Oh gosh --poppy fiber!!! What a fantastic experiment. SO so curious to hear how that works. Do let me know. And thank you for the specified Instant Pot recommendation. Cindy and Rebecca (comments above) also recommended instant pots, so my inclination gets stronger by the day. Your comment about electricity savings helps even more...
A pressure cooker is a fantastic way to cook beans, and MANY other things! You can soak them first for faster cooking. There are stove top and electric versions!
I second this and have to put in my unpaid and unprompted plug for the Instant Pot. It's an electronically controlled electric pressure cooker, and once you know the exact amount of minutes a particular bean needs to cook to your satisfaction, it's so so easy: plonk in soaked (or even unsoaked!) beans & water, select time, lock, and walk away to do finery things, then come back to perfectly cooked beans that are softe on the inside and yet hold their shape. Risottos are a 5 minute affair. And stews & pot roasts & pulled anything meats are a doddle.
Thank you both for the Instant Pot recommendation! Two other friends have recently RAVED about theirs ("you don't have to decide the night before to start soaking them!), and I even saw one of them in action. Well, I saw her get it out (not set it up), and I got to eat the beans afterward and they were, indeed cooked to perfection which was amazing since they were actually quite old beans which a I'm sure you both know can take forever to cook and sometimes never do. So though I haven't a lot of spare counter/storage space, and don't generally mind the time for pre-soaking I am going to keep my eye out for a one person size.
So wait, I'm not the only person with a lot of ideas, some of which I have to try to just get it over with? In the hope the scratched itch will subside.
And not get me where I am now, spinning and knitting and weaving the components of a skirt sort of based on the Sarahdippity skirt, woven and knitted panels.
Which started as a trial of learning backstrap weaving with a rigid heddle, constructing the loom from bits of dowel and bathrobe belt and pvc piping leftovers from another lovely adventure???
Hm. How to spell no, again? on the other hand, yes and maybe have their places. Thanks so much for the advice and encouragement and pleasure I get from your writing.
Oooh, variations on a Sarahdippity-- way to go! And backstrap/rigid heddle too. How marvelous. Cuz yes, the skirt itself grew out of such experiments for me -- adventures that started with one idea and have not yet ended anywhere other than with a fair bit of cloth -- some swathes lovelier than others and all worth doing. Hope you continue to have a grand time on your yarnish peregrinations.
… haven’t read these in ages but this one was so timely ~ that it’s ok to want to try so many different interesting crafts/techniques/possibilities to satisfy creative curiosities. Thank-You, Sarah!
Does Beryl eat beans? Does she nip your heels when walking behind you? My Corgi’s occasionally nip my heel and it always catches me by surprise 😁...what is Beryls favorite food I wonder? Stay cool my friend. Summer is upon us.
I haven't actually offered her any beans as yet, but perhaps it is time to share. Unlike other dogs I"ve known, she is not excited by carrots (one of my other favorite foods), but experiments are always fun. Beryl hasn't actually nipped my heels (unlike other heelers I've had), but she does keep careful track of where I am, which I love. Love Corgis for the same reasons --the brilliance of herding dogs I guess.
There are no better buddies than canine buddies. I am sooo happy that you and he have found each other. BFF!
Also, for Dandelion bloom recipes: Drop the flowers in hot oil in a frying pan. Just until you see they've gone crispy, fish them out, drain on a paper towel, and give them some salt MMMM Better than popcorn (say I, maybe not everyone.)
OH WOW. That sounds incredible. Thank you! I was just listening to a podcast that included some great recipes for dandelions (but not this one), and I'm even more inspired. She did talk about blanching dandelion stems in the last couple of minutes of cooking spaghetti noodles and then draining and eating them all together -- apparently delicious!
I love reading your musings while commuting to work. So inspirational as opposed to answering questions about salt all day. And I love the “m” exactly as you did it. Makes it so personal and individual. Thank you my friend.
Thank you for your support of the "m." It clearly needed a little love after I was kinda mean about it. But you're right -- what need for symmetry when there is the joy of being an individual?
Loved hearing about your experiments with Dandelions. I've been collecting mine all spring and drying them out. I also am inspired by Alice Fox and her book is fabulous! But what I really enjoyed hearing about today was Beryl. My daughter has a 4 year old Blue Heeler named Granger and he is a love and does exactly what Beryl does, follows her everywhere and cries/whines when she leaves for work. Just breaks your heart. And now she is going to have my first grandchild and I can't wait to see how protective I know Granger will be of my grandson. Can't wait for them to meet. She is due in early November, actually on her brother's birthday. Ha ha. Can't wait to hear more about Beryl and how exceptional I bet he is.
Granger! What a fantastic name for. a heeler. They are incredible dogs --and if you're connected to one, really nobody else will quite do, eh? Well, certainly no one but their special person will do for them either, which is part of it. My son's dog, a rescue that they think is probably half heeler, half corgi, has taken it upon himself to look after their new daughter. It's a big job and occasionally he has to take a nap when she does because its' kind of exhausting. Also incredibly gratifying and just what a heeler loves....
I agree. you are a precious soul. i just read through my ‘The Long Thread Media’ 2020 and there you are there too. I so appreciate reading your thoughts xx
Well maybe use the dandelion to dye with instead, what about ragwort does it make a good fibre,it is a noxious weed here and people pull it up and throw it on the road and it seems to go very fibrous when driven over .just saying
Ragwort! give it a try and let me know. Maybe all that "being driven over" is the 21st century form of fiber prep. in lieu of retting and such! My friend Jodi (who makes the watercolors I use from foraged plants and minerals), has just been making dandelion lake pigment from which she'll make paint. No end to their possibilities. https://www.instagram.com/p/CtMdIEjgjTy/
Oh gosh --poppy fiber!!! What a fantastic experiment. SO so curious to hear how that works. Do let me know. And thank you for the specified Instant Pot recommendation. Cindy and Rebecca (comments above) also recommended instant pots, so my inclination gets stronger by the day. Your comment about electricity savings helps even more...
So many shiny ideas! And the perfect pup
A pressure cooker is a fantastic way to cook beans, and MANY other things! You can soak them first for faster cooking. There are stove top and electric versions!
I second this and have to put in my unpaid and unprompted plug for the Instant Pot. It's an electronically controlled electric pressure cooker, and once you know the exact amount of minutes a particular bean needs to cook to your satisfaction, it's so so easy: plonk in soaked (or even unsoaked!) beans & water, select time, lock, and walk away to do finery things, then come back to perfectly cooked beans that are softe on the inside and yet hold their shape. Risottos are a 5 minute affair. And stews & pot roasts & pulled anything meats are a doddle.
Thank you both for the Instant Pot recommendation! Two other friends have recently RAVED about theirs ("you don't have to decide the night before to start soaking them!), and I even saw one of them in action. Well, I saw her get it out (not set it up), and I got to eat the beans afterward and they were, indeed cooked to perfection which was amazing since they were actually quite old beans which a I'm sure you both know can take forever to cook and sometimes never do. So though I haven't a lot of spare counter/storage space, and don't generally mind the time for pre-soaking I am going to keep my eye out for a one person size.
Those are some dandelions!
Aren't they? In the Shady parts of the yard they just GREW!
So wait, I'm not the only person with a lot of ideas, some of which I have to try to just get it over with? In the hope the scratched itch will subside.
And not get me where I am now, spinning and knitting and weaving the components of a skirt sort of based on the Sarahdippity skirt, woven and knitted panels.
Which started as a trial of learning backstrap weaving with a rigid heddle, constructing the loom from bits of dowel and bathrobe belt and pvc piping leftovers from another lovely adventure???
Hm. How to spell no, again? on the other hand, yes and maybe have their places. Thanks so much for the advice and encouragement and pleasure I get from your writing.
Liz Adams
May the itch never subside!!
Indeed!!!!
Sounds good glad there are other demented people out there
Oooh, variations on a Sarahdippity-- way to go! And backstrap/rigid heddle too. How marvelous. Cuz yes, the skirt itself grew out of such experiments for me -- adventures that started with one idea and have not yet ended anywhere other than with a fair bit of cloth -- some swathes lovelier than others and all worth doing. Hope you continue to have a grand time on your yarnish peregrinations.
… haven’t read these in ages but this one was so timely ~ that it’s ok to want to try so many different interesting crafts/techniques/possibilities to satisfy creative curiosities. Thank-You, Sarah!
You're so welcome. And yes -- how not to celebrate being a creative and curious human?
Wonderful explorations & writing. Made my day, as always! And your watercolours & drawings always make me smile. Thank you!
Does Beryl eat beans? Does she nip your heels when walking behind you? My Corgi’s occasionally nip my heel and it always catches me by surprise 😁...what is Beryls favorite food I wonder? Stay cool my friend. Summer is upon us.
I haven't actually offered her any beans as yet, but perhaps it is time to share. Unlike other dogs I"ve known, she is not excited by carrots (one of my other favorite foods), but experiments are always fun. Beryl hasn't actually nipped my heels (unlike other heelers I've had), but she does keep careful track of where I am, which I love. Love Corgis for the same reasons --the brilliance of herding dogs I guess.
There are no better buddies than canine buddies. I am sooo happy that you and he have found each other. BFF!
Also, for Dandelion bloom recipes: Drop the flowers in hot oil in a frying pan. Just until you see they've gone crispy, fish them out, drain on a paper towel, and give them some salt MMMM Better than popcorn (say I, maybe not everyone.)
OH WOW. That sounds incredible. Thank you! I was just listening to a podcast that included some great recipes for dandelions (but not this one), and I'm even more inspired. She did talk about blanching dandelion stems in the last couple of minutes of cooking spaghetti noodles and then draining and eating them all together -- apparently delicious!
I love reading your musings while commuting to work. So inspirational as opposed to answering questions about salt all day. And I love the “m” exactly as you did it. Makes it so personal and individual. Thank you my friend.
Thank you for your support of the "m." It clearly needed a little love after I was kinda mean about it. But you're right -- what need for symmetry when there is the joy of being an individual?
Your drawings are just wonderful.
Loved hearing about your experiments with Dandelions. I've been collecting mine all spring and drying them out. I also am inspired by Alice Fox and her book is fabulous! But what I really enjoyed hearing about today was Beryl. My daughter has a 4 year old Blue Heeler named Granger and he is a love and does exactly what Beryl does, follows her everywhere and cries/whines when she leaves for work. Just breaks your heart. And now she is going to have my first grandchild and I can't wait to see how protective I know Granger will be of my grandson. Can't wait for them to meet. She is due in early November, actually on her brother's birthday. Ha ha. Can't wait to hear more about Beryl and how exceptional I bet he is.
Granger! What a fantastic name for. a heeler. They are incredible dogs --and if you're connected to one, really nobody else will quite do, eh? Well, certainly no one but their special person will do for them either, which is part of it. My son's dog, a rescue that they think is probably half heeler, half corgi, has taken it upon himself to look after their new daughter. It's a big job and occasionally he has to take a nap when she does because its' kind of exhausting. Also incredibly gratifying and just what a heeler loves....
Oh, btw, love how the dandelions look woven. So many beautiful shades of green, browns and purples. A treat for the eyes!
Your posts are so life affirming……
I agree. you are a precious soul. i just read through my ‘The Long Thread Media’ 2020 and there you are there too. I so appreciate reading your thoughts xx
OH geez. Thank you so much.
Well maybe use the dandelion to dye with instead, what about ragwort does it make a good fibre,it is a noxious weed here and people pull it up and throw it on the road and it seems to go very fibrous when driven over .just saying
Ragwort! give it a try and let me know. Maybe all that "being driven over" is the 21st century form of fiber prep. in lieu of retting and such! My friend Jodi (who makes the watercolors I use from foraged plants and minerals), has just been making dandelion lake pigment from which she'll make paint. No end to their possibilities. https://www.instagram.com/p/CtMdIEjgjTy/