Floral tribute to Ukraine, also ice cream

Today's flowers are another daily shout-out to Ukraine, daily since the Russian invasion, in different forms. They all reference the blue and yellow national colors of grain and sky.

Here there's an additional note. The blue flowers are forgetmenot, to promise we won't forget Ukraine.

Today yet another medical appointment, this one easy and local, the newest COVID-19 vax.

And, since I've been so conscientious about doctors and injections and hearing adjustments, I decided, for the first time in months, to pick up ice cream, from the vax store in fact, as a reward.

Breyer's Neapolitan. Also see flowers over there on the hearth, and postcards to voters waiting there.

I usually need a day to recover from COVID-19 vax, so just in case I have symptoms requiring ice cream, I'm set. I notice the higher prices and smaller containers, too. Getting toward thimble sized cartons. But I'm worth it.

What I did not see were the security precautions noted by bloggers elsewhere, items tagged or in locked cases. So this CVS has perhaps not been so subject to theft as some.

I did balance this indulgence with lunch of a spicy plant-sausage croquette on a bed of steamed spinach. Funny how no matter how much spinach you start with, you end with a tablespoonful.  Where does it go?? Up in steam, I guess.

I found a great YouTube tutorial for an interesting project that you really can do if you're learning crochet. It's Marion again, such a good teacher. 

This bag is a rectangle three times as long as wide, eg 30"x10" which is folded and stitched, origami style.

I wouldn't add the foofy bits, but chacune a son gout. Translation: everyone's got gout.

Just an idea if you're in search of a project or one to interest a beginner if that's not you.

Happy day everyone, many thoughts about Florida right now, keeping in touch with friends there.

Today's a new day

The week has reshaped itself suddenly. We are apparently in the path of what's left of Ida, with large amounts of rain tomorrow and Thursday, probably meaning flooding, since the waterways are still at capacity from  Henri. Tomorrow and Thursday are my worrying appointments. 

One called to postpone, the chimney dryer/ vent people. Till next week. The other, the routine doctor visit, I thought I'd better postpone because flooding possible. Next appointment December 21! I took it.

The reason the dryer vent appointment, required by township suddenly, and now by HOA, is a worry, is  that the dryer at the condo, the one that took me 18 months to find and install, is nonvented. 

So there's nothing to check the pressure of as in the vented ones. My fear is of a hassle from the HOA if they don't understand it's perfectly safe. 

I'm trying not to trigger a problem by bringing it up ahead of time. But I know what it's like to be defending against the HOA. On another issue where they sprang an impossible demand on me, I got the township to defend me! Which they gallantly did.

And another good thing: Gary Nextdoor says he will come over with me to help smooth it out if necessary. It's almost always easier when there's a man around at times like this. 

Even if there's no man present but you're known to have one in your life. I'm known to be widowed, and low income, it's open season. Much experience of this. And he offered, so that should help. He's a good peacemaker, too.

So, floods bad, help with dryer vent  folk and postponement good.

He's also going to help me lift and divide the compacted iris soon Another good.

Went to the farm for peaches and tomatoes and ran into a friend I haven't seen for many years, on the same mission. Huge good.

 We used to play music together, and our paths separated when she switched to baroque viola, which is different groups and teachers. So good to see JoLin again. It must be well over fifteen years, my caregiving having stopped my social life pretty much. But we knew each other despite masks.

And her low, measured voice still calms me. Such a brave woman, a refugee from the Red Guard in China, starting over with her father and brother, learning English, completely dignified. And defying her cultural norms, staying single by choice.

So seeing her was a gift.

And I thought this was a day for ice cream which I rarely eat, but you know, peaches.

I made chickpea fritter things, eggs, slightly mashed chickpeas, onions, parsley. Enough for tomorrow, too.

I checked Textiles Tuesday,  and the speaker was Joan Berner, with very little to show, no studio images, just chatting. Nice but not too visual. 

She's a weaver and nuno felter. This is felting by wet rolling silk fabric and roving for ages  to create fabric. You make clothing and wall art from nuno, and it's lovely. I added in here  some images from her website to do her more justice. 

She's a retired engineer, and the other serious nuno felter I know was a physicist before switching. There seem to be a lot of science folks in weaving, too. Must be the math.

So this was a much better day.