Cookie Puss

 

Would ya look at that! This cookie greeted Bob and I after dinner one night. While it's totally funny to see a surprised cookie pop out of a package, it's a shame it didn't resemble Jesus... then we could be famous!

And speaking of cookies, here's another puzzle:

Whatever happened with all those monoliths that were popping up across the world? It had a brief run and poof! All gone. Well, I thought to keep the game going...

Seeds Started!

 

A sure sign that Spring is on it's way, despite very cold, windy days: Bob's been busy starting seeds. Above is a shot of the multiple varieties of peppers that are already well under way. Last year, Bob constructed several shelves in the upstairs corner window. He used a heating pad and had tremendous luck; this year he has two more heating pads. (*1) I think he's growing poblano, shishito, "Jimmy Nardello" and... maybe one more? Plenty for us and even plants to give away to lucky friends.

Look at how nicely that top row is growing! The peppers did so well last year. Bob pickled some and froze some more; we're still eating them mixed into sauces and soups. Soon, these seedlings will be followed by tomatoes, onions and all sorts of other vegetables. 

I particularly like this innovation: Bob placed a curtain around the seedlings to create even more light as it reflects off the white fabric. I also think it protects those shy little seedlings from our persistent curious gaze.

If it were a sunny day, you'd see delicate infant plant shadows. I'll try and take another picture when we finally get some sun...

Me? I have zinnia seeds to start when my seeds finally arrive. The particular kind I like to grow- Zinnia linearis "Starlite Mix"- is a bit trickier to start and I like to get a jump on in-ground planting. I know others will disagree and tell me to just throw the seeds directly into the ground. But I hate living with bare earth and have tulips planted in that area so it's more effective to start them indoors. This year, however, I'm going to watch them like a hawk and cover them with a sheet if it even threatens to frost. We had such a late frost last spring that I lost all my zinnia and heliotrope seedlings; I was heartbroken and furious. Such is gardening!

(*1) Bob had such good luck with the heating pad that I decided to get two more for his last year's birthday. As we were heavily quarantined, I thought to order them on line. Little did I dream that because they were manufactured in China, which we had recently embargoed, that it would take like 4 months for his birthday gifts to arrive- well after the need for heating pads!

New Work/ New-ish Year

 

 

I'm hard at work as usual! I did have a coupla slow weeks where I entered at sort of COVID torpor... but that seems to have departed and I've started several new pieces, as well as finishing up several that have been in process for a while. Above is the first section of a very wiiiiiiiiiiiiiide piece that says, "Reconcilition". It's one of those words that has more than one meaning. The one that most people will think of- patching things up or getting ideas (whatever) to agree- isn't the meaning I was considering though. I'm referencing the budgetary/governmental meaning involving a parliamentary procedure to pass budgetary legislation. Check it out: it's been in the news lately. And yes, I am hand sewing all those flower clusters on; they're "lifted" from another fabric.

Not for the faint of heart, here's a close up of my (poor) fingers after a hard day of sewing:

Look at those cracks! Bloody crevices! Who knew that sewing was a contact sport? And yes, I apply copious amounts of hand cream, Bag Balm, "Working Hands" and band-aids, but you can't work with any of that stuff actively on your hands as it stains the fabric. (I wait until bed time.) And it doesn't help that I jammed a needle into a couple of my fingers while sewing: Yow! Almost jumped out of my skin on that!!!

And I finally found a use for at least a bit of the three million miles of blue plastic hay bale twine. (Yes, feed two horses all winter long and you have a LOT of blue hay bale twine.) I am making natty pseudo-fringe for the edge of another piece, "So Tired Of Winning". This one was sitting unresolved in a corner for weeks. But fortunately, I found just the right backing material and the fringe idea just came to mind like magic. But I have like another two and half million miles left if anyone has a special macrame project in mind!