Daily Notes- May 12th

                                          

Good words for Today.  I have been out front of the house three times now and figure I will be going out a few more times.  The wind is really blowing and the recycle bin has fallen over and my recycling has scattered.  So, I have been out picking things up.

On my third trip- a couple walking past --walked back-- over to ask if I teach classes at the greenhouse. I said yes.  And we had a very nice 10 feet apart- no masks chat about the classes and gardening.  And social distancing.  They have grandchildren.  I wonder how this will change their (children's) lives as we go forward?  But, it has given parents and children TIME to be together in a World where there was never enough Time .......before. So that might be where the most significant change comes.

G says he is worse.  Yesterday he could barely stand.  Today he walked out to the kitchen after taking a shower (and sleeping all night) and made his breakfast. He didn't collapse onto the floor- which was a possibility yesterday morning.  He is not worse.  If we weren't in quarantine he would be at the doctor's office asking for strong pain meds.  I gave him a couple Tylenol.  As a teen I wanted to be a Nurse.  But I am reminded of the Nurses when G had his heart surgery.  They were very strict and hardly smiled.  I may have been a good Nurse.

Maine has gotten a D plus in Social Distancing/Masks.  Big Surprise.  Tells you all you might need to know about the Political Climate up here.   I am happy to stay home.  Only going out once a week.

We had doctored up canned baked beans and grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner last night.  The night before pizza.  Today- there is left over pizza and beans.  And I can make more grilled cheese sandwiches.  I am wondering why- in 8 weeks of quarantine- I haven't made Kraft macaroni an cheese for myself.  It's usually my "go to" food under stress conditions.  G has had many many bowls of pasta and marinara over these 8 weeks.  I have been having Pantry Soup.  And I haven't made brownies yet.  G has so many cookies and little debbie cakes he doesn't need anything else.

I am needing cloth to hold and work on.  I am reading one of the lame romances.  UGH.

Daily Notes- May 11th- 8 Weeks plus two days.

                                        

Adjustments in attitude.  Not much but enough to make things seem less stable.  I will be able to return library books this week.  I don't know how they are going to facilitate this process but it will be the first of many such events.  Trial and Error.  Opening the library and then abruptly Closing as it turns out to be a mistake. Perhaps.  I am trying to be optimistic as the Library is special to me.

Not for sure.  But this is how it seems to me- internalizing the pros and cons.

My image today is the shelf in the bookcase with old toys and new toys.  This was something I enjoyed collecting and having out on display.  Old toys.  Old memories.  Old times.  Not that they were good.  Just not as horrible as the present times were.  My Life has not been a happy one.  Perhaps you realized that?

My husband has hurt his back- again.  Always the same.  And he is angry his back hurts.

I finished the book I was reading.  Pale Moon Rider.  One of my favorites.  And it would make a fantastic movie.  I always think that as I read it.  I can SEE how it would look and sound. And it is terribly sad. And it links back to the Medieval books.  The really good ones.  The two.  I think the link to Pale Moon Rider is in book two- the one I do not have in the bookcase.  I have read it, but do not own it. But the woman with the pale white blonde hair is in that book and a relative is in Pale Moon Rider. Hundreds of years later.

I will be moving on to a different author now.  A different style.

This morning, I unsewed the cloth I was hand quilting.  Took it all apart and washed the cloth. It was very stiff.  I do not think I will try quilting it again.  The fabric is too tight.  A mistake. I think I will just let it go.  As it is, unfinished...... not a usable cloth.  Just something I made, some thing I tried.

Today on Spirit Cloth.  Jude ordered groceries to be delivered (to be safe).  The delivery person- sans mask, sneezed into the grocery bag she was delivering.  I continue to try and process that image.

Daily Notes- May 10th- Happy Mother's Day

                                     

Brought this from the sewing room with a small pile of cloth that might become borders..  The hand quilting project is too hard.  The cloth too stiff. I will need to unsew what I have done and re-think.  I might just add more borders to it. Or just leave it alone. So I looked for something soft to sew but something not needing "thinking" as I am not doing well with thinking right now.  Yesterday I covered my head and just sat on the couch in the dark.  I had invented a sore throat etc and was talking myself into being "sick" but was feeling okay about still be able to smell and taste (Fritos).

We had ice cream for supper last night.  Each of us had a pint.  And I just didn't give a damn about good nutrition.

The neighbor across the street had a visit with her daughter.  Parked cars in the driveway.  On the phone. Talking- I think the daughter brought food.  Take out so they might have been eating in the cars as well.

I talked on the phone with my son in California about all sorts of things this morning.  He said the masks I sent him actually changed the way he was "'going" and now he feels more comfortable going out for a walk, ordering take out and waiting for it.  He has a mask. I was on the edge of tears because I should have sent him one sooner.

I asked if he was taking advantage of the freeways being empty to drive his sports car.  He said no one in California is allowed to drive further than 5 miles from home.  The highway is more than five miles from where he lives.  So he walks. Here in Maine driving the highway without traffic is one of the Virus Perks. As long as we don't cross into Other States. Might not get back into Maine. Our borders are closed.

There was a ball of Portland Pie Beer pizza dough in the freezer-  So, Pizza Sunday.

G is outside- and it's cold.  He is finishing up the sidewalk he started two days ago.  Taking all the bricks up, weeding, flattening the surface and re laying the bricks.  There is sun today but I hardly thing it's warm.

I changed the bedsheets and was reading a blog post and comments when I realized the washer had clicked off.  It had done the entire wash cycle without my constant worry and attention.  I gave the machine my heartfelt gratitude.  For deciding NOT to flood the floor with cold water.  It could have gone either way.  I just had this heart stopping moment when the machine clicked off.  Totally checked out.  So "not the usual way" for me.  Spaced out.  King Arthur Blog today- Foccacia.  going to make it tomorrow.

Daily Notes- May 9th

                                       

My Mother's Day gift from my landscaping daughter.  She and her employer had driven far North yesterday morning to a very large commercial greenhouse to stock up on plants for clients.  After the truck and trailer was loaded, daughter went back in to buy me these petunias.  I told her I had loved the purple with white splashes last summer and if possible would like the magenta variety as well.  Four of each.  Daughter doesn't follow the 1, 3 5 rule of odd numbers.  My gift is always two raspberry filled donuts from Frosty's in Town.  But they are closed.  Have been since March.

I somehow got strawberry and rhubarb jam all over my sweater this morning while eating my toast and watching it SNOW. So messy.  Nothing "stuck" as we say here in Maine but it sure did look like a wildly shaken Snowglobe outside.  And the wet makes the 40 degrees feel so much colder.  Wonder if we will ever be turning off the heat in 2020?

I stood for awhile (just before coming to the computer) in front of the Orchid Table watching a sweet little bird eating out of the feeder stuck to the window.  I didn't want to interrupt his meal.  He was good looking with orange red head. A Wren. We have a bird bath out there for the birds as well-- to get a drink or take a bath.

I managed some gardening yesterday.  I added more soil to the herb bed sections and especially the curved section around the small rose. Soil from the bags stacked behind the garden shed.  I then went out into the lawn and dug up daylily that had traveled from the beds (along the fence to the raised bed garden) and into the grass.  About 6 plants. I divided the larger ones and managed to make a nice arrangement of four on opposite sides of the arc. G thinks they are orange.  I do not.  As I bought them and do not buy orange things.  Especially daylily.  I wanted then inside the fence as I discovered the buds are quite delicious to eat.  In fact. all parts of the plant are edible.  There are a few more along the fence that I may also dig up and move.  I will enjoy them more -inside the fence.

Last night G watched Robin Hood on BBC with Kevin Costner.  Horrible. Costner was just horrible. But I was enchanted all the same since I am just finishing up weeks of Medieval Romances.  Old  stone castles, chain mail, long swords, arrows and everyone filthy. And Alan Rickman. I am always certain that all his scenes are off script.  He told the castle whores, "you at 10 and you at 10:15 and bring a friend".  And while he was attempting to rape Maid Marion- "quiet please, can't you see I am working here?"

I was in charge of the remote.  Husband cannot bear to watch the commercials for abandoned animals.  So I must quickly change the channel and then come back when it is safe.  We did suffer thru commercials from Kaye Jewelers for the ugliest Mother's Day pendent- and, knowing all stores are closed- no way to purchase one.  They must have forgotten to cancel it.   All the remaining commercials were for fast food restaurants.  I was getting interested in a bacon, egg and cheese bagel from McD's.

Well, I had a few other plans for the post today but I am off the mark so we'll leave it at this.  I am planning to bake Sunday Pizza tomorrow in case you wonder what we are eating.  Today- not sure what to make.  I roasted the beets and had a bowl of them with olive oil and Balsamic yesterday for lunch.  Today I may add the fresh mozzarella and more vinegar and oil.  Might need to get the food to room temp- not looking forward to eating it ice cold.  There is one more jar of Pantry Soup and that is the more likely choice.

Daily Notes- May 8th

                                   
                                      

Let's try this AGAIN.  The image keeps disappearing.  This is paper.  Meant to sit under a hot object so the hotness of it doesn't disturb a wooden surface and make a mark.  Spellcheck doesn't want to spell the name of this item.  I purchased four of these 8 inch rolled paper squares because I liked the graphic look of them. I think the maker used newspapers and magazine pages to make them in India or a nearby country. They have been on the blog before.  Were meant to be professionally framed under  glass years ago.  I went to work at the greenhouse.  Where dirt and sweat  became my Life.   Having Art framed wasn't even considered.  Now- it isn't possible (virus), but can be remembered.

I was looking for an image this morning- found this and was thinking as I sit here eating my second breakfast (it's 9am and going to be "that" kind of day)-- these square things could be made of cloth. Scraps folded and wrapped.   Would take thought.  How to do it so it still was Cloth.

Snow coming.  Do we wrap the Peach Trees?  Huge job.  Still tight buds- not showing color as yet.  Hoses are out (early for us)- could hose the trees off if they get coated with snow or ice.  That might be better.  No way to know.  Peaches or no Peaches? that is the question.  Grapes are slow- not budded so no worries there.

Bright red Cardinal visiting.  Rare for us to see one.  Daughter has families of them returning each year.  In Town- warmer.   But still dangerous.  She found a handful of red feathers- went looking for the body so it could be thoughtfully buried. Hawks.  I see them overhead.  Scanning.

I continue to meander thru my days.  Some cloth, some cooking, some reading, some BBC animal shows.  G likes them.  My attention wanders.  I can't seem to focus on project work.  I can't focus on good meaty books. (Wolf Hall)  Only fluffy stuff.  I do still check on my seeds.  Watching them germinate and grow.  I do have things to cook so I think I will roast beets (eat them cold with mozzarella, olive oil and Balsamic vinegar)  and cook collards.  Make a pan of cornbread.  Perhaps bake the sweet  potatoes?  What will husband eat????  I can offer to fry him a pan of Chinese dumplings.

My eyes are dry and sticky.  I am applying the gel drops.  I think the house air is drier than usual.  Windows would have been opened in any other May.  This one is cold. Is the Virus temperature sensitive?  Well, I have to just begin with something and then just push thru.  Start on Patty's chair seats.  Remove the old.  Start layering on the new.  Do the removal outside.  Nasty dust.

I was up in the Attic (the one over the garage)- and found the wonderful old chair my dad worked on. Doing the springs.  He kept all the old vinyl upholstery and I carried it all down to the garbage.  And then thought- Dad saved this so I would have a PATTERN for the new upholstery.  So today I need dig the pieces OUT and neatly fold and label them.  He saved me patterns. Thanks, Dad.  Love you.

Daily Notes- May 7th

                                     

A box of things my husband dug out of the back of the closet where the hatch is to the crawlspace under the house.  He had to replace the smoke alarm.  I couldn't hear it giving off that annoying little beep but his new hearing aids picked it up and the sound was driving him crazy- kept saying "did you hear that?"  "no".

So---I now have a box of opened and half used things to walk around.  All of them look interesting. Two kinds of floor cleaner,  bleach,  liquid starch and washing soda.  And cleanser- -the only container making an interesting statement visually.  There was some sort of crafty thing to do with liquid starch.  Don't remember what.

I  now have two very long and heavy rolls of Decorator Fabric down from the Attic.  I think- I was going to make curtains.  To match wallpaper.  And I was going to line them. During my "Insane Time Period" I would imagine. My Friend Patty took a look at the beige and floral rose printed fabric and said yes..... to me covering her chair seats with it.  I could also make some pillow covers. -(but I won't).  I am now going to have to look for my brand new- never used electric staple gun.  Purchased, I think in the "Insane Time Period" also.  I felt I needed an electric staple gun.

I washed the white liner fabric-  heavy, tight weave.  Useless to me.  When Goodwill opens I'll donate it unless a Reader wants it????  Cotton but I can mail a sample if anyone is interested and wants to make sure it's cotton. But perhaps it could be stretched (like canvas) and painted? with Acrylics.

Like I need another project.

I walked down to the fenced garden to water the little calendula seedlings.  They have decided NOT to wilt and then die which is very good news.  I set them out with a weather report of cool/cloudy/rain  in the forecast and we got sunny and dry instead--not a good combo with baby seedlings..  I need to sift more compost and fill the remaining herb garden squares.  At least do that.  At least do that. Not sure if it will happen.

I had to go to the grocery again this morning (under duress).  I hadn't counted husband's yogurt supplies and he was short three days.  Not good.. so I went this morning- after we drove to daughter's house as she was positive she had forgotten to lock her house door.  She was right.  And then I went into grocery to buy three individual servings of candy yogurt flips.  Because........

Daily Notes- May 6th

                                           

All that is left.  Now the bread is no longer "crusty" but will make excellent toast.  And the crumb is moist and so my husband was interested in eating a slice or two.

Today is my grocery shopping day.  The only day in a week of days.  Even if I have forgotten something- I do not go again.  I "make do" with what I have.  Which makes meals interesting.

Today:  They had toilet paper (for septic systems).  Oatmeal in the big box, old fashioned brand I like. There were still bags of three kinds of flour on the shelf.  They had yeast- it was fast pizza yeast- but I make pizza dough so I got some. They had bagels in the kinds my husband likes.   They had a two pound bag of organic beets. (I love roasted beets).  They had bunches of very fresh collard greens for $2.49 and after watching "Greens" on PBS, I just was so much wanting collard greens cooked down with a piece of smoked meat. I ate a handful of raw collard greens and swooned -sort of leafy cabbage flavor.  So happy that one of the little greenhouse jugs on the back porch contains little collard seedlings. A lot of little seedlings.

And just before I was given clearance to move forward to checkout #2, there was a very messy "cleanup on checkout #7"- a woman dropped a glass bottle of something very dark and sticky. My total came out so much lower than usual.   I am getting better at this.

Yesterday.  We spent quite a bit of Time backtracking all the places my husband had been- and where he might have left/lost his car keys.  We checked pockets many times.  Eventually- I was still searching, he found me and asked just how many times he had checked his pant pocket for the keys? I said about 20 times. Keys were in his pant pocket all the time. I guess I have to turn his pockets out next time.

We now have garden chairs down from the Garage Attic and ready for sitting and just looking at the grass and the woods.  We do that quite a bit.  It will seem strange to do it without Riley.  But life goes on.

My friend Patty (she's from Boston and uses the F-word as an adverb and adjective continuously- and  as a proper noun) is stopped by today to drop off the f**king chairs that need  f**king new padding and fabric coverings. I believe she is also bringing alcoholic beverages.  Should be a lovely visit.  A f**king lovely visit.  And that was a f**king messy cleanup in aisle two.  I'm just getting myself up to speed here.  

Daily Notes- May 5th

                                      

Several shades of White.  My loaf for the week.  It's finally done with it's many hours of rising and now in the oven @ 450.  Thirty minutes with the lid and 15 minutes without.

Overcast beginning to the day with moments of sunshine.  Feels cold in the house and warmer outside.  I am bringing the Attic Bathtub Plants downstairs today and out onto the front- north facing porch.  Get them used to natural outdoor light gradually and then out back for southern sun in a day or two. Would be nice if we had a light rain.  Soak them.

The greenhouse where I worked for over 10 years is allowing 15 people inside at a time, with masks. So I think I might go visit.  They have "cold crops" like broccoli and cabbage already in little starter flats and possibly some herb flats.   Pansies.  Which the deer eat.  Deer ate that little columbine I transplanted from the raised bed garden to the front beds.  I really, really do not like deer.

Would be nice to get my containers ready for the season if they have what I want. Like by Mother's Day and not in July.  I was always late in getting things going for myself while planting things for customer orders.  Nothing has changed.  I am still running late.

My library will accept returned books by last name.  My day to return books is May 14th.  They are expecting to deliver reserve books curbside starting June 1. Wow!!!!  I have some good books on reserve.  A friend went to the Dollar Store this morning and picked up things for herself and a few word search books for my husband.  Which was very thoughtful of her.  He's just gone out to the mailbox to get them.  Three, I think.  He likes them.

And timer went off- 15 minutes minus the lid.  Bread looks very nice- larger than when I made with Gold Metal flour.  King Arthur this time.  I also have a recipe for Naan flatbread which I am going to try as well.  Something soft and bendable.  But am thinking of a poached egg on a toasted piece of the big loaf.  I really love poached eggs but never make them.  Why is that?????

Well, husband is off to do "men's work" whatever that means.  I guess I'll start doing some "women's work" and that means whatever I want it to means.

Daily Notes- May 4th

                                      

Mending.  My oldest pair of green LLBean Cord pants (no longer being made or sold).  I went up to the Attic to find green felt so I could stabilize the weaker areas that needed mending.  Many weak spots... on the "vintage" pair of pants. Gosh, I've owned them nearly 12 years or more.  Wearing them constantly every Winter.

I used to do this mending on the sewing machine but the sewing always was very visible- with doing it by hand- almost invisible.  There were a few tears along the zipper and one very weak spot on the seat of the pants (too much sitting in the Winter).  But I was successful and I will be wearing the pants for a few more seasons.  When you know you will never be able to buy another pair of pants like this or another sweater like the ones you love.... the ones you have become precious.

Husband is going to cut the grass.  It looks like rain.

Son got his masks and the box I sent.  He liked the masks I made for him very much.  And I think he was happy to get some baking powder- now he can finally make biscuits.  Next time we send a box- toilet paper and perhaps flour.

Neighbor (far end of street up by the road) mentioned that they are eating lots of ice cream and candy these days and drinking a lot of alcoholic beverages.  We haven't really been into the ice cream- though the top freezer shelf is loaded with Ben and Jerry's. Too cold in the house.  I had been drinking wine- G was flashing back to his mom's drinking--so I stopped.  It was just a small 4 ounce glass in the evening.  I enjoyed it.  A mother drinking is somehow worse?  For a child?

Today and yesterday's book is about Pirates, the Spanish need to own the Seas and the English Navy.  People are getting blown up and sewn up etc.  Very eventful and no chivalry.  Very different from the Medieval books.  A few more from this author- one civil War and Card Games- I am going to pass.  another is the Wild West with a silent Indian named Sun something.  That one I will read.  There is another that I have always liked- it begins with the lead woman sewing.  But I can't seem to find that one.  Very romantic.

So.....I think I will mix up another No Knead bread and use King Arthur flour this time and weigh it. and then let it sit and do it's thing for 8 to 10 hours.  Bake it tomorrow.  That will be all the "cooking" I do today.  Take the word of my neighbor- candy and ice cream- all we need to be eating.

Daily Notes- May 3rd

                                                      

My daughter just dropped this off.  She's a very kind and thoughtful person. And even though she has no interest in baking (low carb diet) she remembered I like to bake and got me the 10 pound bag.  I have never brought  the ten pound bag.  But I love King Arthur best of all.  So I am happy.  So many videos of bread making- where to begin...... oh, a new email from King Arthur- I am sure they will have some ideas.

She also- very early morning Sunday shopping- got us a 12 pack of toilet paper.  The good Scott paper that is perfect for septic systems.  One for her and one for us.  Next time she will get some for her brother in California.

We went to DQ yesterday.  They had 6 feet tape on the driveway for the people to stand and wait - it's a walk up not an eat in DQ.  Old fashioned.  Three and then a fourth person wearing masks.  No one else. Possibly 20 or more people and lots of small children in line waiting.  It was breezy so germs blowing around.  And the traffic included so many loud motorcycles.  First day warm enough to get them out on the road.  In the summer, we'll see large groups of Harley's all decked out in chrome and the riders in black leather and sunglasses out riding in a group.  No helmets.  Ever.   They like DQ.

The Chinese restaurant in Town is back- it was closed for quite awhile.  We stopped and got soup and dumplings.  That was our first take out in all these weeks.  Very nice.  We'll do it again.

I managed to sift half a wheelbarrow of compost out of the oldest of the three bins.  Still very cold and just starting to thaw.  I used the compost I sifted to top up my herb beds.  I have one raised bed divided with cement dividers and one type of herb in each.  Some are perennial and some annual. The chives are getting nice and green.  The sage is slow to get going. The mint has died. Too early for basil.

I have Calendula and Parsley seeded in my little milk jug greenhouses.  Ready to fill two of the empty sections.  And Red French Marigolds.  They are a favorite of bees.  I have to start dill again. but first I need to hope the compost pile warms up a bit more so I can sift enough to fill all the sections.  The compost was excellent- dark and fluffy.  Always  amazing that kitchen scraps and paper can turn into rich brown compost.  Alchemy.

Daily Notes- May 2nd

                                       

You would have thought I was five years old and Santa Claus had pulled into the driveway.  A Fed Ex truck.  In my driveway. Not any of the neighbor's.  And then a box full of fertilizer.  Sigh.  So happy.  Three days early.

Very tired yesterday.  Very.  So I went to bed early and...the flip side of that is waking up really early. But the Sun is out and it's stopped raining- until tomorrow and the next few days when it will be raining again.

Our daily paper is really thin- two sections- so I decided, instead of recycling it,- I would put the paper thru the shredder for compost.  I am getting my groceries in paper bags and shredding those as well.  Plastic bags are also offered but I don't need any.  I stopped lining my counter top compost kettle with plastic and now just wash the kettle out after taking the contents to the compost pile. I am very serious about compost and need as much dry, brown as I can make.  Newspaper, shredded mail and grocery bags.  I could easily use double or triple what I make.  I have often thought of going thru the neighbor's recycle bins for paper.  I might just put a note in a few mailboxes to see if anyone wants to donate paper to the cause.  And coffee grounds.  Used ones.  Worms love coffee, cardboard and paper. But I won't be finding any of that ( coffee grounds in bulk) until the coffee shops are open again.

Daughter had yesterday off- pouring rain and cold- but today they (3 people) are spreading 10 cubic yards of mulch around a property up for sale.  To make it look lovely.  Ten cubic yards is a lot of mulch and it rained- so it will be heavy.  A good full body Cross Fit style workout.

We are going to drive into Town and see if the Chinese restaurant is ACTUALLY open again and order take out.  G has been wanting Hot and Sour Soup.   The local drive in restaurants and Dairy Queen- all curbside or eat in the car- are open and had good turnout when we drove thru Town to see what was happening.  I haven't tried to book an appointment for my hair yet.

A brewery owner up in ski country (Maine) said some bad words about the shut down and opened his place up to customers who didn't stand 6 feet apart etc.  Governor called and told him if it didn't stop...... his health and liquor licenses were toast. His business is now closed.  It's going to be that way. Like it or not.

I am wondering what it will be like if this ever ends?  If.  That's the key word.

Daily Notes- May First- 7 weeks.

                                       

Sad Ball.  No one is playing.  I found this on the shelf with all my food containers.  How it got there and how long it's been there- well, I have no idea.  But a few minutes ago I noticed it and took it's picture.  I've always enjoyed the stitching on baseballs.  Would look nice on a cloth with a heavy seam. And it's that good kind of red-  the kind I like.

Husband got an email from the Garden Patch Company in Louisiana.  They shipped my fertilizer order and Fed Ex should deliver it on Monday.  Or, by Monday.  Great News!!!!!  I can move ahead on plans for growing tomatoes, peppers and some cucumbers in the 12 boxes I have- on the driveway again this Summer. The flowers and herb seedlings in the little milk bottle greenhouses will go into the raised bed garden (they need less tending) and I can look at them from the back porch.  Go down there when it's not too hot or humid. Having the vegetables down there was going to be really difficult for me to do.  Too hot and too far from the house if I have trouble breathing. You know- a medical emergency. Cause that's what I am afraid of having.

Now I have to read the info to discover which kind of lime product the boxes need.  The company is very specific.  So I need to write it down and then call into work (old work) and make an order for curbside pickup. If they carry the kind I need.

The morning's Science Experiment.  The "wipes" did NOT dissolve as the package says- I left them in cold tap water in a container for an hour.  They got soft and mushy but they didn't dissolve.  And they did clump up to a nice enough volume to get stuck in a regular copper plumbing pipe- I had that available for the Science Work also.  I decided I would be the one using them (not husband) and I would not flush used ones.  Enough said.

It's raining today and feels colder than it actually is- because it's so dark outside.  I have the house lights on. The driveway is full of puddles.  The dog would have enjoyed that- loved drinking driveway water.  I thought that and typed it without crying.  Which feels different and good.

I keep thinking I want to bake a dessert. That seems to be what all the internet feeds are suggesting I do.  Bake a cake or a pie. The only pie I want is rhubarb and there isn't any yet. I did bake cookies for husband and he has been forgetting to eat them.  Well, he remembers to eat supper way too late to have dessert.  Me? I actually want New York style cheesecake but not enough to actually make one.

There I go again.  I wrote about food.  Dee says I write about food more often than even she does.
I worked a bit on hand quilting my square.  It's hard work.  The cloth is not "easy" as my friend Grace would describe it.  And my stitches aren't neat and even.  But........no one is ever going to see it. And I refuse to machine quilt it.  I had one more of the Kurland books to read.  One I don't like.  So I will be moving on to another author.  And I need to dig around in the cabinet.  There is another author I like very much- and I don't see the books.  So another mystery to be solved.

Daily Notes- April 30th

                                                     

First thing I see each morning.   I have never covered the "canopy" of my pencil post bed.  Dust. And those are my new closet doors.  And the yellow stripe wall paper I didn't remove.

We were up reading until past 1am last night (morning) and up by 8am.   No television.  Not even the PBS Evening News.  It's just too much for me.   Either I am too tired to think or I just don't want to think anymore.  Hard to say- probably both.

Saw a sticker on a car-- "If you don't like the Circus- don't elect a Clown"

We drove to the Post Office in Town to drop off a package.  Three people inside.  All with masks.  Plastic up to protect the workers.  The worker who waited on me seemed exhausted.  She was trying to suggest a more inexpensive way...but half way thru she just said- next time use one of the white postal boxes. I said I would.

I have Pantry Soup on the stove cooking.  I increased the cabbage, not so many potatoes and added a big carrot.  I used the wrong pot so the soup is all the way- close to the top edge.  I get up from here to go check for boiling over.  Lower heat.  It doesn't matter anyway- just to cook the potatoes.

The Wipes.  I was NEVER going to put them down into the septic system (no matter what the package says in bold letters).  But thank you for the heads up.  I was going to use (if needed) and bag them (ick) and then into the garbage collection bag.  When I do open the package I intend to drop one into water and see what happens to it.  I am really quite "scientific" about using new products. I already get a "steady look" from the guys who pump out my septic tank. I have a garbage disposal.  Another  "no-no" but it was here when we bought the house.  I don't use it very much- most all my vegetable scraps go into my large counter top kettle- destined for the compost piles- but my husband doesn't like to touch peelings and he "disposes" them..

I got out the paint by number picture I bought for husband years ago and started coloring it with Sharpie pens instead of paint.  Nine numbers. Nine pens.  And it really doesn't effect World Peace or anything if you get a color wrong.  He has now decided HE wants to color it.  And has about 100 pens out.  I am now in a different room.  Did I start coloring it to get him interested????  Sub- consciously? Hard to say- but he now has a project.  I also tuned the tv in the dining room to BBC and a long string of Animal Adventures in Africa, I think.  I am now free to move about the building doing anything I please.

I looked and looked for my fabric printed with maps.  I was going to make something I had seen on Handstories.  A giant Moon, stars and a curve of the Earth.  The Earth would have been a sliver of map cloth plus blue.  The fabric won't show itself until I give up or move on to making it a different way.  I brought another stack down from the Attic.  More Blue and Green (under represented).  A few pieces of red.  

The mail truck came-  and the soup is ready to eat.  Oh, it's chilly, damp and might rain here today.

Daily Notes- April 29

                                              

Layered that 23 inch square cloth and pinned it.  On the kitchen island top.  And then every time I walked past- I stopped, threaded a needle and quilted.  It was easy on my back standing up at sink level.  The cloth is a tight weave so it is, at times, a struggle to go up and down for two stitches so I mostly do one stitch at a time.

My grocery shopping was mostly good today.  I got there during Senior Hours from 7 to 9 am. I had most of my shopping done and then had to wait until the Pharmacy opened at 8am to see if my inhaler prescription was there.  It was.  I was tempted to do the happy dance.  No toilet paper but they did have "toilet wipes" which are flushable.  Safe for septic systems.  Just in case these shortages last into the Summer Months.

The frozen vegetables coolers were all empty.  Daughter shops those coolers for her lunches.  I got the last one of several items in other areas.  So, if I hadn't gone early- I would have been disappointed.  Meat coolers were empty but perhaps people came and "panic shopped" yesterday??? I wasn't tempted to buy any meat.  And the awesome supply of bread at my store? - not anymore.

Parts of the Maine economy are set to "open" in June or July.  Just a few things and under the same rules as the grocery stores.  And masks.  On everyone.  Summer day camps for children (outdoors).  Golf.  But  six feet apart. Boating.  Drive ins for food.  Not inside. Take out for mixed drinks???? but you have to order food as well.  Nothing regarding the library re-opening.  But that is not so much of an issue now that the weather is warming up.  Husband can be outside doing "projects" and not feeling bored in the house.  And pretty soon we will be mowing the lawn every week for hours at a time. A friend of daughter has offered to let me borrow his complete set of Jane Austin.  I deferred until we see how it goes in June. But the offer sounds delightful.  This same guy friend came and helped us shovel the driveway in January.  Snow.

I am going to order a few yards of compost to be delivered.  Fill up my raised beds with it.  The fertilizer refills from Garden Box company have not arrived- will be four weeks on Friday.  So...I may have to grown everything down in the raised beds.  I've done it before but that was years ago. And I was younger back then.  Ha! And I could breath in hot weather.

Television is beginning to bore me to death.  I have been watched a Southern Cooking show on PBS- last night I finally watched episode one- Grits.  Or cooked grains eaten in the morning with unmentionable kinds of meats on top. Now, I have lived in the South and I have eaten my share of grits...but never with these things on top.  I like grits with my breakfast eggs.  I liked grits with the breakfast eggs and bacon our friend Leonard (rest his Soul) used to make us when we visited in Florida or North Carolina.  I baked scratch biscuits.  And made soup. And ironed everyone's clothing.

Daily Notes- April 28

                                                 

Tuesday.  And I woke up to snow.  End of April snow.  It didn't stick but the chill is still in the air and the sky is dark.  Forbidding.  My robe diagram.  I haven't measured myself yet.  My widest part is my hips/thighs.  My shoulders narrow.  Peasant shaped body.  Sturdy.  Big ears.

I had selected two other images for here- today.  But deleted them.  I might just delete this also.  It's that kind of start to the day.  I woke up tired.  I might just do mending today- repetitive stitching. Nothing I need to think about too much. Or need to focus on too closely. And this auto correct thing here is making me crazy.  The internet changing my words.  Adding words I didn't type. And as the days go by, the internet becomes more and more "sticky"-  just adding the picture takes so much longer to add it and then to subtract it.

My eyes are tired.  Sticky. The house is dry. I was trying to order my inhaler over the phone today and couldn't read the numbers.  I had to hang up and find a pen and write the number LARGE on a post it and then call again.  Five days before my inhaler is empty.  We'll see if I get a refill by then.  Has it really been a full 30 days since that panic attack -- not being able to get a refill?????  And here we are again. I guess it will be like this every month.....

I deleted an entire paragraph on food/cooking.  This isn't a cooking blog.  It isn't a clothes washing blog either- I did two loads yesterday.

I spent an hour and possibly longer yesterday following a comment on a blog to a new to me blog and just going backwards thru posts and images.  I went, first of all, because the author of the blog lives in Maine.  Up north of me.  But she likes making books, India Flint, natural dyes, and she is making a robe along with Jude Hill.  It was an interesting few hours.  And she has no comments on any of the many posts (usually just an image).  I sat and looked at many images.  Some for a long time.  Soaking it all in.  All the beauty of the "making" of this woman.  She even found a nice copper pot to use in her eco-dye work.  At a second hand shop.  For years, doing this blog- and even to this day-- no comments.  Writing to herself- so she can remember.  I have a feel for that myself.

Daughter dropped off our package of toilet paper.  Four rolls of Scott (good for septic tanks). On the package it says in big red letters- four rolls = four weeks.  Public service announcement, I guess.

Husband has just finished the newspaper, breakfast and his word search puzzle.  He is thinking about taking a nap.  Because it is cold, wet and snowing--he will not be going out to do yard work.  He is playing games on his iPad.  I am going to layer the small 24 inch square cloth and baste it.  I said I was going to do that days ago but didn't.  Now I will.  My eyes are tired of reading.

What are you doing today?

Daily Notes- April 27th

                                  

Woke up to rain.  It will likely rain all day.  Which is good for the grass as the Trugreen guy was just here a few days ago doing a fertilizer treatment.  Rain is better than snow. In April.

I have been reading way too many time travel romances.  I woke up this morning from a dream about going to the postoffice and dropping a letter and a guy in chain mail picked it up for me. That got my attention. I was also reminded that in those days the men (especially in old France) were about 5 feet tall.  Not 6 foot 3 like in the books. But it was a shock just the same. Daughter is going to ask around to see if any of her bookish friends have any Jane Austin. For me.  I might need to start collecting books for the continuing Pandemic as it goes into the Summer months.

Breakfast and bill paying is over (plus a letter for Charlie) so now I have to think of something else to do.  Not gardening as it's cold and wet outside.  Not Dairy Queen as it's cold and wet.  Making soup sounds about right.  Husband finished off the eggplant yesterday for supper (!!!)  So.....all the leftovers are gone (one serving of meatballs in the freezer).  I don't think he will be interested in soup as he just finished the last jar of chicken soup the night before last.  I might just make another pot of Pantry Soup.  It's easy and I love it.  I can fry Chinese Pot Stickers for G today. Or we could have baked beans and grilled cheese sandwiches.

I sewed the two masks for my son and there was no swearing.  I stood with the supplies for a good amount of Time, after, to see if I had any desire to make more.  I did not.  There is something about the making that is far from calming to my inner self.  I think if I had a fellow sewer here......and I did the first half and the other sewer did the second half- well, that would be fine.  I like the cutting and folding etc.  The turned double quarter inch- not so much. Not on my machine.  I could feel the Bernina thinking about having an ugly hissy fit as I made the last turn and topstitch.  I pushed the power button to OFF..  I think the machine is wanting me to use matching colored threads and a variety of  bobbins with the same thread.  So, I could go insane. There is always this hesitation as I start sewing with plain white thread- like the machine is gagging.

The machine has been a good companion thru all the different things I have asked it to do like free motion with clear thread and metallics.  I think the things I am doing now are too boring.  Which might be why it fusses.  Also, I hardly sew much any more so it might be getting sticky from lack of attention and dust. I did oil it and the bobbin did fall out and it was days and days before I could get all the pieces back inside in the correct order.  Working blind.  With bifocals.

I may layer that small square cloth with batting and back and baste it on the kitchen island.  See how that goes.  I enjoy doing that.  Would always be the ONE to do the layer and baste for Charity Quilts.  Others would then quilt them.  Give them back so I could do the binding.  I can just imagine the old Quilting Group making masks in a production line.  That would be amazing. What will you do today?

Daily Notes- April- 26

                                     

Secondary Bookshelf for Reading as the Pandemic Continues (Braiding Sweetgrass is on another shelf with Wolf Hall and Bringing up the Bodies.. My son in California (who has been in quarantine for two weeks longer than Maine) says his employer does not expect they will return to the office until "sometime in June".  If Maine follows these guidelines- we will be sheltering in place well into July.  Articles in the Sunday paper assume we will not be opening hotels etc to Summer Tourists here in Maine this year.  Our major income source and Major Irritation. If Tourists come they have to self quarantine for two weeks or more upon arrival- no grocery shopping etc.  And No restaurants are open.  They will need to bring their own food, entertainment and toilet paper with them.  No beach walks. No boating. No crowding up the Main Street with their cars.

Maine- the Way Life Should Be.

Husband decided he was very interested in eating a large serving of my eggplant last evening after finishing work on the trailer.  And today he wants to eat the remaining eggplant.  Good Enough.  Saves me from having to cook. And, lets not talk about him actually eating a mostly vegetarian meal- okay???  I guess I was so startled that I forgot to eat dinner myself and woke up starving.  Well, not really.

And my hair?  It's way out of control and no matter how I try and press it down- it gets poofier each day.  And it's thick and curly and very very WHITE. (when it's very short- it doesn't look so WHITE)  Eventually it will have enough length so I can control it with clips.  I just need to buy some.  Clips.  I thought about trying to cut my own hair-- but realized that was just the craziest thing I have ever thought to do. I can also dig some "product" out of the cupboard and if I put enough in--- the poof will settle down.  Flatten the Poof.  I had wondered about my hair as I got older- thinking it would get thinner and less curly.  I was wrong.

My son texted me and was asking about the masks I said I was making and sending.  I forgot.
I feel just terrible about it.  I forgot.  So right after this I am going to cut out two masks for him and have them ready to mail at the post office tomorrow morning.  I just feel like the worst mother in the world right now. It will take most of today for me to try and get over that.

I tried to not mention food in the post today.  But the eggplant .......well.  I tried.

Daily Notes- April 25th

                                                  

I began this cloth many many years ago.  When I was a member of a quilt chapter (even President of it) and also a member of a small sewing group of six.  The other members of the this small group enjoyed all things Civil War.  The patterns and the cloth.  I think this was made during those chat and stitch evenings. It never got any larger- I ran out of most of the fabrics- especially that peach fabric. And possibly the brown also.  I have plenty of the background fabric and it's sister in pale pink.

Right now, with the addition yesterday, of the pale pink border- it measures 23 inches square.  Unless I was to make three more of these- which is really not ever going to happen- this is finished.  I can layer it and hand quilt it.  I used to love hand quilting. Does anyone hand quilt anymore???

Husband is finishing up his breakfast and will return to working on replacing the bottom of his pull behind trailer.  The bottom had rotted out. He had enough wood in the garage for this project but did have to make a trip to a building supply to get bolts.  He wore his mask and was shocked at how few people in the store had masks or were distancing.  Then he might continue cutting down dead trees on the west side of the house.  We used the marker and found that most of it is our property.

I might go out and use my old chef's knife to cut more segments of the sedum ground cover and add them to existing beds.  I might even divide the large helianthus into three plants and move that perennial to a new area.  Everything is slow to flower.  Birdbath water is frozen every morning and does not thaw until 2 or 3 pm.  Spring comes late to Maine and sometimes not at all.

Daughter looked at my little milk jug greenhouses yesterday when she stopped by.  60% of the seeds have germinated.  The ones that haven't are the most recently planted ones.  The parsley- very first bottle I seeded- is almost ready to be set out.  I also potted up some pansies.  So far, no deer have come to eat the pansies.  They eat them every single time I buy and plant them.  I look forward to the tiny wild violas that grow in the fenced garden.

Well, that's about it for today.  I wish it was as warm as it it looks outside.

Daily Notes- April 24- Six Weeks

                                                   

Six Weeks.  Of Quarantine.  That is sort of boggling my mind.  Six Weeks.  If someone had told me that first weekend that I would be here today- six weeks into this- I would have had a serious hissy fit. I was feeling panicked that first weekend.  Now......not so much. I'm used to it.

Daughter buys gas with cash not credit card and so...has to go in to pay.  Says the gas station
/convenience store has rolls of toilet paper for 99 cents each.  One stop shopping?  Gas, pizza, beer, cigarettes and one roll of toilet paper. America- the land of enchantment.

So.......back to ME!  I cleared that lower shelf of all things "business" and started bringing down fabric.  There is so much more upstairs, but this is what came down yesterday.  I can see there is "room" in the middle for more cloth so will venture upstairs to find more.  The far right stack has mostly blues- SKY.  I want to make houses and have blue skies. Homes.  I want to make Homes. Where the heart lives.  That basket can be moved and the space it's taking up can have two stacks of fabric.  That middle stack?  Needs additional cloth.  Under that lower shelf is open space.  Filled right now with baskets of "ready for the dye" cloth.  Linen shirts and mordanted white cotton.

You would think----with all this Time on my hands--that I would be doing plant or rust based dye experiments. I am not.  The freezer on the porch is filled with avocado pits.  Bags of them from my friend who eats one a day.  Another friend is dropping off bits and pieces of rusting metal.  I still have black walnuts.  The little crock pot is ready to go.  I even have a commercial indigo dye kit. I now have a dedicated large kettle for steaming.  And a large ball of string.  No- I spend my time looking at those 8 hand pieced works pinned to the wall.  Thinking.  Considering.  How large do I want them to be? Would any of them work with any of the others?  What do they need if they were to grow larger?
What would happen if I sliced them in half like I did to one of them.  In half, with something new made to be added in between the two halves.

And I still haven't measured myself for the making of a Boro Robe with Jude of Spirit Cloth.  I am not sure I want to (or will) wear patchwork.  I wear very plain clothing.  I wear clothing the way people wear uniforms.  I always look the same.  But I might use the pattern making technique to make a new white shirt.  Like all my others.  Perhaps with different kinds of white. I am still considering.

I am also considering making binding and finishing the king sized quilt I made.  It's taking up space on the very top shelf of the Small Closet in my sewing room.  And it would be a hand sewing project turning and hand sewing the binding to the quilt.  Something for weeks 9, 10, 11.  Its a lot of binding for a king sized quilt.  And I have to think about how to make it.

Other than avocado pits- no mention of food today.

Daily Notes- April 23- Sunshine

                                                   

Confetti Cookies.  It was slow day yesterday.  So much news regarding the Virus and blood clots.  People might not be dying of the Virus itself but the secondary thing- the making of blood clots.  Not being able to breathe due to clots in the lungs.  This is more worrisome than a fever and cough.  I have trouble just breathing if it's too cold, humid, dusty or whatever.

My Primary Care doctor went before the Town Council last night and asked that people Working in the supermarkets, etc wear masks.  And that ALL in the stores- wear masks.  Everyone.  The workers have not been masked.  They are...... since this morning.  My Doctor.

My interest today is in taking more of the "office" things out of my little cloth closet.  Bringing things down from the Attic to have on the shelves in the Little Closet-  Very small space.  Where to put the things I take out?  No Goodwill drop off anymore.  I will, I think, carry things up into the Garage Attic. So many Attics. Four.  I have to be careful as steps are narrow.  But if I go straight across and not take stairs- it should be okay.  I have a long wire shelf in the guest room closet.  I will see if it fits in the Little Closet. Husband might help attach shelf to the walls (without creating a "big deal").

I brought down colorful florals.  I will go back and see if there are more like that.  It's been a long time since I used them.  One looks very much like the Virus.  Might be used to make a mask.

I thought I would make a suggestion if any Readers here were at loose ends with nothing to read. Over in the side section there are the early years of this blog- I spent hours editing and writing long essays.  Long stories.  You might find them interesting to read.  They are not like the Daily Notes I write now.  I was writing just to enjoy telling a story-and hardly anyone has ever read those posts.

Well, I am excited to have a project.  And anxious to bring more fabric down into to my workspace- and take more office furniture out.  The room is getting very very crowded.  Next I am taking my gift wrapping paper upstairs and opening up floor space in the closet for the baskets of linen shirts I have collected at Goodwill.  I will find a new home for the first aid supplies as well.

At some point I will ask husband if we can empty his two bookcases.  But not until the Virus is over.