Toilet tank

The toilet tank was filling very slowly, and I suspected there was a blockage in the little hose at the top. I went to the store and saw that replacing the entire assembly was only a little more expensive than replacing any one part of it. I decided to go ahead and replace it all.

I don't have much experience with even basic handiwork, so I'm proud of myself.

Swan pants

Today is my 30th birthday, and I celebrated by making time for sewing, something I enjoy but rarely prioritize. I finally got around to finishing a pair of pants I've been "working on" for months and months. They are based on the muslin I made at a "design your own pants pattern" class at Stonemountain last December.

I am super pleased with how they turned out. I will make some minor alterations to the pattern (widen the bottoms, raise the back of the waist) and then hopefully make more pants in a more timely manner.

Fruit tree pruning and thinning workshop

I attended a workshop hosted by Common Ground Garden in Palo Alto. I've taken multiple workshops from them before, and always learn plenty. This one was specific to stone fruit tree pruning and thinning. Some things I learned:

• Summer pruning is more about cutting the outer canopy. The goals are to improve this year's crop, next year's harvest, and increase sun and light on the fruit.
• Do summer pruning once the fruit is set (about the size of your thumb).
• Prune out long, young whippy branches. Reduce branches with fruit to about 2-3 leaves above the fruit.
• Always prune out dead/diseased branches and fruit, any time of the year.
• Fall pruning is about shaping the tree, and you cut out more of the inner canopy. You should be able to see dappled light under the tree, rather than solid blocks of shade.
• You want to leave strong branches that will support fruit next year.
• Do fall pruning after fruit has fallen. Recent research shows that the tree will be healthier if it is done sooner rather than waiting until winter.
• Prune no more than about 30% of a tree in a year. That means that you might need to prune a neglected tree down over the span of 2 years.
• Fruit thinning is done to improve fruit size, color, and quality. It will reduce overbearing (too much weight on a particular branch) and stress on the tree. It will also help avoid heavy/light fruiting cycles.
• Do fruit thinning at the same time as summer pruning (once fruit is set).
• Remove fruit where it's growing too close together or it's too far out on the branch and might damage it.
• Practice, practice, practice.

I plan to practice on my parents' fruit trees! And on my tiny mandarin. Citrus trees can be pruned for shape at any time because they don't have a dormant season - often an individual tree never has a point in time when it doesn't have flowers and/or fruits growing.

Spinning achievement unlocked

I'm making good progress with learning to spin more quickly and evenly. I'm still working on the pastel rainbow braid of merino with silk. The silk content means than it will take a lot of spin. I switched from the 1:9 ratio to 1:13!

When I bought the Victoria, the shop asked me if I wanted to purchase the high speed flier (1:20) as well. I turned it down because I figured that it would be a long time before I was ready for that. Hmmm...

Vacation crochet projects

I got a LOT of crocheting done while on vacation in May/June.

Kreisel Fingerless Gloves: a little crooked, but I really like the pattern and this yarn shows it off well.

Celtic Cable Cowl, version 2: love it, where it frequently.

Half Double Cowl: meh. It's warm.

Spiral-cabled Hat: My new go-to beanie.

Bikini Bow Top: I don't wear bras anymore and threw out all my old ones, but then I needed something to go under thin t-shirts in the Caribbean. So I made my own.

Acacia Cloche: Not sure about the color, but I think I look cute.

Egg Basket: for bringing fresh eggs back from the coop.

Fermented chicken feed

I've seen/heard many recommendations for fermenting chicken feed. It helps keeps the chickens hydrated and supposedly increases the nutritional content of the feed. I decided to give it a try, and it's a hit.

Louët Victoria spinning wheel

Yesterday I came home with my brand new Victoria spinning wheel! The shop set it up for me and walked me through its use. They gave me 2 braids of roving and a bottle of oil with my purchase. I also bought a carrying case (which can be worn as a backpack, since this model folds up small), an extra bobbin (for 4 total, so I can do 3-ply), a nicer Lazy Kate than the one it comes with, and an extra braid of roving. I am READY for my spinning journey!

I'm going to try to spend 30 minutes each day either spinning or crocheting. (I would add sewing to that list, but you can't get anything done in 30 minutes unless you have a cat-free room in which to leave everything set out. Someday...)

It's going to be even prettier when my sister the arteest paints flowers all over it!