October

Tags

autumn, country life, landscape, seasons, weather

Foggy morning season (warm days, cold nights) is coming to an end and it’s just allround chilly. The woodstove AND sometimes the studio space heater are running most of the day, I’m remembering that summer should have been the season for knitting more woolen socks.

I was gifted completely new flooring for the upstairs, much needed as replacement for dingy old carpets. Problem: I now have to paint the walls first or it wouldn’t make any sense. I can’t believe yet again I put myself in a position of less studio time! I do the work in tiny little bits, but much sitting time is required as a result. Room one nearly done, two to go – with much shuffling of stuff in between since hauling everything downstairs on bendy stairs and then living in the piles for weeks would also be exhausting.

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Winding down

Tags

autumn, nature, seasons, video, weather

Rainy grey day today, a reminder that soon, soon, I’ll want to stay indoors for days on end, playing rotisserie in front of the wood stove, rushing through and not around the outside of the barn to get to my studio upstairs. Thinking in muted tones and drinking buckets of tea, layering up in wool sweaters and socks.

Only a week ago I was in the hammock on a beautiful warm, quiet day with that certain something in the air that is no longer summer – not the least an unusual gathering of birdies doing acrobatics over the garden. It took me a long while to realize that I had brought my phone for a change and that it does in fact make videos (because forget taking a still photo of the little speedsters).

Micro foraging for art supplies

Tags

close to home, country life, creativity, inner conviction, inspiration, intention, life, seasons, summer, weather

It hasn’t rained here in 3 months and has been unusually hot too, so most blooming things are over and done with if they have even survived. I’m glad I didn’t make a dye garden this year, as the cost of watering would have been massive.

Summer briefing

Tags

blogging, country life, crafts, creativity, exercise, fatigue, garden, gardening, health, intention, life, summer, weather, weight loss

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.

Whazzup?

Tags

art, creativity, health, intention, knitting, Painting, relax, seasons, video, weather, winter

Hey there. Once again my sincere apologies for lack of content – I do in fact have some linky things lined up, but thought it would be nicer to spread them out a little in between actual posts.

Graze

Tags

frost, morning, nature, seasons, sun, sunrise, walking, weather, wildlife, winter

Last time I spoke to you at 8 am, it was dark as a witches’ cauldron. Now this:

Just in from my morning walk and met up with the little band of deer that spend a lot of time in my big horse paddock.

Earflaps

Tags

aging, clothing, green, hair, handspun, hat, weather, winter, wool, yarn

I finished my colourful hat over the holidays, it was a quick and easy knit. Now I wonder if we’ll get any frost so I can try it on without boiling my ears! I normally wear fleece headbands in the cold because it’s easier to fit with long hair; what usually troubles me is wind hurting my inner ear, not so much the temperature, and knit fabric tends not to block the wind. But they are also very boring – so what else to do with all that chunky, funky handspun? (yes, I’m asking!)

First frost

Tags

nature, seasons, weather, winter

Spectacular morning, absolutely no wind for a change and everything coated in powdered sugar. I love the crisp air of a morning like this – now I just need to introduce wool socks for my wellies and hope for more photo ops on a day when I don’t have early appointments!

Enter dusk

Tags

autumn, forest, seasons, trees, weather

Time to get yourself outside early in the day or else! After adjusting our clocks, it’s now dark at 5 pm and counting down for the next two months. I’m still hoping to get some forest exercise in before it’s too cold (my lungs don’t take kindly to heavy breathing in frosty temps), but with rain, back pain, sick ponies and what else, my plans have been thwarted so far. I really don’t know why I keep making them!

I’ve been working on installing studio stairs instead of the ladder, but it’s still missing a banister at the top. I’ll show you when it’s done.

Another transition

Tags

autumn, cats, country life, horses, life, pets, seasons, weather

Today marks the official boundary between summer and autumn, but I was abruptly reminded a few days ago when Leo, as has been his habit of late, woke me up in the middle of the night.