Three Birds Watching From a Rock and I Swear the Third One Talked

So, how’s the lockdown isolation treating everyone? Any interesting hallucinations, frank, auditory, or other? I guess we’re all having coronavirus dreams now as well. I trust no one has been disinfecting internally?

Just because there was a historical precedent doesn’t mean it is a good idea. Wouldn’t recommend a bleach poultice either🙄.

We had a severe dust storm last evening and it created a double rainbow effect at sunset. I can’t decide if it is beautiful or ominous. We’ve had high winds blowing across dry, unplanted fields making it miserable to spend much time outdoors. I try to take short walks around the neighbourhood between the gusts. 

I now have a pretty good system for doing shopping where I only need to go every two or three weeks. I stick to the small organic stores ( we have two) and the corner Walgreens. I go with a planned out list as I always did before. I might not plan meals ahead but have a pretty good idea what we use. Obviously I make adjustments for availability and quality of produce. Tomorrow is shopping day and though I can’t say I want to do it, there’s comfort knowing I can stay in for another few weeks after. 

Working through the freezer, I made some chicken thighs into a nice meal for the boys. Olives, preserved lemon, turmeric, cinnamon, and ginger was all it took to transform boring, skinless, chicken into a fancy meal. I’ve personally graduated from living on jam sandwiches to graham crackers and tea thus moving from the palate of a four year old to a six year old. We all mature at our own pace😁.

With the warmer weather coming in it was time to switch to a lighter blanket . Knowing Nebraska weather I have kept the extra blankets handy for now. My mum made this blue crochet back in the early 70s. 

The clothes switch has been going slowly as I don’t feel any obligation to get it done. I do get dressed every day, but as no one sees it, there’s no pressure to do anything elaborate. This outfit is an old favourite, year after year that always looks like I spent more time putting it together than I did. Every wardrobe should have a few pieces that do that. 

This purple wrap skirt was something I purchased about 30 years ago when I still lived in Chicago. It is antique saree silk sewn onto a new backing. In younger years I’d wear it with a tank or bikini top but clearly that ain’t about to happen now! It is such an elaborate piece it doesn’t require much more than a simple shirt on top. 

Some late 80s rayon is always nice this time of year when spring can’t decide on sun or snow. This dress is St. Tropez West, which eventually became Carole Little. It would have skewed a bit mature for me back then, but in my fifties it feels perfectly appropriate. Good colours too. 

What have we here? Straight hair! Decided to try blow drying it for the first time in a year and a half. Took forever, and turned to frizz the second I stepped outside. Don’t think I will be doing it again but it was interesting to see how long my hair is straight. 

On a really bad hair day there’s always a kerchief 😆. 

The Holly Hobbie dress reappears for a first warm day wear. 

The over the door skit hanger is back in action. That yellow maxi sticking out deserves more wear than it gets, so perhaps soon. I have three Chessa Davis tinkerer skirts and that’s my favourite one. 

Maybe this would be a good time to sort out the necklaces...

...and the perfume.

All this perfume and what do I wear day to day? Perfumes of Ireland Innisfree. Heavy on the lavender, but I have loved it forever. I still have half a bottle of the old formulation but when it is gone I’ll miss it. The newer version is ok but not the same. 

I’ll leave you with a couple of patches that might finally get sewn on my leather jacket now that I have time. 

Hope you’re all doing well. Remember kids, disinfectant should never be used internally, and a sunlamp to kill coronavirus is a very bad idea. 

hang in there!

There’s Boys Outside Preaching Geoncide

Is anyone surprised by the far right screaming about being liberated from lockdown? Didn’t think so. Sigh, I’m not sure I will want to leave the house once this is over. I’m starting to enjoy my own company.

There’s plenty to do around here. I made several dozen vareniki for the freezer ( they're dumplings filled with cabbage and onions) today. I still have half of a giant cabbage so maybe a stir fry with tofu later in the week. 

We had a snowstorm that dropped half a foot of snow on Omaha the other day, but it melted quickly and now it is summery outside. I put tarps over the garden so everything was fine. So far we’ve had sorrel, scallions, and pea shoots to eat from the early garden. The tomato plants on my windowsill continue to grow. 

Needed something to do so I embroidered an apron. I forgot to give Beet Poot ears! Need to add those I guess. Already made crochet dish rags so bit by bit the small chores are getting done. No idea why I have so much embroidery floss, but might as well use it- I’m not getting any younger. 

This bright, oversized shirt is by Foxcroft- a company that makes expensive travel clothes that don’t need ironing and can drip dry overnight. Obviously, I’m not traveling anywhere but it turned out to be a practical housework uniform. Would I wear this out? Absolutely not. I can’t think of anything that screams “Tourist “ louder than a pastel, check blouse. Maybe a pair of Bermuda shorts to match!

Speaking of ugly shorts, here’s a pink pair that would never be seen outside the garden. Don’t know why I bought them, but as hideous as bright pink shorts are, they’re comfortable to wear for gardening. 

Still experimenting with bright eyeshadow as no one will see it unless I show it! Pink and purple looked about as bad as you might expect, but I am warming to the look of orange. I tend to wear brown and beige shadow so this has been a departure. Those palettes ordinarily come with some far out colours that never get used but never is now ladies and gents! 

Still not doing jack shit with my hair because...well, come on. 

I have however mastered pulling it up in a scunchie band!

How did I ever live without scunchies?! I wasted so much time on my hair in the 90s when I could have just pulled it up in one of these!
And that’s about it from Omaha. We’re staying in, keeping busy, and trying to ignore the covidiots determined to try getting the rest of us killed. Stay safe friends. 

Going Nowhere Fast

We have been warned that the next three weeks in Nebraska will be a critical time as the virus is expected to peak at the end of the month. This is the time to get supplies, make plans, and then remain at home. 

Our mayor had to close the Omaha parks after several warnings about overcrowding went unheeded. It was so bad parents were sneaking children into closed playgrounds, and coaches were getting their children’s sports teams out to practice! Who does that sort of thing?! Apparently, enough idiots were, that the parks are all now closed and the police are enforcing it. Imagine willing to be that reckless with your children’s lives!

I can still walk a bit around my neighbourhood but with terrible air quality from agricultural burning in Kansas wafting north to us, it wouldn’t be worth it. This happens every spring so we are used to it. Most years we aren’t so desperate to get outside. Anyway, it is expected to snow again overnight so that ought to help the air. 

I did the shopping and pharmacy on Thursday, my first time out in two weeks. It was quiet, people were respectful, and the shelves were well supplied. I splurged on some tinned salmon which I used to make the croquettes above. Parsley and some preserved lemon really dress up a boring tinned fish. Anyway, there was plenty of produce for the moment, so  I took advantage of buying two more cabbages. I have my priorities 😁.

Clothes I haven’t worn in decades are being sorted through and worn. I bought this  vintage 60s Victor Costa Romantica dress in the 80s and wore it quite a lot when I was younger. Then, my life changed and it was too nice for the farm, then too nice for carrying around a young child, then finally too youthful for someone my age. At some point this week I thought, “sod it”, got it out and tried it on. To my surprise, it still fit ( barely, but it zipped and I could breathe) so I wore it. 

Might be a while before I get an opportunity to wear it outside the house, but I don’t plan to pack it away again. 

I do try to get dressed every day, even if it isn’t anything special. Shoes and handbags aren’t happening at the moment, but they will again. I need to sort out the winter and summer shoes in anticipation of that eventuality. Until then I have one pair of ugly but sturdy flats for neighborhood walks and puttering in the garden, and otherwise it is socks snd slippers for me. 

I did get to wear my strawberry basket earrings for the first time this year. The strawberry vines in the garden are alive and hopefully by June we will have some berries to enjoy. 

Meanwhile I can always wear the berries instead. 

Hope you’re all doing well and staying in!