do more curves.  Sun is shining today so G will be outside doing stuff.

I planted up an additional 7 milk jugs with tomato seeds.  All kinds of varieties of tomatoes.  Several different kinds of cherry tomatoes. One very interesting Italian tomato.  This summer I am freezing tomatoes whole in small packages.  Skin, seeds and all.  Using them frozen for soups etc.  Instead of canned.

I also sat and gave thought to the robe project on Spirit Cloth and was thinking the rectangles of the robe were pretty close to the design of my favorite camp shirts.  I could imagine cutting a piece of linen into the shape and making a new camp shirt.  Even the collar is just a long rectangle.  I had been overthinking it.  And the robe diagrams on Jude's blog- opened my eyes to how simple it actually would be.  How one thing leads to another.  A single line of thought and design........

Daily Notes- April 21

                                        

Random things with a patchwork look to them.  The large bottle, drinks carton.  So many things are changing around here with the staying at home thing.  I'm thinking as we work our way into warmer weather --perhaps a daily afternoon cocktail out on the back steps should be added to the day's activities.  The front steps would be nicer but the front faces North and it will be months before its warm out there.  July.

The past few days I have been feeling tired and sleepy.  My eyes feel sticky and I have added gel drops to them but it hardly helps.  Second cup of coffee.

Summer Music Theater has cancelled the Season.  Refusing to refund season tickets.  Say they have "already spent the money".  Well, isn't that "too bad, so sad".  We should just "use as a deduction on our taxes".  I wrote them a very short and to the point letter.

We did take out last night for dinner.  And the Dairy Queen is open.  So, we are planning on ice cream today- even though it's 41 degrees. Three days of rain in our Future so today is the only possible day for ice cream.

I made the cookie dough (delicious raw) yesterday and will bake the cookies today.  Once baked, they hold little appeal to me.  But they are very carnival-like with all the Sprinkles.

My second cup of coffee.

I have no path to follow today.  Nothing urgently in need of doing.  No hand sewing calling to me. No load of washing to be done. Husband has found a new puzzle to do.  He can work in the yard today. Next three days will be cold and steady rain- or so the forecast says-so he will have to remain in the house.

Maine's Virus trajectory flattened and is now heading down slowly.  875 confirmed cases- 426 active right now, 414 have recovered (good news) and 35 have died.  I'd say we are doing a great job of staying away from each other.  But I might need to figure out how to order books on the internet.

Dr Fauci said he is amazed at how easily the virus is transferred by human to human contact.  He has never seen anything like it.  Now that is reason enough to stay at home.

Daily Notes- April 20th

                                     

Somewhere on the internet, I read that if you take a bunch of bananas apart they will last longer- not all ripen at once.  These have been on the counter for 5 days now and still looking good.  Not over ripe.  And....no tiny black fruit things flying around- landing in our coffee.

Today is my first day with store brand decaf.  Better than the Folger's. And on the side of the jar- instructions for making iced coffee.  Because these are "instant" crystals. We'll see.

Store brand oatmeal was like eating PASTE.  It's in the compost pile now.  I know Deb- you could have used it for the dye works.

Years ago- in reality- I had brought home a ground cover sedum that is lime green in Summer and orange lime in Fall. I planted it in one of the unused raised beds because I didn't have Time to think about where to actually plant it...  It flourished.  And went from a 6 inch circle to a 3 foot circle of lush growth.  Roots are shallow so I was able to use my old chef's knife to cut 12 inch segments and carry them to new homes.  Edging some of the beds behind the house and near the newly pruned Mugo Pine.  In the back Peony bed, I got two placed correctly (to my eye) but the third is too far back from the edge- so today I will re- plant it closer to the edge of the bed.  And consider cutting two more- always uneven numbers in plantings.  Always.  Uneven.  More pleasing to the human eye. When in doubt- only one.  All groupings- uneven numbers.  Three is actually a perfect group. In plants.

I learned from the psychologist down the street that three is never a good number when having children.  I was one of three.  It's the truth.  Always, always, two with one on the outside feeling abandoned.

I never got around to making the cookies yesterday.  Yesterday, I was very very tired.  Like I had no surplus to get me to do anything.  So I went to bed early.  And fell asleep.  I recollected dreams as I woke but can't remember them now- but they were gentle dreams.  Not sad or troubled.  I am still vaguely tired.  But the anxiety I felt in the early days of the Virus is gone.

I have noticed few- if any delivery trucks in the past week.  My neighbors are active on line purchasers.  At Christmas they had two and three deliveries per day. The post office still comes each day.  My fertilizer for the Grow Boxes hasn't come yet but G says it might take 10 days to 2 weeks.

My Gardening/Seed buddy has just started her tomato seeds so today I will plant my own seeds in the little milk jug greenhouses.  Then I will  have an even two dozen containers out on the back deck.  The tiny doll house sized limes continue to very slowly increase in size on the lime bush in the house.  The leaves on the Fig Tree in the Vestibule increase in size.  I leave the back door open so the tree is getting used to outdoor temps during the day.  Small Breva (first growth) figs- just 5- are slowly growing.  My Rosemary plant made it thru winter still green and will soon be repotted and out on the deck.  The Chive plants out in the garden and in the landscaping near the deck- are sending up new shoots. It's all good.

Daily Notes- April 19th

                                        

One Jude Robe to stitch and one Robe to just wear.  In the linen closet- top shelf- Bark Cloth from the "Buying All Things Depression" Era.  I wouldn't sew things to the Bark Cloth. Just enjoy it as is. And (Dee) I did reject the linen sheet because I worried about difficulty hand sewing. But linen is easier than commercial tight weaves. But still, why buy trouble.

Fewer and fewer people coming to read the blog these days.  Half.  Yesterday I wrote email letters to friends and neighbors on my street and close by.  They replied right away- enjoying having a little chat and a laugh or two. I had wanted to send cards out for Easter but they were all gone by the time I went looking at the Hallmark selection at the grocery store.

 I spend some time each day on reading about what to cook when "blank" is all you have.  A feed I get on Sunday's had a few interesting ideas and today's Sunday paper had a wonderful chef who was open to people sending a list of what they had to cook with- and he gave them a recipe that he made up.  He has stopped doing this as he said it "used up his entire day".  Alton Brown has Quarantine Kitchen on U-tube if you are interested.  He is using what they have in the fridge.  Alton spends time smelling things in the fridge and deciding if he'll eat it or not.  He left his favorite scale on the center part of his stove- it's a griddle- and it was on.  Melted.  And he can never find tools in the junky drawer.  Just like home- and it is his home.

My bread was not perfect but it was still good enough to eat.  This morning I had toast with strawberry rhubarb jam. I also started the day with a long hot shower.  I smell good.  When I worked at the greenhouse for those ten years- coming home and taking a long hot shower was the highpoint of my days. Being clean (I got incredibly dirty at work).  Smelling good.  Which is odd because everything I use is unscented.  I might just be not smelling bad???

I used up the last of the Folger's Decaf and next up is the Store Brand.  I am apprehensive. But I was surprised that the store brand (all that was available) of diced canned tomatoes was way better than the name brands. Really nice color and flavor.  Best Pantry Soup Ever.  So far.

Well, those Confetti Cookies using an entire container of Sprinkles are not going to make themselves.
I made them around Valentine's Day for G after seeing them on DebL's blog.  Very very sweet.  Very. G wants them.

Daily Notes- April 18th

                                              

Baking No Knead Bread.  Having some difficulty with the Gold Medal Flour as it's not my usual  King Arthur.  Too soft.  Next time I will weigh the flour and not scoop.  It's cooling on the counter now and not pretty enough to take a picture.  But it's bread.  And it looks crusty.

I am thinking I might venture into a health food store to see if they have wheat berries.  I have the dry attachment for the VitaMix and can grind grain into flour.   I know wheat berries get rancid FAST so most stores probably do not stock them.  Perhaps they carry Maine Grains. They make superb flour. We have local flour and oats.  Very expensive but quite tasty.

Texting with our son last night- he had wanted to make biscuits but couldn't find any baking powder  or baking soda in the stores he goes to in California. You can make baking powder with cornstarch (?) and cream of tartar but he didn't have those things either.  Or is it baking soda and cream of tartar?

We are slipping into "flexible time" here in week five of quarantine.  Breakfast anywhere from 8 to noon (we have nowhere to be).  Lunch at 4 or 5 pm or later.  Supper- usually we forget about it and have a snack.  Cooking?  I am making soup mostly but we ARE enjoying the spaghetti and meatballs.  And I still have that very small quarter of a ham in the fridge.  Still sealed in it's packaging so- indefinitely available.  Husband has asked me to bake cookies. The ones that use up an entire large tub of sprinkles.

Dark today.  Threat of rain.  Hard to say if it will or won't.  He's going out to work in the garden. Clean out the birdbath.

Found an old vintage red linen tablecloth in the Magic Attic to use to make a "large cloth" robe or jacket for Jude Hill's new class on the internet.  Now need to measure myself.  Decide just how to make cuts so the jacket is lovely and wearable.  It will have additions appliquéd to it as it grows into itself.  I could have used a white linen twin top sheet as well.  But the red has some "weight" to it. Like a nice hug.  I think that will feel good.

So.....the news that The Man Who Doesn't Know How To Be President is inciting his followers to mingle in public (crowds) and not wear masks because he is anxious to have rallies without public distancing.  He wants the people to experience the "flavor" of the rallies.  Experience The Virus.
Part of me is screaming NO!!!  The other part says- people only learn from their mistakes.

Daily Notes- April 17th

                                             

I slept later than usual (was reading until 1am).  Then dressed and out for my weekly shopping trip.  Scored Dove ice cream bars (swooning as my store has NEVER carried them before today) and two containers of  Sprinkles.  G is asking for Sprinkle Cookies (Deb!!).  And I selected a bottle of Balsamic Glaze to drizzle on my stacked eggplant and fresh mozzarella.

The aisles at the grocery are labelled very clearly in BIG LETTERS- enter only or exit only.  We are supposed to go one way- like a long snake.. So many going every which way and hard to be 6 feet away. So I just adjusted my expectations (waited for them to be gone) and was happy to be wearing my gloves and mask.

90% had on a mask.  I stayed away from the ones who did not--mostly young people--who looked very confused by everything.  Didn't have to wait outside in line.  So panic shopping might be tapering off.  No toilet paper.  No fig jam.  They did have 12 boxes of store brand kleenex.  Don't flush kleenex.  It doesn't dissolve.  Use it and bag it-!!!!!  My public service announcement.

I got Tylenol for Arthritis.  It says it's good for tooth pain and so far- I only took one pill not two-- my jaw is not aching.  Still making noise but not as much. Good enough.

I bought radishes and two broccoli "crowns" and ate a few of the radishes- so crisp and delicious- I was wishing I had bought MORE. I was craving crisp fresh veggies.

In answer to Deb's question in the comments- the meatballs and marinara-- so so fine!!!.  And the best part wasn't the food itself.  It was the 60's rock and roll I danced to while making the food.  Only one in the house, so got the volume WAY UP and just had a really good time.  Was having flash backs of college and the music in the hallways before it was Time To Study.

Picture at the top is my vintage washer dryer.  I had to do a load of gardening clothing G wore yesterday.  If you look close- a little 2 is in red on the panel.  This is the spot where things go wrong if I don't watch.  So I watch and jump up if the water fills overlong.  And manually make it move to rinse and spin.  Better than the big mop up of gallons of water on the floors.

Oh....I bought a pair of socks at the grocery store.  They are in the washer.  They are not wool.  I am waiting to see what they are like after washing and drying and if they are good- I will buy more.  The grocery has them in brown (ones I got) and black.  I am NOT getting my hopes up until they come out of the dryer. Husband says they will all be gone when I return next Thursday.  That's okay. It will take time to find out of they are good socks.

Daily Notes-April 16th

                                                 

I have mentioned that about ten cloth collages are on the wall across from my place at the dining table. And that I look at them often.  Contemplating.  This particular one wasn't working so I took it down and removed a peach colored strip.  Then cut right down the center and turned one half  upside down and sewed them back together.  Then added green on the right edge.  Instead of a quarter inch. I turned one side under and appliquéd the edge.  More "organic".  Easier as well.

G had a doctor's appointment (wellness check) on the phone this morning.  Next time his doctor will attempt a video call.  Before the call we worked on a few things G could talk about- I wrote them down and he worked his way through all of them. The doctor would like him to be taking his blood pressure but he no longer has a machine for that here in the house.  They sent him home from hospital with one after open heart surgery a few years ago.  But it stopped working.  We can ask his heart doctor to prescribe a new machine?

My Walking Buddy (we no longer walk but do meet for coffee and a stroll around Town) dropped off a bag of books for me to read. And this morning reported that People Plus, an organization for folks over 65, had decided to place a little something outside their doors with books, sanitizer etc.  People had been mentioning how sad it was the library was closed and they had nothing to read.  My friend said if I had books to donate- she would swing by to pick up.  A very good idea to provide reading material. I'm sure one of the guys will be building something nice and sturdy. Goodwill always had a very good selection of books and now that Goodwill is closed- that source of reading material is gone and the library will not be re-opening any time soon.

I have stopped watching any televised messages etc by the Man Who Doesn't Know How To Be President.  I am feeling much happier.

I made spaghetti and meatballs yesterday and fried my eggplant.  I listened to Golden Rock and Roll from the 50's  and 60's.  There was dancing as I mixed and cooked.  So fine.

I don't have any of the thick Balsamic "drizzle" that restaurants use but I am thinking if I slowly reduce some Balsamic vinegar (I have lots of that) in a saucepan - I can achieve something thick and concentrated to drizzle over slices of eggplant stacked with fresh mozzarella and basil leaves. I'm going to search the pantry once more to see if a small bottle of "drizzle" isn't hiding in there.

I ran out of bread crumbs.  I had Stove Top.  So I buzzed it in the food processor and used it with added oregano.  The flavor is a bit strange but-- it's still okay.  Pandemic Pantry.

Daily Notes- April 15th

                                        

How does my Garden Grow.  The top two rows were already started in March.  The next two rows have been added to- even yesterday.  The older ones- mostly have seeds sprouted and one or two are showing secondary leaves.  I cannot plant root vegetables in these containers.  They do not appreciate having their root tips touched.  And I have not started my tomatoes.  I did start a container of green pepper seeds even though I read that it is too late.  My garden is hardly ready.  It is still very cold at night here in Maine.  The Tundra.

My citrus plant- in the house- has very tiny limes growing.  My husband says not to get too excited. But I am pretty excited.  They are tiny but look "like themselves" as they look like very tiny doll house sized limes.  My Christmas Gift Coffee plant- is recovering from it's freeze in the vestibule prior to Christmas Day.  I even gave it a spray with some liquid fertilizer.  And then re- thought that.  But all it's leaves are green and shiny.  The Fig Tree in the vestibule is getting a daily shower of mist. Still too chilly out on the deck for it.  My avocado pit- wrapped in a damp towel in a plastic bag on a sunny window sill has not sent out the root yet.  But the pit has split and I can see the root.

These "growing" things help me to see that Life Goes On.

The Governor of Maine has spoken.  We "stay at home" until the end of May.  The 31st of May. No matter what the President says, the Governor has spoken.  We are not opening up for business until the end of May.  Suddenly, we have more new cases - most in Senior Living environments-- which was always anticipated.

Today I am making meatballs in marinara sauce (in fact, right after I push publish).  And I am frying my slices of breaded eggplant.  Husband may actually eat some of both if I layer the eggplant with enough cheese and marinara. I tend to eat the eggplant as I fry it.  After the fried slices cool off or ice cold from the fridge.

I have already done two loads of laundry. Husband has been gardening (weeding) each day and I have to keep up with all the dirty gardening clothing.  I have promised him a haircut and he rushes out to the garden. I brought in my father's haircutting case.  Lovely sharp scissors.  Even a cotton drape to cover the "customer" while his hair is cut.  I am excited to give it a shot- husband is not so excited. I have the impression my dad cut hair for many of his older roller skating friends.

I went out yesterday and checked on my rhubarb plants- always so slow to wake up (I will have to send an email to my friend Patty for stalks of her rhubarb).  I uncovered my rhubarb and gave them a good side dressing of mushroom compost.  Lovely stuff.  I also moved a few small perennials out of the raised beds and tucked them into the front of the house beds.  Better to see them.  Columbines.  Pretty blue flowers. The Sun is shining today.

So....in a better frame of mind.  And two separate friends left brown paper bags of books on the front porch this morning.  I have cloth, paper and paints, books and cooking.  My days are filled with good things and occupations.  I can make it to the end of May.  I can. I will.

Daily Notes- April 14th

                                             

Thinking about an appliqué leaf on this one.  Not sure of where to put it.  So I left the paper pattern there on the left with a pin.  Added grape dyed cloth to the bottom and right.  Wrinkled.  I haven't been tempted- at all- to press with a hot iron. so...not like me.

I was out early- to the grocery (senior hours) so G could have yogurt with his breakfast (I actually do care about him).  No line.  They were still counting and hadn't reached 70 as yet.  I found boxed brownie mix.  Remembered to buy the eggplant.  Got ham, turkey and cheese for G.  Not the extremely thin stuff he likes- but as I told him, gently, he is going to have to "try new things" during this period of crisis.  If he refuses- I'll eat the ham and Swiss.  The turkey? no.

I got down on the floor (at the grocery) to pull all the oatmeal forward.  And bought one for myself.  The store was out of my usual Lipton teabags so I had to look and decide which "new" brand I would try out. Tetley.   "try new things" for me also.

I also purchased a 99.9% disinfectant spray (citron) in the METHOD brand that I like.  I sprayed and cleaned the sink, stove and counters.  Hardly any scent- which is why I like that brand.  Scent gives me a headache.  Migraine.

I remembered to buy an eggplant.  It is sliced and salted and in the fridge.  I also purchased some ground beef for meatballs.  DebL said I had to.  She Who Must Be Obeyed. Just joking.  She knows I love meatballs and marinara.

I made huge pot of chicken soup for G.  It was cold and dark yesterday.  He appreciated eating soup. Myself- I was reading and at around 9 or 10 pm realized I hadn't eaten much besides some cheese.  Wasn't hungry.

On the news they were talking about a vaccine for this virus and talked about the polio vaccines.  I am old enough to remember both of the ones they "tried out" on us in elementary school.  The liquid one and then the shot.  My brother was on the couch at home in those days- unable to walk.  So, that period of Time is pretty much etched in my mind.  He got better.  They are thinking of using the older versions of polio vaccine on this virus. Not the newer ones. They had a scientist explain the reasoning but it was after 10pm and I was too tired to follow the thread.

I have the right book to read this Time- actually Margaret.  Yesterday's was a fun read.  So, until it's Time to bread and fry the eggplant- I am going to do some laundry.  Have a good day, any of you visiting here.

Daily Notes- April 13th

                                 

All of this was covered in heavy, very wet snow two days ago.  The daffodils were making a great effort to stand again and hold up their flowers.  But.....Mother Nature had other plans and it is raining hard today and it's cold.  The house is dark and cold.  I have all the lamps turned on but it hardly makes a difference.

Perhaps the Earth itself is trying to wash away the virus?

I finished my book- the ending always makes me cry.  I have another ready.  Margaret.  Sturdy enough to use a broadsword.  The interesting thing about these books of mine- read, over and over again- they show no wear.  The spine is not cracked.  They do not fall open.  They look to have never been read at all.  I should go online and see if this author has written any new books which I do not know about.  That would make my life complicated- as I have no experience with the new way to buy books- on the internet.  Only from a bookstore.  I am really past my "use by" date.

We had Sunday Pizza.  It was good.  We even found a very old football game to watch as we ate it. We have no idea how old but Tony Roma was playing.  And not well at all.  So we switched to soccer.  USA vs Ecuador.  Then we retired to the couch to read our books.  I think I will open my large bottle of wine today.  Lambrusco.  I am peasant stock.  Nothing fancy even though I own and enjoy the very good wine in bottles from Europe.

G is eating his last yogurt and has no cheese to roll up with his ham and turkey.  And to fix that one of us will have to stand in line at the grocery waiting for our turn to go inside and shop.  I have a very nice raincoat and umbrella so I don't really mind doing it.  I just checked the fridge for cheese and I have somehow purchased three rolls of fresh mozzarella.  What to do with it?

So, on this very very dark and wet Monday- I am going to troll the internet for books and recipes.
And then read my book.  I might make a mozzarella frittata.

Daily Notes- April 12- Happy Easter

                                                

The Pandemic Sloth of Maine-  Just hanging out at home.  Today's paper- the fully loaded Sunday with more than 2 sections.  The Food section is always my favorite- but during the pandemic, the food people are writing things that just irritate me.   The Vegan writer was all about making burritos, tacos and  burgers.  She did make her family one soup this week.  No pasta.  Making food items that are usually made with "meat" makes me sort of crazy.  Make vegetables!!!!! Black bean and sweet potato burgers.  Homemade not from the Whole Foods freezer section. I'm starting to think she writes but can't actually cook.  Last Sunday a guy wrote about making bread (wonderful if you snagged any flour and yeast).  The egg person wrote about making a chocolate bourbon drink (containing egg).   Bourbon is not.

That's my rant for the day.   The egg columnist wrote about "stretching" a dozen eggs to cover a week's meals.  Eggs are hard to come by here in Maine.  I guess.  I buy Egg Beaters.  Eggs in the shell give me the willies.

I sorted my sock basket.  Of my favorite green (non wool) socks- I have three.  Yeah.  Three.  Of the black (men's cheap not wool) ones- I have four.  Of the Smart wool socks I have 300.  But I seem to have developed an allergy to wool socks (itch, hives and then red angry hives).  I do have 10 pairs of the black men's brand sock in an ankle high variety.  I also have some in the low cut variety that I wear with Crocs to my daughter's HORROR. "Did you go OUTSIDE like that??????"   Yes.  Every day.  I'm old, who cares?????

I woke up crying.  I had been thinking of writing about the 32 days in quarantine but realized it's been  almost one year and 32 days.  G and I sort of went into quarantine in March 2019 when Riley started being anxious about sleeping on his dog bed.  And one of us had to sleep on the couch with one foot on the dog's back while he shivered in fear, anxiety or pain.  We stayed home. Emotionally and physically exhausted. When he started being afraid to get in the car.  When we couldn't leave him home alone.  When we stopped going anywhere.

We had just started to go out for meals- usually lunch.  You know, without crying in public-that's the hard part to get past.  We had gone to three movies (I cried as soon as the lights went down and tried to stop by the time the credits started rolling- not about Riley- about the people in the movies).  Little Women, Star Wars,Yesterday. Coming attractions (one about a dog).  And I was excited to go see Emma. Looking forward to it but we missed out by a day.

So I am not writing about Quarantine.  I have a ball of store made pizza dough on the counter trying to reach room temp.  We'll have it later in the afternoon.  I just started one of my medieval romances- this one is terribly sad. Terribly sad.  But it's also one of my favorites. Iolanthe.

Because it's Easter I cracked open one of my tubs of dark chocolate caramels from Trader Joe's.  Won't last the day.  

I also measured out my instant coffee with a different spoon this morning and....quite the improvement. I think I will have a second cup.  The miniature daffodils are making a valiant effort to stand up after the heavy wet snow crushed them.  They were in full flower.  The taller ones are struggling.  The Hellebore are fine.  Hyacinths- my beloved dark blues- are struggling. Still 200K in households waiting for their electricity to be fixed from the heavy wet snow we had.  Help coming from Quebec Hydro.

Daily Notes- April 11

                                                   

Two Days in a Row I have been surprised by mail.  For me.  This is the second day surprise.  Torn from a Better Homes and Garden magazine.  Mending.  And SOCKS.  Connie is the best internet friend/source- well, tied with Paula.  And then there's Dee with recipes.  And then Diane in Fla with masks. And there's Jude, Deb L, ml, Grace, Annie (who thought I knew how to make buttercream frosting without a recipe- which still makes me laugh), Diane in CA.......and so many others that my pandemic solitude brain can't conjure right now.   Oh, you save my Life some days.

The Sun has reappeared but it is a cold Sun.  The snow on the driveway has melted.  Not on the lawn or the daffodils.  I check even before I make coffee and oatmeal.

I sorted out my sock basket this morning.  Finding the favorite socks to mend.  The magazine suggested a tennis ball for mending the socks.  I think I have one- safer than the light bulb. Unless, of course, Riley had his way with all the tennis balls we own and they are long gone.  I had to go back and change the verb tense.  Odd how it sneaks up on you....... sniff.  April 4th would have been his 13th birthday.

Pantry Soup was even more delicious this Time.  I took Time to chop and saute and measure and did not add salt, did add some red pepper flakes.   One of my onions from local farm had sprouted green at the top- so now it has it's own dish and water for it's roots.  Another is just beginning to sprout so I have to decide whether to use it for a recipe or let it make green shoots.

I am chopping a chocolate bar or two or three to make a pan of Brownies today.  And I need to make some sort of main dish item for G to eat.  He is saying no to most of my suggestions.  He is bored with home cooking no matter how tasty it is.  Eating out is ALWAYS better in his opinion.  No wonder I rarely cook anymore. There are Chinese Dumplings in the freezer- he'll eat those.  And I'll have soup.

I can eat the same grilled cheese sandwich for days on end and never care one way or the other...... I think both the children took after me.  Food isn't something we see as "entertainment".

Daily Notes- April 10

                                   

This image was in my email box this morning. From the Wild Seed Project here in Maine- getting us to try and grow Native plants.  Mostly, (the image here) because I love seed starting and because this is what is going on in my milk jugs out on the deck- covered in wet snow this morning.  Little tiny sprinkles of green. (my milk jugs are still closed not open like this) These native seeds like a more gritty soil mix which is why some the pots look grey.  Sand or grit for the medium and not soil.  These pots are all outdoors- started in December or January.  Outdoors.  Uncovered.  The way Mother Nature does it.

At around 9 pm the lights started flickering here.  The snow had continued to fall for hours and temps were flickering also- between 40 and 36.  So wet snow.  Heavy snow.  And husband and I headed out to shovel- push- snow around. Geez, it was heavy.  And I mentioned to G how happy and relieved I was to find the shovels still piled on top of hatch to the crawlspace.  Instead of having to crawl around down there.  He said he was happy he had procrastinated about putting them away properly. We gave up just before midnight.  And fell asleep right away.  Good sleeping.

70K are without power this morning.  We don't do proper tree removal here.  And heavy snow equals trees down, power lines down.  Simple math. Been here since 1991.  Nothing has changed.  Old, sick trees hanging over power lines.  Stupidity. (daughter just called reporting explosions and red in the sky last night as trees hit power lines in Town)

The news this morning- that while people are still dying we may be close to the plateau here in Maine with 342 cases right now (that's our high number).  The Virus curve could be flattening.  In California my son says 2 weeks.  In 2 weeks they will know out there, if theirs is flat.

I am going to be making soup today.  Dee's Pantry Soup.  It's my hands down favorite.

My daffodils had just started to open.  I was looking forward to their cheerful display.  Now they are crushed under 6 to 8 inches of heavy wet snow.  Deep Sadness.  Deep.  While I was shoveling the wet snow off the deck- sway from the beds of daffodils- I was sad.  They were my one ray of sunshine. Outdoors.  Here in the house- I am happy most of the Time.  Happy I am not sick. Happy none of you out there are sick.  It's good.  Let's keep it that way-okay?

Daily Notes- April 9th

                                    

It's raining and dark and cold outside.  So my vegetables aren't as bright as I think they might be on a sunny day.  New Rules at the grocery.  Limit to number of people in the store at one Time.  I think they count the people when they open and from then on- "one out/one in".  And the line going in is long and it was windy, cold and raining.  Some Presidential Supporters were vocally abusive to the RULES.  We all stared them down.  They either shut up or left.   They didn't have on masks.  We did.
Masks make the "stare" better I think.

I forgot the eggplant. Remembered Ketchup!!!! Bought a small ham. They had gnocchi. G didn't put yogurt on the list.  I remembered the wine- but forgot the tonic for gin and tonics. Next week.  There's always next week. I bought Fritos.

No Tylenol to be found.  Entire section is bare.  Doctors on TV said take only Tylenol as Advil and Aleve complicate the VIRUS if you get it. Up on my tippy toes and stretching arm way way way back- two small bottles of Tylenol PM.  Good enough.

I did buy a fresh basil plant just for the gorgeous SMELL.  A Glorious smell on this day inside.  No gardening will be done.  I have the bare roots sitting in an inch of water is a tall drinking glass.

Only fresh paper and plastic right now with our groceries.  I get paper.  I can use it to make journals, drain fried foods or I can recycle it thru the shredder and into the compost.  I am always in need of dry (brown) to go into the mixture. I have mentioned my grandmother and father suffered terribly in the Great Depression? They influence my Life choices to this day. I collect glass jars and lids.

Daughter showed up while I was in line- asked if she could join me- I said no.  Found a sticky note on my car- "I love you".  Same to all of you out there. Yesterday 47 came to visit.  Brought such joy.

Well, re-reading what I have up top- evidence that Thursday Grocery Shopping is the HIGH POINT of my week, huh??? But this blog is a record of the way it goes- so I'll keep it.

Yesterday was the first day that I have felt exhausted by all of this.  I was up at around 4am yesterday morning and couldn't sleep.  So I read until G woke up and we had breakfast and all that.  Later we did some gardening and pruned the crab tree to the left of the front porch. Big heavy branch.  I think it was just allowing myself to feel despair.  To shed tears.  Give myself over to it for just the day.  Today, even with the darkness, the cold, the rain....I feel able.  Able to keep going.  Even to laugh. Be happy about very small things.  And a post it note on my car- I love you!

Daily Notes- April 8

                                             

If you have nothing else to grow this Spring- no seeds, or bulbs etc---you can set the root end of celery, carrots, onions, fennel in water- just a half inch to one inch- as the bottom is the only part needing to be in water--and wait.  A sunny facing window would be prefect.  And because you are taking care- of so many things right now- this will be easy- just freshen the water every few days. Pour out the old and add new.  And wait.  My favorite is the end of a bunch of celery.  It starts making little celery leaves quickly.  Jude on Spirit Cloth has vegetable ends rooted and growing on her new deck. The photo above is from Food52.

I was cleaning out a drawer and found some seeds.  I still have a nice collection of half gallon empty plastic milk jugs.  I still have a quarter of the large bag of potting soil.  No problem to start a few more seeds- the tomatoes and peppers.  Out on the back deck five of the jugs have tiny seedlings- still with the seed leaves only (two tiny leaves) and none of the true leaves (ones that look like whatever it is you are growing) yet.

I made my masks with interfacing inside- very hot and sweaty inside the mask.  I don't think that is the correct way for it to be.   None of the vapor I was producing was evident on the outside.  So perhaps it is a good idea? As nothing can get inside either.  Any one out there have an opinion? And I am seeing folded thin wire and pipe cleaners (folded double) used for the nose piece- to press into the top of your nose to hold the mask in place.

I think the population has hit the wall so to speak.  Few blog posts.  No commenting.

Yesterday we pruned the Mugo Pine into a more flowing Japanese Garden shape.  Sort of like a real life sized Bonsai.  Now-- flat and moving right and left-- not up.  Under the north side is a stack of rocks.  Round one at the bottom and then a flat one (balanced) and then several small round ones in a row. A very heavily pruned rhododendron (over 30 years old and still only four feet tall but 10 feet wide- leaves and flowers touching the grass) next to the Mugo and the stacked rocks. To the other side a PeeGee (smaller) rhododendron relative which was pruned two years ago and now needs  works again.  But not until it blooms.  Gorgeous lavender.  I prune flowering shrubs after they bloom.

Husband has gone out to begin a new project in the yard.  He says there is "too much to get done" but I think he looks for jobs to do- to make the day go faster.

Finally, the scourge of leaf blowers have attacked the street I live on.  I don't know why.  The leaves in my yard were blown- (Riley and I hated every minute) by husband in the Fall- for hours.  And they are still where he sent them.  No need for any further leaf removal.  There are a ton of acorns embedded in the lawn.  Only a good rake will move them.

The book I am missing is Blood Of Roses by Marsha Canham. If any romance reader out there has it, I can pay postage, read it and then send it back promptly.

Only one library is Maine has a copy but all the libraries will be closed thru August.  I am assuming-- as they say the virus will be here into the Summer and beyond.  Here in Maine the Governor tells us the unvarnished truth.  Thru the Summer.  For the first wave.  Viruses are the gift that keeps on giving long after it has outworn it's welcome.

Thank you for visiting the blog and reading the Daily Notes.  No comments is okay- more than okay.

Daily Notes- April 7th

                                               

Paddington sends his love to all of you!!  I bought him on my first European trip to England.  I was collecting bears and it was fun to carry this one home.  He has red rubber boots.

Yesterday I went out into the garden to help mulch the blueberries and give them fertilizer.  We were both very tired- in a good way-- after the work outside.  Enjoyed hot showers and hot soup for supper. Each day seems shorter than the day preceding.  I don't know why that is.  But it's a good thing.

G is out of soup and so am I so there will be some sort of cooking today.  I wish I had an eggplant. I would like eggplant parmigiana.  But shopping day is Thursday.  So we will wait.  I have eggs so I might make a frittata.  Not sure if G will eat that.  Pretty certain he won't. I am also wanting Brownies  but will have to look for a recipe.  I usually make a boxed brownie.  This will be today's "adventure". I didn't go to the farm stand.  I have enough of everything so getting more seemed...well, not right.

Paid bills today and ordered fertilizer packets for the Grow Boxes etc.  From Louisiana.  Hope they are still open for business.  I know that state is having a really hard time with the virus.

It was supposed to be a sunny day today but the clouds rolled in a day early.  And it feels chilly in the house when they are overhead. Every little while the Sun reappears.  We found a station on the very old tv that plays "light classical" music with no interruptions.  We had it on yesterday and again this morning while reading the paper.  Husband is still listening as he does his word search puzzles. I brought the tv back when we emptied my father's house in Ohio after he died.  Twelve years ago.

What would my father have made of this quarantine?  He would have started up the sewing machine and made masks for sure.  He could make anything.  Like so many who lived through the Great Depression.  He'd also have made a sour dough starter and been baking bread for himself and neighbors unless he couldn't find flour and that would have made him really mad.  And he would have been worried about me.  The old tv got me thinking of him.

Daily Notes--April 6th

                                                 

My husband's mask.  Made from a reusable poly fabric grocery bag which is very very tightly woven. He read about it in an email from Popular Science.  He didn't like it because it needed "a nose thingy" and his glasses fogged up...   He went into his shop and found 6 paper masks ( inexpensive ordinary ones, not special ones) but they had a nice metal nose strip that I removed and inserted into the mask shown.  I also made the mask narrower.  Popular Science got the dimensions wrong.  And I made ties from batik and much narrower so easy for him to tie.  He LIKED it!!!

I was having no luck making a good mask until daughter sent a text that she was going to work wearing a bandana layered with a Swiffer dust cloth.  JUST NO!!!

I used one of the patterns I saw made (I watched like five times) and made a very nice mask from a lovely batik I found in the back of the closet.  And used the nose metal thing from a second paper mask.  I even started my car and drove to daughter's house.  It was my second attempt.  The first one wasn't good.  I lined the batik in daughter's mask with interfacing on one side of the cloth (before I folded it.  The first one had interfacing on the full length and when folded- double the interfacing.  Hard to breath.  And since I added the interfacing- no need for the pocket to add an addition layer.
And washable.   Diane is making me a mask in Florida.  Diane is a very nice person.

I raked all the nasty stuff out from under my blueberry bushes after the sewing and gave each plant a double "soup can" full of fertilizer.  Then I went out behind the garden and scooped bark mulch (the pile has been back there for two years now and is ready to be used as mulch.  I had to scrape the surface stuff because the pile itself is still frozen solid.  It's Maine.

So the blueberries have been raked, fed and blanketed with nice maple/pine mulch. They like acidic soil. We also trimmed off the really old branches.  Already budding up.  Always a nice start to gardening season- getting the blueberries fed and cleaned up.

Husband was out there cleaning up the beds and the paths.  We planted three tiny "evergreen trees" that we found in the woods a few years ago into one of the raised beds and they are now ready to be dug up and planted in the front yard.  It will be years and years before they are even waist high.  We planted a tiny pair of trees many years ago and they now tower over  us.  Real beauties.  We should have gotten in the habit of planting new tiny trees every few years.

I was reading the post over to check for mistakes and....those cheap little masks also have real skinny elastic ear things.  Elastic.  Need to think about that.

I just read book one and book three of a medival romance series by Marsha Canham.  Book two is missing from my little stack of books.  I am pissed.  The one with the blonde archer. I read the book. so where did it go????  Damn.

Daily Notes- April 5th

                                       

Day 23.   After reading the Sunday paper, eating my daily bowl of oatmeal, coffee and banana- I walked to the kitchen and sorted out my dry goods jars.  Emptied my bag of flour (shared by a woman in the flour aisle that first weekend) into the flour jar (which was quite empty going into the pandemic), found my pizza dough recipe and my packet of yeast.  Measured, mixed and kneaded. Now it's in a greased bowl in the oven with the oven light on.  The light gives just enough warmth to the oven to help dough rise.  We're having pizza today.  Sunday Pizza.

On a day of the week better known for our visit to Goodwill.  Before.

I was outside yesterday afternoon and raked out the dead and winterized Hosta leaves under the crab tree.  And then I went to the front of the drive and raked leaves out of the bed out front with plants whose name I cannot remember right now.  I used a very small rake because it gets caught in the under growth less than a larger rake.  A larger one would do little to nothing in regard to cleaning out the old leaves. That area has, typical to my land, the worse soil in Maine.  Acidic sand.  No nutrients.  Nothing to hold water.  Nothing, really, to hold roots- which is why the trees get just so tall and then fall over.

Husband (studied Botany) just brought in a sample of the plants- we will look it up in a plant book but first he is looking for something to do with a car battery.  Which he has misplaced. I asked him to hand it to me if he finds it and uses it.  Then we will know where it is.  I'm thinking it might be too large to fit in my underwear drawer where everything else (he mis-places) is stored. Might  need to empty the next drawer down and fill it with his "important" things.

I am happy that I went looking for elastic again yesterday.  Finding my stamps (yeah!!!) and my box of stuff for dye-work.  Most is for mixing up a colored dye solution that can be stored in the fridge and used to paint the dye onto fabric.  This is something I learned how to do in a class and something that I want to do again.  It's a slow process.  But I am thinking it would give me a way to have swirling Van Gogh skies and other interesting things.

But I would need to wear a very good mask while mixing the dye into the solution.  A professional mask.  So dye mixing will wait until this pandemic is over.

My dear friend in Florida is making me a mask to wear.  I am still trying to make a good one (myself) from the many instructional videos on the internet.  So far- they "look" fine but do not "wear" fine. I am doing something wrong.  If my friend in Florida was here she would say- Joanne- this is in the wrong place or you cut this piece too wide or the pleats are this or that.- and then I would get it right.  But i just can't see the mistake myself.

But the pizza dough came out perfect.  I did that right.  

Daily Notes- April 4th

                                              

FOUND.  In a place I would never in a million years have looked for them.  But in the search for quarter inch (or any size) elastic I moved some object on a shelf and "what to my wondering eyes did appear?"  The box with STAMPS written on the side way, way in the back of a shelf of picture frames..  My DYE supplies were right next to the STAMP box.  Some letters are missing.  And number 2.  Unless I used the 5 upside down.  Sounds like something I would do.  But not sure how that works?

See my Riley stamp right below the big circle?  I still tear up when I think of him.  Moving on......

We (I) was up really late finishing up my book.  And then we were both up very late this morning. G is outside doing cleanup things.  I have been watching the same "make your own mask" video the entire time between breakfast and go into the Attic to try and find elastic.  I did not.  A friend in Florida is senting me a picture of her mask-- no elastic.  So, I am going to clear off the cutting board table and cut up some batik.  Leave a pocket where I can add some sort of "liner".

Daughter is now enforcing the mask rule.  She really does not want to become an orphan.

The weather has gone from dark gray and wet to sunshine and blue skies.  Husband is out picking up all the tree branches that fell during the rain and wind.  I think I might go out and pick dead things off the shrubbery.

And making plans for Easter or Spring cards for all the neighbors addressed with my stamps.

I really need to start rotating some PROTEINS into our diet.  We are eating way too many carbs.  I watched Alton Brown make rice on ...is it U-tube?  He also made chili-spiced saltine crackers on another episode.  AB has gotten quite annoying as the years have passed, but I could have gotten less interested as I got older.  But before we rotate in any proteins-- I have to send a search party into the freezer side of the fridge.......to find them.

Daily Notes- April 3

                                                

The view from outside the front door looking east.  This center island is supposed to be Japanese in design.  The Mungo Pine is getting a bit too tall.  I think some pruning in the center section will do the trick- on a day when my husband isn't around to say "no".  The sidewalk has a nice curve. Just under the roof line of the porch to the far right you can see the pussy willow catkins. All those trees you see in the background don't amount to much of anything.  Well, they do an excellent job of blocking the Sun.  And the horizon line.

And that's the light (ha) situation here in Maine at 11am.  Another wet and gloomy day. I have all the house lights on.  In order to see anything.  It seems like we just got up and already it's half passed eleven.  Where does the day go????

My husband sent me an article from Popular Science magazine regarding the making of face masks from the lightweight washable poly fabric grocery bags we are sometimes given or buy.  These masks would not be soft cotton but better filters of germs.  And they are able to be sanitized in boiling water for 10 minutes after each wearing and then air dried.  Double layers.  Also the little wire closure things we find on our produce in bags etc- makes a nice nose thingy.  Especially if plastic and not paper backed.  So that's my task for the day.  G has found a nice dark blue bag.  I did not find one for myself.  But I think husband has a pile of bags in the car that might hold one for me.

I had baked potatoes for supper again yesterday.  That will be the last time, for now, as I am out of sour cream.  I think I had purchased the baking potatoes to make gnocchi dumplings not baked potatoes.  At this point, there are enough potatoes to make dumplings.

I've decided G's next soup (after he finishes the chicken soup) will be tomato with little cheese dumplings.  And a swirl of cream.  I don't like it.  But he does.  I make the little dumplings just like my grandmother did.  Only I add cheese.

I have not baked anything and I had planned on using some of the ripe bananas in the freezer to make husband some banana bread.  I think I might look to see if I have dates and make myself some date nut bread.  The two of us never eat the same foods.  Well, hardly ever.  We both like brownies and apple cake.

I have to thank Paula for mentioning using a light bulb as a sub for the wooden sock mending tool. And for the news that I could un-twist yarn and use the separate strands.  But right now- I am going to be making husband his mask.  So we can follow guidelines to wear masks in public.  AND giving the cloth a test dip in boiling water FIRST to see if it melts.  The fabric is made from (recycled) plastic.