Author: louisaenright

I am passionate about whole, nutrient-dense foods, developing local markets, and strengthening communities.

It’s a Rainy Day!

Turkey Tracks: June 8, 2022

It’s a Rainy Day!

I needed a rainy day!

All my indoor weekly cleaning/laundry tasks are done.

I’ve completed catching up with my garment projects—until fall when I’d like to make a tunic pattern I have—maybe in flannel to wear over pants or leggings.

There are actually 4 tops if you count the first one I did where the neckline was too big and the sewing was crappy until I used a walking foot for ALL the sewing.

These tops fit, can layer over t-shirts, and are so, so cute!

The outdoor tasks will wait for the rain to pass, and now I have time to sew the big Bear Paw blocks using the 3-inch strips I cut for the Churn Dash blocks out of the Cotton+Steel stash. Pics later as the blocks on the design wall grow.

Monday I walked with friend Jan Corson. We did a circle that runs along the harbor and bay where there are some challenging grades.

Here’s a view of Curtis Island and the iconic lighthouse that sits looking out to the bay:

The rhododendrons are spectacular this year. Here is a whole gorgeous hedge of them we passed as we walked on the high side of the circle.

I have two rhodos here in the yard. The deer ate them back to their stems this winter. One of them, on the north side of the house toward the woods, was protected with burlap and stakes. The deer ripped off the burlap and destroyed the rhodo—even though there was a very deer-savvy dog in the house.

And they also found and ate the rhodo that sits in a protected spot in the back of the house.

So, I have rhodo envy for all the beautiful rhodos that escaped the deer predators.

And I think I’m going to have to give up and take these 2 rhodos out and replant with shrubs that deer don’t like.

I may try spraying them with the smelly spray next early winter.

But…

I think it is a losing battle.

Rocking Out

Turkey Tracks: June 5, 2022

Rocking Out

I usually mow on Fridays as that is when the grass has had a week to grow. But Friday this past week was a rainy day.

The morning here yesterday, Saturday, was murky, but dry.  But after lunch, the sun came out, and I went for a walk.  I took my little ipod touch and ear buds and played music rather than my current book—I used to walk with music a lot back in Virginia, where I had a recorded tape of “walking music” that kept the pace strong.  I found myself singing with the music quietly so as not to freak anyone passing by and just moving pretty fast.  It was so much fun!  And that would not have happened if I were walking with AC doggie as I would have been walking WITH him.

When I got home, the sun had dried most of the grass—it was only wet in some shady spots—so I put on boots, got out the mower, and sang at the top of my lungs to the music and just rocked out the mowing and weed whacking.  I came into the house full of joy and satisfaction.

After a shower, I made a coffee and returned to the almost-finished knit top I was making—where I was trying a pattern hack to take out extra fabric around the neck.  It worked beautifully.  The shirt fits perfectly.  And today I will likely walk again and will cut out and start to sew the other two shirts—which are less flamboyant than this one. There was a scarce printed knit selection at Fiddlehead Artisan Supply on Friday—due to supply chain problems. But this print seemed so cheerful.

Today, Sunday, is cool and sunny—my kind of sunny day. I’m going to grill a flank steak at noon—and will use some of the meat for a salad supper, which I’ll make at noon too. Thus dinner will be all ready when I stop sewing. I’ll roast a cauliflower and will pan sauté some Bok Choy to go with the flank steak.

I bought some Granny Smith apples at the Belfast Co-op. Maybe I’ll bake some of them for a dessert for tonight. I’ve just been adding a bit of my raw fresh cream to dress the warm apples—after dishing up one with all its lovely juice. Vanilla ice cream is very…sweet. The raw cream is just right.

I’m Running Out of Amy Harmon Books!

Turkey Tracks: June 4,m 2022

I’m Running Out of Amy Harmon Books!

She published The Unknown Beloved this year, which I bought to read for myself.

I read all the time, but in recent years, my actual reading has been nonfiction and research. I listen to fiction on Audible or our local Maine library system when I sew—as I love, love stories. Friend Linda McKinney got me to read fiction again by bringing me about 5 of her Nora Rogers trilogies—through which I ripped as if I had been starving.

And then I found Amy Harmon.

Here’s the list of Amy Harmon’s books—from the front cover of The Unknown Beloved, which is apparently a murder mystery. I will read or listen to them all. And I will hope that she writes and releases another book soon. Her historical fiction is particularly nice. I was in tears through most of From Sand and Ash.

https://www.authoramyharmon.com/

Sewing Garments

Turkey Tracks: June1, 2022

Sewing Garments

So, I’ve had two knit garments cut out for two years—waiting for me to sew them.

It was now time, I decided. So I uncovered the serger and refreshed my memory on how to thread and use it.

I’ve made this dress a few times now—and along the way worked out altering the pattern to suit my body. It’s the ”Out and About Dress” by Sew Caroline.

I bought this more expensive fabric first, so I didn’t want to cut it until I made sure I had a good fit on the pattern.

And, due to the internal side pockets, I didn’t actually use the serger. I used a knit stitch on my Janome, and that worked fine.

The dress fits beautifully. I am so happy with it.

The other garment is the Chai T by Liesl & Company.

I cut the pattern out of extra knit leftover from another project.

The resulting garment was way too long. I want to wear the top outside, not tucked in.

And as is common for my body, the bust fits but there is too much fabric around the neckline as I have, apparently, a narrow shoulder width.

It was 51 degrees outside this morning, so I layered under the top. You can see the gaping neck line in front—and it is throwing off the fit in the shoulders too.

I was also fighting with my sewing machine until I realized I could put on the walking foot for the knit stitch as well as the straight stitch.

I chopped off the extra at the bottom and found a way to take out fabric around the neck (front and back) on the pattern that does not disturb the straight of grain (the front and back are cut out on folded straight of grain lines) and that does not overly impact the bust line.

There was some construction that was new to me—the yoke construction uses a ”burrito” folding method that makes the inside yoke seam on one side enclosed. But I hated the neckline attachment method and will not do it that way again. Instead I’ll do that burrito method for the yokes on both sides (if that is possible) and will install the neckline as I do all other knit top necklines—which makes the neck circle seam much less bulky and much less difficult to sew.

I did use the serger on the garment sides.

And I love the little cap sleeve.

Now I’ll buy a new yard of knit fabric and try it again.

Organic Roots Brings Home Blue Ribbons

Turkey Tracks: May 30, 2022

Organic Roots Brings Home Blue Ribbons

I love the Organic Roots Koroneiki olive oil—which is more robust than the other two choices.

I order the Koroneiki in the gallon size—and it usually takes me a year to go through a gallon as I mostly just use it for dressing my salads. However, I have tried it recently on roasted veggies, and it really shines there as well. I am cautious about heating olive oil with high heat though, as it fractures easily, which is not a good thing for the body as fracturing produces tiny, tiny shards. So I never sauté with olive oil, preferring the sturdier meat fats instead.

Covid stopped olive oil competitions in the past few years, so it is really nice to see how well Organic Roots is doing this year with resumed competitions.

Organic Roots is a family-owned organic oil producer in Northern California.

A Week Just Slipped By

Turkey Tracks: May 28, 2022

A Week Just Slipped By

…since I last posted.

It was a really busy week that included walks alone and with friends, some coffee visits here, and lots and lots of outdoor tasks, to include mowing yesterday to get ahead of the much-needed rain today.

Along the way I got the Churn Dash quilt on and off the longarm—and made and installed its cheerful red binding (also Cotton+Steel from my dwindling stash. This quilt is so cute! And I really like the secondary patterns that form.

Today’s rainy day will be spent sewing the two knit garments I have had cut out for TWO YEARS—a top and a dress. Then I’ll move the serger and set up the Bernina (my first real sewing machine bought in the late 1990s) so my 12-year old granddaughter who will be coming in late June can try it out. This granddaughter is SEWING.

Busy is Good: Sunday May 22 Update

Turkey Tracks: May 22, 2022

Busy is Good: Sunday May 22 Update

For now I’ve put away all the ”doggie” things in the house, including the big crate in the kitchen. I’ve taken the old chewed dog beds to the dump. And the house seems so quiet, and there are now so suddenly so many empty spaces.

I am working hard to create new daily patterns.

Well, maybe they are the same, just without ”that dog!”

I’ve blown off and swept the back deck—so it is ready to be washed down for the summer season. I just want it to get warmer before I drag out the hose and go to scrubbing. It’s 50’s and 60’s here. And rainy off and on.

I’ve weed whacked, mowed, and done a little weeding OUTSIDE—which felt good.

And somewhere in the past few days I put the Churn Dash quilt on the longarm. And that was a mistake—because the backing wasn’t square and needed trimming. So AFTER I had basted it, I realized it just wasn’t right. So I took the quilt (as yet unnamed) off the long arm and took out all the basting and started over—which included putting on a leader at the top to give me more room at the bottom. Yesterday the quilt went back on, and everything looks good. I got the edge and one pass done before I quit late yesterday.

I finally settled on a medium grey for the quilting—as it worked best with the front AND the back. You can just see a little at the top of the quilt—as all is now set up for another pass.

I have enough of a cheerful Cotton+Steel red blender that I’ll use for the binding—as the goal here is to use up this part of my stash.

Yesterday I made a run to Belfast—and on the way replenished my Dark Harbor coffee at Green Tree in Lincolnville Beach. I needed raw butter blocks from the Co-op. And I got some yarn to make a new red wool scarf to replace the one I’ve had some time—which I washed in early spring, and it felted. You just never know with wool in a washing machine… But, that scarf was way too short anyway. And it curled at the edges. Live and learn…

So I went into Heavenly Yarns and got some very pretty red wool that is a Maine product: Quince & Company, Osprey.

I’m just going to do the same pattern I did with an aqua wool scarf I made because I like it so much. It has seed stitches at the edges so it won’t curl—and is just a simple basket weave pattern.

This improv ”thing” is going to grow into something—a rug maybe. Basically it is using up fabric selvages and cotton yarn I had from other projects. I’ll go around the center with the cotton yarn—and them I’ll start back in some way with fabric selvages. It’s an experiment. It’s funky. I don’t really care… It’s just…something.

That’s my Dew Drop cold diffuser next to the yarn. It could take ”doggie” smells out of the downstairs in nothing flat.

I knitted the center, as I’ve done with selvage placemats—but had to resort to crochet when the piece got bigger. Maybe it will wind up being one block that gets sewn to others. It takes a long time to make the selvage center as it requires…selvages. And I’ve been using up stash fabrics for months now.

Speaking of the Cotton+Steel stash project, I think the big Bear Paw blocks will use up the remaining 3-inch strips that I cut. And I have enough of the ”Dotty” neutral for the sashing.

Today is very foggy and cool.

I’ll get out for a walk—maybe with my ear phones and my Audible book.

OUTSIDE is good, you know.

And then I’ll grill a steak for lunch/dinner and work on the longarm.

Comforting Poems

Turkey Tracks: May 20, 2022

“Comforting Poems”

Thanks to all of you for so many lovely words of comfort and care.

I truly appreciate your kindness.

I’m still a bit of a mess. Of course I am. But, as I’ve said before, life can be quite messy some times.

The house seems so empty, but my heart is full.

Some of you have sent me some really nice poems, including the rainbow bridge poem.

So I will include them here as so many of you also carry a lot of grief, earned in just…living.

AC Slater: Waiting at the Rainbow Bridge

Turkey Tracks: May 19, 2022

AC Slater: Waiting at the Rainbow Bridge

Here’s one of my favorite pictures of my sweet boy—who is asking me to ”go,” to play.

I had to put AC down yesterday—and I thought you’d like to know.

In a nutshell, the resident Lyme he had flared badly over the weekend, so I took him to the Camden Animal Hospital first thing Monday morning.  They dehydrated him and got him on all the strong Lyme meds, but then his back legs totally went limp on Tuesday afternoon. He couldn’t walk. Or, pee without his back legs. I held him in my arms all Tuesday afternoon and all that night. He wouldn’t eat anything.  

So, more x-rays yesterday morning, Wednesday, showed he had something, some injury maybe, in vertebrae on his spine that, together with his Lyme, rendered his legs useless—a possible combo of Lyme nerve damage and possible injury.  

An operation in Portland may or may not have helped—meanwhile he was on the heavy-duty Lyme meds. Plus, he already had all the food issues from a reaction to his 1-year rabies booster, so that I cooked his fish and veggie food, which was the only food he could eat without allergic reactions.  How would I feed him, assuming he would even eat, while he was in a hospital in Portland? How would I manage a 40-pound dog whose back legs were not working?

I just couldn’t see a clear way that could help him and that I could manage.  It just felt like the kindest thing I could do for him to put him down. AC was a hard charging, high-energy dog—even if I could have worked out all the logistics and the meds worked and the operation worked, he would have hated having to be sedentary, quiet, docile for the rest of his life.  That just was not, at all, who he was.  

I was totally exhausted yesterday.  I got a good night’s sleep last night, so feeling less tired this morning.  And I am beginning to catch up with things that were on hold for the last 4 days. But I am going gently, too. Everything will wait.

I loved AC so much.  He was my forever, forever dog. He brought so much life, and joy, and sweetness into my life—in countless ways. He was the smartest dog I’ve ever had. His vocabulary was huge. He had just turned 4 and up to 4 days ago, seemed healthy and happy.

Now I will take a dog break for some time and regroup.  I’ve never been alone for the last 20 years as I’ve always had dog companions.  So it will be good to take some time to see how it is to live without a dog when one is alone.  Pros and Cons, for sure.  But I want some good time to fully grieve a companion who had such a hold on my heart and my time, who brought me such life-giving gifts. AC can never be replaced. Not easily. Maybe not ever.

It all just happened so quickly…

But life is like that some times, isn’t it? Change can come in the bat of an eyelid.

There are lessons to be learned from AC’s life. I will spend some time contemplating those lessons. Some include that it is important to get outside every day, that is is important to be happy, that it is important to play often each day, that it is important to feel joy from the small moments we are given every day where joy can be present if recognized as such.

I’ll start with those.

Water, for AC, was a never ending…joy to be experienced.

“Amore” Petunia is Fragrant

Turkey Tracks: May 16, 2022

“Amore” Petunia is Fragrant

On Saturday I made a quick trip to our local Home Depot for a dedicated cord for the leaf blower.

The back deck needs to be blown off and scrubbed. So I also got a stiff, rectangular ”push” broom to help with cleaning off the green ”stuff” that grows in the winter on the shadiest parts of that deck. Clorox is required for that job. And I thought that if we had a harder rain, I’d use the already wet deck to make this job easier.

With those items in the cart, on a whim I decided to see if there were any reasonable geraniums or petunias I could use—which could save me a trip to my favorite nursery, which is 30 minutes away. I saved my hanging basket from last year with the thought I could reuse it.

I walked by a big display of a pink and white-striped petunias called ”Amore,” which were planted in bigger pots.

Hello! Amore was incredibly FRAGRANT.

I LOVE fragrant petunias in a hanging basket.

Amore came home with me—and I planted it right away—and hung it on the upper porch where I like to have a hanging basket.

I saved about $20, and I can see it from where I sit at the dining room table. Win-Win.

So now I’m happy and the very hungry hummingbirds are happy as they like to have a hanging basket near their feeder It makes them feel safer I think.

I still need the geraniums though. And a few other plants as well.