She landed on the sidewalk right by my feet. That is an open invitation to take a picture! (That is practically begging for a photo shoot, for me.) The iNaturalist app community identified this as a Whitetail dragonfly. I had to go do some additional research because I’ve seen Whitetail dragonflies, and the abdomen is quite bright. Turns out it is the males with the flashy derrière; females have a brown abdomen with white markings on the side. Learn something new every day.
Today’s theme is if something doesn’t work one way, try another. I started plying my alpaca singles with my upcycled spinning wheel.
The converted mini bike worked OK for the first two of three center pull balls, but the third was too much for the spindle supports (two holes through a ballister). So instead, I used the spindle as a supported spindle, used a serving spoon with the handle tucked under my leg as the spinning bowl, and was able to finish plying the third ball.
The spindle was too heavy to rest back on the upcycled wheel supports, so I looked around the house for something to hold the spindle while I transferred the yarn to a niddy noddy. I found that the wrought iron (or at least imitation wrought iron) legs of a side table were the perfect distance to hold the spindle shaft. So I flipped the table over and was able to wind on to the niddy noddy. The curves of the legs actually did a fantastic job of keeping the shaft from jumping all over.
Sometimes it is not what you can buy, but what you can repurpose.
It is inevitable that my cyanoacrylate glue plugs up after the first couple uses, no matter how well I wipe the tip, or how fast I get the lid back on. When the time comes to use it next, I have to go hunt down a pin to break through the dried plug. What would be better? Tucking the pin in the folded section of the glue tube! Now the pin is right at hand when I need it. Yay.
This is Loctite 454, which is my favorite instant glue, and yes, I store it in the refrigerator.
Izzy is only allowed outside in the catio without supervision. Sophie comes to the catio to ask to be let inside. Multipurpose structure. I thought this photo op too good to pass by, as they stare at each other through the divide. (They are not buddies, if you didn’t know.)
The hardy hibiscus is putting out daily blooms! It is worth spraying for Thrips to see these glorious huge flowers. I’m still just using a mixture of Neem oil, Peppermint oil, and Castor soap in water, but now spraying twice a week.
I think I can get one more planted in that area. Hm.
Critters and Craft 