Almost nine years

On By CarynIn Wildlife

We’ve lived at our current house for almost nine years. This week was the first time I saw a deer in our woods with my own eyes. I’ve seen plenty of trail cam photos, and I’ve seen live deer in other areas around the countryside and around town, and my family has seen deer on our property, but this was my first live encounter at this spot. I was out much earlier than usual, which was probably the key, heard a rustling in the woods, and looked up to stare a young buck in the eye. He stood still and I took a quick picture, then when I turned to do the task that took me outside, he hurried on his way.

Photo description: white tailed deer behind trees in the woods

The task that took me outside? One of the meadow cats, who I call Fang, came to the front yard to ask to be brushed, but the brush was behind the coop, so we walked over and saw a deer.

Tunisian crochet: joins

On By CarynIn Craft

I did another 7×9 inch swatch to test joins for Tunisian crochet using the honey comb stitch pattern. I first crocheted a narrow strip with three different colors, then I crocheted a second strip, joining the rows to the first strip at the end of the forward pass. I tried three methods: joining using the front loop, back loop, and back loop and bump behind the back loop. I like the last method best because there was no discernible gap and the patterns matched up better.

Photo description: joining the end of the forward pass to previous strip by going through the back loop and back bump
Photo description: six color Tunisian crochet blocks with the red and yellow joined on the front loop of the yellow, the orange and blue joined on the back loop of the blue, and the white and gray joined with the back loop and bump of the gray, calico cat stand
Photo description: reverse side, sleeping calico cat stand

I’m still working on best practice for me for weaving in ends.

The pain

On By CarynIn Uncategorized

I have been carefully writing the words for the songs I’m learning for chorus on index cards punched with a hole so that I can keep them together in my pocket. The writing of the words and rereading the words helps memory and in Barbershop when we perform we don’t use music. I remembered that the cards were in my pocket, but not until after the wash cycle started. Sigh.

Photo description: sodden lump of paper that used to be index cards full of song lyrics

I will get another opportunity to write all the words. Maybe I will write on the top card “Not washable.” Or maybe I’ll laminate them. Or maybe the “Rite in the Rain” brand water resistant index cards are the answer. I’ve ordered a set and will give them a test with pencil, which will erase, but not wash off.

Tunisian crochet: honey comb

On By CarynIn Craft

I’m renewing my acquaintance with Tunisian crochet. Making the 7×9 inch rectangles for Warm Up America is not only a great way to use up scrap yarn, but also to explore new techniques or to polish up old skills. My Tunisian crochet skills were definitely dusty. I ripped out around two rectangles worth remembering where to start and end my rows and on finding a fabric that doesn’t curl. The simple Tunisian stitch curls almost as badly as stockinette knitting, which I don’t want for my rectangles. I rediscovered my favorite (so far) Tunisian stitch, the honeycomb. This is like a moss stitch in knitting, alternating simple and purl Tunisian stitches both across the row and on the next row. It makes a nice flat fabric with a honeycomb-like pattern on one side and a luscious bumpy texture on the back.

Photo description: honeycomb Tunisian crochet rectangle made from scrap acrylic yarn, front side, dilute calico cat stand
Photo description: honeycomb Tunisian crochet rectangle made from scrap acrylic yarn, back side, dilute calico cat stand

I also discovered a new-to-me kind of crochet hook.

Photo description: two different afghan hooks, top one made from wood with screw on cord, bottom one from my Grandmother’s tool stash which is an extra long aluminum hook

I like the balance of the wood crochet hook with cord and how it feels in my hand much better than the long aluminum hook.

Flat

On By CarynIn Bread

I made two loaves of sourdough this past week. The first came out just as it was supposed to, with a good rise and nice texture. The second did not rise. To save the bake I cut it into thin slices and toasted the slices to make a kind of breadstick (which worked great). As I sliced the bread, it made a face at me.

Photo description: slice of flat sourdough with a jack-o-lantern like face made by random air pockets

Hm. I suspect that I didn’t give the sourdough starter enough time to recover from the first bake and subsequent feeding. I should have left it on the counter rather than put it back in the fridge if I was going to bake again so soon. And the outside temperature dropped between the first and second bake, and the second bake obviously needed more rise time, but making a face at me was really uncalled for.