BASEMENTS...RHUBARB...LAMPSHADES

The cabin now sits on its cement block foundation...hooray! I don't feel off-kilter anymore. Things seem to be coming along quite well, despite this day/week of rain.

I am sure there are still a few weeks of work here, but it is getting closer...and I am glad. This is quite a mess to get through, though now that it sits on level 'ground' it is more pleasant to work in the workshop.

Cementing over the outside of the blocks prior to completion and back-filling.

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On another note...it is the season of rhubarb and for us, rhubarb cobbler! My own patch looks healthy and is growing, but perhaps due to its location, it is somewhat slow. I have harvested quite a bit, all small stems that are, however, sweet and tender. Luckily I have a neighbor whose rhubarb is prolific and she is quite generous.

Close to our favorite dessert, Rhubarb Cobbler is a delightful mix of sweet/tart and the crust is both crisp and soft.

Add a bit of Organic Valley fresh whipped cream and it just tastes like spring. (Recipe follows.)

Butter as large a pie plate as you wish and fill with cut up rhubarb. I generally use 3-4 cups of rhubarb.
I next treat this just like pie, but directly in the pie plate. Add 1 (or so) cup sugar. (I use half white and half dark brown sugar.) About 1/4 c. flour and stir all together with a large spoon, being sure to mix thoroughly.
Sprinkle a little nutmeg over the top.

Cobbler batter: Combine 1/2 c. sifted flour, 1/2 c. sugar, 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1/4 tsp. salt, 2 tbls. soft butter, and 1 large egg. Beat with a fork until smooth.
Drop by spoonfuls over the fruit mixture. It spreads as it bakes.
Bake in hot oven (400 degrees) for about 40-50 minutes.

(I use this same recipe for any fruit in season, and also with my frozen fruit.)
ENJOY!

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My latest weaving project was in response to a challenge given by one of the members of our Fiber Arts group. I brought some extra fine wool yarn to our last meeting and gave some to everyone. Kathy said lets have a challenge to see what we can make with this...and I thought she said 'by the next meeting'. Anyway, I have saved a few lampshade frames over the years and have meant to get to them to weave a shade. Here was my opportunity.

I used the lampshade frame as my 'loom' and warped it with the yarn. I then finger-picked, as in tapestry weaving, the weft. I used various media for the weft, but incorporated plenty of the yarn of challenge.

In the early stages. Fine yarns, tie-dyed cotton strips, hand-dyed silk strips, and some ribbon.

It was time consuming, and at times laborious, but fun to do.

Before its final embellishment. I set it on a lamp and loved it. Still I thought it needed 'something' to make it pop.

And here it is. When the bulb shines behind it, it throws a lovely light.