Fingerloop Braiding

 July 31st

Here are my happy things from today:

• One of my first orders of business today was to try to get the shower working better and to attach a vacuum breaker to the spigot where we get out water.  I expected the vacuum breaker to be fairly easy to attach.  It did not go as I hoped.  After changing out the 4-way splitter and a broken washer I got it all working.  Stephanie came and helped too.  Then we tackled the shower.  I had done a bunch of research and the most likely reason for the problems we were having was water flow.  I decided to remove the water saver device in the shower.   Stephanie suggested I see if we have a spare in case something went wrong.  She is such a smart lady.  I found an old shower head, it didn't have any kind of shower saver.  We switched out the heads and suddenly the shower was working MUCH better.  What a wonderful thing it is to have the shower working so much better!
• We get a lovely site token when we go to Pennsic.  They give us a string to hang it off.  I decided that I wanted something special instead.  I spent some time on the internet trying to remember how to do fingerloop braiding.  Eventually I figured out what I wanted to do.  I did some practice fingerloop braiding first, and then I tried to make a braid to hang the medallion from.  I ended up stopping, taking what I had done out, and starting over again two times.  Thankfully, the third time I messed up, the cord was long enough to do its job.

My practice piece.
The braid is started with all the yarn strands almost forming a square band.  Then I change the way I work the yarns and it splits into two, making a Y.

The finished fingerloop braid.

• There was a class I tried to attend, but the teacher didn't show up.  I just happened to see Keziah while leaving the class area and we wandered the merchant area together.  That was fun.  We got to talk to people we haven't seen in a while, or only see at Pennsic.
• Gideon has been out taking classes, watching shows, and playing both modern and medieval games.  In the tent tonight he decided to hold his finger over the flashlight.  It was fun to watch him play with the beam of light by covering it with a finger and seeing it shine through. 

Goodnight from a very tired blog writer.

☮

Continued listening to: When Women Were Warriors, by Catherine M. Wilson.

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

Stars

 July 30th

Here are some happy things from today at the Pennsic War:

• For the last few years I have arrived early at Pennsic and have been in charge of getting things set up.  I've had some wonderful helpers.  This year, because I was supposed to be hiking the Appalachian Trail, Stephanie has been in charge.  She has been doing a fantastic job and has also had some wonderful helpers.  The shower has been giving her problems though.  It is set up and works, but the hot water is only intermittent.   It wasn't the best shower today, but it was a good shower and we are learning.  We have new theories to try and make it work better tomorrow. 
• Much of the day was spent rearranging the pavilion and getting things set up better.  Some day I'll try to take a picture!
• We drove into town to pick up a few things. Somehow all the flashlights were broken and the lanterns didn't get packed.  We also went to Dairy Queen and I got a Blizzard, yum.
• In the evening, after the sun had set, I went to a class about identifying stars. 

Moon. 7th

☮

Continued listening to: When Women Were Warriors, by Catherine M. Wilson.

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

Travel & Set-up

 

July 29th

Here are some happy things from today:

• We were up early and out of the house before the sun was all the way up to begin our drive to western Pennsylvania.   We had a few things to do before getting on the highway.  One of those things was to fuel the truck.  Another was to get road bacon.  It turns out some crispy bacon is a great snack for long road trips.

• The drive went well.  The new-to-Keziah truck seemed to perform very well.  Here is the one picture I took along the drive:

• We made it to the event site before sunset.  Thanks to friends, our tent went up and the truck and trailer unpacked.  It was a long day of travel.  We are "home" for the next two weeks.

Sunset from near the Pennsic gate.

Putting up the pavilion under the stars.

☮

Continued listening to: When Women Were Warriors, by Catherine M. Wilson.

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

Setting Moon

 July 28th

As I prepare to leave, I realize that I forgot to finish this blog for Monday.  Here are my happy things:

• There has been so little time in Keziah’s life lately that we took ALL the laundry to a laundromat this morning instead of cycling it through at home.   Not including the time to actually put away the clothes and things when we got home, we were about three hours at the laundromat.  Many machines made it all go faster and easier than it would have at home.  When most of the washers were done and things were going into the dryers, I brought home the things that needed to hang on the line.  It feels good to have that all taken care of. 
• The day was spent doing things to prepare to leave for Pennsic.  Packing and cleaning and last minute things to look for.  I also helped Bel with putting some chicken fence up.  
• In the evening I went to the main house to be greeted by Gideon, my grandson, asking me, excitedly, if I had seen the moon.  Of course I went right out.  Also of course, I forgot how to capture a good picture of the moon.  There were many lights and cars still making the shot difficult.  I tried.  The setting crescent moon was a beautiful burnt orange color in the western sky.  I've cropped the pictures a little to remove some offending lights.

☮

Continued listening to: When Women Were Warriors, by Catherine M. Wilson.

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

Insert a Relevant Title Here

 July 27th

Happy Sunday things:

• One of the neat things about going in to work for a short shift is that I left in the pre-dawn light.  The sky was just lightening up with touches of pink.  I'm pretty sure there was a bat flying around, getting the last bit of food before turning in.  The other neat thing is the double-take I get from co-workers not expecting to see me.

• This morning I went to work for a 5.5 hour shift. Even though I woke up way before I needed to, I had some energy when I got there.  I was able to take care of some weirdness with my upcoming time off, too.  I'm glad that is off my mind.
• This evening, after a nap, I got to spend time with the family.  Everyone was home, and awake, at the same time!
• A few days ago I posted a picture of balloon flowers.  They were purple and opened.  Today I noticed one closed.  Closed is how they got the name, balloon flower and I wanted to share that with you, dear reader. 🎈🏵

Somewhere we have an apple tree in the side yard.  I don't remember which one it is.  The Norway maples block it out.  Someday, maybe, I'll take the time to look closer.

☮

Started listening to: When Women Were Warriors, by Catherine M. Wilson.

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

Grasshopper

 July 26th

Here are some happy Saturday things:

• There was a full shift at work that I volunteered for.  The time started with me making a safety call-out.  Someone had left signs laying down on the sidewalk.  They were a tripping hazard. I got some good follow-through from management about that which was nice.
• There were times that I felt like a ping pong ball at work.  I think I did a little bit of almost everything that I have been trained to do.  It was good and it helped the work day go by faster.
• After work I bought some sand paper to sand the wooden things I cut out yesterday.  I'm really tired though and I decided that using power tools is probably a bad idea.  Instead I ate, relaxed some, and I'm going to go to bed.  I'm working a part day tomorrow too.
• I've listened to all of the books by Mark Twain that are about Tom Sawyer.   I listened to all of these in preparation of getting James, by Percival Everett.  I have that book on the wait list through one of my library apps.  James is supposed to be told from the point of view of the slave, Jim, in the Tom Sawyer books.  

The milkweed is busy making seeds.

Some kind of a grasshopper.

☮

Finished listening to: Tom Sawyer, Detective, by Mark Twain.

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

Plant Stuff

 Friday, July 25th

Here are my happy things from today:

• Before breakfast I was able to get outside and do some more weeding in the triangle part of the driveway.  I’m hoping to plant a bunch of bulbs and things this fall as well as make sure that it is well mulched.  Fingers crossed that it happens.  A few years ago, I loved how it all looked in the spring.  Upkeep has been hard, but I’m trying to get back into the swing of things. 

• My youngest, Bel, and I went out to breakfast this morning.  We had some tasty food and some lovely conversation.  Then we went to different stores looking at plants.  I keep hoping to find potted gladiolus, apparently they don’t exist.  A few years ago I tried to grow some in pots and they didn’t come up.  Gladiolus don’t winter well here and I was hoping to find them potted and bring them in come winter.  Other than not finding the gladiolus, I really enjoyed myself.

These cone flowers (Echinacea) were at one of the stores we stopped at.
All the flowers there were buzzing with bees.

• When we got back to the house we added a little bit of a watering system to some of the garden and Bel helped me use power tools to make some wooden tent dog bones.  Tomorrow I will pick up some sand paper so they are a little less rough.

Drip, drip onto the plants!

These will be the dog bones and serve to
help keep the pavilion well tensioned. 
We also drilled two holes in each one for the rope to go through.

☮

Continued listening to: Tom Sawyer, Detective, by Mark Twain.

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

A Day

 It has been a day!  Here are some happy things from my day:

• It is Thursday.  This should be my last work day of the week, but I took a shift on Saturday.   Thursday is also payday and I am not working tomorrow.  These are happy things. 
• The book I've been listening to, Catch-22, is finished.  I don't remember what made me decide to listen to that book.  It was on hold through Libby since March of 2024!  I think the algorithm thought I would like it.  It is not a book I will be recommending.  I listened to the entire book, it was hard to follow in places.  It sort of came together in the end, but it just wasn't my kind of book.  I'm really happy that I finished it.  I'm happy that I can say it is done.  
• Well, I turned in for the night and forgot to take a picture.  So, I snapped a selfie to highlight how much my hair has grown.  It was around 1/4 inch long when Bel cut it in April.  I'm still not used to it being short.  I don't regret cutting it.  I really like the purple hair, but I'm going to change the color when the bottle of purple shampoo is gone.  Maybe pink...

☮

Finished listening to: Catch-22, by Joseph Heller.

Started listening to: Tom Sawyer, Detective, by Mark Twain.

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

New Things

 July 23rd

Here are my happy things from today:

• One of the problems I've been having at work this summer is the heat. My body isn't handling the heat as well as it used to. This summer also seems warmer than the last few. Anyhow, my supervisor ordered neck fans that can be purchased using our swag bucks. I now have one and it helps. I'm not sure I would have realized how much it was helping if the battery hadn't died. Straight out of the box the battery lasted a few hours. I'm hopeful for longer when the battery is fully charged. 
• Monday I won a dessert maker at work. I found out about it on Tuesday and today I received it. I'm not sure how often I will use it, but other people in the house will.  It came with some neat recipes.  I'm intrigued by the pumpkin pie recipe.  I was also given a new backpack for being a learning ambassador. 

• Last night the family made pancakes for dinner while I slept. My lunch today was leftover pancakes with maple syrup and homemade blueberry syrup. Yummy.

Pancakes 

• Outside I checked on the bee balm after doing a little internet research. It looks as if there should be seeds soon. If I'm able to collect some, I might plant some in other parts of the yard.

☮

Currently listening to: Catch-22, by Joseph Heller.

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

T-T-T-Tuesday

 Here are some happy things from today:

• For some unknown reason I had some anger in me at work today.  I'm fairly certain that I was a good adult and didn't let on to anyone.  Yay!
• Walking around the yard this afternoon I saw the eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly again (or maybe a different one).  It was farther away this time, but I got a picture. 

• There is cow vetch scattered around the yard borders.  Vetch is a nitrogen fixer and potentially good for the soil.  I think they are pretty too.

• Thanks to Corvidae and Bel, there is a zucchini growing in the garden.  I enjoy eating zucchini.  One way I like it (but it doesn't always like me) is batter dipped and fried like an onion ring.  😋

• The peony has developed seed pods.  I'm hoping they will continue to mature until I get back from Pennsic.   I'd like to try to plant them.  I'm not sure how they will do from seed in this climate.  I'd like more peonies though. 

☮

Currently listening to: Catch-22, by Joseph Heller.

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

The Moon!

 Happy Monday!  Here are some special things from today:

• Usually when I am outside to take a picture at night I am in a rush, distracted, or not willing to take the time to learn how to do it better.  Early this morning when I saw the moon and Venus rising I went to have breakfast and decided to do some research.  Here are the before and after pictures.  I hope I remember what I did next time.

Before learning.

Playing with a setting.

The crescent moon and Venus. 

• Keziah and I went out to breakfast this morning and then to the studio.  I think we have a plan for going to Pennsic.  I'll be taking two days off without pay so I've committed to working Saturday this week to help with my cash flow.  I'm going to keep my eyes open for other shifts too.  At the studio we went through the fabric piles.  I found the fabric I bought last year.  Keziah is going to make some medieval clothes that are better in hot weather.  I'm going to try to find a bunch of mine.

Linen! (Mostly)

• My friend Amy and I walked this afternoon.  The high temperature today was around 74 degrees.  It was beautiful.  It is always lovely to spend time with Amy.  Along the trail we spotted some jewelweed.  There used to be some on the property out back, but I think the Japanese knotweed have taken over.  Jewelweed can be used to create an anti-itch ointment.  I don't know how, but a friend gave me some once and it seemed to work.

• Ducks!!

☮

Currently listening to: Catch-22, by Joseph Heller.

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

What a Day!

 Happy things from today:

• Today I could have worked, but chose not to.  I thought I would get up early and do things around the house, but it was hard to get motivated.  Eventually I did get moving and part of the lawn and garden got mowed.  Then Bel, Corvidae, and I got some corn planted.  I'm not sure how many more plants will get into the ground this year versus pots.  I'm happy that things are getting planted and that I'm trying to be helpful so they do.

• An Eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly was flying around and pollinating the daylilies.  

• There is what appears to be a white-faced Hornets nest in the cherry tree.  The nests are so neat looking.  They seem fragile.  

• Another flower is in bloom, the balloon flower (According to Lens).  It is a lovely shade of purple.

• In the afternoon the family went to a birthday party for a young man who turned  four.  Did you know they make a ride-on toy that a child can drive around that picks up small toys as it goes?  What a great way to make clean up time fun!  The party was in the classroom of the store, DIY Craft & Thrift.  There were many people and I found myself spending more time in the store itself.  It made having conversations with great friends easier. 
• Zed's mom came by the house in the late afternoon to get some mail.  She locked the keys in her car.  When we got home from the party she was in the driveway, resting on her open trunk, on the phone with AAA.  I motioned or said something and she got off the phone.  I showed her how to put her back seats down then I clambered into the trunk in hopes of grabbing the keys.  Thankfully she saw the opportunity for me to open the back door and she was able to reach in and get the keys.  Teamwork!  I'm not sure why climbing into a car trunk seems like a great adventure to me, but it is.  😆
• With all the extra work and last week's event I hadn't talked with my friend in Texas for a while.  We caught up tonight.  We got to vent about our jobs and the horrible things going on in the world.  Before getting off the phone we made a point of talking about the things going on that have been making us happy too.  Things like cats playing and butterflies fluttering.  😊
• Keziah picked blueberries and my favorite, golden raspberries today.  Dessert was heavenly. 

☮

Currently listening to: Catch-22, by Joseph Heller.

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

More Lilies

 July 19th--Saturday

Here are some happy things from today:

• At work this was the third day in a row that I was able to clear out the new hazardous materials.  I've decided that when I am there, if no one is obviously assigned to it, I'm asking.  It doesn't need to be me, just someone in there making sure broken things are taken care of.  I'm pretty sure that taking that kind of initiative is a management quality and I'm okay with honing those skills.  That said, I don't think I want to be on the management path at my age--too many hours.
• At home I did laundry and played a new game on my phone.  There are other things I could have done, but I had a case of I-don't-wanna.  It was fun, I'm going to do my best to not let the game take over my life.  
• When I stepped outside to look for a flower to take a picture of, I didn't have to go far.  There are some yellow-ish daylilies that have recently opened up near where the irises were earlier this year.  They must have come up in previous years too, but I don't remember them.  It is weird how some plants stick in my head and others just fall right through.

☮

Currently listening to: Catch-22, by Joseph Heller.

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

Flutterby.

 July 18th

Happy Friday!  Here are some things that brought me joy today:

• Tomorrow is my last day of Mandatory Extended Time for now.  I've made it through four ten hour days.  Saturday is all overtime.  It always feels like such an accomplishment.  I'm not sure it would feel like this if my schedule was day work instead of night work.  The weird thing is that I might pick up another shift on Sunday.  Yesterday I won a speaker.

• It is taking me some time to get used to all the new things on my new FitBit.  One thing I don't like is the band.  It is a very stiff material and wants to stick into my wrist.  I found some elastic fabric ones online.  I bought five of them for around $10.  So far it is way more comfortable.  I doubt I will, but I think I could cut off the elastic and weave my own designed band if I wanted to.

• The new-to-us chicken coop is here.  It needs a little work, but it looks pretty good.

• There was a Monarch butterfly around the milkweed!  

Cropped

☮

Currently listening to: Catch-22, by Joseph Heller.

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!