Plug

On By CarynIn Garden, Wildlife

It is a bit perplexing when you fill a watering can, feel the weight of the water, but when you tip it over to pour, nothing comes out.

Photo description: tree frog wedged in a watering can spigot

The tree frog was the right size to plug the watering can, and was quite panicked when its tiny front legs couldn’t find purchase to pull itself out. After I took its picture as proof, I offered assistance. It easily crawled on to my hand, and was not wedged forever in the plastic tube. I returned it to the garden and was able to water the plants without further incident.

Star beanie

On By CarynIn Craft

I’ve made a star topped beanie that I’m pleased with. The star has some aesthetically pleasing sparks, and it definitely reads as a star.

Photo description: rows 1-3 of the crocheted star
  • American notation
  • Row 1: 10 double crochet (dc) in a magic circle, slip stitch (sl st) to first dc (count is important for these rounds)
  • Row 2: Chainless Double Crochet Start (CDCS, Moogly has the tutorial where I learned this stitch) Increase (inc: two dc) in each previous dc. 20 stitches.
  • Row 3: CDCS in white, inc in next sc, 1 dc add in blue on last move of the dc, *inc in blue add in white on last move of dc, 1 dc, inc, 1 dc add blue, * repeat from *, inc in blue, join to CDCS with blue. Carry off color around by stitching in.
Photo description: rows 1-4 of the crocheted white and blue star
  • Row 4: CDCS in blue add white, *dc in white, dc in white add blue, dc in blue, inc in blue, inc in blue, dc in blue add white* repeat from * sl st in CDCS in white
  • Row 5: CDCS in white add blue, *dc, inc, 3 dc, inc, dc add white, dc in white add blue*, repeat from * dc, inc, 3 dc, inc, dc, sl st in CDCS in blue.
  • Row 6: CDCS in blue, dc around, don’t carry the white, but don’t cut it. The diameter of the circle will be the size of the hat, add rows of blue, increasing as necessary.
  • Sides: no increase stitches, work half the stitches in white, switch to red, join the white at the other side, chain 2, turn the work, and do the red back to the white, pick up the white and stitch to the red.
Photo description: top of hat showing sparked star surrounded by blue
Photo description: finished hat showing red and white sides

Toes

On By CarynIn photography, Wildlife

I have to share another pic from the zoo, because it is both fascinating and disturbing. This is a tree frog on glass, and the bizarre looking polyps are its toes all tucked up underneath. All those toes! But they look vaguely like slime mold, but toes!

Photo description: tree frog on glass with yellow translucent toes tucked under its body but very visible through the glass

Orthographic satiation is when you look at a word too long and it stops making sense. I currently have that with the word “toes”. I mainly get the written word variety of satiation, probably because I reread what I write many times over, and spelling isn’t my friend. The same effect but auditory is called semantic satiation.

There will be a new rabbit hole tomorrow.

Crochet star, first attempt

On By CarynIn Craft

Looking at the embroidered star I posted about a couple days ago, I wondered if I could crochet the star into the top of a hat.

Photo description: crocheted white star with blue background

I started with ten stitches in a magic circle with white yarn, and did the second row still all in white, increasing each stitch. On the third row I added in the blue for the background and did the increases for the round in blue. I carried the white and blue yarns around, and switched color on the last move of the prior stitch. I finished with a row of blue, then made alternating rows of white and red down the sides. (I actually managed to make a beanie this time, instead of a beret, because I found the white yarn that matched the weight of the red yarn.)

Photo description: alternating rows of white and red crochet for the sides of the hat

I think I can make the star better. The nature of crochet makes it twist a little left, I think I can use that trait to make the points pointier.

Hide my head

On By CarynIn meme, photography

We went to the Fort Worth Zoo, and in the MOLA (Museum of Living Art) there was a very relatable beaded lizard.

Photo description: beaded lizard with only its head stuck in a hole in the desert habitat, front legs are flopped backward, tail curved. I added the words “Not today.”

We see and feel you Beaded Lizard.