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Are(not) these knitting needles?

A continuing quest to identify these as knitting needles.  Why do I think so?  Well, I got them in the box with other knitting needles at a thrift store and they must have been put there with some indication that they were for that purpose.
They were not in with the cutlery so they are not two sets of chopsticks and one koan chopstick of the "what is the use of one chopstick hovering..." sort.  They were not in with the tools or camp equipment. 

Most of all - they knit wonderfully!  On two needles or four.  The larger end is the working end.  And they are relaxing to knit with so they may well be ergonomic in design.  Has anyone seen anything like these? 

Tutorial : Yogurt

Recent suggestion by a doctor that  probiotics  would be a beneficial addition to my eating habits and homemade yogurt was a good source got me making my own yogurt again.  He claims any commercial yogurt lacks the necessary amount of healthy bacteria.  Another doctor named a brand of yogurt with extra pro'b's added but when I checked the ingredients on this - whooof.  I get nervous when I don't recognize or can't pronounce such things.

So here is how I learned to make yogurt in India many years ago with slight adaptations.

Put one pint of milk in pot (I use a heavy bottomed one: makes cleanup a snap) on stove over medium heat and let it just come to the almost boil stage - bubbles will form around the edges and the top of the milk looks thickish.                                          

Remove from heat immediately and let stand (I set timer for 15 minutes and then make first test) until you can dip a finger into the milk and have it still quite warm but not hot enough to  make you  pull  hand  out.

I find this method of testing  very satisfying in its simplicity and  reliance  on  my  direct  gauging.

Put two tablespoons of the last batch of yogurt into an insulated travel mug that will hold a pint of liquid. 

If this is the first time making homemade use the plainest commercial yogurt you can find for the starter.

Pour the cooled milk on top of yogurt starter.
Put lid on mug.

Put mug in a spot where it will not be disturbed for the next twelve hours.

In India we used a bowl instead of a mug, wrapped it in a cloth and set it away in a cupboard for overnight.

I  put cold water in the pot and let it sit for a few minutes; then it cleans up nicely with a scrub cloth.  I have had milk stick to pans and practically need a chisel to get it out.  Search around for a pan that doesn't do this: the frustration is not worth it.

This is what it looks like after twelve hours - yogurt!

Put in a container that closes and refrigerate.

Ready to eat.  Tasty 'medicine'.

Oh-yen (Only hat you'll ever need)

We've been having a cool spring extension and so my ongoing wearing of this hat was leading me to think - "Wow, this could be a year round head covering."  Then we had two days of summer weather - but - mornings and evenings are bracing and hat is proving to be one that one can wear year round.  It actually even works in the hot sun with its visorability to shade face or neck and the lightweight cashmere  has that magic of wool of keeping one cool as well as warm.

It's made from a thrift store cashmere sweater and I told how to do it - it's so simple and quick! - here

If you make one I would love to hear from you and what you think of the hat.  I find it slips in a pocket or purse, can be worn many different ways, is light and comfortable to wear and does what a hat ought to do.

I've made ones from recycled t-shirts, denim (for the bottom I used a fabric with a bit of stretch), rainwear material and have a thought to try one in clear plastic for the top and a solid colour for the bottom.

The one shown in the tutorial is available for sale in my etsy shop.

Philosophical Friday : Pixie'd

The origins of this are lost in memory but when the boys were young we engaged in something called Pixie.  It took different forms but essentially it was doing something nice for another member of the family and saying "You've been pixie'd".   It could be folding someone's laundry and leaving it on their bed or tucking a special treat into a lunch bag or finding the windshield cleared of ice on a winter morning (this was Ontario!) or writing a note for someone to find in their luggage when they arrived at the end of a trip or - well, you get the idea.

Mostly it was random acts but at times one person would be designated Pixie for the day and the rest of us would focus on that one and plan ahead.

This morning I stopped at a crosswalk and when the young woman pushing a stroller with a toddler slowly walking beside her reached the other side of the road and turned to smile and wave at me - I guess for being patient and not rushing past her as soon as I had a clear inch - I thought, "I've been pixie'd". 

Then came the realization that it works both ways.  And it kind of spreads.

Potholder from a sweater

This is the jar where those bits and pieces of thread and yarn and fabric get put (am still looking for the name of such a collection) and now that the jar is (overly) full I have been using the 'ingredients' in various ways, a potholder being one of them.

I wanted something more substantial than material with a batting for a potholder
and something felted came to mind...so...I went through the stash and  this sweater, a garage sale find,  gave up a sleeve to the cause.  I  threw  it into  the washing machine  with  a load of  sheets and towels  (tied into a pillow case  to keep any  wooly bits  confined)  and it didn't felt much but enough for what I wanted. 

I cut two squares from the sleeve, dropped a handful of threads etc. from the jar onto one square and did a bit of  'arranging',  machine stitched the 'arrangement' onto the square, sewed the other square to it.  There you have it.  It works great.  Shown is a made-up shot for the photo shoot - pretty lame, I admit - you can tell that pan is not at all hot and that seriously protective potholder is shamming.
But tonight it did fine duty with the pan and lid for frying fish.  Another potholder is in progress.  I will need two for removing baked goods from the oven.  I threw out the old pair of potholders . 

Happenstance gardening

This is what one of the raised beds looked like back in mid-June when I put a cleome plant in it and noted that there was a scattering of nasturtium from last year, possibly a potato and tomato plant that had reseeded and other bits and pieces of green that looked promising.  I planted two tomato plants, a ground cherry, three scarlet runner beans, stuck some dried seed pods in the midst.  And waited.....

This is what it looks like now.  The poppies were a surprise and I don't know what the plant that looks like coriander is but it is not coriander.  I had several tussles with bindweed.  There is a variegated nasturtium tucked in the back.  The tomatoes need the suckers removed from their 'arm pits' but the fruit looks plentiful.  Cleome reminds me of my beloved southern Ontario and I have had two snacking sessions with the runner beans.
I look forward to whatever the ground cherry is going to produce - I can see the 'envelope' forming.

Hobo Inspired

Being of an age to remember talk of, if not the actuality of, hobos (freight cars were a reality which I did investigate when they were 'parked' in the railway yard in my small hometown and were said to be how hobos traveled; I lived in hope of seeing one but never did) -  and having the image come to mind of hobo luggage - belongings gathered into a cloth and hanging from a stick over his shoulder (her shoulder? were there female hobos?) - and having recently needed a walking stick to assist in the healing of a sore foot -  and being enchanted with the whole idea of furoshki which is the Japanese practice of wrapping an item in a square of cloth for ease in carrying....dah dah......this is what I came up with.

It looks much snazzier when seen over the shoulder of a real person but the mailman declined my request to be a model so I had to resort to Maisie who is patient but only has one pose.

Philosophical Friday : Exploring nowhere

(Of course I was tempted to write "Phriday" ; I resisted.)

Nowhere.

Nowhere?

No?  Where?

No!   Where?

No!  Where!

Now.  Here.

Teeny tiny tutorial : chair dressing

This cotton jersey dress was on route to the garbage can for the simple reason it was stained and stains in cotton jersey seem permanent.  I'd gotten the dress at a garage sale and, eternal optimist, figured I could get rid of the stains. No luck.  No wish to dump the garment on someone else by donating it somewhere. 

Then, passing by this garden chair which is also much stained, my eyes cut from dress to chair to dress again..........

And before you could say Bob's your uncle I had the chair clothed in the dress.  It works just fine as an unusual cover and gives a nice support when sat upon.  It also makes people grin when they see it.