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!

Making our mark

Many of us practice some art, skill or craft. We need to keep our fingers busy, to relieve our minds and create!

I am not very talented, I have no main craft that I favour, but the ease of picking up and putting down a craft at will, means that my rag-rugging is usually the one that gets the most attention.

I start with a pile of 'fleecy' jumpers (I'm not sure what you'd call them in USA), which I deconstruct then cut into strips about 1cm wide and as long as possible.

Then, using hessian sackcloth for my backing I work the strips through it, leaving small loops on the 'good-side' for the pile of the rug. It really is simple pimple!

When I took this shot the rug was unfinished, I hadn't even trimmed or taped the edges! It was a very therapeutic rug to do as after working the border I let my head and hand run free with the bulk of the pattern.

I love being able to just relax my brain, no pattern or colour chart to follow, sheer relaxation and sense of achievement. Marvellous!

Not to everyones taste I'm certain, but it's free, easy, cosy, re-uses resources that might have ended up in landfill, and most importantly.......... covers a bit of floor in the yurt!

I also dabble in silversmithing (although I'm a bit 'rusty'!!!), beading, and making drinking glasses and vases from wine/beer bottles. Bit of an odd mix I know, but that's me all over!!!
I love to make practical stuff, stuff I can use or pass onto friends to be used.

Tell me what keeps your fingers and brain busy, I know lots of you are incredibly talented and creative....

(If you'd like to share, you could email me a photo of a project and I'll post it for you-I don't think the comments system here allows you to do it yourself.)

Thank you for being so supportive and patient with me and my last post, my head seems to be less 'bonkers' now, and my sensitivities are less, well, sensitive! All good, AND I've got the week at home!