Taste Sensation

Several weeks ago, one of the email groups I'm a member of was talking about a "weird" sandwich. Everyone seemed to think it would be terrible.

Contents? A sausage patty, a fried egg, two slices of bacon....enclosed in a glazed donut. I thought the sandwich might not be so weird -- after all, I actually like a bit of pancake syrup to get on my sausage or bacon. How different would this be? I told my DH, Michael, about the sandwich. He also thought it might be good. Today, we made them. I had mine without egg, he made his with. The result? Awesome. Try it -- Mikey likes it!

Just a Rant

I really hate political campaign phone calls. Tomorrow, Massachusetts is having an election to fill the vacancy left by Ted Kennedy. For the last couple of weeks, the phone has been ringing off the hook, both candidates (and their supporters/detractors) calling numerous times every day to influence my vote.

It is currently 1:45 in the afternoon, and already today, I've had nearly twenty such calls. Recorded messages from Republican candidate, his daughter, his supporters. Recorded calls from the Democratic candidate, her supporters. Various pollsters. Thank goodness the election is tomorrow and this folderol will cease.

Wouldn't it be nice if the "Do Not Call" List also applied to politicians, charities, and EVERYONE else that you really don't want calls from?

Okay, I'll get off the soapbox. Until the next election, anyway.

Radar lays an egg

My barely-8-month-old cockatiel, Radar, just laid an egg...in my hand. She was sort of panting and acting "wierd" and I picked her up to check on her. Out plopped the egg. She seems to have recovered almost at once. She has no interest in the egg, but it is huge compared to her tiny size. Incredible!

Pillow Talk

Somewhere during the last month or so, I've gotten the "pillow" bug and have made a bunch of assorted pillows. Here is a sampling: The first is a hand-felted pillow that I started about a year ago and just recently finished. It is made from wool roving in lots of colors on a lavendar background, then decoratively stitched in an irregular grid. Next, two silk velvet pillows, one in purple with decorative stitching, the other in two tones of velvet with some vintage gimp added. The last two are sashiko work. The one in the hemp leaf pattern is already stuffed (thus distorted in the photo, while the one in the waving grasses pattern has yet to be stuffed. It's been a busy day with the camera today.

Painting experiment

Last Saturday, I took a class in painting using the Chinese brush stoke method. I was really delighted with the results, and had a great time in the class. THis work is directly onto silk habotai, using acrylic paints. The second picture is a detail of some of the stems.

Down Came the Ice

The rain chain ice sculpture just came crashing down.

It sounded like the whole studio was falling around my head. The building shook like a 7.5 Richter scale earthquake and the noise was deafening.

No, the chain didn't fall. The weather has warmed up and the ice loosened around the chain. Then, it slid down the chain. Big chunks broke at the bottom as the weight pressed down, flinging huge ice logs against the side of the building. About half the length of the chain slid down, leaving the bottom 15 feet still encased in ice. I guess I will just have to wait for the next onslaught.

Catching up with work

I recently joined an online quilting group devoted to using up "stash" and boy, do I need it! I am one of those quilters who cannot toss out any usable bits of fabric, so I'm always looking for ways to use little bits and pieces. I made this set 6 placemats from tiny strings of fabric -- some only 3/4 of an inch wide.

I discovered a tote containing thousands and thousands of tiny fabric triangles -- cut years ago and set aside (don't ask. I cannot remember why I did this!). I combined them and made a queen sized quilt from them, which I will eventually get a picture of when I can hang the quilt from the deck and get a good photo.


And, on the knitting side of the studio, I found a great shawl pattern and knitted it for my mom for Christmas. The soft colors are just her style.

Rain Chain

Outside my studio hangs a rain chain -- a length of chain used to channel the rain down to the ground and used instead of a downspout. The chain is long - perhaps 30 feet. In the summer, the rain flows down it as a gentle trickle, or a rushing torrent, depending upon how hard the rain is falling.

Right now, the rain chain is, instead, an ice sculpture. The chain is hidden, surrounded by the ice. The ice is nearly a foot in diameter, reaching all the way from the roof to the ground. When the sun hits it, it becomes a million rainbows rolled into one. Drips of melting ice create ridges and furrows, knobs and hollows, an ever-changing form. It is spectacular.

Getting Back for the New Year

I'm getting back. I've spent a lot of the time since September in a fog, but the fog is lifting; I am getting back to my old self. The muse is back, too. 2010 will be a good year.