Daily Notes- June 6th --Twelve Weeks

                                          

The view from here.  I have a lovely north facing window behind the sewing machine.  You can just make out the path to the mailbox (the lightest part of the photo) to the far right.  I've managed to scratch up the plate with all the pins I leave on things I sew.

Discovered a very tiny tick today on my hip.  It had been there long enough to have created a red, swollen bump perhaps not as large as a quarter.  I can only feel it and not see it.  Tick is now scotch taped to the calendar on the date found.  We do that now- for evidence later if I start running a high fever and get delusional (which has occurred with previous tick bites).  The tiny ones carry the worst of the tickborn diseases.

The sun comes and goes.  We were hoping for rain.  Husband is going to water the fenced garden- the blueberries and grapes.  The Queen of Plums had many blossoms this year and now is loaded with tiny infant plums for only the second time in all the years it has lived here with us.  Just like the Peach Trees.  I am tempted- at almost 74 years of age- to try for an apple tree.  One of the trees with two or three varieties grafted.  My rhubarb is looking good but needs watering to stay good.  Husband is supposed to be watering but.........will I need to remind him a dozen more times before it "sticks" in his brain?  It's like a sieve.  Yes.  He got "distracted" and started weeding.

The chipmunks have dug up all the little plants in the two hanging baskets. Payback for adding pepper spray to the bird feeders, I guess.

Daughter is out scouting for books today in Portland.  She found the whole Outlander Series minus the last three books so she is pretty happy about that.  Only three books on my list though- but will help for the next wave of the Pandemic in October thru January.

I am thinking about cooking an actual meal today.  Still just thinking.  Pizza tomorrow.  I don't have much in the way of animal proteins in the freezer since I lost the freezer contents in the last big, long power failure.  I could make lasagna.  I have those things.  Too much like pizza.  I could also make quiche.  Husband won't eat it.  Hell, I'll just fry him a pan of frozen potstickers and I'll eat tomatoes and be done with it.  My salad greens died a few days ago of neglect.

And husband is filling up the laundry basket pretty much everyday.  So- there is always laundry.

Daily Notes- June 5th

                                                   

I wanted this cloth on the blog today.  Crows on T-Bone Hill.  T-shaped cloth.  The house before this one.  On a hill, sort of.  Could see the horizon.  Should have stayed there.

But not why.  I was thinking about the crows- since I usually have a few in the yard here in Maine. And I just wanted to go up into the Attic and find it and bring it down.  Took 2 minutes.  And here it is.  We are overcast and dark in the house (even with lights on) and the picture is true to color.  I used an old 30's Era potholder and the felt crow the maker had drawn.  She had also added colored button eyes. So the crows themselves are not my design at all.  But the Crow and I travel together.

My house was high, at the end of the street.  I looked down from the bedroom window and saw a long row of the same house and yard backing up to the old Farm we all called home now.  The weekends- I saw endlessly replicated BBQ grills.

I was the only house with a very large deep birdbath.

The crows brought their bones to the birdbath to rinse them off before eating.  The long center of the quilt is a line of houses.  The crows.  And my memories of that house.

There was a solo Crow in the yard this morning.  We nodded to each other.

I picked up more books at the library.  The hardback copies of romances I never bought in paperback. But still wanted to read.  I have four done and three to go.  One a day.

The Twins and their Dad stopped to visit at the end of the driveway.  They have a deposit on a puppy (as yet unborn)  Golden Retriever.  They will bring her to visit when she arrives. I didn't cry.  Not then but later.

Daily Notes- June 4th

                                         

French Watering Cans.  Both have leaks along the bottom seams.  A Design Flaw. Hold four liters and easy enough for me to carry- evenly balanced- when full to the top with water.  I used them to water the Peach Trees.  Twelve liters each.  The hose and sprinkler would have been easier but so much wasted water. And the back and forth and carrying -well, not much but some exercise........

Husband went out to get his hair cut.  According to him- the stylist thought I did a nice job on previous cut.  So there's that to think about.  I think he would be better off with clippers and an overall short crew style.  But who listens to me?  Well, I do listen when I talk to myself- more frequently now......

Allie brought over the tomatoes I selected from her list.  Ten.  I think.  But I am not going out there to count.  I have already been out on the front steps too many times.  And not even 10 am.  Each tomato plant is in it's own large yogurt tub.  Allie eats quite a bit of yogurt on the WeightWatchers Program. The zero points yogurt.  I asked.  She has it with fresh pineapple for breakfast.  Pineapple must be zero points also. She grows tomatoes because she loves eating them for lunch all summer.

Allie and I looked at the Peach Trees.  At all the little infant peaches.  It's still too early to know if they will stay or drop off.  I also noticed my cucumber seedlings are developing white leaf edges.  Cucumbers might be a "no go" this year.  Virus.

Husband is having back pain and will not be doing much today.  He lifted and turned.  Getting the compost bags out of the car on Tuesday.  I arrived in time to do the remaining three.  I do not lift and turn. Does he listen to me?  No, he cannot hear my voice with his 8K high tech hearing aids.  He can hear tiny squeaks in the crawl space under the house.  But not me, standing next to him.

I had oatmeal for breakfast.  I am going back to it.  The boxed cereals were giving me acid reflux.  Either the cereal or the larger amount of milk that goes with dry cereal.  The oatmeal only needs a very small amount of milk and is cooked with water.  Microwave cooking.  And finding the milk I can drink- getting harder all the Time.  So using less means I'll have more milk.

I am not sure how I will spend my day.  I've read the two romances from the library.  Ordered three more.  I have Wolf Hall back and can get started on it.  And I do want to re-read Where the Crawdad's Sing- but will need to reserve it.  I may have to empty my reserve account- only allowed ten in order to get more books.  I'll write down the titles.  It may be months before libraries start doing loans to each other.  I maxed out this morning.  So I deleted three on my reserve list and didn't write them down.

Cloth isn't of interest.  Paint, another no.  I was awake at 5 am.  So perhaps I am just very tired.  A nap.

Daily Notes- June 3rd

                                          

Yesterday- a day that was not Wednesday- we ( husband and I) went out in the car and did several things- visits.  We do not do this.  Usually, it is one thing only.

First the greenhouse where I worked.  Everyone happy to see my hair and eyes.  The rest is the mask. But we knew each other.   I purchased these lovely geraniums.  And the yellow lantana.  And Bumper Crop which is organic and has every good soil nutrient present in the bag.   For my squashes.  For my herbs.  For what ever else gets planted.

Then gas station with sanitizer and safety gloves.

Then the Library for Curbside Pickup of reserved books.  Not the ones I reserved back in March coming from "other" libraries.  But books I asked for on Monday from my own library.  They were ready on Tuesday.  You call when you arrive in your car and they answer and bring your books out with your name on the bag and set on a table.  They walk away. You step forward and take the bag.  Such JOY.

Next, husband called the Eye Place and Michael answered the phone.  My glasses seemed loose and Michael said they only did appointment visits but they had a "moment" so I went in and now my glasses are good.  Michael said he had purchased clippers and cut his own hair.  Our son was going to do the same.  Perhaps husband should look into getting clippers but perhaps the ones he already owns would do the same????  Husband refused to let me try.  He has a haircut appointment tomorrow.

It's been 11 weeks since it felt normal to go out and do many things.  It felt wrong and dangerous.  I told husband we won't be doing that again.  Only place husband got out of car was at gas station.  I was the one going and doing.  And today was my usual (only) day out to the grocery store.  Cleaning supply shelves were bare.  I purchased fresh fruit and vegetables.  Some, not many.  "We" are not all that interested in cooking or eating.  I'm fine with a handful of carrot sticks or a big spoon of peanut butter these days.  Husband has turkey and ham rolled into a slice of swiss cheese.  Roll ups.  Not a Sandwich.  Because that would be "too much".  Selective Anorexia.  Because cookies, pie, cake and medium Blizzards are perfectly good things to eat. Everyday. But sandwiches are too much.

Well, I am going to make myself a cup of hot tea.  I have no idea what will come after that.

Daily Notes- June 2nd

                                     

Not reacting well be the sewing- I did try and press it before the photo.   The first thin strip and the next strip of pieces are new.  The interior is now looking much more yellow.  So I will have to work on the next few strips to add more yellow fabrics.

                                                 

I just don't know anymore.  This cloth and it's extra strips was not anywhere yesterday but this morning was front and center.  I remember working on it just prior to Riley's death.  It's more ME than the one above.  Perhaps this is a better project for me to work on.

My little Class Sample Raised Bed with Hoops  (large enough to carry around and even be useful) is out on the back deck with some shade cloth over the hoops.  Husband and I had an argument regarding it.  My kale and collard seedlings are all dead.  They got too hot inside.  Sigh.  He had closed all the gaps.  I had left gaps so they wouldn't over heat.   ANYWAY- they are dead and I made sure to go open and lift the sides THIS morning before eating breakfast or putting out the garbage and re-cycling. I was up before 6am.  A dream of some big stone castle and knights.  Arrows. Sadness.

Portland, Maine has had demonstrations for "a black man killed in police custody" Yesterday evening 1000 laid down flat- face down in the streets.  In silence.  Appropriate. But the paper did not mention the victim by name.  That bothers me.  I cried yesterday as a Pulmonary Specialist- Surgeon specifically described (on MSNBC) what happened and how it felt to  the "black man in police custody" to die the way he did.  As a woman with breathing issues- it was a cruel and inhumane way to murder someone. The doctor was shouting by the time he finished the telling.

So, okay.  Enough.

Yesterday was spent trying to find husband's credit card monthly statement.  We searched everywhere.  And then- after supper I was reading the local paper and found an interesting item about Haddock Sandwiches and went to the television couch to show it to husband and saw a slim edge of paper under a pillow and pulled it out and stood looking.  Husband said "what is it?"  And I said.....your credit card bill................... and, really, I was suspended in disbelief.  This morning I wrote the check and put the bill in the mail.  The whole house is getting very weird.  That cloth up top this morning and the bill last night.  We had rhubarb pie while watching a Southern cooking show about dumplings.

Daily Notes- June First

                                       

Been getting a few (more than usual) questions about gardening these days- this book is out on the table with me (and my tiny toy watering can) but I always check in with edu. sites to see what the Master Gardening experts have to say.  Most of the questions are "virus" problems.   Which is very odd.  Pandemic in the Garden. Perhaps not odd?????

So......keep your tools etc very clean.  Just like you are keeping your masks and hands very clean. Soap and hot water.

I have Golden Oldies on very loud- a channel on the old dining room tv.  Roy Orbison has been on twice now.  Trying to wake up husband a bit earlier than usual.  But it's already 11am.  Paid the bills, answered garden questions, did some paper shredding, wrote to my penpal Charlie (he's five), and here I am with you!!! Plus I had a shower, ate breakfast and checked on the Petunias.

Cut the grass again yesterday- too many seed heads popping up.  Watered the peach trees by hand- about 5 gallons each and then got into the car from my after grass cutting ice cream cone at DQ. Later in the evening I made pepperoni, onion and cheese pizza.  Second cup of coffee.  Husband up and asked "what the hell are you doing?"   All You Need Is Love is playing right now.  Baby Let the Good Times Roll.

Looks like I have a Curbside Library Pickup!!!  Wow!  I spent some time on the site trying to figure out how to reserve books for curbside and I must have, quite accidentally, gotten a hold of a few books. Wonder which ones????  To Sir With Love--if you wanted the Moon.  Which reminds me how totally cool that the two guys are now on the Space Station!!!

The fires and the looting- not so fine.  Make a mockery of the true sadness and loss of Floyd's death. I am going to watch some new to me cooking shows and most likely see the new episode of Alton Brown's Pandemic Quitchen- even thought he is so annoying in middle age.  But Elizabeth, his new wife, is worth the aggravation.  Adding kelp to everything.  It's on YouTube.  Or UTube.  I just don't know.

Daily Notes- May 31

                                             

New borders- you see the left and top ones in the photo.  Quilt top is now 24 inches square.  I hand sewed the four borders while watching BBC South Pacific.  Just pretty pictures and a lovely man's voice talking about wind, water, sea birds etc.  Interior squares were painted fabric made years ago plus commercial. Darker.  The next slim border will be dark blue.  Like a Sharpie marker making a thick line.  Then another light pieced border, wider.  And so it will go.  The next thin border will be the dark pink/rose you see in the two square to the right.  I think that will make good "continuity".

I'm all for scrap cloth and wonky unmatched seams.  But I have to have continuity in the colors.

I came up a tiny bit short on top left.  Good thing that slice of stripe (also in the center patchwork not visible right now) happened to be on the supply tray to my left.  Just that slice. Just that size.  I love when that happens.  Means I am doing the right thing.  Needs a good press.  I like to iron as I go.

Most of the center was sewn by machine and perhaps the next border will be sewn by machine. Easier than hand sewing such a thin strip all around.

 In other news: I carried the Class Sample of a raised bed with hoops to the back deck.  Got more plants out there but it's windy and sunny so I had to cover with shade cloth.  Which took some "fiddling" to get it all settled into the good spot.  Coverage but also air flow. Discovered what I recalled as being very tiny tomato seedlings are now quite a nice size- ready for transplanting.  Not quite ready for the Driveway Garden Boxes.  Hardening Off.  I am going to plant some of my Borage seedlings in with the tomatoes.  My Gardening Book says that borage makes the tomatoes sweeter.  We'll see.  One of the 2020 garden experiments. So many this year.

We've had very hot weather and today we have strong wind.  Havoc for seedlings.  So nothing going into the garden yet.  I have collard greens and kale seedlings that I want to plant in the raised beds.  And cover with cloth to keep the white moths from laying eggs.  But not yet.  I need four large bags of Bumper Crop fertilizer for the garden.  And then I can make my squash hills.  I could sprinkle dill seeds today. But then I would have to remember to go down each day to hand water them.  We aren't getting any rain. We might be in for a very dry summer.

All I can think of now is someone who should know better threatening crowds with "vicious dogs". Isn't that what slave hunters did?  Set vicious dogs on people wanting freedom?  Dee will let me know.  Vicious Dogs.  Okay.

Daily Notes- May 30 Eleven Weeks

                                                  

Painted fabric.  The lines are because I folded the sides up and over to fit the brown paper grocery bags I set the cloth on to dry- before setting it in the hot sun on the back deck.  This was painted, dried in the Sun, washed in Dawn, rinsed, dried in Sun and pressed with a hot iron and steam in about two hours total time. There was no paint run-off in the first wash and rinse.

Yes, these cloths are very pale but when you see them added to what has already been sewn- you will understand.  Even like this- if I cut the strips just like they are stacked here and sewed them together- it would be a lovely cloth.  Summer.  Just craft acrylic paint-the really inexpensive stuff. I want a soft surface so I add water.

The folding was something unexpected.  It is something I will be doing more often now. I like how the paint deepens in the creases. I may use pleats.  And, also, I went back and mixed a more opaque hue and painted out on the deck- the cloth on the paper bags.  I will do that again. Paint outside in the Sun.  Outside.  Changes everything about the cloth, the paint and the colors.  Hard on these old eyes but if I limit the Time- will be worthy of the Effort.  And the brown paper grocery bags substructure- with paint- very interesting texture if I was doing paper collage.  I may pull the bags out of the recycling box and cut the most interesting sections.

We finally remembered to eat Rhubarb Pie.  And it was not the same as that first pie- I may have done something different.  The second pie was wetter.  But very good- just a different texture.  Could be that the rhubarb had additional time to ripen?  The additional crust was perfection.  I used the two crust recipe and that gave me more edge to crimp.  And perhaps that changed the moisture level as well.  Baking is like a lifelong science experiment. For me, at least.  I may try to make a Strawberry Pie.  I used to make those- just a baked crust and a sweet fruit filling. I think I used to buy some sort of thick strawberry flavored gel and just add berries.  I made it when we had company.  So not in last 30 years here in Maine.  Well, if my brother drives up this year- I'll make one.  He liked it.

Daily Notes- May 29th

                                         

French Lilac.  The deepest purple.  Planted in the Fenced Garden and forgotten. But not this year.  This year I have Time to Remember.   This year I walked down- while the second Rhubarb Pie was baking- to cut a few- three-- stems for the kitchen island.  The flowers are smaller than the ubiquitous lilacs we see more often and very fragrant.   My daughter says there is one next to an ocean cottage that is a very large TREE.  Perhaps I planted mine out in the garden so it could grow into a very large tree?

I looked at my small cloth of two inch squares on the wall behind the ironing board yesterday.  I gathered a few larger (but not by much) pieces of cloth to see "how it might go".  That is something my friend Grace says.  Most did "not go".  So I went looking.  I climbed the stairs into the Magic Attic.

I was way back in the corners by the walls of the Attic- I hardly ever go back there as the containers there do not hold anything of interest-Ha!!!  I opened one- from top to bottom - full of plain lovely cloth perfect for dye-works-old linen tablecloths etc.  I pulled it out and now have the container front and center.  Can't get lost. The Magic Attic suggests that I spend time with that cloth.

So, I came back down the stairs and took the cloth off the wall behind the ironing board.  To add to it until it is a large square.  Large enough square.  And work on that.  But first I need to find some pale yellow and seashore blue. Perhaps in the bag of rolled up linen shirts in the closet.  That square wants pale yellow and blue.  It's what I was considering when I started sewing squares together. Summer. Some of the blues already sewn into the cloth- are blues I hand painted.  So, I might do that as well. Paint. Cloth.  The softest watery sun shining blues I can mix.  Today. Tomorrow.  And possibly some of the sun paint in indigo spotted on top.  I need the palest of pinks- sunrise.

Daily Notes- May 28

                                        

My "direct seeding" seeds -and that means they go from packet to the garden dirt- no need for the little milk jug greenhouse etc.   I also had to mix up two bottles of "blue stuff" to feed the petunias as they have lost all their color- the pink and blue splotches and have flower buds but no flowers right now.  I am also giving them Northern Sun.  Not the heated strong Southern Sun of the back deck.

I had two hanging baskets out on the back deck with little capsules germinating.  That went well until last night.  The chipmunk family decided to dig them up and eat whatever they found. I have resisted going to the greenhouse where I used to work.  To buy things.  But I might have to now- to fill these two baskets.

And I need to find a way to rid us of these chipmunks.  The cat next door can't catch all of them and the hawk seems to have moved on and the Fisher who used to live in the woods behind us- is no longer in residence (he/she caught and ate most of them in years past).  All the predators are gone.  We used to trap them at work and then take them for a ride.  Trying to figure out how far that ride would have to be before they returned.  The boys marked them with Magic Marker.  They always made it back.  Always.

Yesterday was very hot and humid with lots of sun.  This morning is dark, moist and colder with Sun eventually breaking thru.  But if Sun holds off-- I can put the seedlings I transplanted out for a few hours.  They would enjoy natural light but NOT sunshine.  I have some very nice True Hyssop that will fill out one of the Herb Rectangles in the garden nicely.  And some lovely Persian Carpet Zinnias.  Both successful milk jug seed starting plants.

Husband continues to weed the garden beds on the South side of house.  He used to do weeding for money and customers loved seeing him arrive and set to work.  A freshly weeded bed looks very nice indeed.

I was set to watch the two Astronauts zoom off into Space yesterday afternoon.  But the weather was terrible and will still be terrible on Saturday the second launch date.  So we'll have to wait a bit longer.

There seems to be a "joke" of sorts-an "amusement" that this quarantine is tailor made for introverts. We being the personality type that are very comfortable with being out of the crowds.  We.  I am one of them.  And, as the weeks multiply, I am finding myself reluctant to take advantage of any of the few openings allowed right now- across the bridge.  With books, cloth and seeds (soil) -I am quite happy.  I collected a second armful of rhubarb stalks when we watered our friend's garden yesterday and today a second pie (with one crust but a two crust recipe used) which will -perhaps-- give us little cinnamon sugar pinwheels to snack on as the pie cools.

Wishing you a peaceful day.

Daily Notes- May 27th

                                                

From the newest box of collage materials and images.  This one- I was thinking it would be on the page and I would use my soft oil crayons to add to the image- extend the images to the edges of the new blank paper.  This is the first time I have been interested in doing more collage work.    I like the look of this bird.  I like the way the color was applied.  It speaks to me.

Very hot here in Maine today.  Will be watering my friend's garden as she will be in Boston with her dad until Friday. Just her kitchen garden.  She hasn't planted in the big garden out back yet.

Daughter ventured into Goodwill and husband now has three new books to read.  And he has more word search puzzles.  We watched the Legend of Tarzan and the pandemic movie with Tom Hanks- in Rome.  I can't remember the name right now.

I am tired these days and so very sad.  That poor man choked to death by a policeman.  My dad was a policeman all his working life.  I hope they charge this one with Homicide.  Murder. And the police who watched with accessories to murder.  What the hell is wrong in America??????

So that's it for today- I have nothing else.....

Daily Notes- May 26th

                                                     

Jude's Moons.  Purchased a long Time ago- often (most often) lost.  This morning I found them under the ironing board, on the floor with some cloth scraps.  They had been pinned to the wall.  I had given up on finding them.  But here they are--- just minutes since they re-appeared.  Eight and I think there were nine. There was something I had on the design board.  Jude's moon and DebL's cloth.  Where??
Someday the two will re-appear.

I got my hair cut.  I was the only person in the salon.  We wore masks.  The next customer was out in the parking lot waiting by her car.  I had B shorten it and even things up.  But not as short as I had been having it.  Very short was the way to go while I was working in a hot moist greenhouse.  But not now.  But all the waves and curls are gone.  I look like a stranger in the mirror.

I finished the last paperback.  Well, of the ones I actually wanted to read.  Now I have two I am not sure I will actually enjoy reading and three hardcovers on the stairs to the Attic.  And The Little French Bistro. And my favorite book that I read over and over- Becoming Finola. I also have a Watchmaker book my daughter says I will enjoy.  I could just read the one I just finished again. I will have Wolf Hall to read when my friend is done reading.

I just had to get up to answer the phone an "............ah, Gramma?""  call.  I told the guy he was a miserable piece of shit, could rot in jail (or hell) and if I ever see him in person I was going to cave his head in.  Land line- those freaks know old feeble people have land lines. I'm old but not feeble.

So...where were we?  I also was helping G find the little white plastic add-on so he could charge up his Apple pencil.  So, I was already pissed off.

It's going to be that sort of day.  I have a big load of husband's gardening clothing to wash, soup to make for my lunch, some cloth I meant to work on, those seedlings that need re-potting and we need to see to the disposal of a dead chipmunk.  Possibly the work of the hawk who flies over in lazy circles.

I have to go look for sunglasses now.  Sigh.

 

Daily Notes- May 25th

                                             

Onions.  A Pandemic Necessity.  Most of my recipes begin with an onion.  Most soups.  These aren't mine- I liked the photo so I am using it here.  Food 52 I think is the source.  Bon Appetite stopped posting early on.  Or they still do and I can't tell- so many advertisements.

I had a very nice shower this morning.  7 am.  I was up early.  For no reason.  Here it is noon and I've had breakfast twice.  Just had toast.  We are overcast and chilly today-might rain.  I took the opportunity to get the petunia tray outside for some brighter than usual light.  Not sun.  That would fry them. I keep checking to make sure- no Sun. I am also going to need to feed the plants.  Mix up something nice for them to drink.

Daughter is texting from the Town across the bridge (and ocean water) from my Town. They opened EVERYTHING.  Eat In Restaurants, Goodwill, JoAnn's, Reny's.  If it sells stuff it's open.  Masks required in two out of three but 6 feet apart is being observed.  Library in that Town also open for curbside pick up.  Our library- not.  Our Town- not.  Virus will still get to us.

Close enough that our people driving over there will bring Virus Cooties home with them.  Alabama is enjoying record spikes in Virus cases after a week of being OPEN FOR BUSINESS-running out of hospital beds.. They'll be begging for ventilators by Friday.   Such misery.    Was it worth it?

Daughter got one book in the Clan of the Cave Bear series for G and one of the adventure books he likes.  So that is wonderful  We'll let them both air out for 72 hours.  She said the donation drop off line of cars at the Goodwill was very very long.

I'm reading the last paperback.  I might have to start over and read them all again if this goes on into August.-- but a few hardbacks still on shelf....... My son is working from home in California until August.  He may work from home the rest of his Life.  Most software companies aren't anxious to open their buildings back up.  Well. I guess I will be working from Home as well, huh?

Well, Daughter- who I send out on all important recon missions--- has found 24 ounce glass jars of Bavarian Sauerkraut at a store that sells socks, hunting jackets, shoes and tee shirts.  I wanted some in the pantry in case it is hard to find in December. For Christmas Food.  Right now there is ZERO on grocery store shelves.  I am paying attention to shelves that remain empty.

Daily Notes- May 24

                                               

Transplanted from the milk jugs to flats.  To grow a bit more before the garden or the Grow boxes. Today I have Tomato seedlings (yes!!!) and cucumbers to transplant from the jugs into little pots. I also have dill to move into the small plug trays -that bare space mid-left.  It gets warm out back on the deck but move to the front porch and you need a sweater or a coat.  Freezing.  My hands are so cold right now.  And I'm in the house.

My daughter sent a text this morning from the Grocery Store.  She found zinc.  A supplement she takes for her immune system.  An article in the Sunday paper mentioned that we now know how to survive and find toilet paper, hand disinfectant (soap is better), flour and yeast and make masks. Once I had Dee's Pantry Soup recipe- I was good.  Didn't need much else- we had toilet paper and flour and yeast already.  Am making Dee's Soup today. To warm myself up. But will add collard greens, I think, along with the cabbage.  Because Pantry Soup is a "fluid thing" and can accept change and innovation.  As survivors do.  I might even bake a few sweet potatoes.

I still have books to read.  But I am closing in on the last of them.  The library has cleared my record of the books I returned but is still not processing my requests (or anyone else's).  They will move forward with requests and parking lot pickup in the next week or two.  No one is going to be allowed inside the library itself. We have a large homeless and transient population that spends the day in the library when it is open. I can understand the library staff concerns.  I will be very happy to wait in the parking lot for my books-

As soon as things open back up and the used book supply chain resumes- I am stocking up on books for the second go round of the Virus.  Like as soon as the people packing themselves into churches and fast food restaurants with Trump's okay this weekend- start getting sick and dying.  We are already seeing people with "no masks and no worries" everywhere.  They may have to change Maine's motto to "Live Free and Die".

Daughter is here to pick up her Salvia plants.  They lived in the Magic Attic Bathtub since October and are now going to be planted in her front garden beds.  Black and Blue Salvia.  Zone 6 (warmer).  Maine is a Zone 5 (colder).  After a lovely Summer and Fall the plants will return to the Bathtub for another Winter.   Daughter also brought me a bag of cherries since I am running out of  "fruit for the day" bananas.

I washed my car yesterday.  Really good- I went over it twice.  And I noticed that not only did my father upgrade my modest  Honda Fit to Sport model, leather seats and steering wheel but I have custom rims as well.  As I was scrubbing them I was thinking- these look very different.  Open. With design elements.  sigh.  My Dad.  The car was in the garage when we came...he was dying and dead 12 hours after we arrived.  And that's when I saw the car in the garage- when we got back to his house.  Now my house.  Now my car.  Now my problems.  2008.  Twelve Years.  My car.  32K.  I just don't drive all that much but it's the perfect car.  I can get in and out of it.  Laughing.  The BMW- Roadster. Gosh that was a pain to get in and out of but I loved driving it.. I gave up the BMW to drive the Honda Fit.  What does that say about me?????

Daily Notes- May 23 Saturday

                                          

New game- from the Attic when I went looking for something else.  A jumping game where you need to end up with one peg.  I have gotten to five.  I did not clean it before using.  This must have been a Stocking Stuffer from a Christmas when the kids were still in College.  Long Ago.

My Telephone Doctor's Appointment (His assistant) went well, I think.  I have a new way to be using my rescue inhaler.  Before not after symptoms.  So, 15 to 20 minutes before I walk to the Library. Which should make the breathing easier on the walk.  Less panic.  15 to 20 minutes before I walk out to turn the garden hose on in July and August.  Now I just have to remember to do that.  And I have a new prescription with 3 inhalers each time instead of one.  To lessen the panic of not getting an inhaler refill.  I will still panic but only every 90 days.  And I will try and use the rescue inhaler 20 minutes prior to going to the grocery store on Wednesdays.  Like before I get into the car.

Speaking of the car- it is still crusted with salt from Winter.  So I need to wash it.

Husband watered the raised bed garden yesterday.  He just wanted something to do.  I filled 6 buckets from the wood chip pile to mulch the grape vines.  Then I was done with gardening.  I am thinking I will fill buckets to mulch the rose bush today and if I am feeling up to it the comfrey bed.  Comfrey is a very nice nitrogen source for the grape vines- so I will add some around the roots when the comfrey plants are large enough.

My fig tree is dying.  All the leaves are crispy and brown.

I had gone into the Attic to look for something and came down with a yard of white linen that I put into the washing machine.  My plan is to do some adjustments to white linen tops that are not loose enough.  But it is not work that I am good at so I am apprehensive.

I have also switched over to Summer Clothes.  The corduroy pants, thermal shirts and cashmere sweaters are all being washed and dried and put away.  I have on stretchy exercise pants my daughter got at the Georgetown Dump and old workshirts from Kmart I bought 30 years ago. Most are faded pale blue, soft, stained and mended and two are brilliantly spotted with colorful dyes.  DebL's work.  Still so amazing.  I feel like a work of Art walking around Town.  I also have two of these shirts in yellow.  They are practically new- husband never liked wearing them.  I wonder what I can do to those two to make them look less "new"?

It feels so different wearing the Summer clothing.

Cases here in Maine are spiking.  And.......well, opening up things seems rather ....... but people are wanting OUT. They had pictures of people crossing the road to Old Orchard Beach.  Not a mask in sight.  Mostly young people.  People old like me--no way. I don't want vinegar soaked French Fries   that badly.

Husband went out to pick up take out yesterday and came upon a front yard saxophone concert at the end of our street.  He stopped the car and enjoyed a middle schooler's music. Other neighbors were widely spaced along that end of the street.  Perhaps it happens every evening at 6:30?  Sweet.

Angie- I am going to look for the salve recipe.  It's really simple.  Mostly bee's wax.

Daily Notes- May 22nd 10 weeks

                                     

What happened yesterday.  I used thin scrap bits and pieces to add and subtract to the squares. Hand sewn.  I am happy with the result.  I can't see myself doing much MORE with this assortment of colors and patterns.  Make another one?- I am not that interested but if bored enough, it might happen. What happens to this?   I don't have a clue.  In other times I would have expanded it from potholder to placemat.  But I have no use or need for more of either of those household cloth things. As I look, I am thinking a plain beige all round border to frame it all.  Contain the Virus.

I took my morning coffee out onto the back deck where it is very warm.  I have gotten some sun on my face.  The inside of the house is still cold enough for a sweater but that might change today if it gets into the 80's.  Someone from my Pulmonary Doctor's Office is calling today.  A Phone Visit.  Not an in person visit and not my doctor.  I am thinking of concerns to talk about. Write them down.  Be productive.

My friend has tested negative for the Virus and broken her 14 day quarantine. I am limiting contact to phone calls. I don't agree that she is Virus Free.  She is driving back to Boston today.

Goodwill is opening for business this morning.  I am sure they will be very busy. I had wanted to go and get G a book or two for reading( at Goodwill when it opened). But I had a paperback on the Reading Table that G gave a try.  I thought it might be  "too many words" and not enough action but he is reading it.  Sara Paretsky.  Hard Time.  So.....it's good when he has something to read.  Then he doesn't over do the internet game playing apps.

G had the last piece of pie yesterday and I gave him my crispy chicken pieces.  I had the vegetable sushi for late lunch.  We have stopped eating supper.

We have stopped doing lots of things we have always done.  I have no idea if we will ever do those things again.   Daughter offered to shovel and move the compost if we decide to buy it-  but I don't think I will garden much down there.  Perhaps one bed.  Zucchini. For G's pickles.  One or two bags of my favorite compost- Bumper Crop will be enough for that one bed. Perhaps Flowers.

Herbs which I have already gotten started. I have many Borage seedlings.  The Mint is coming back and spreading.  The Chive plants are flowering. Tarragon and Oregano are back and doing very well. I need Basil and Dill.  I did seed Dill and waiting.  My Comfrey is up- all three clumps.  I was worried. I have Marigolds in the milk jug greenhouses.  I will have to buy calendula or forget it for  this year.  I have many jars of salve I made in the cupboard.  I do want nasturtiums.  I like growing them.  Edible.

Which reminds me to start a few pots of zucchini seeds.  Nothing is going into the garden.  We are due for very cold weather the first week of June.  Perhaps even frost.  That Polar thing.  Maine has had 50 degree days in July so-- we never take Summer as guaranteed to occur. Wait and see.

I did buy local greenhouse grown tomatoes.  And bread.  I am having a tomato sandwich today.

Daily Notes- May 21

                                    

In the Sewing Room up in the Attic.  It was  designed to be the sewing room for the second owner of this house.  Lovely wall of shelving.  Skylight.  No heat.  No view.  I chose not to use.  But it is where  things are stored. Out of season clothing. Children's Lego Sets.  Artificial flowers (I used to make huge displays for the library) and that discount/salvage place always had an abundance of artificial and very large flowers for very little money.  I went up to see if the second wire and bead flower was up there.  It wasn't. But I did find the Setacolor.  And one bottle is Indigo.  I am going to make a Moon.  And surround it with little thread stars.......... just to see what it feels like to make that kind of  Handstories cloth.

I watched videos of people who paint fabric (with Setacolor) for a living.  Mickey Lawler.  I also watched  Jan Mullen and loved watching her rule breaking ways.  Then the selection on the right side go Y-tube gave me Setacolor videos and the use of "bleeding tissue paper".  Hopefully, the Sun will stay out and be hot enough to set the color for an indigo moon.  Here in Maine, it is going to be very very cold into June. I may never get to wear my summer clothing.

I looked and looked at those 2 inch squares.  And decided that I will slice them randomly and then sew them back together with a thin slice of something else (something that has no reason on Earth to be inserted there in the cut).  It isn't important or necessary that they are squares.  That is a step off..... It isn't necessary that they be squares and also that they line up.  I was this way once.  Wayward with rules.  But.......I don't know what happened but now- if I come up against a rule -- I am breaking it.

NOT outside the house.  I remain true to the lockdown outside the house. Venturing out only one day of the week for an hour.  I do have an appointment to get my hair cut on Monday so depending on how much Time the haircut takes- I might visit my old workplace nearby and buy some plants for my planters.  Some pretty flowers.  My friend gave me leek seedlings yesterday- I gave her a slice of pie.
I stayed in the house and left her pie on the porch.  We smiled and waved at each other then had a long chat on the phone.   As for the groceries- I will just make do with what we already have here in the fridge and house.  It will be fine.  Getting a haircut is a lovely treat.

G and I talked about the additions of compost to the raised bed garden.  Logistics of where the compost would be dumped, how (who) would shovel it into the wheelbarrows), how we would move heavy barrows down a steep hill to the narrow aisles in the garden etc.  G is already having so much back and leg pain.  My lungs limit how much I can do in a day. He stubbornly believes he "can do it" and I try and reason with him.  The end result will be 3 cubic yards of good compost blocking one door to the garage all summer and into 2021 and taking up the space where my boxes usually sit.  So that will be a problem as well.  He is a very stubborn man.  Worse as he gets old.

I told him I am not being critical or placing blame.  I am just seeing the reality of the two of us going forward.  And...would we even plant anything down there?????  What do they call it- Reality Check?

Daily Notes- May 20th.

                                                 

Already a few of these 2 inch component squares have been switched.  And I may even turn some over. use the second side.  And just now- was thinking of slicing some squares into "sort of" two pieces and then resewing them into not quite squares.  Might need three strips.   I think it's good to take a picture and that give you some space to really see what is happening or not happening.

Rules are really only suggested guidelines.  And more often- a list of what not to do.

My eyes are fatigued.  Too much reading or too much bright light.  I can go "light blind" outside. I think of that- losing my eyesight.  That would be a devastating loss.  Fate has strange ideas. Today I will try for things that do not involve "close seeing".  No reading.

I did the lo mein additions later in the day yesterday.  Fried carrot strips- I made these once for a Southern Family Dinner in Georgia.  A large pan of thin sliced carrots- flat rectangles- fried in butter and olive oil until browned a bit and golden.  No longer stiff.  They didn't want to eat them- I said okay and piled some on my plate- they tried them........I had to go make a second pan of them and was required to fry carrots on every future visit.  Fried vegetables are so Southern I was surprised they balked at carrots.  I also fry green beans when the are new and just picked.   Old beans do not fry well.

Today was grocery day.  I had to check the phone to see if it was really Wednesday.  I had a very short list.  Bananas and coffee.  Splenda and bread for grilled cheese sandwiches. Peanut butter. I got a tub of Crunchy Vegetable salad and another of Crispy Chicken pieces.  (that was what they wrote on the label) and brown rice vegetable sushi which I love which is made in the store by Japanese chefs. They bow when I greet them.  I did see brownies today in the bakery section.  But none of the chocolate chip biscuits.  And toilet paper- large packages of more than 12 rolls.  No flour today and still no yeast packets.  When these items are there all the Time....I will know that the supply chain has returned to normal.  I didn't need either- I have plenty.  I am just surveying.  The fresh seafood section was wonderfully stocked and people were buying salmon and scallops.

I am actually no longer "cooking" meals.  I haven't even made Pantry Soup.  Today, I think I will make a Big Salad and eat the Crispy Chicken Pieces with it.  If they had had cold baked chicken I would have shredded it with honey and mayo and had that with my Big Salad.

Well, I seem to have written an entire post on food.  And from now on I will be making a 2 crust pie dough recipe when I need only a single crust with high crimped edges and baking the leftovers with sugar and cinnamon.  What a lovely idea.  Perhaps my own grandmother did the same for me as a small child and I had forgotten.

I was reading the King Arthur comments again after they printed the WWII Wacky Chocolate Cake.  (no eggs, no butter, no milk as these were not always available).   The person who has to curate that site must need to be medicated- 100 comments on how they did NOT follow the recipe....... one woman added eggs because  she hadn't "realized it was a "vegan" recipe" and it just turned out "awful".  But sometimes the substitutions are quite good.  Like cold coffee and Kaluha instead of water.  Yes, indeed.

Daily Notes- May 19th

                                       

Components.  From the second of Jude Hill's on line classes last year.  I brought them to the dining room table.  Close to hand.  In case, I feel like threading a needle. I am thinking I need a very small coral print or check here.  And a lighter purple.  A stripe maybe.  And that's one of the pockets from yesterday.  It wants to be part of all things right now. Not sure about that beige cloth under the dots. A good match but not really into "matching" right now.  Also not into the "grinding of teeth" combos I put together in the past.  Just that small slice of coral- that works.  The full square-no.

I got the largest of the seedlings situated into new seedling trays.  They are still in "groups" as too delicate for much handling- but not crowded as they were in the milk jugs.  I checked on them this morning before even making coffee.  Standing up.  A good sign.  My scavenging of the dumpsters at work (all those years) paid off in having multiple trays in the garage for this task.  And sifted soil-less mix to use to fill the trays. I made a mess. Too used to working in the greenhouse and then sweeping the floor clean and hosing it down.  Here at home not so easy.

The pie was/is very good.  I now know how to make pie crust dough after almost 60 years (my mother delegated cooking tasks when I was 12 along with all the family ironing)-  It's the 20 minutes rest in the fridge wrapped in clear wrap.  Settles it into itself.  Rolls easily.  I need to adjust the recipe amounts- I want more of the crimped edges.  So, I need more dough.  A one crust recipe is not enough and two crust is too much.  So, I will need to "do the math".

It always comes down to "doing the math".  Be it baking or sewing.

Jude on Spirit Cloth has moved along to making a square cloth.  A surface on which we might embellish, appliqué and stitch.  I am liking this more so than the robe.  I...well, I do not think I would wear the robe.  If it was heavily patched and adorned.  But a cloth- I could look at that.  Enjoy it. Now, I may still use the no pattern pattern and make a shirt.  For Summer. And I also might work on the two very expensive white linen shirts my daughter found at the dump.  They each need a bit more "ease" in the sleeves and width.  Summer shirts here in Maine need to be "breezy". Nothing close to the body. Jude's "pattern" always the garment to be "breezy". Her new robe is titled Summer Breeze".

It is not warm enough yet (in Maine) to even think of wearing any of the Summer Clothing. I am still in Winter pants and sweaters.  And right now- I am thinking I need a second sweater.  And gloves.

Today I have to find the phone number for Cosmic Stone and order compost for the raised bed garden.  Or text my daughter for the number as she is the professional landscaper these days. I never got around to the lo mein additions.  I had a lemon yogurt and bran buds instead.

Daily Notes- May 18th

                          

From King Arthur this morning.  I wish it had been here in the house so I could eat it for breakfast. But I have the recipe and can bake it.  Looks like each person got their own small bottle of ice cold milk with their cake.  I think I had this picture on the blog many years ago and said the same things??

I started the morning on warp speed.  I have eaten breakfast, been in the Attic, transplanted, fertilized, searched, trialed different fabrics with the cloth I am working on, been in the Attic a second time, considered doing a load of wash (no),  searched for a fruit fertilizer spike for the Fig Tree (found),  sorted thru the box of old linen Goodwill clothing for plain cloth to make borders,  removed pockets from two pairs of linen pants and considered a cloth with appliquéd pockets, realized that I had over watered the petunias so had to go looking for a wire shelf unit for them to sit on and drain.  Spent time with Jude's Lion Quilt.  It's only 10 am.

I added Fritos and Splenda to my shopping list. I am going to add thin sticks of fried carrot and ribbons of collard greens to my leftover Vegetable Lo Mein for lunch.  I found Crisco in the pantry so I can make my normal pie crust and not try to make one with butter.

I really need an outlet for all this excess energy. I am going to need a nap.

Yesterday.....G wanted to mow the grass but after doing only one strip he had to stop.  So I got up out of my porch chair, waved him off and cut the grass front and back.  He thinks it's man's work. He was never home- I cut the grass for 20 years. Walking mower because it just looks better. Sharp blade. And G loves a really good looking lawn.  And, when I finished, lawn looked like green velvet- and I give partial credit to TruGreen.  And I  agreed to go to DQ for a hot fudge sundae.

I read a very funny Jane Austin era romance book yesterday.  Big fancy rich Duke is hiding out in a Squire's stable (sent by his grandmother to hide for a month) due to some "misunderstanding" with a woman and the Squire's daughter sees the Duke's big gorgeous horse in her father's stable.  Falls in love.  With the horse.  Not the Duke (who is  pretending to be a horse trainer living in the Squire's stable) but she does say she actually has visited the Duke's stable and loves it as well.. And the handsome rich Duke is having a hell of a time adjusting to that.  Of course, proper ladies are not allowed to ride big racing stud horses.  Guess how that worked out. This is another book that would translate into a VERY entertaining movie with the right actors.  The Squire's Daughter- she was not your usual Jane Austin heroine. And that isn't the title of the book- the book is Man of My Dreams which is totally not the right title.  Of course Horse (Stable) of my Dreams wouldn't have been published. laughing.