Monday, July 20, 2009

Monday Miscellany

Nearly four years ago I planted about thirty tiny Hakea seedlings. They were tender little things about an inch high with two leaves each, and while I'd love to be able to report that they were cossetted and protected and lovingly looked after, the truth is that they were planted and left to get on with it.
Those that survived my not-so-tender ministrations currently range in height from a measly six inches up to about a metre, and this week I finally got my first flower.This is a Pincushion Hakea ... and if I hadn't already used the 'new alien life form' angle a week or so back, this would've been a perfect excuse to trot it out. Maybe I could've identified it as a mislocated aquatic species ... it does look sort of sea urchinish don't you think?

Contrary to it's outlandish spiky appearance, it is actually rather soft and delicate
unlike the current spinning


which may look to the casual observer to be the same as last week's sacred alpaca
but not so
this is XCorriedale, and where the alpaca was a beautiful soft silky understated grey and white, this is plain prickly blah beige and somewhat akin to spinning with wire.
When I was just starting out, this was the stuff I was talked into having - almost a kilo of it - and obviously not best suited to a hat or scarf or any other garment that might end up anywhere that might be sensitive to prickles... but it was a good choice for a beginner, she wa sright about that. You just wouldn't particularly want to wear the result.
I'm too cheap to get rid of it but I'm thinking that if I make it into socks they'll probably wear like iron ... or maybe another felted something ... and I could always dye it a more interesting shade. It's on track to turn out about fingering weight ... I could probably use it as makeshift fencing wire in an emergency

gratuitous cute cat alert:
MissC in her little cat habitation - the only one of my furrbabies to sleep in a species appropriate designated place

10 comments:

Denise said...

That is one stunning flower! And one cute cat! As for the prickly stuff on your spindle - hmmm. A bathmat? Something underfoot, anyway?

ozjane said...

I agree with Jejune, the flower is delightful and makes me want to race out and buy one. While waiting for my appointment yesterday I chatted up a gentleman from Castlemaine whose Dr has excellent choice in whom to refer him to.
I did hear his name but it did not lodge in the brain.
He assured me it was only an hour and a half drive down which considering I left at 11 and my companion kept me waiting about 5mins when I picked her up and then I made a quick stop to get petrol and to my shock and horror when driving along Victoria Street.....the said street which caused me to get up at 4.30AM not having gone back to sleep after waking 2 hours earlier and naming all the adjourning streets in the grid on my head, trying to go through the alphabet, thinking it began with 'I' finally gave up and got up and looked in the inside street directory. However he must have allowed time as he parked much further down the street than our God given spot. I have great reservations about treating my heavenly Father as some sort of super parking spot provider, but I guess parking spots do come under the all of casting ALL your care upon Him. I was so joyously grateful and humbled by His loving care. Erin St I could remember. Victoria down to Punt Road via a slight detour was the one lost in Fibro Fog.
Would enjoy a photo of the bush as well as the flower if you can be tempted.
How come Ms Moggie prefers the cane quilt hutch to any type of cat container when your darling behaves appropriately. Guess you have more experience in child rearing!!! I am only a teacher. But I could make all my Preps have their afternoon nap. LOL

Sheepish Annie said...

The flower is lovely! You garden like I do. Survival of the fittest...

I know a certain Absurdly Gi-normous Kitty who would looooove to have a kitty house like the one in the picture there. He's developed a love of all things "sheltered" lately.

Liz said...

How cute is your fur baby in it's bed, wish my four legged family would stick to their own beds sometimes. For a little tacker, Miss Martha sure is a bed hog.
Lizzie
XX

Unknown said...

a great find for panda fanatic!
my roommate and i LOVE this bag
hkpanda.freetzi.com

Nadie said...

Dye it and make a bag.

Donna Lee said...

That is an unusual looking flower. It looks prickly but very fragile like a good stiff wind could blow it away.

Someone suggested some corriedale to me and I bought a bunch. It was not near as soft as the merino I had been spinning but very easy to spin. I thought it was too itchy to be worn but my husband asked for a scarf. He wears it all winter with no complaints. I guess it's all in how sensitive your skin is.

Alwen said...

We went to the zoo today and saw the anememememememones. And black-footed cats, sleeping just about like that.

Also wallabies, which made me wonder if overseas zoos put skunks, raccoons and possums in there.

catsmum said...

yes ALwen they do

Anonymous said...

I thought I have to tell you something about your asian goodies... those papers are for burning-- to the ancestry. the rectangular ones are folded into gold shape that resembles burning the wealth to your ancestry so they can use them in their "world"... kinda taboo to Chinese. ;)