A Rovin' a- rovin'

 Turns out that while I was knitting the new sock, not expecting the roving for the gloves yet, said green roving was already delivered, on the step, where I hadn't looked.

And it's beautiful, hand dyed, variegated in color, so it should work in with the other green.  It's only one of three threads being knitted together, so it should be fine. It's lovely quality, probably easier to spin than the other.

This is an ounce, which doesn't sound like much, but look

It's quite a bit, once released from its package.

And here it is next to the original roving

As you see, not a bad match. I'll blend the two sources until the original one runs out, so as to have the least difference showing.

Handsome Son visited this afternoon, ate the last of the Indian snacks, said maybe dosa dough, very good, too. And had brownies, which constituted our Valentine celebration, along with the red napkins.

Lovely day, and here's a good thought to take away

About the roving, I wrote an appreciative note to the artisan, who wrote an equally appreciative reply. 

I like to encourage small artisans, because it's a hard way to make a living. And what they're doing is so valuable.  I hope my note was one of those small ordinary things in her day.

Happy evening everyone! Did you have small things to notice and enjoy today?

Good eye witness report , Textiles and Tea, fiber plans

All's well with Eye One, now ready for Eye Two tomorrow . Very good reports up to now. And the optho promised a word with the anaesthesiologist to dial down the fentanyl in the mix, to avoid the aftereffects. So  all's good.

Handsome Son and I had a rapid lunch, card presentation and cake, before he had to dash into work, taking half the remaining cake home with him, birthday custom. It went well. It's pretty good, worth the dratted pitting.

Then I fell into a deep sleep, partly the cake, partly the effects of being out in feels like 100+ temps. 

I woke with the alert telling me Textiles and Tea was up.

She's very young but already established, famous textile artists such as Rebecca mezoff messaged in as she talked, to greet her.

She works in tapestry, very small, here about six by nine inches, and overshot, very large, here seen as bedspreads. And she embroiders in cross stitch. Next she fancies willow basket making! Such energy and talent, fun to watch, and so happy in her life.

Later I caught Sally Pointer on YouTube organizing her fibers and seeing that wonderful array of threads it occurred to me that I might mix roving into my natural string.

I remarked recently that cord making us really spinning and plying, and it dawned that I could try drafting roving into the process of cord making, for a mixed wool and plant thread for making the rest of this basket or whatever it is.

Or maybe plying some spun yarn with string, we'll see.

 When my shoulder agrees, that is. Those few inches of cord I made a couple of days ago cost me. 

And socks will always be happening, just not as incessantly as before. Sister M knows the situation and is fine with it.

This morning, less hot today, nice rain for the plants, and the self seeded tomato has taken over, hopeful of a good crop, since we have plenty of growing year left. 

And, in the other corner, the sage has never grown like this, taking over chairs, other plants, all it surveys. 

The little Italian basil I started indoors in water, here meeting its future home

And here, established as a kitchen plant

My neighbor who grew up on a farm, swears by a pot of basil in the kitchen to deter insects. 

Soon the Thai basil will come in, too, to use in cooking. 

And the political scene appears more cheerful than for years, two new NATO members now in solidarity, right wingers in disarray with Scott's phone under scrutiny. 

I really wonder if there's an increase in stress-related medical events in the right wing. They're certainly seeing chickens coming home to roost big-time. I don't wish them ill, just clearer thinking. Which might be the impossible dteam.

Happy day everyone, play on! Enjoy what you can, you're worth it!

Plenty to write about..

Plenty of material today, what with current reading of David Rosenfelt's  nonfiction about his real life, not the first person he writes from in his dog related detective fiction.

All about dog rescue, which leads me to my own long history of strays showing up and applying to live here, cats and dogs, birds who cross my path like the lovely Emily Hope, a lutino cockatiel, not this one but this is right idea

More about all that another day. I have a lot of stories, some very funny.

Meanwhile I did shop a little for spinning material

  and yes, this is the actual stuff on its way. After the  robe is done, and relating to the upcoming doll. More later.

But mainly this is part of the reason I can't write much right now

Handsome Son's birthday tomorrow, don't know when he's free to come over for a dinner, but the cake is ready. And in the freezer is a large dish of chicken cordon bleu, which I'll serve with pasta in red sauce

That's the good part.

But tomorrow is a complicated day, since it's also Handsome Partner's anniversary. Always a difficult day with so many memories and swirling emotions even after ten  years.

So, bear with me. I have all kinds of interesting stuff to tell you, and not quite enough bandwidth right now.

I shall return.