A Very Yurty Autumn!

Hello again, long time no blog! I've been having a somewhat cruddy time of it and really couldn't begin to think about blogging. I think it would have turned into a moan-fest so I saved you all!!!

You'll be pleased to know I'm not moaning, just bringing you up to speed with life in my little bit of the world.

I have spent a couple of weeks living in my yurt, well, to be more accurate, sleeping and spending much more time in it. I have this wonderful yurt, but neither my husband or son would come sleep in it with me, so I finally decided to move in, and if they wanted to be with me they would join me eventually! It is a lovely relaxing little space, and so cosy that I haven't yet had to light the fire!

I love waking up in there, listening to the dawn chorus and the sounds of the morning. But let's not forget those often unheard sounds of the night! The foxes screeching and running around outside the yurt, cats fighting, badgers snuffling and our resident owl hooting and landing on the roof every so often. The yurt is next to some high vegetation and often suffers from mouse-invasion in the winter so I think the owl sits on my roof looking down for his dinner!

When I can't sleep I often lie on my bed with the door open, watching the foxes, badgers, bats and the owl. It is truly a calming and comforting experience, and Autumn is my favourite time of year.

I'm always excited by the change in the weather, the pony growing his winter coat, the squirrels raiding my hazelnut trees, and the abundance of free food out there, ours for the taking! (Although maybe not the hazelnuts, squiggies got there first!) It is time to get firewood in, to sweep the leaves from the hen house roof and collect the apples from the orchard. Anyone want a ton or two, I'm inundated with Bramleys!!!!!

I can't get out to do the garden jobs I used to, I have to frustratedly act as 'foreman' now-a role I'm not at all comfy with! I long to be out there mucking out the hen house, digging manure into the veg-plot, tieing back the brambles and much more. I TRY SO HARD to be the outdoorsy girl I was even just this time last year, but not possible at present.

Instead I boom and bust, when I get down to see the pigs in the orchard (maybe once a week) that turns into frantically using the last dribble of energy whilst there, to collect as many windfall apples as possible as I can't stand waste! Then I'm trying to decide whether I'm able to carry them up to the house, or just leave them in a prominent position for hubby to see and do the donkey-work.

This ME/CFS really messes with your day, week, month and in fact your year! Or years!

Reconcilliation and Rosehips!

After a somewhat unsettled time here, there seems to have been a shift. A long held attitude of indifference seems to have been chipped away a little, and the 'chap' concerned is much more, erm, well CONCERNED!

It has been a revelation for me, I can now see what I have missed out on all these years, but never mind. Maybe I wouldn't have been the strong(-ish) person I am now if I had always had a crutch to fall back on, and not just my own resilience. I am not at all bitter, just blooming pleased that it happened now!

Anyhoo- Reconcilliation there has been, and one which will last I'm sure. I won't go into what and how it happened, too boring and far too unbloggable!

And Rosehips-Now there's room in my concrete head for other stuff, it's Autumn again and time to get myself out in the fresh air to collect the free food that is ALL OVER THE PLACE just now. Now is the best time to make Rowan Jelly (great with all meat, hot and cold) and Roship syrup, which has helped keep the family fairly sniffle free over the last year, as I'm told it has 20 times the vitC content of oranges. But all I know is it's darned easy to make, and tastes gorgeous! There's some on the go right now, it's an M.E. friendly thing to make as it takes no stirring, no pot watching and very little energy outlay. The end product is yummilicious and very good on all puddings and cereal etc.

I have made all sorts of jam so far, and pickled beetroot like it's going out of fashion! I hate to think of anything going to waste out there, and feel compelled to pick what I can. I have to admit that it can sometimes be a bit of a chore when the energy isn't there for the essential duties of the day, and to find extra to stand next to a bush with your arms up is not always easy! (I mean picking fruit, not just standing there displaying my armpits to the world!)

In case any of you are interested in the Rosehip Syrup recipe....

2lbs or 1kg of Rosehips

1 and 3/4 lbs of sugar

Put the hips in the blender till they're coarsely chopped then put them into a pan containing 1.5litres or 3pints of boiling water. Bring to the boil then remove from the heat and let stand for 15 minutes (you don't have to, you can take a break just now).

Pour into a linen Jelly bag (or linen shopper from the co-op supermarket, much cheaper and just as good!) and allow to drip till it stops (another little sit down!).

Put the residue back into the pan with 750ml or 1 and 1/2 pints boiling water. Stir and allow to stand for 10 minutes (again, you don't have to)! Pour back into the jelly bag and wait till it stops dripping. I usually have another 60p shopper ready to pour the whole mixture back through, as you need to remove ALL the little hairs as they can be an internal irritant.

Put the juice into a clean pan and reduce till it measures about 750ml or 1 and 1/2 pints liquid. Add 900g or 1 and 3/4 lbs sugar and boil for a further 5 minutes.

Pour into hot, sterile bottles or jars and seal at once.

There you have it, enough vitC to see you through the winter, and you've had some pretty decent sits down along the way!

Free Food and No Energy!

I love to forage for free, wild food. Just now is the forager's busy season, with Elderberries, Blackberries, Crabapples, Rosehips, Mushrooms, Damsons, Plums, Sloes, Rowanberries and Hawthorn Berries, not to mention the usual staples of this time of year such as Pears, Rhubarb, Apples and all the veg from our plot and that given by friends.

The only problem with all this foraging is that you have to DO SOMETHING with it all once you have it home! Well, I have managed to make some Damson Jam and Apple and Blackberry Cheese over the last couple of weeks, but that's nothing to what I want to be doing.

In my kitchen I have Rhubarb stalks, Plums and Damsons from our garden and a huge basket of Pears which were kindly donated to us. I need to use them.

Yesterday I had a day to myself, nobody else about ALL DAY-a real and rare treat for me! I had made plans to make some pear cakes, fruit vodka, plum jam, and then maybe relax with my rag rugging as I've got to finish a little rug for a friend.

ME STRIKES AGAIN! I got up and stripped my bed, then I began to feel the familiar 'full of rocks' heaviness creeping up on me. Poo, Bum and Pants!!!

The day went like this...-10 minutes upright, resulting in feeling so weak and ill that even I couldn't be stubborn enough to continue. Return to my bed or the sofa, close my eyes and wait it out till I feel a little better. Another 10 minutes up and repeat the same monotonous routine over and over. I was sooooo frustrated not to have achieved a fraction of what I wanted to do. I managed to make pear cakes but it took most of the day, working a little at a time and falling back onto the sofa to rest in between.

Early afternoon I gave up trying and retired to the bed to sleep properly, which did help I am pleased to say. My evening got a little more energetic, and I managed a nice cup of tea with my old friend Sylvia (my traveller friend from earlier blogs).

But I am still frustrated at my lack of ability again, I know I sound like a cracked record, but that's the nature of the illness we face.... it's a monotonous and relentless slog against odds which sometimes seem very stacked against us.

Yes, dear reader, I'm having a tough time again and a grumble does us all good...... I just had mine, feel free to leave me yours!

Fair's fair!