Well, I’m happy to have successfully sewn a garment on the new machine, but I can’t say I love the finished product. The fabric choice wasn’t great, and I made it too large. I’ll take more care with both factors on the next one.
barrington
Images
serger
I’ve been wanting a serger (overlocker) for many years, but I didn’t have space for one at Malibu. Here, I have a dedicated sewing/art table (not the dining room table) so I finally decided to purchase a used model. I’m excited to get to know (and use!) it.
Epipactis gigantea
My docent buddies Rick and Tom showed me a secret (off-trail) trove of stream orchids in the mountains. The hike included bushwhacking through poison oak, and getting wet in the creek. Some blood was shed (by the guys, not me). But we were rewarded with the best stand of Epipactic gigantea I’ve ever seen. Thanks Rick and Tom, it was awesome.
Calochortus albus
Friday hike in the Ventura River Preserve. I wanted to check out Fern Grotto Trail, hoping it would yield, you know, a grotto full of ferns. I did see some ferns, and also two little white globe lily plants, which distracted me from further exploration. By the time I’d journaled them, it was time to head home.
Procyon lotor
Caught on camera. We might have some competition for the tomatoes when they ripen.
Crotalus oreganus
We failed to find newts, but we did come across a tiny rattlesnake coiled in the grass.
clothesline
We have the yard. We have the sunshine. And now, we have the clothesline.
under the oaks
I spent much of the day at beautiful King Gillette Ranch, both staffing a booth for Malibu Creek State Park, and enjoying the music of the annual Topanga Banjo Fiddle Contest. I plucked this mushroom from under the nearby valley oak and was intrigued by its strong smell, so I asked a few people to sniff and describe. We settled on soy saucy chocolate. Later I found fresh specimens of the same species; their aroma was much milder. No, we were not tempted to taste them.
mystery nest
We found a lovely soft nest on the ground, mostly made of oak catkins and cobwebs, with decorations of feather and lichen. It actually looked like two conjoined nests, but I assume it had been teased out by an interested critter, before or after it fell. Who built it? I hope the eggs hatched safely.
leptoglossus
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