Up and Down Days

 In the past few years I've not felt quite well. I've always been a robust, healthy woman, and being ill is hard for me. It started with occasional abdominal pain, then regular pain, then occasional back pain, gradually increasing to daily back pain/discomfort. So frustrating! I'm a "doer," and lying on the couch on a heating pad, day after day and month after month, is not my style.

I followed my doctor's advice for various tests and specialists. Then I changed doctors and received some corticosteroid shots in my back. I still have hope to regain some health and energy. But inside me is a little voice that says, "Perhaps this is it, and it's downhill from here?" Ugh.

Today I added a smoothie to my usual breakfast because I wanted something cool and fruity. But then I felt awful all morning in my tummy, and I wonder if I should avoid dairy. My back also began to ache and burn a bit, so I put my little battery-powered tens unit between my shoulder blades for a couple of hours. 

I managed to do some clearing out in the kitchen, which was encouraging, and I spent some time in my studio painting a little, and spinning a very little. Then it was time to lie on the couch. Two Advil helped. 

I don't talk about poor health often, but I thought it might be a good reminder to me, in years to come, to recall where I am at this point. At 61, it seems too early to be this impaired. I miss spending the mornings outside hauling and burning tree limbs, or sitting in my studio for hours carding, spinning, or sewing. I just can't do it anymore.

I've tried managing my energy in the last couple of years, working in my studio in the mornings and resting on the couch in the afternoons. That sounds luxurious, but it's not! It's frustrating! I struggle to get a small meal on the table during the school year when Adam is teaching and can't cook.

The next thing to go will be my farmers market duties. I sometimes feel I'm ready to do that, but then what would I do with all the things I make in the studio? Do I stop making things? Then what will I do with my time?  I need to ponder carefully how to manage my health, my energy, and my goals in the next decade.

Heading Into August

We have an apple tree bearing in the old orchard that we didn't even know was alive! Well, well, well. I might have to make a cobbler or a pie or something. They're not ripe yet because they would not release easily from the tree.

I'm working again on this brown sweater, hoping to finish it for winter. I have to clean, card, spin, and ply the yarn before I can actually knit again. SIGH!

Lucy is now in training to be a loving kitty. Adam is working on her each evening, giving her gentle scritches on her cheeks. She's so pretty.

I finished knitting this little shoulder shawl with some Cheviot wool that I dyed with avocado skins/seeds, and with some alpaca fiber I spun about 6 years ago, also dyed with avocado.

The lady pictured above strolled by the market this morning. I got a kick out of her t-shirt. She's clearly a sailboat lady.

After the market today, it was SO hot, and we were so tired, Adam and I stopped for lunch at a little place along the highway called Chubby's. The first photo is his burger (with jalapenos) and mine (without). But mine had cole slaw and onion rings on it. Adam's had bacon and pulled pork as well.

 They were moist, delicious, and perfectly cooked to medium.

Happy August, sweating friends!

Psalm 37

 My personal paraphrase of this comforting psalm, at this point in my life:

Don't waste thought time on people out there who are behaving badly.

And certainly don't envy their lives!

They will go away as quickly as they came,

just outlast them.

Simply trust God each day and do good to others.

Live where God has put you,  and flourish there as you trust Him.

When you find delight in God, He will give you Himself.

Commit yourself to Him above all others,

and trust Him,

And He will take care of your future.

You will be clearly vindicated at the judgment --

But leave that to Him.

In Summer's Heat

Happy Summer, everyone!

I'm quite deliberately attempting to survive the insufferable heat. I have about 5 weeks to go, right?

I've been watching wintry Youtube videos, baking pumpkin pie, and staying in the air conditioning.

I love this stained-glass heart. It was made by a dear friend for us, in honor of our 35th wedding anniversary this summer.

I've been spinning quite a bit, a plan of mine to pass the summer. I start with these lovely batts.

It spins up quite smoothly and nicely. I got two large hanks, and one small one made from the "leftover single."

Late one afternoon I drove 1/4 mile down the road to this lovely scene -- the north prong of the Bay River, complete with shrimp boats. This is an undiscovered piece of water, used only by fishermen like those who man these boats and bring back shrimp to sell on the little docks. Locals line up there once weekly with their coolers to buy.

I did this little painting, inspired by a photo I took at my brother's farm in W.Va. It does not do the scene justice, I'm sorry to say, but it was my best attempt. 

I'm nearly out of soap to sell at the market, so I made two batches this week! 

 I've had to change the recipe I use, after all these years. Olive oil has become so outrageously expensive, so I had to find a different recipe. It turned out just fine.

I hope you are surviving the summer heat wherever you are, friend. In late August, I plan to escape to W.Va again where temperatures will be beginning to cool in the evenings, and autumn's early whispers will be wafting among the hills.

What a July 4th Week!

 No, we didn't do fireworks, but yes, we did go to the beach! Mostly we did LOTS of work in the pasture. Without further ado, here are some photos of the week, complete with great-grandmas and babies and good food!

NO MORE metal in the ground! The raised beds are gone, phew! Also, you'll note there was time to relax (a little). My son made me a wonderful new potting bench/table, which makes me happy every time I look at it. Adam finished upholstering the blue chair (a roadside find) with his mother's help. Our pear tree seems to be producing a bit this year too. Maybe some pear butter this year?

A Mountain Trip and More Pirate Ships

Hello, all! Adam and I have been on a wonderful anniversary trip in June. We started at a KOA in Fancy Gap, Virginia, just north of Pilot Mtn. It was a very nice campground with a comfy "cabin."

We spent some time on the Blue Ridge Parkway, such a lovely, calm drive. We visited Mabry Mill, and we ate some pretty yummy food.

Adam sewed and I painted.

I'm in West Virginia visiting my mother and brother/sister-in-law. It's very relaxing here, although rather hot for WVa in June. We spend time on the front porch in the early evenings.

 I have been painting these fun (rather silly) "pirate maps" of Oriental, a cute little village near us on the Neuse River, full of boats and tourists in summer.

Aren't they fun? I hope they will sell at the market. The place names on the maps are taken from locations in the village. But no -- Oriental is NOT an island.

Thanks for stopping by! Stay cool out there!

June, Glorious June!

I made a very simple berry tart with a store-bought crust, last summer's frozen blueberries from my brother and sister-in-law's farm, and fresh blackberries and strawberries from a local produce market. The blackberries were huge and so yummy! I was pleasantly surprised that the tart turned out so well -- not too sweet.

Here's another healthy dinner that Adam made recently, a stir fry.

I finally finished knitting this simple shawl -- just a shoulder shawl where you increase one stitch on both the beginning and the end of each row. I used yarn I'd spun from Malabrigo Nube fiber. Not an easy spin, at all! But the finished shawl is just fine.

And below are two bobbins of yarn (singles). The first is from some delicious red batts that I buy from a local fiber studio. They are just luscious to spin! The second bobbin is full. It's various wool dyed with soft natural dyes from plants in our yard. With both these bobbins, I'll spin a second bobbin much like it, and then ply the matching bobbins together to get finished yarn.

Then I should have enough yarn to knit a shoulder shawl with each one, or whatever else I want to use the yarn for. I should have quite a bit more of the red yarn, and may eventually knit a sweater with it.

For my birthday I had a lovely lunch in Beaufort, right on the waterfront. We saw a touristy pirate ship go by!

 Today is our first really HOT day with a high of 93 degrees F. Ugh. I'm inside in the A/C for the duration!

Happy summer, all you friends out there!