Afternoon tea, species specific

One beautiful sunny day, high 50sf, rain forecast p the rest of the week, so  I seized the day, or rather the afternoon, the morning spent hauling large bags of books for the library donation, and hauling bags of dishes to the car ready for a thriftie run. And yet another bookcase out to join his friends at the dumpster, courtesy of kind neighbor..

Where was I, oh yes, great walk around the neighborhood. Walking is great for avoiding  stress problems from lifting and carrying, so I make a point of it.

Halfway around, I spotted a gang of turkey vultures in the street, disposing of a rabbit, which reminded me it would be teatime when I got home (!).

I'm grateful to turkey vultures,and we have a lot, for cleaning up all the roadkill and losers in nature's battles for us. Those guys are enormous on the ground, must be a six foot wingspan.  Couldn't get pix because cars kept scattering them. In the sky they hover and zoom about in big lazy circles, looking much smaller.

So home to tea and banana bread. More downstairs than upstairs, despite the Shelley putting in an appearance.

The giant slice of banana bread and big fork detract from the Downton Abbey effect. Also the milk powder, I never use liquid milk these days. The powdered is all kinds of pure. And it doesn't sour. But I think that Downton Abbey old lady would look at it and ask what IS milk powder?

Tea tastes different from different pots and cups. This was much lighter tasting than from my usual Chinese porcelain pot and mug. Same tea, same proportions. Some mysterious chemistry.  The cup is smaller, so I was kept working hard refilling it..

It's all research. What I do for science, and do they thank me? Do I get Time covers? Nobel Peace prizes?  But I think tea has probably averted more conflicts and assisted in handling more crises than it gets credit for.

Now back to my current Sue Ann Jaffarian, another good antidote to dark times.

Reading and where it leads to

It leads to more reading at this point.

In urgent need of some antidote to the urgent and fearful things going on, still being politically active as I can, on what I see as the right side, I still need some sort of mental resting place, who doesn't.

I came across this a couple of days ago. It's a rapid read, maybe an hour, which I did on the sofa, hand-knitted blanket over my legs. Very welcome.

And it led me to my current plunge-in reading, The Cazalet Chronicles.

 Instant access as ebook, and it's become my go-to. Very readable and well wrought. Elizabeth Jane Howard knew what she was doing.

After a few trips up two flights to collect crates to bring down one flight and stow in the guest room closet, I get the reward of reading while my legs recover, ready for the next trips.

On the Great Winnowing, I've winnowed down to where I'm putting the art materials a floor down, in the guest room, very accessible, surprisingly compact.

All the clothes I had in the guest room closet are now moved to the bedroom closet. I never put clothes in there during Duncan and Marigold's life, because their boxes were there. This has freed up space for art materials.

I loaded the car yesterday for the next thriftie run, between snow showers.

And offloaded frames, matboard, and nice wood boxes to a friend who's a contractor, woodworker, artist, who can use them. Some of the frames will go to his daughter.

I say, lightly, frames. In fact framed artwork I have no further investment in, and he can use them for other artwork. They're metal sections, so getting ready-framed work means all the wire, screws and clips are there, easy to reuse. We're both happy.

I'm not a curator or conservator of my art. To me the opposite of curating is creating. Once the work has been out there, I'm done. It's like letting children go off to their own lives. So exhibiting, selling or eventually donating is all fine.

I don't really miss earlier work, because I'm usually engrossed  in the next studio adventure. That makes it easier to part with them. Just ripping off the band-aid.

And now for a bowl of homemade veggie soup, with homemade whole-wheat/oat bread with caraway seeds, and Cazalet Chronicles.

Take a break, they said. But first..

Today I am Not Going to Move Anything. I need a break from downsizing and deciding and getting anxious.

But first, these items have already been accepted by the library. Art books, classical music CDs. Either for the collection or the next book sale.

So I'll take them in this afternoon when I go to my knitting group.

After that I'm taking the rest of the day off.

If you like a bit of encouragement about self care, from a world-class sewist and costume maker and worrier, Cathy Hay, she has a great YouTube channel. She's why I'm taking a break. Cathy said to.

The great winnowing creaks on

Today a carload of art materials, tools, quilting hoops, dollhouse furniture (toy not miniature), picture frames, to the thriftie.

And since it's a distance and an effort, a small reward,

needed corduroy pants for winter, silk cardi. Brand names, change from $10.

Meanwhile back in the studio, this is the reduced supply department, one artform per crate. Plus folding shelves.

And here's the start of the next thriftie run, also recycling.

 To date only one very small bag has gone to the garbage.

And these will go on Friday to a young friend to hold up his canoe, he tells me.

There will be more sawhorses available once the other worktop is recycled, and the folding shelves above resume their supporting role for the one remaining worktop. They bring it up to a good height for standing work, which is how I work.

All in all, a good Monday morning.