Five topics, one post

 This will be a post with a few different topics. Just preparing those who don't live inside my brain and might find it disturbing.

Topic 1

A few photos that may be categorized under nature, or what passes for nature in Manhattan.

It snowed a couple of times this week.

This week is also the 47th anniversary of the Great Blizzard of '78. 

This, my friends is barely a snow. Actually this is two different not quite snowfalls.

Not enough for sledding or snow forts and even putting together a snowball is a whole lot of effort.

Nevertheless a snow, even a piddly one gives me joy.

We have had some bone chilling days and some lovely days this week. It took me until recently to understand that you can see the buds, or what will be buds once the weather warms up, starting to appear even during the darkest days of winter. Nice to have that teeny bit of hope midwinter.

I loved this bit of moody twilight from my window

This could be a book jacket on a  book of sad poetry.

I loved the pigeons hanging out on the pet warehouse awning.

And speaking of birds.....

I am so happy that I got this shot.

Topic 2

I completed the atara for Miles' tallit last night.

I created the letters by stitching down a gold metallic cord to fill in each letter. That technique is called couching.I don't know the connection between the couch that we sit on and this decorative technique but that's what this is called.

I have used couching to outline letters before but never to completely form lettering. 

My husband will point out that this was time consuming. It was, but the work itself was pleasant and not stressful.

I  finished the back and edges and then trimmed with some striped metallic ribbon.

yes i did choose to add a bit more subtle shimmer with some pale blue and silver rayon thread also couched onto the surface. It is subtle and you probably won't get thee effect of the shimmer from these photos but the atara will gleam when worn.

There is more work that needs to be done but I can see the finish line from where I am now.

Topic 3

This has been my breakfast most days during the past few months.

It is frozen raw cranberries, a small clementine, a handful of almonds and some chia seeds ground together using my stick blender. I don't know if  this is anyone else idea of of lovely breakfast but it is mine. I am nearly at the end of the many pounds of cranberries I bought after Thanksgiving and stuck away in my freezer. i will either have to buy ready frozen cranberries or vary my breakfast a bit. The spoon had been my grandmothers.

Topic 4

Someone I love is getting this scarf as a gift. I stencilled the motifs onto navy silk noil first with red acrylic paint and then with gold to emulate the look of gold-leafing. The scarf is self lined.

Topic 5

Shabbat dinner this week comes from the recesses of our freezer with the exception of a kale and orange salad that I still have to make.

Shabbat Shalom to all of us, and especially to the hostages being freed tomorrow.