Taxonomy

Day 264 (bonus): This was sent to me by a friend who obviously understands my dilemma.
It's sung to the tune of the Battle Hymn of the Republic:

Mine eyes have seen the splitting of the genus I adore,
It’s been slyly subdivided into families galore,
And with every publication comes another genus more.
The names go rolling on!

Hemstitching a Tube

Day 264: If anyone knows how to hemstitch a tube or double-wide cloth on the loom, I would appreciate a detailed description of the procedure. I always hemstitch both ends of my pieces, and it's a right pain when the fabric is not under tension (i.e., off the loom). To hemstitch on the loom if you're using a floor loom, there seems to be no way to do the bottom layer at the beginning unless you want to lay on your back underneath the fabric. In this case, I'm working on a rigid heddle, so I flipped the loom over. Even so, it was awkward working in amongst the brace pieces. This is a "stash-busting" project. I'm trying to use up some 3/2 cotton I was sent by mistake. It's substantially heavier than anything I would normally weave, so I'm making seamless bags with it.

Pilophorus Acicularis

Day 263: Anyone who comes to visit me should know to expect at least a few botany lessons, so when Rob, Mike and I went up to Longmire, I just had to introduce them to Pilophorus acicularis, aka "Devil's Matchstick Lichen." It's one of my favourites. A "pioneer" lichen, it is one of the first to colonize the surfaces of freshly broken rock, although the definition of "freshly broken" can extend twenty years or so into the past. This particular specimen is on the road cut just south of the wooden bridge between Longmire proper and the volunteer campground. The bridge is currently in need of repair, and Rob and Mike checked it over thoroughly, studying the architecture and welds while I worked my way along the ditch trying to remember exactly which bump of rock held my pet Pilophorus. When I finally found it, I called Rob over to show it to him. Pffft! I don't think he was sufficiently impressed! But then, National Parks hold different attractions for people with a wide variety of interests, don't they?

Rob's Quilt

Day 262: I figured I'd already spoiled the surprise before they left New Zealand. I mean, you can't ask questions like, "How much room are you going to have in your luggage when you leave my place? Will you have space for something about the size of a briefcase?" without someone getting suspicious. I think Rob knew this hexagon quilt was going back with him before he got here. I was ready to suggest wrapping themselves up in it on the plane (after all, it's winter in New Zealand), but they managed to fold it to fit inside a wheeled suitcase. And like I told him, this is his combined birthday/Christmas gift this year, 'cuz I sure as heck wasn't going to mail it!