Smarter with flax

On By CarynIn Craft

I started a twined loop-and-twist bag from a flax kit from Sally Pointer, historical educator. With the flax strick from the kit, I drew the fibers from the middle, which created horrible tangles of tow flax at the ends. (Tow flax is shorter lengths of flax, line flax can have strands over three feet.) When I ran out of long line flax, I attempted to continue with combed tow flax, which is doable, but I really like twining with long line flax, so I ordered another strick from a local company. I was smarter with this bundle of flax fibers, and actually read the flax passages in “the Practical Spinner’s Guide” book series. I separated out a section of the new flax, and put the rest aside.

Photo description: flax strick (top), twined loop-and-twist bag in progress (middle), smaller section of long line flax untwisted (bottom)

There are several methods of dressing flax to reduce tangles when spinning or twining, I chose to tie a ribbon around and drape the section over my shoulder. I sit on a high backed chair when I twine, so I can keep tension on the fibers by leaning back.

Photo description: section of flax tied with a ribbon to keep the fibers neater

I’d like the bag to be big enough to hold a pound of wool or so. The expansion capabilities of the loop-and-twist bag are quite extraordinary.

A few bugs

On By CarynIn Insects

This fall is giving us the opportunity to observe some rather large insects.

Photo description: Vine Sphinx Moth looking a little ragged hanging out on a window screen
Photo description: camel cricket living its best life in the chicken coop at night, the length of its antenna is impressive at 5-6 times its body length, photo taken with flash
Photo description: Carolina Mantis clinging to a glass window, as seen from inside

Beautyberry

On By CarynIn Garden

We planted an American Beautyberry last year, and this year it produced fruit!

Photo description: American Beautyberry with clusters of purple berries around the stem and broad serrated green leaves

The berries are edible, and are mildly sweet without much other flavor. I’ve heard they can be used to make jelly, but I imagine it is more for the color than the flavor.

This particular bush lives in a raised glower bed on a more shaded corner of the house. American Beautyberry is known for being shade loving.

Music and cats

On By CarynIn Cats, photography

I told y’all that I loved that picture of Thor on the Old Man of the North chair. I love it so much I made it a profile picture, and the app gave Thor a thought bubble that said “Share a song”. Now the picture is perfect: music and a cat.

Photo description: gray tabby with a thought bubble that says “Share a song”

Even though the Old Man’s face is obscured, the “wind” swirls still make it aesthetically pleasing.

Mesh repair

On By CarynIn chickens, Coop

In the light of day I went out to repair the rips in the hardware cloth in the chicken runs so no more skunks could slips through. I took scraps of half inch hardware cloth and wired it to the damaged quarter inch hardware cloth.

Photo description: 1/4” hardware cloth with large rip along the bottom

I found that with two layers of hardware cloth, making a spiral of aluminum wire made it easier to lace the wire through the cloth, since I didn’t have anyone on the other side to feed the wire back to me.

Photo description: hand formed wire spring shape from aluminum wire
Photo description: twisting the spring into two layers of hardware cloth

After threading the spring through the layers several times, I would tighten the loops and twist in the ends. Using this method and using smaller wire “ties”, I reinforced the rips, and secured the solid mesh over the weakened areas.

Photo description: double layer of hardware cloth installed to repair tears

I also put a layer of 2×4 no climb welded wire on the outside as protection from weed whackers. As a precaution, I have been making sure the coop is secure at night, rather than relying on run security. I do have an automatic chicken door, but I check each night that it is working, and verify it opened in the morning.

I think it was Jade that was taken down by the skunk, but it could have been Schmoo. I won’t be able to tell for sure until next molting season, since Jade has (had?) a very distinct feather loss pattern.