and I am back

I am back from the mountain.  I do not really wish to be even though there is much work to do.  Me and my trusty grass whip were out wacking a lot of weeds.  I need to learn how to use a chain saw as well.

But berries got picked and I made jam again at my parents.  Any of the berries that had gotten a lot of sun were done but if there was any bit of shade or just not as many hours of sun, berries were still there.  Blackberry and thimble berry.  My parents think this low lying blackberry is the most tasty.  It is similar to what I pick in Houston but the thorns are not as deep.  There were many less wounds.

I am going to need to start practicing with a shotgun again.  There was a bear seen down lower that was the largest healthiest bear my neighbor had seen.  His Dad did not say that but he did.  She just kept going her way. 

The more worrisome animal was the cougar.  The cougar that I was told looked like a bear wearing a cougar suit it was so large.  There were pictures.  The cougar was walking down our road.  Like nothing else was going on.  Bears can be scared off.  They do not like noise.  Cougars are not the same.  My father was consulted for what the right firearm would be best for me to use for both bear and cougar.  Now, I need to practice. 

For this consultation, my Dad sent mending home with me.  He asked if I would make short sleeve out of long sleeve shirts for him.  I have to laugh because I obviously do not fall for from that tree!

So Koda Bear was kept more in sight then normal.  He helped dig out the blackberry breed that I do not wish on the mountain.  Rain would have helped the digging to be easier but the roots were gotten out.

He asked to go to the park.  When the park has this view, yes.  There was also tea.  Ice cream and doughnuts after.

It was such a fast trip.  But this sunset over Colorado was so pretty.  I need to go back already.  About six weeks.

I am off

I am off to the mountain for just a few days.  I should have done it when I done it in May when I thought I was going.  Maybe there will be time for things like this and my body will heal.  The dust of a 1000 mummies is playing with my allergies.  I will not be in this space for a bit.  And I will have a Bear with me when I am back.  I am so excited!

making my own yoga wear

My favorite yoga top was made by Blue Canoe.  It was an organic cotton underwear and yoga clothing company much before its time.  I had a half cami top style I loved for doing yoga at home and wearing under my clothes as a bra.  They stopped making the style years ago. 

It tells you a lot about good the quality of their cotton jersy was that I am just now needing to figure out how to make more.  But part of it has been I have tried other brands and other styles.  Honestly, I should have just figured out how to make these years ago for myself.  It is my favorite style.  It is my got to style.  When I am skating or doing yoga, it is what I want as the bottom layer.  Hiking too.

I had purchased lycra jersey slips or under layers from a couple different shops.  Again, trying to find a slip that worked.  Again, I should have just continued to make my slips.  But I am not about to throw these slips away or give them away.  I cut them to be half camis.  

I went through my embroidery threads and found threads I wanted to use.  I had help.

Then it was just a task of hand stitching the hem with a stretch stitch.  What I have learned from working on Alabama Chanin clothes helped.  A lot.  My treadle sewing machine only does a straight stitch so it would not have worked on this hem on a piece of fabric with that much stretch.

I now have three new half cami tops.  Two in black and one in cream.  I have the bottom half of all the slips which I am making into half cami tops.  In all, I will have six new tops.  The last three take longer because I need to create the straps too.  The hem is a bit longer.  

I feel like I should go to the thrift store and find more of this type of slip.  I think it was originally about $30 at Free People.  I got two cami tops out of each.  I am now looking at $15 per cami top made from something I was not happy with.  If I go to the thrift store and find a similar slip for less then $5 then my cost is $2.50.  Or, there is the option to make my own from the scraps of organic cotton jersey I have from t-shirt, skirt, and dress making.  Less to the landfill.  Any way you look at it, I am happier being able to wear what I wish to wear and there will be less waste.  

I just deleted a whole paragraph on waste.  Trash.  I will not get on that soap box today.

simple things

I crochet every day.  I try to sew every day and spin every day as well but crochet usually is a given.  I have tried every style of hook.  Metal, plastic, wood, bone.  I like metal.  A well finished wooden hook is a thing of beauty. 

I have really liked to come to like Furls hooks.  They are nicely ergonomic.  I like the pewter hook and I have one of their wooden ones I really like.  I do not like the wooden hook pictured on the right very much at all.  The finishing is not as nice as I would have liked.  Especially for the price.  I put it in my Etsy shop for sale until I get a chance to give it some TLC.  When the TLC is applied, I may regift it.  That is how much I do not like it.  I will not regift it until some sanding and possibly buffing is done.

The pewter hooks I purchased from Furls were very nice.  At least the hook part was.  The handle was plastic.  The fit and finish from the handle to the hook always left a little bit to be desired.  Especially with how many people I have in my life who make things and put handles on tools.  Then I chipped one handle and one handle came off a hook.

The boyos of Serenity Knives rehandled them for me.  Honestly, it would have been less expensive to buy a new hook.  But then all of the hook would have hit a landfill.  Hooks that are not bone do not usually break on me.  I would have still had the same fit and finish problem.  The fit and finish on these two hooks is now much better then the original.  I can see me using these hooks until my hands do not work well enough to crochet any more.

The hook on the bottom of the picture is a mystery wood.  The top hook's handle is king wood.  They are both lovely.  The king wood hook was finished for me first so that is the one I have been using.  It is a wonderful hook now.  I have no complaints.

Next handle that breaks, getting it rehandled.  It appears to be how I get paid by those boyos for food and errand running.  But I do not complain at all!

a quiet 4th of July

I had a quiet day yesterday.  Yes, it was the 4th of July.  Independence day.  I try not to be political here but I am not very happy with my elected officials.  I have done what I am able and will continue to do what I am able.  It is very frustrating where I am in a precinct and state where it is very obvious that my elected officials do not wish to know what I think.  I do vote though.  And I will continue too.  I will keep making the offer to feed people who have more energy or are more extroverted then I am.

On top of politicians, it rained and flooded yesterday.  We were traveling to friends so the journey was taken with care and we arrived safely.  Then it was just a quiet day.  These friends we can have a conversation with all day but also do not feel the need to talk if we do not wish.  Or even do anything.  

After the rains stopped, the sun came out a little bit.  The sunset was gorgeous.  There was fireworks up and down the beach.  Some of those were probably planned by a municipality but most were just every day people.  

It was a good day.