I made another basket today, a big one with a handle. I picked peaches from the neighbor’s vacation rental tree. They’re falling on the ground and the limbs are arched loaded, it’s OK. The peaches are small.
I made a big batch of pasta y fagioli, the bacon and all the veggies from the farmers market. Organic beans, kidneys and Northern. Ate a bowl and still have 5, four frozen, one for tomorrow, really good stuff. Stir fry and chicken soup for variety lunch.
I tried weaving the willow I’ve been soaking for a week in the long bucket, the dried ones collected from the river. They keep snapping, dang. Back in the tube with new water to soak longer. I drove to Healdsburg, Willow road (Grove really) near the Montessori school. I picked most of it across the street this time. A woman walking by thanked me for clearing the sidewalk, “for baskets” I said. A few more longer ones across the street. As I wove it I realized the short ones are really good to insert as the side spokes after the base. Reserve the long ones for weavers. This time at the end braid I tucked the ends under a weaver to keep them secure, see how that works as it dries, should be better.
The handle is a new thing, I inserted a withe on each side all the way down, twisted a few times, then inserted the small end half way down, catching a weaver and back up inside, around down through the same weaver as I used on the braid ends. Add another one on each side repeated. It works OK, supports the peaches still wet, should be better dry. Maybe I’ll add a stiffer handle in the middle.
A fun day, laundry is done, back to work tomorrow.
8shotoflove8 