lis-i-and-thus, the planting season begins

 Nearly every morning, I can look outside in the morning and see our resident rabbit, having a nibble on the front bushes.

Now I can feel less guilty about the pounds and pounds of apples that I picked in early winter, but didn't process, because I thought that our cold garage would keep them fresh.  Excellent rabbit food!

We're having odd weather...bitter freezes and dustings of snow, and then the temperature shoots up into the 50s or even 60s.  Ice forms and cracks in lovely patterns.

Our muskrats reappear on warm days, continually building up their little house, which tends to slump after a thaw.

We are cautiously optimistic that they'll keep our cattails at a manageable level this year!  

Unlike 2021, when I was out in our freezing addition, working on seeding as early as late January, I have only planted one variety this year.  Inside.  In one container.

 

It's Lisianthus, the annoying flower that needs about SIX MONTHS to bloom.  I was rewarded with tiny sprouts after a couple of weeks...

...and they're coming along nicely.  I'm taking a MUCH more measured approach this year.  No house full of demanding seedlings that have differing light, heat, and water needs.  No more running outside with sheets and towels to cover plants because of a sudden, dramatic frost in March.  NOTHING is going in the ground before mid-April (a full month later than 2021), and I'm staggering the planting.  Instead of seeding, for example, 500 snapdragons, which sprout crazily, fall over because it's too much for me to support, and then all die off at the same time...I will plant 150.  Three weeks later, another 150.  Etc., etc.  Succession planting will save my sanity this year, I hope!  

Valentine's Day has come and gone...

...and while I'm still knitting regularly, I'm dipping into some other crafts.  I had the exciting idea to make felt stuffed animals, and vintage-style clothing for them.  But when I got a pattern, I couldn't make heads nor tails of it...literally.

The clothes that looked so darling online...

photo courtesy of little_mochi on Flickr

...turned out to be fiddly and confusing in reality, even in the simplest forms. I tried to make a basic halter dress for an 11" figure.  It was a very simple pattern with just two pieces...

...but the seam allowances were so small and somehow my clumsy fingers couldn't line anything up correctly.

Yikes.

Now, I made myself a skirt in South Carolina...

...but it was with the assistance of a step-by-step online class.  I think I need more training before I tackle these things, so I'll be keeping an eye out at some local sewing shops and checking out online resources.  I know that I can get better with a bit of guidance!

Since physical therapy has really been helping my elbow, I decided to try cutting some fabric for quilting.  I love postage stamp quilts, so named for their tiny piecing.

photo courtesy of Red Pepper Quilts

I have a terrible habit of saving special things for the "right" project, and then never using them, so I forced myself to cut up my beloved Tilda fabric.  It's a UK brand, whimsical with lovely subdued coloring. 

I'm cutting 15 fat quarters (five for each color family) into 1 3/4" strips, with alternative strips of Kona Cotton Snow.  Once a few lines are assembled, I'll cross-cut them into tiny squares.  Each group of squares will make up a block of 16, and then those blocks will be sewn together to make a quilt like the example shown above.  I cut up two fat quarters in this fashion, but I could feel the strain in my elbow, so had to stop.  I'm planning to cut one per day.  There's no hurry.  Then I can assemble and begin to sew again!

Incidentally, today is National Love Your Pet Day.  We've got a pretty chaotic group here!

First, we have Borga, who in her senility runs laps around the house, has to go outside 15 times per day, and whose flatulence is so choking that we have to keep matchbooks in the living room so that we can attempt to cover the smell.  "Borga!!"

Then we have Calliope, who sleeps sweetly sometimes...

...but rules the house with an iron paw, chasing Tabitha whenever she sees her.  We still have our complicated system of baby gates and schedules, but sometimes there's an overlap, so we have to be ready.  Tabitha, mistress of the Upstairs Territory, naps all day on her heated pad, and only wakes when her lowly servant arrives to tempt her palate.

So our pets are keeping us on our toes lately!  We're hoping that (somehow) Calliope will learn to accept Tabitha, especially when warm weather comes, and the open windows will draw Tabitha downstairs.  Meanwhile, we're getting really good at stepping over baby gates.

Have a great week!

i believe in miracles, since you came along...you kitten thing

 More freaky weather, with wildly fluctuating temperatures.  Gorgeous, dramatic sunrises...

...and strange December fogs.

Just like last week, our muskrats frisked whenever the temperature crept into the upper fifties.

I have binoculars in the living room so that I can easily watch their antics.  

We've been a bit slow to get our Christmas decorations up, but things are finally moving along.  Although the real Christmas celebration doesn't start until December 15th, the tree is up and mostly decorated.  It's smaller than our usual tree, but fits the space well.

I love seeing my favorite ornaments.  Some high notes:

This year, I decided to finally put up the candles that I purchased in Germany close to 20 years ago.  They are real candles...

...in little tin basins.  The clips are tiny pinecones!

Todd says that we absolutely, positively, unequivocally must not light these candles.  Some crazy talk about FIRE (eye roll)...but I'm enjoying them in their current state, too!  

Speaking of pinecones, I saw these cookies on Sprinklebakes...

photo courtesy of Sprinklebakes

...and had to buy the mold.  

You push a nice stout dough (like gingerbread) into the mold and peel out the shaped cookie.  It holds the shape nicely when it bakes.  This is great for fall AND winter!

In other news, here we grow again.

Yes, we are trying again with a THIRD cat.  After we lost our dear Bosewichte in February, I've felt his absence terribly.  It's funny...I didn't own a cat growing up, although I 've found several photos of myself with them in childhood.

That must have planted a seed, because when I finally got my first cat in my late 20s, it was instant love.  It didn't take me long to go from having one cat to two.  With a concession to Todd's allergies, we remained a two-cat household.  Returning to just one cat after Bosewichte's death felt...wrong.  

It didn't work out with the first two cats that we tried post-Bosewichte.  Both were young males and highly aggressive toward Tabitha, their relationships finally degenerating into constant biting and scratching after weeks of trying to keep the peace.  After Tabitha started stress-licking huge bald spots on her body, we had to return them both (and both were happily adopted within a week!).  I said, NO MORE CATS.  Tabitha is too small, and creeping into her later years.  She's also grumpy and territorial, and just doesn't like other animals.  Bosewichte was special, but now she's destined to be an only cat. 

But...cats.

So I decided to try again, with a twist.  Instead of a young male, we adopted an older female.  She's around Tabitha's age, and so incredibly sweet.  She cuddles in the bed all night and trots along beside us during the day, never missing an opportunity to rub against our ankles.  She was declawed by a previous owner, and tiny - maybe only six pounds.  She is the epitome of harmless and inoffensive.

Tabitha doesn't like her.  

So far it's been outraged looks, lots of hissing, and one cat fight (likely instigated by Tabitha).  I'm holding out hope that they will settle into an uneasy truce, but I've also held off on naming her.  I want both cats to have a happy home, so we will have to wait and see if neutral coexistence is possible.

But just look at that face!

I'm hoping for a Christmas miracle here.

Have a great week!  

Pumpkin "Ail"

Whiplash weather...last night close to 64, tonight down to 18 degrees!  Our muskrats are taking advantage of warmer days to haul extra cattails to their winter home.

My perennials are confused.  Is it time to bloom again, already?!?!

At least I'm still able to bring in more mini bouquets!

It will be an interesting contrast with the Christmas tree and decor that will be going up today (better late than never!).  I've already got Todd's advent calendar installed in the front secretary.  I love the color pop from the bags!

All Christmas knitting is done...woo hoo!  I also managed to finish a sweater (Pumpkin Ale) for my sister's 11/30 birthday.  It's a clever but complicated design from Scottish textile designer Ysolda Teague.

Three-quarter length sleeves, cabled arms, and the sides of the sweater grow out of a long cabled back pattern.

I like the cabled back and the wide garter stitch front panels, but oh, those shoulders!  The sleeves are set-in, meaning that you pick up stitches at the top of the armhole and knit back and forth, wrapping each end stitch so as not to leave a hole.  Gradually the cap of the sleeve is formed and the arm grows out, but I made mistake after mistake and even though THE ENTIRE SWEATER (with the exception of the arms) was completed, I had to pep-talk myself into not frogging the whole thing.  I had wanted to knit one for myself, but I need a long, long break from Pumpkin Ale! :)  

In dire need of a mini-excursion this week, Todd and I visited the rare manuscript rooms at Indiana University's Lily Library.  

The original draft of Ben Hur!

Peter Pan!

Gorgeous illustrations of diseases that you definitely don't want...

...pamphlets (1830s) that you only view IF YOU DARE (the parish Reverend does!)...

...impossibly tiny books...

...and heartbreakingly beautiful designs.  This was my favorite, from 11th century England.

I've been to Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, where I saw many other examples of these illustrated manuscripts.  I can't get enough of them.  

A Latin sacrament page from from 12th c. France

Seeing their work really inspires me to get back to my embroidery...

An embroidered book cover, about 3" x 2", depicting Mary, Queen of Scots

...once the holidays are over and I have time to breathe again. Embroidered book covers are still being done today and are just as inspiring!  Courtesy of textile artist Jillian Tamaki...

...and Chloe Giardano...to name a few!

I would love to embroider a cover for one of my favorite children's books - The Secret Garden - but I haven't found the right illustration yet.  

Have a great week!