something hard

Every time I think I have a handle on life, I am wrong.

I went to my Dad's mid August.  That was good.  I was there for about ten days with Koda Bear.  We did not do anything exceptional.

We hung out with my Dad.  We whacked weeds on the mountain.  My Dad and the Bear cut a fallen tree away.  Which for a 91 year old and an 8 year old was interesting to watch.  We walked.

Koda Bear and I walked a lot on the Centennial Trail out of Snohomish.  It is a rails to trails walk so it is fairly flat and straight.  Koda Bear used the razor a lot.

Then there was the day I said "Why don't we try the walk that was snowed in last time?"  That was a hard walk.  It took about two hours longer then advertised but Koda Bear was tired on the way down.  The knee I twisted in June was not feeling very good either.  We were just trying to not fall down on the way back.

On the way up to Excelsior Pass, it was up the whole way.  When we were almost at the top there were beautiful fields of flowers and the views were spectacular.  But about five hundred feet from the top, I had to stop.  I needed to rest, drink, and eat.  Which we did.  We made the pass.

Absolutely gorgeous views.  

We kept telling each other when we do something hard, crazy is not that much harder.  This was classified as a difficult hike.  It was really not a hard hike in terms of being technical.  It was just up the whole way.

I was not really ready to come back.  Koda Bear went both ways.  And since I have been back, the Tall Short Person and Koda Bear have both started school.  Koda Bear is being home schooled because the school district did not come out with a good plan and he had pneumonia last year.  I have expanded my role with Serenity Knives to more farmer's markets, more sharpening, and learning how to make resin scales for handles.  I am still making face masks.

I have started spinning again.  Trying to find some time to crochet.  Not much sewing other then face masks because face masks.  I am watching the plums to see when they ripen so I can make jam from them.  Watching figs too.  Observing plants for ideas of what to use for printing.  I signed up for an online course about eucalyptus as dye and I have no idea when I will get to play.  I work a lot of part days. 

Life seems busier then it was before.  Out of control even.  Then last week we were wondering if Laura was coming our way.  I still react to helicopters after Harvey so I was not looking forward to that.  It has been an interesting year.  I do not really need a routine but I would like some calm and slowing of the season.  Oh well.  That is not going to happen!  Though this space does feel like a sanctuary for the first time.  I do not guarantee I will be here more but I will continue to come back to it.

sourdough fry bread

I am reading a Rebecca Roanhorse book again and she always makes me think of fry bread.  She talks about meals with fry bread as the base in every book.  I do not have access to elk stew but I can make fry bread.

I had started to refresh some sourdough for rolls and decided to use that as the base for the fry bread I planned to make with taco meat.  It was actually turned out to be nachos because that was what everyone was craving.  Since I was not doing the grocery run and had no idea what type of chips were being purchased I thought fry bread was still a great idea.

Because I was planning to make cranberry walnut rolls and cinnamon rolls with that refreshed starter, it had both milk and water in it.  I took about a cup of the starter, used half of the called for salt, cream of tartar, and baking soda I have in my recipe, and then enough flour to make a nice soft but kneadable dough.  I let that sit for a bit.

That made four and I had four people who were eating them.  Blue just takes nibbles still.  He is a great making food helper but not a great food eater yet.  Not like Koda Bear.  I fried them in oil that was about 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  It just took a couple minutes on each side to be golden.  My fry bread has never puffed up this much before.

The fry bread was really good.  Most everyone ate with honey.  The Tall Short Person said it help to fill her beignet cravings.  I can see that.  I am going to update my fry bread recipe with this adaption.

So writing this, I really want to eat fry bead and beans.  But I am off to my Dad's tomorrow.  He will not get go for that.  Koda Bear is going with me.  Maybe a hike or two and time on our mountain will happen.   

linen wrap shirt

Years ago I used to wear Gap wrap shirts and jeans almost exclusively outside of work.  Then I started wearing more dresses.  And also finding jeans was hard.  But I loved those wrapped shirts.

An artist friend of mine introduced me to a Korean clothes designer who spoke about how she designs her clothes on the traditional Han Bok.  Making everyday clothes that were modern and traditional at the same time.  She spoke about how the clothes were based on rectangles so less fabric was wasted.

I decided to try to make myself a wrap shirt.  I took my favorite sheath dress pattern.  Yes, dress pattern.  I cut out one back and two fronts.  I then I sloped the front to make it wrap. I added a shawl collar and long sleeves.  A tie and a button for two different closures. 

I used linen from Sand Snow Linen from Etsy.  I bought two of their scrap bundles thinking quilt but the pieces of fabric that put in those bundles let me cut out the whole body of the shirt.  It is a coarse weave then most of the linens I have in my stash and it has a wonderful drape.

I really love this shirt.  If I make another, it will be slightly different because I did not use a true pattern.  The measurements and the fabrics will be a bit different.  I have traveled in this shirt and it is very comfortable for traveling.  Or wearing around the house.  I have two wrap skirts that I like wearing with it.  In this picture, I am wearing it with stretch jeans.  I still have not found the jeans I used to like to wear.  Oh well.  I may end making those in the end too!

Life matters.  I keep thinking that it is getting to a place where I may have a bit of a schedule but it is every changing.  Being comfortable with change and having patience are themes for this year.

clipper and shear sharpening

What have I been up to for the last couple weeks?  I have been learning clipper and shear sharpening.  I have also been setting up the clipper and shear sharpening area for Serenity Knives.  It is how the business is being expanded and I will be the one doing that expansion.  

People always have clippers and scissors that need to be sharpened so it made sense.  We already sharpen knives.  Everyone in the shop.  The sharpening experience I had made my learning how to sharpen different edged tools go fairly easily.  Not saying there was not a learning curve.  Maybe just not as steep.

I came back to having to setup the workspace.  And find all the little odds and ends that make it easier to do this type of work.  I sharpened the first clippers three days after being back.  Of course, what I had seen in the course was not only what came through the shop.

This was one of the clippers.  I had clippers and thinners that also came attached to the motors that ran them instead of being a blade that could be attached.  I never saw any of those in class.  But it is okay.  It was all the same concept.  But I kept thinking that I should have taken pictures as I was taking them apart.

I get to do this all again for the workspace when I set it up for mobile.  In shop and mobile are happening.  It is a good thing I like to be busy.

scrub caps

Since I have been back, life has been none stop.

The sharpening bus is being used even though it is not quite finished.  We did a farmer's market yesterday and one will be done today.  We purchased a bus that had a handicap lift in it.  That thing is wonderful for moving grinders!

I am off to Minneapolis at the end of this week.  All the grinders for scissors and clippers are here.  I am going to learn how to sharpen them all!  The one thing I am kind of excited about is fish hooks.

Part of non-stop is trying to get all the face masks I have been requested to make made.  Family is realizing they need more.  I understand this because I do not step outside home without one.  Even sometimes in my own yard.  It is just about having enough not to have to do laundry every day.  I am also still getting Etsy sales for them.  Other people feel the same way.  One of my customers puts them by the front door so they are all over her neighborhood.

My Beloved had a dental appointment once we got back.  His face mask was commented on and he was asked if I could make scrub caps with room for pony tails.  So I did.  The feedback on these were that they worked well and also the button to attach a face mask was nice.  I have those on Etsy too now.

Not what I though I would be sewing but it is what I am doing.  I have decided that coaching ice skating in Houston right now is not wise.  Being at my sewing machine is much wiser.  I keep hoping I will be able to plant dye, ecoprint, or embroidery some face masks.  Maybe for me?  But my me moments currently are about making myself a cardigan.  Thinking Ladys' of the Canyon style (Joni Mitchell).  But I also want a barn jacket/field jacket like that. 

And I am babbling again.  I have been sharing my computer since the stay at home order started.  Also, for the knife business.  Maybe I will also have to and inspiration to post more.  I do not find face masks or scrub caps very inspiring to me to write about very often but they are my days.