Saturday, September 16, 2017

While The Washers Spin...

"Email us if you know of or have a weird home," Weird Home Tours. I read this description, aloud, from an Instagram account that started following BOoMNerds, our page for Benevolent Order of Makers. I looked up, from my phone, and was face to face with this familiar face, who asked, wryly, "Do we have a weird home?" On the whole, we are flattered.

It's alright that I am sitting at my desk, editing photographs, examining my deep thoughts and other musings, because I am parallel processing. That's right, while I compose insightful reflections, and cover significant news of the day, my washing machine is spinning clothes in soap and water, and my dishwasher is spinning soap and water on our cups and plates. And for a shiny moment, I congratulate myself and feel a brilliant, if brief, sensation of accomplishment, success.

In other news, Maria and I figured out that there hasn't been a post or picture about, or of, our kitty, Neo Cairo Nepenthes, in over a month. We would like to remedy this sad oversight with a fresh crop of pictures of The Boop, our Puppy Cat.

Neo Cairo Nepenthes I, in repose~

Neo Cairo Nepenthes I, in indifference~

Someone forgot to return this chair to it's usual spot, and it's been wandering from room to room since June. Recently, it settled on a niche at the bottom of the stairs, next to the side table that also established itself at the entry, and has since become an established fixture. Cairo has claimed the chair as his own. The cat glares mercilessly at people, or objects, that avail themselves of his property. And this is, in part, how we decorate. Something finds its way into our home, and inevitably it assumes a purpose, or it becomes so conspicuous that it, paradoxically, is invisible, and is left alone.

Observe: Conspicuous, leave it alone.

Chango, on watch for things that may be trying to find their way into our home.

Oh! I hear the dulcet tune of our washer, and so I must away!

With Infinity More Monkeys, a picture a day.

Friday, September 15, 2017

Home













Dare I say... summer is waning? We had a terrible spell of record heat, and humidity. But that was over quickly, mercifully. Days are perceptibly shorter. I bought yarn. Yarn in a decidedly autumn hue, golden and spiced, like pumpkin, like leaves still hanging in trees, but ready to fall. I am ready to fall. Ready to crochet shawls, and make soups. Ready to anticipate falling leaves. Ready to read aloud, not sitting between two fans and open windows, but near the fireplace, with quilts, and cats, woolen socks. I feel the tug of home, and as I was browsing through my phone, I thought my longing for comforts and coziness of home are pretty evident in the pictures I've been taking. It makes me thankful, glad.

Thursday, September 14, 2017

Say "Cheese!"

Ruth, Bex, Ido, and Spencer~

A few times a year we throw open the barn doors and invite everyone in for a day of making and sharing. This time we wanted to welcome our cousin Landon into the mix... he's got designs and plans for making a folding knife, and Alex is mentoring him on this project. Seems we couldn't stop at knife making, so we invited other makers over, and Lisa arrived with a taco salad banquet, then we found ourselves getting a cheese making lesson. It's our love of making, of STEAM education activities and advocacy, that gets these things rolling, but it's our fun and generous friends that turn an idea into an unforgettable event.

Leo, Amira, Maria, and Adrian for a round of DnD~

Magic the Gathering at the next table over, with Lucas, Alex J, Max, and Corey... always room for one more!


Have we met? Yes... Ido, Leslie, William, Paul, and Simon... lots of supplies and ideas already gathering steam.

Say 'hello' to Ido's little friend. Junkcade and BOoM Nerds are at it again... with a little Arduino magic, Tony Manero is going to light up the disco floor.

Here is Landon, our newest BOoM Nerd. I couldn't keep up with all of the tinkering, experimenting, sandblasting, plasma-cutting fun Landon and Alex were having.

Two certified welders, and one eager apprentice. Our group works on the idea that anyone can become proficient at a task, and then pass those skills along. So, no matter your age, in any project or activity, you are either a mentor or a student. Peer teaching, engagement, sharing... by encouraging everyone to participate as students, and as teachers, we increase our resources, build confidence, and accomplish more making. Collaboration, and cooperation, make for fantastic skill building experiences.

Ido, Lily, Matt, and Natalie visited the hens and goats, for fun, and to talk about coop and run design and construction... we have loads of experience with that, and we are happy to share.

Paul, and Geoff checking out something Simon is in to.

Ido, Paul, and Matt~

A little research for the dance floor...

Lucas and Max bring Paul M, visiting from Wisconsin, to the table for an MTG introduction.

And Leslie brings Bex, Adrian, Amira, Maria, and Leo to the kitchen for a mozzarella making introduction. All (clean) hands on the curd!

Landon, mixing in the salt, before we add the boiling water.

Leslie was our expert on this project, and we all marveled at how magical it was seeing the cheese suddenly happen. Making mozzarella was easy, fun, delicious. I wouldn't have guessed we could do it so quickly, simply, and I am glad Leslie shared the curd, and her skills. This needs to be a regular activity.

And what do you do with all that cheese? You top your pizza! For this we had Lisa and Leslie to make dough, and Tim to build a beautiful pizza. This was just about the time Michael came by to check on Leo, and he had a fresh harvest of tomatoes from Grace's garden... just happened. What a fortuitous arrival.

And on the porch... electronics, soldering, Arduino, and Tony Manero.

And also... Tim, William, Alex, and Bex... with paper mâché for a cosplay mask.

Like I said, Always room for one more.

Amira, Leslie, Lisa, and Tim... pizza's out of the oven! This was round 2 for good eating. Lisa fed us all lunch, too. Cooking is some of the best making there is!

Everyone was on hand to appreciate this make project!

Want to see Tony Manero do his Saturday Night Fever disco? Check out BOoMNerds on Instagram!