Throwback Thursday: Memory slip

On By CarynIn Craft, Wildlife

As I was scrolling through old photos I came across a mystery in May 2016. My memory is full of holes, which is why I take pictures and write in a journal. I found a picture that I had no memory of taking, or why. Here is what I think happened in April 2016. I crocheted a basket with cotton variegated yarn around a rope core as an experiment.

Photo description: olive, teal, and white variegated cotton crocheted basket
Photo description: closeup of basket showing a rope core under the crochet stitches

Two weeks later I have a picture of this same basket lashed to a branch as a makeshift nest for baby birds.

Photo description: baby birds in a nest inside the same crocheted basket

I don’t recognize the car in the background. The tree is not a live oak, which was the only kind of tree we had at the time in our yard, but the grass is St Augustine which was common in our neighborhood. The side walk configuration suggests a front yard. I did not write about the basket or the birds in my journal. What? So maybe it is not my story. I’m thinking a neighbor had a bird nest fall down and I offered my basket as a substitute nest. Maybe?

I do wonder what happened to those young birds and if the nest repair was accepted by the parents. Hm.

White acorns

On By CarynIn Wildlife

I was out and about and came across large white acorns fallen from a tree in a parking lot. I picked up a few and brought them home to the squirrels. It didn’t take long before the nuts were discovered and carried off. I love the enthusiasm the squirrels have when I give them white acorns. We have post oak in the yard and the white oak acorns are ten times the size of the post oak acorns.

Photo description: squirrel resting on a knot on a post oak tree carrying a white acorns with cap in its mouth
Photo description: same squirrel higher in the tree stripping off the acorn cap by holding it in its front paws and using its teeth

Aftermath

On By CarynIn Flora

My poor spider plant has been neglected for a while, and left to its own devices for everything but water (I do water it twice weekly). I got a bee in my bonnet and finally gave it a good clean up, including trimming dead leaves and separating out the babies.

Photo description: the aftermath of my spider plant cleaning frenzy, a tangle of leaves and stalks on the floor
Photo description: cleaned up spider plant hanging in the window
Photo description: old canning jar filled with water and spider plant babies

When the spider plant babies root out, I’ll plant them in another hanging pot. I did select the longest leaves from the pile of discards and are letting them dry so I can attempt to make some twine from them eventually.

Cactus terrarium update

On By CarynIn Flora, Uncategorized

Of the original planting of my tea jar terrarium, I had three varieties survive. It was looking rather sparse, so I added succulents from another pot we had hanging in a window.

Photo description: top down photo of my tea jar terrarium with six varieties of succulents and two carved stone figurines

I’ve increased the artificial light from 9 hours to 12 to see if that makes the cactus happier.

Large deviation

On By CarynIn Cats, Craft

I changed almost everything on the last felt cat for my Bucilla kit. I took felt from my stash, cut new parts, cut different pieces from the pattern, altered the angle of the head and feet slightly, and mixed up the sequins so that I could have a black, orange, and white calico cat.

Photo description: felt calico cat with one orange leg and one black leg, and one orange ear and one black ear and a white belly and paws
Photo description: in progress Bucilla House Cats Wreath made from felt and sequins with five cats, that deviate from the pattern

I have had two calico cats with one orange leg and one black leg, Shadows and Izzy. Izzy was born after Shadows passed and we joke about reincarnation.

Photo description: Shadows the calico cat with a black right front leg and an orange left front leg
Photo description: Izzy the calico cat with a black left front leg and an orange right front leg

I have a few more things to finish on the wreath: a large bow and some bells. I don’t think there will be much more deviation in the sewing.