During the fall, winter, and spring months, Wednesdays and Thursdays are out straight for me. We had orchestra rehearsal last night (In Lebanon, NH ~35 miles one-way) so I worked during the day yesterday. Got home a little after 10 p.m. and was in bed around 11-ish. Up at 7:15 this morning to get to Lebanon, NH again for my 8:45 lesson. Lesson was followed by Cello Choir class after which I went to the local super market to pick up fixings to make pumpkin pies--our once-a-month quilter's guild meeting was this evening and I was on the food committee: in charge of dessert.
When I got home this afternoon around 1 pm, I was surprised to find the stove still going! I had not filled it when I got up this morning thinking I'd let it die down so I could empty some ashes. Like I mentioned in the prior post, I wanted to try moving the hot embers to the side and scooping out some of the ashes below. It worked well enough and the remaining embers were plenty hot enough to get the fire going again. The two pies got taken out of the oven this afternoon just in time for me to leave for our meeting. The meeting, which starts at 5pm is usually not very long but tonight was an exception: Meeting and dinner weren't over til 8pm so I decided I'd take a full personal day from work.
I'm exhausted this evening! It's a good exhaustion though: I got a lot done today. I look forward to some quiet time tomorrow perhaps to do some sewing.
My lesson was good. I'm revisiting "thumb positions": Those notes that are played by reaching around with the left hand up beyond the neck of the cello where the notes are high. It's tricky business and seeing how I'm not in my single-digit years any longer, it takes a major bit of work and effort to make it manageable. But! What's happening now is several times better than when I first attempted thumb position several years ago. Several magnitudes better, so I'm pleased about that. It feels within reach. Quite a journey, this cello learning, and I love it thoroughly.
The major piece our orchestra is playing in a few weeks is Vaughn Williams' "Sinfonia Antartica" (yes, the unusual spelling is correct for the title of this piece). It is based on music he wrote for a movie about the ill-fated expedition of Captain Scott. We have some fun and interesting instruments joining us for this performance: A wind machine, a harp, a celeste, an organ, a piano, a soprano and female choir, besides the full orchestra!
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
And snow came ...
We had more snow late yesterday into over night resulting in about 2" on the ground--with a crust of ice beneath it. It feels very wintery with the current temperature at 8 degrees F.
I managed to get the deck cleared of furniture yesterday morning, and all the remaining garden ornamentation put away as well. The only outstanding task is getting some protection around the roses. I don't think I'm too late, and if it warms up next weekend--it's suppose to--it seems to me that will be a good time to do it. Feeling a bit relieved that the yard is now winter ready.
I moved the bird feeders closer to the side door this week. I recall the hassle of having to clear a path all the way around the deck just to fill them last year. I'm learning. They're only a few steps from the side door now. I could watch the hungry visitors this afternoon from this desk I'm currently typing at. A heartening sight.
I have to figure out now, when to empty the stove of ashes. Since it is still burning well enough when I alight from my slumber in the morning, I am able to simply throw a few more logs in with maybe a stick or two of kindling to wake it up as well. But the ashes are piling up and I guess I'm going to have to let it go out in order to clear the ashes. Hm. Perhaps I can push the hot embers to the side and scoop out some of what's underneath? Perhaps. I'll certainly try it. The soap stone lining in the stove is wonderful, indeed! It does take a little time to get it up to temperature, but then it retains the heat very well and seems to throw it out into the room in a most gentle manner. I'm sitting at the other end of the house from the stove--and there are walls in between--yet it is 69 F right here, and the amazing thing is the living room, where the stove is located, is not uncomfortably hot. Most pleased with this stove so far.
I think I am going to try to make my own lye from the ashes taken from the stove. It seems a simple enough process: Run rain water (I imagine melted snow will work as well) through the ashes and collect the liquid. It would be exciting to make soap from lye that was leached from ashes that came from my own wood stove.
It's hard to believe that the land is pulling up the blankets already and tucking itself in for another winter. Sheesh, golly, and wow! Summer seems to have camouflaged itself this year, I don't recall seeing it. But I know it happened, there were some hot, sweaty days.
On a positive note, the days will start getting longer starting next month.
I managed to get the deck cleared of furniture yesterday morning, and all the remaining garden ornamentation put away as well. The only outstanding task is getting some protection around the roses. I don't think I'm too late, and if it warms up next weekend--it's suppose to--it seems to me that will be a good time to do it. Feeling a bit relieved that the yard is now winter ready.
I moved the bird feeders closer to the side door this week. I recall the hassle of having to clear a path all the way around the deck just to fill them last year. I'm learning. They're only a few steps from the side door now. I could watch the hungry visitors this afternoon from this desk I'm currently typing at. A heartening sight.
I have to figure out now, when to empty the stove of ashes. Since it is still burning well enough when I alight from my slumber in the morning, I am able to simply throw a few more logs in with maybe a stick or two of kindling to wake it up as well. But the ashes are piling up and I guess I'm going to have to let it go out in order to clear the ashes. Hm. Perhaps I can push the hot embers to the side and scoop out some of what's underneath? Perhaps. I'll certainly try it. The soap stone lining in the stove is wonderful, indeed! It does take a little time to get it up to temperature, but then it retains the heat very well and seems to throw it out into the room in a most gentle manner. I'm sitting at the other end of the house from the stove--and there are walls in between--yet it is 69 F right here, and the amazing thing is the living room, where the stove is located, is not uncomfortably hot. Most pleased with this stove so far.
I think I am going to try to make my own lye from the ashes taken from the stove. It seems a simple enough process: Run rain water (I imagine melted snow will work as well) through the ashes and collect the liquid. It would be exciting to make soap from lye that was leached from ashes that came from my own wood stove.
It's hard to believe that the land is pulling up the blankets already and tucking itself in for another winter. Sheesh, golly, and wow! Summer seems to have camouflaged itself this year, I don't recall seeing it. But I know it happened, there were some hot, sweaty days.
On a positive note, the days will start getting longer starting next month.
Friday, November 8, 2019
Switching gears ...
Well this is a very unusual situation for me: I'm switching gears right in the middle of a quilt! I've had it in mind to make a Christmas quilt and it started sinking in that there's not a whole lot of time left. So I have set aside my current quilt project for a few weeks while I work on something for Christmas.
There are several more rounds to go, but I’m liking it so far. I started with half a printed panel 22.5" square (I’ll use the other half to make a matching pillow). I’m adapting a pattern from Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting, July/August 2013, called “Colonial Medallion”.
I'm sewing the whole thing on my 1875 (yes, it turns out my estimate of 1878 was off by 3 years) Wheeler & Wilson. So much fun.
We had our first snow last evening and today. Well needless to say, I wasn't ready. There are still some garden ornaments and furniture to put inside, and the roses need protection. Looks like it will be a busy weekend!
There are several more rounds to go, but I’m liking it so far. I started with half a printed panel 22.5" square (I’ll use the other half to make a matching pillow). I’m adapting a pattern from Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting, July/August 2013, called “Colonial Medallion”.
I'm sewing the whole thing on my 1875 (yes, it turns out my estimate of 1878 was off by 3 years) Wheeler & Wilson. So much fun.
We had our first snow last evening and today. Well needless to say, I wasn't ready. There are still some garden ornaments and furniture to put inside, and the roses need protection. Looks like it will be a busy weekend!
Sunday, November 3, 2019
Constructing a block
We lost power the other day during the high winds. I had only 2" left on a seam to finish a block for my quilt, alas it would have to wait for the power to come back. But I wanted to continue sewing so I switched over to my 1878 Wheeler and Wilson treadle machine. I had forgotten how enjoyable it is to sew on, so I have decided to make the remainder of my quilt on it.
This evening I made a video of me constructing one block so you can see it in action. Ciello makes an appearance at about 1:45 mark, as does the sound. Otherwise the sound is off as the bird room door was open and quite noisy. Ciello makes another cameo nearer the end.
Enjoy!
This evening I made a video of me constructing one block so you can see it in action. Ciello makes an appearance at about 1:45 mark, as does the sound. Otherwise the sound is off as the bird room door was open and quite noisy. Ciello makes another cameo nearer the end.
Enjoy!
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