sarah in nyc

 We changed the clocks this past Saturday night. The election took place on Tuesday.  A friend from our community died unexpectedly, so not the easiest week. I comforted myself by making myself a fast dress. The dress itself is based on the brillant Mary Brooks Picken's one hour dress. In the original version the extended sides are gathered into pleats at the hip. I like the look of an asymmetrical hem. This is what my dress looks like opened out on my dining room floor. I made the dress out of two yards of  Michael Stars knit fabric that I bought for two bucks a yard. so for less than the cost of an ice cream cone in my neighborhood I am feeling a little better. These eight challot are about half way done being baked. We are eating a comforting shabbat dinner of a beef stew.  The crock pot is doing it's thing so I can attend to some other tasks. And now a few small topics that may be no no interest to anyone but me.   My son was complaining that his leath...

 I voted today because I have plans on Tuesday. I voted in a school a few blocks from my house that is within the campus of several blocks of housing projects and city services. I know that might sound bleak except that the area is planted with masses of the most wonderful trees.. The line was relatively short. Once we got into the school gym where we were all voting the room was filled with joyful noise. As I was waiting, the room erupted into cheers because an elderly man was voting for the first time. Each poll worker I encountered thanked me for voting. I thanked each one for making it possible for me to vote. On my walk to the polling place I was struck by how some of the worst buildings in the neighborhood wither cast beautiful shadows or recieve shadows particularly well. Some of the trees along Broadway are looking especially pretty today.   I was inspired by this video which shows how to make a wrap skirt out of a rectangle of fabric. I made a skirt out of some pretty...

 It is Friday but we have been invited to dear friends' for dinner. I am bringing the plum tart that I had made for Rosh HaShanah. That ends the food portion of this post. This is my serger. I use it often but not always. a piece of machinery that is used often but not always needs a cover to keep the dust off. My serger came with a clear vinyl cover that I melted when it was too close to my iron. A while back my buddy Patti bought some cotton backed vinyl that she thought might work to add to her raincoat. It turns out that the fabric wasn't needed so she gave me the yard of vinyl. yesterday, I decided to make myself a serger cover rather than continuing to use the partially melted one. It was quick to make and if you want me to give you directions I happily will. But while I was making this serger cover I remembered  an incident from my childhood. My friend Paula and I had made plans to go downtown. In our local parlance we were planning to go "Down Square" or down ...

 Often a quality of light will compel me to take a photo. Sometimes the subject itself isn't all that special, like the morning light shining off of my baking pans, or the same morning rays on the brick wall across from my kitchen window. Sometimes the appeal is more obvious, like the afternoon golden light reflecting off of the cornice of my building. Right after I took these pictures I ran into a young neighbor and encouraged him to look up. I don't know if he appreciated what I was seeing or was just indulging me. The right light can make even the most mundane building look beautiful Even this bit of 1950's city housing gets a glow up in the late afternoon light. Sometimes it is a bit of color in an unexpected pace that pulls my eye.  This leaf was resting on the service gate of my building. My building's garbage is stored on the other side of this gate. For those of you who don't reside inside of my head, I am switching topics.  I purchase a 25 lb bags of flour ...