More Dyeing

 

Before!

During

After, part one
The extra dye was rinsed off but needed
to go through a regular load of laundry.

After, vertical stripes

After, horizontal stripes

I am sorry the yellow disappeared and the red faded, but it still looks better than the avocado pits.

New Accessories

 We have been wearing masks and have quite a collection.

My first one was made by a high schooler who
was doing it as part of a service project.

She gave the pattern to A. and he made a similar one for himself.

I bought this one from the sewing store up the street.

D. made two of these from a pattern in the newspaper and A. helped him personalize his.

I was not confident in my sewing ability so I tried a simple pattern.
It took me a long time, but was happy with the result.

I bought this mask to support an entrepreneur. She had lost her job and was given a small grant,
which she used to buy material and then sold masks to raise money.

These masks have been D.'s favorite and he has made four of them.

Once I found this pattern it became my favorite and I have
made four of them. Two I have made with ear loops.

Two I have made with elastic and a lace lock.

My sister sent one of these made with material designed by her housemate.
A. liked it so much I gave it to him and bought one for myself.

I thought I had a lot of masks but since I wear one when I cycle and run I go through a lot.

Dyeing

 D. dyed some tea towels with tea, but the resulting color was very light. I read about using avocado pits and was hoping for better results.

I used a piece of cloth from a torn sheet.

After boiling the pits and letting them sit for eight+ hours, I soaked the cloth.

I can see the difference, but the final product

was very muted.

I am trying again, this time I weighing down the material.

Life's Little Mysteries, Street Edition

Please share your answers, serious or ridiculous accepted.

And one answer

I wondered why someone would have a magic square sticker (all rows, columns, and diagonals have the same sum) on the window.  I poked around the internet and found no answers. Last week at the grocery store I parked next to this same car and immediately started to write a note to leave on the windshield. I was so busy writing I didn't notice the driver come out until the car started pulling away. I jumped out and asked the driver about the sticker and the person pulled back into the spot to explain the meaning. Maybe 5000 years ago an emperor found a turtle with a special pattern on its back, which corresponds with the magic square. The sticker on the car is opposite of the turtle's pattern because one is looking at it from underneath. Each square is part of one's yoga journey. Mystery solved.

The Good Life

 

Does this temperature scale make my weather look hot?

Is that better?

We decided to get up early to drive to the beach. We arrived about 7:30 a.m. and A. rode 27 miles while D. and I walked on the beach.

We all cooled off in the water and left just as the crowds were arriving.

If only I could have soaked it up to bring back home.

Baking Project

Did you watch television in the 1980's?

If so, you might remember these ads.

photo from Sanity Found

And if you know some Girl Scouts you might know these

peanut butter and chocolate cookies known as tagalongs.

There was a recipe for an enormous version, which sounded good.

the crust

the peanut butter layer on top

the finished product

It is very filling and definitely satisfies the peanut butter and chocolate craving that some of us get.

It Could Be Worse

Of course, it could be better!

We received a letter from the city letting us know
that we had tree that must be removed.  How sad to
see it marked with the white paint of death.

It wasn't a surprise since I could see deep cracks in the bark.

Our neighbors had similar paint on two trees.

We were able to have the removal delayed until the end of summer so we could enjoy the shade during the hottest months. The trees across the street were removed this week

The crew arrived in the morning

and worked very quickly.

If the city gets funds from a grant they will plant new trees. Owners
can pay for one, but they will not be planted until fall or winter.

Sigh.