Month: August 2023

Water woes

On By CarynIn Cats, Garden

Mr Tom, our neighbor’s outdoor cat, has taken to hanging out in our back woods, rather than just the meadow between our houses. I went back to see where he was hanging out and found that our ATS system sprinkler had a pool. Oops. Something (probably an armadillo) dug a burrow near the sprinkler head, and the hole filled with water. A problem for us, but it made a nice cool “beach” for cat lounging in 100 degree weather.

Photo description: White cat laying in the mud around a broken sprinkler head

My husband collapsed the hole, repaired the sprinkler head, and filled the area with rock to support the head and discourage digging. I asked him to also get a large flat paver, so there was still a place to lounge.

Photo description: Same area, but now filled with rock, a new sprinkler head, and a large flat rock.

The next water woe happened when the hose feeding water to the garden and the coop split, in the middle of the night, and flooded the area around the coop. That was not fun to find at 5:30 in the morning.

Photo description: Garden hose with a two inch slit at the top of the bend where it connects to a brass manifold.

I bought a new hose, and rather than running it along the ground, so the hose had to come up and make a tight bend to attach to the manifold, I used heavy duty cable ties to run the hose along the top of the metal fence, so it would come down to connect, thus avoiding stressful bends. We’ll see how it holds up.

Photo description: New black hose coiled on the fence above the manifold, secured with black cable ties.

The waterways around the coop still work, and the flood went around the hens’ doors and food. The birds in the woods were particularly happy that day. We really need rain.

Squirrel sploot

On By CarynIn Cats, dog, Wildlife
Photo description: Squirrel laying on the concrete legs out sideways, body pressed to the ground, looking at the camera.

Scrat the squirrel it rather enjoying his “place” near the house. There is a water dish, occasional peanuts, and cool concrete to stretch out on. It also happens to be at a window where the animals inside can watch him.

Photo description: In the background a squirrel eats a peanut, in the mid-ground a cat stares out the window, in the foreground a dog sits on a couch staring out the window.

Digital to real

On By CarynIn art, Craft

One of my favorite things to do with the Adobe Fresco app is try out an art project before attempting it with traditional art media. This method worked particularly well on a recent painted rock commissioned project. I took a picture of my rock, and was able to practice different techniques in the digital cloud before committing them to the real.

Photo description: Round river rock picture with digitally created “Find joy and meaning where you can” surrounded by line art flowers. Created in Adobe Fresco with an Apple Pencil using an oil brush.
Picture description: same river rock with black ink in a similar pattern, created with a “gold pen”.

The gold pen, which has a tiny metal tube attached to small ink well, is my new favorite tool. It allows me to make fine even lines, even on rock (but it has to be a smooth rock).

Pretty boy

On By CarynIn Cats
Picture description: Gray tabby cat with white face and legs, gold eyes, and a black collar laying on a turquoise fuzzy blanket.

Thor the kitten is certainly a pretty boy. The combination of gray with white is striking. The picture above was not staged; he climbed up on my youngest’s bed and snuggled down in the fuzzy, fuzzy blanket.

Mending

On By CarynIn Craft
Photo description: Partially repaired ripped inside pocket of worn Levi’s jeans with white thread woven through the fabric to secure on left side, and the needle inserted halfway.

My husband’s Levi’s jeans had a front pocket failure: the inside pocket fabric ripped where it was worn from use. The jeans themselves are still in good condition, so to mend the pocket I wove thread across the rip to strengthen the weak fabric as well as to close the hole. Using a whip stitch wouldn’t last long because the edges of the fabric are worn and are more likely to rip again. By weaving across the opening, the new thread extends into sound fabric, and it should hold longer.