Doc Hays and the Trophy Bass

Doc Hayes had a veterinary clinic on Sterlington Road a few blocks from where I lived in Monroe, Louisiana. I can still smell that place and see all the amazing specimens stored in glass jars filled with formaldehyde.

I always stopped to admire the trophy sized big mouth bass mounted on an oval board above the door between the lobby and the exam room of the clinic. Everyone who came to the clinic asked about the Big Bass, caught well before my family moved to Monroe in 1949. I couldn't quite read the small plaque below the bass. But I knew the story just like I knew Doc's reputation as an avid fisherman. He loved to talk about fishing.

Yes, that fish had a story. It took cunning to catch him. Doc tried many times. He knew where that bass lived in bayou De Siard. Doc tried all his hand-tied lures and lots of different live baits but the Big Bass wasn't interested.

Now Doc had a knack with knots and stitches. He had lots of practice on dogs, cats and livestock. When he was driving out to vaccinate cattle for TB, he pondered over that bass. At last he figured out a possible way to tempt the bass.

Using his skill with knots and stitches, Doc set about making a tiny harness to fit a mouse. I wondered if he used the clinic exam table for this job. He laced two small hooks on each side. The hooks sat flat against the mouse. Doc and the harnessed mouse headed for the bayou where Doc rowed out to where the Big Bass lived. Attaching line from his fishing pole to the harness, he set the harnessed mouse onto a small wooden board that he floated next to the rowboat. He gave the board a gentle push and it slowly floated away with the mouse toward the bass's hidey hole. When the time was right, Doc gave a little tug on his fishing line. The mouse plopped into the water and began swimming frantically.

Big Bass couldn't resist. He swallowed the mouse, hooks and all.

Doc Hays had Big Bass mounted and put in place of honor above the door. I never forgot that fish nor Doc's cleverness.

J in JaM

Wesekh (Broad Collar)

by M in JaM

Our summer days can get hot and humid. But in tropical highlands, cool mornings make me want to throw a little something over my shoulders. I wanted to knit something lightweight, a single layer, something that would stay on and that wouldn't hang down into my oatmeal. I wanted to use my latest handspun yarn: a soft merino/soy blend, hand-dyed by Ewe Give Me The Knits.

Because I have limited experience as a knitter, I also wanted a pattern. An online capelet pattern (free) posted some years ago by Fuzzy Galore gave me the courage to procede. I made a swatch with my merino/soy handspun and adjusted the simple pattern for my gauge and needles. I cast onto circular needles (for the first time ever!) and began knitting. I followed the pattern directions except I made my "capelet" shorter. It extends to the edges of my shoulders. It measures 6" instead of 12" from top to bottom. Wondering what to call it, since it wasn't really a capelet, I searched online and found the "wesekh", or broad collar, of ancient Egypt (usually made with beads). I had knitted a wesekh. I like it.

photo by J in JaM

LED thrills

by M in JaM

I feel amazed by the LEDs coming onto the market. This photo shows our latest find: an array of bright LEDs. It uses 1/10 the power of the incandescent bulb next to it, ie, less than 2w compared to 20w.

Depending on solar power, we appreciate energy efficient devices. Until last month, we tolerated that incandescent bulb in our pantry. A little power hog. We rationalised that it didn't matter as it wasn't ever turned on for long. Everywhere else, we made the switch to compact fluoros several years ago. Then a friend gave J an LED torch that surprised him with its brightness. Upon further investigation, he found even more efficient LED replacements for the compact fluoros in our house. We haven't made a complete switch to LEDs as they do cost more in the short term. The little LED array in the pantry has a slight blue-ish cast to the light, but we found LEDs which provide a "warmer" light that we can plug into existing sockets (for compact fluoros) in the living room.

You probably would find it difficult to find a 12v 20w incandescent bulb these days. I may keep this one to use when darning socks.

Our LED source (no affiliation except as a friend):
The LED Shop Australia

BazzFest

by M in JaM

BazzFest
A Katrina Collateral Damage Party
for Charles Bazzell
21 September 2008

If you can get to New Orleans, go to BazzFest where you'll find great music, free jambalaya, amazing people and a chance to make a bid in a silent auction for artworks by amazing local artists. Friends of Charles Bazzell organised this benefit for him and I wish we could be there. This is one time when Australia really does feel like the ends of the earth. If you go, say hello to Charles from Melissa and Jerry. And let the Good Times roll!

Venue
One Eyed Jacks

Music by
George Porter Jr
Bad Roads
Lil' Queenie
John Sansone
Dickie Landry
Jon Smith
Larry Seibert
CC Adcock & the Lafayette Marquis
David Egan & 20 Years of Trouble
Jesse Dalton & the Road Kings
Jimmy MacDonell
John Mooney
Twangerama

Silent Art Auction: works by
Francis Pavy
John Geldersma
Dickie Landry
Jill Grisamore
Jimmy MacDonell
Charles Bazzell

Spinning as Hurricane Gustav approaches N.O.

by M in JaM
My withdrawn state lasted the month of August! Yikes. I had a birthday in the interim and also managed to hurt my knee. I've just about recovered from both experiences. I feel Spring in the Air and look, we're getting a few moths as the weather warms. The moth above does not infest wool, so I can like it.

As a birthday present, J gave me hand-dyed fibres (tops for handspinning) from Ewe Give Me The Knits: one top of Blue Face Leicester wool blended 50/50 with bamboo and another of merino blended with soy, also 50/50. I've never before had the opportunity to spin BFL, bamboo or soy. And my inexperience shows....

I've started spinning the BFL/bamboo blend. First up, a sample skein from the palest end of the top and knitted into a small bag as a swatch.

I like the sheen of this yarn which you can see better in the photo below.


The rest of the top's fibres have more intense colours. I want to make a pair of socks, so I divided the top lengthwise. Each half should be enough for one sock.

Sock 1: spin two singles, each on its own bobbin, and then ply them together. I used two approaches to pre-drafting the fibres prior to spinning. You can see below that one single has many, short colour segments while the other has the same colour pattern but fewer, longer colour segments. When plied together, the colour patterns of the two singles "beat" together in a sort of fractal way. At least that's the plan....


Next part of the plan: learn to cast on and knit a sock toe-up. I like choosing the challenges in my life. Life has a way of presenting them unasked for.

Spare a thought for the people of New Orleans, our friend Charles among them, who have struggled against incredible odds in the attempt to rebuild and have now been ordered to evacuate New Orleans as Hurricane Gustav approaches, three years after Katrina.

A Daily Walk

by J in JaM

Well actually, it's twice a day walk, in the morning after coffee and a quick Internet mail check and again before sunset. The dog acts as our main motivator to walk about 1.5 kilometers twice a day, for a total distance of 3km (about 2 miles).

We usually start by going up to our water tank (with a quick check on water level) and then continue along our fenceline to the back of the property. Then we head downhill to Moon Creek which only flows a few months of the year. Moon Creek joins Toy Creek in a 100 meters or so. Toy Creek runs most of the year but reduces to a series of Billabongs (pools of standing water) during the Dry Season, leading up to Christmas. (When the monsoon season begins, frogs lay great masses of eggs in Moon Creek.) From Toy Creek we walk uphill to the country road and short distance back to our gate. Then it is about 300 meters back to the house.

We've been doing this walk for almost twenty years and during that time, great trees have fallen and floods have changed the nature of Toy Creek. After Cyclone Larry three years ago, the number of birds was greatly reduced but they have recovered. Each year is different but the pattern of summer monsoon rains followed by a dry winter continues and we will continue to walk our daily walk as long as possible.

Winter Woolies

by M in JaM

My Auntie asked for a recent photo. This is for you, Auntie!


My neighbour, Jude, created my hat. It feels perfect in the cold weather we're having. I get compliments on my hat when I wear it to town. Jude used a variety of yarns to crochet and knit various bits and bobs, then pieced the work together on a model head to get the right shape before sewing everything together. I love my one-of-a-kind hat! Next year Jude plans to go to the Alice Springs Beanie Festival. Sounds like just the place for such a creative person!


















I've worn my knitted fingerless mittens (free pattern) at the keyboard on cold mornings this winter. We may get frost tomorrow morning. This photo shows a white pair I made for a friend. I knitted them with a fine (thin and smooth) wool yarn to show off the lace pattern and I like the way they look. I found the yarn in an op shop and dyed most of it which I figured would be hard on any moth eggs that might be hiding, always a consideration before yarn gets stashed and stored. I've made myself an identical pair, but in turquoise. Having worn them, I want to knit another pair using a thicker and fluffier yarn to make the mittens warmer. Comfort takes precedence over style at this time in my life.

As I go through my current spell of low motivation, I find comfort in knitting cotton dishclothes. They cause zero brain burn. Likewise I find kumihimo (braiding) a calming, repetitive activity that I can do, little by little. And gazing into a fire does wonders for quieting the mind. I know this withdrawn period won't last.