random thoughts – Day 2,390 (Friday 10/2) – like christmas

Hedge looks like Christmas.

Sometimes, an ordinary day can feel like Christmas. The temperature was around 80, which felt like a gift, and I finally got around to taking the kitchen runner outside to hose it off and wash it. This specific project had been on the list since spring and just hadn’t happened, and every time I looked at the runner I was annoyed with myself. Now, if I can get a dresser sanded and painted, and then paint the shed, I’ll be right on schedule. Sort of.

While putzing around in the yard I noticed the smaller of the hedges, which also had the least trimming done this summer, has red berries and looks a bit like Christmas. I didn't notice berries last year. I used a plant ID app to identify the hedge and it is some type of yew. The two larger hedges don’t have berries, but they also got a lot more pruning over the summer which could be a factor. Or. they are different types of bush with similar needles.

Getting started on a panel.

When I bought the house a year ago, I had a plan to make a stained glass piece for the opening between the kitchen and living room. There was a colorful panel hanging in the space when I first looked at the house, and it looked great. Today, I revisited the book of patterns I drafted ages ago, which include pieces I forgot I made because, except for two small pieces and a couple gift pieces, I sold everything I made. Worse, I neglected to get photos of the larger pieces, or if I did, they are not in the binder and are lost somewhere.

The trip through the patterns was great inspiration to finally get started on the piece for the house. The tape measure, pencil, ruler, and graph paper came out, along with the boxes of bevels which will be placed and then designed around. Six pieces of graph paper were taped together to make a sheet large enough for a 26-inch by 14-inch panel. Pencil lines began. The boxes of bevels were fetched and some were rough placed to get things going.

English muffle glass!

Beneath the smaller boxes of bevels that were in a bigger box lay the surprise of another box labeled “English Muffle Glass.” In the several recent visits with the bevels, I didn’t realize there was another box below them. The box held sheets of gorgeous, deep colored glass and twice as many sheets of various textures of clear glass. The good day had gotten even better. 

Now I need to get busy drawing the colored elements in the panel design, and decide if it will be done with lead came or copper foil. Let the fun begin!