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While I’m cooking up that promised weaving post, I’m going to drag you through a bit of a general status update of life at the cottage.

My focus on “making” is in some ways the same as it’s ever been, but those of you that have visited me for years can probably see that I’m not very productive anymore. I was actually hoping that working on things to work on them, and not with the short term purpose of having something to publish, would somehow UP my productivity, but that hasn’t really happened now that I look back. Something I need to ponder – I still believe in the theory, but I may have fallen prey to simply faffing about more, testing and doodling without any specific outcome because I’m not holding myself accountable to anyone. I wish I could say this has had some profound end results but right now it simply looks like aimless noodling I’m afraid.

It will be interesting to see if all of my hobbies will fall by the wayside eventually, one by one like the horseriding, plant dyeing, and if, then what will happen? Crossword puzzles forever?

Garden:

One of the few things I managed to get in the ground this year was potatoes – then couldn’t do the work of maintaining them, so I got out a few straw bales to cover them up instead of having to bend over and dig. Well, there were peas, but the deer run rampant in our garden since we no longer have dogs, and they keep eating the tops off, as well as the strawberry plants, lettuce….

Look how dry everything is! Like many places in Europe, this summer has been sunny, dry and hot. I know it’s disaster for the farmers, but I have to say I’m rather pleased after the wet, slug-infested 2017 version. Some of my tiny newly planted trees in the field have died off though, after looking just dandy in May with all new leaves; shame on me for not checking on them. We also could not light our annual bonfire because of the dry grass and high winds, so we’ll have to get rid of those piles in winter (or risk a fine apparently). All of my berries however seem to be doing well for some reason.

One side of the old hedges has been trying to fall over sideways for years, so I decided to take my trimming to the extreme – if I don’t try I won’t know if it works! The entire heavy top half came off, next year we see if it turns green again.

Tiny dry lilac bush in a sea of grass
how I normally trim Ribes Alpinum to prevent it from widening 50 cm a year

Exercise update:

Not going too well. I’ve had some problems working through my back pain, for a while it goes well, then I need to take a break. Multiple many migraines and headaches in winter and spring. I thought I had a handle on it again (craniosacral therapy + electrolytes!), now there’s some inflammation going on with my knees and ankle (all over actually, but a sore shoulder or thumb isn’t much of a problem for jogging). So my plans to drop those last 10 kg over summer have come to nothing so far, in fact my weight and measurements have stayed put for a year now despite getting stronger. My added focus on this is also one of the reasons I’ve not been doing as many crafty things, I thought it would be a temporary trade and then I’d be roaring along with new energy, so it’s time to ponder this as well.

In other words, my hopes that exercise would help with my back and joint pains were completely wasted – but I’m caught in the conundrum that if I just stop – then it gets worse! I’m giving my PT another shot with some new allround exercises instead of the ones I came up with myself; at least it’s become more of a habit for me to just do these things without internal arguments and prepping, the cardio too, which is something I’ve sworn for my entire life would not happen… in fact it looks like I may have overdone it when I thought I was just trundling about being all smug about the new me. (jogging “barefoot” in the woods)

Anyway, if you were waiting for results, just move along, nothing to see here… The only bit of good news is that my fatigue levels are pretty much the same as before exercising, so I have in a sense increased my stamina although I’m not feeling it, I just spend all of the extra energy from the training ON the training.

A friend recommended the book “The Wahls Protocol”. It’s about MS, which I don’t have, but here’s an interesting observation which I wonder if it could apply to ME, fibromyalgia etc: She predicts a 5 YEAR healing period before your diet and lifestyle changes have turned everything over completely. That takes a lot of patience and dedication which many people don’t have I guess – and if nothing much changes in a few months we tend to give it up and say it didn’t work for us. Thoughts on this?

Primus Trail FG
Primus Trail FG
Trek Ascent Insulated

Shop news:

I absolutely have not taken the time to update and promote my redbubble store. 😦

I did order a few printed items to check on the quality, and overall I’m quite happy with them. ESPECIALLY the bags are great sturdy fabric and good print! I also ordered some notebooks, stickers, which are not quite as glossy as I’d like, the scarf my mum got was also good, the top a completely wrong fit for me. And to boot, they sent me the wrong size, which I’ve decided to offer here for half price (send me a note). But you have to be quick about it before I cut it up to make sleeves for its replacement, which I got free of charge, no need to return, I’ll give them that much.

It measures 48 cm across under the armpits and the back is stretchy.

Drapes of Solitude

Elsewhere:

I’ve been posting a bit over at the paint blog, a few vague attempts at instagramming, but been too lazy to copy or reblog and make explanations. Definitely a case in favour of having just one blog for everything!

Cold wax and oil

New experiment

Upcoming: Wet panel storage solution, Natural pigments.