My brain

I think this picture best describes my brain right now.  All over the place.  Cluttered.

Last week was interesting.  There was a small storm that did not behave well.  Imelda.  At least I kind of expected Harvey to behave the way it did.  I follow the weather well.  Imelda surprised everyone.  We probably had more water dumped on us continuously during Imelda then during Harvey.  Harvey had definite bands that gave us breaks.  The problem was that everyone thought the day was going to be pretty okay where we were and everything was open.  I drove out in the storm and scooped up stranded people.  One of them did not have dry place to be so there was not a work around.  

Also, the crud is still around.  I think allergies are exasperating it.  And I strained a muscle.  Life has been good but challenging.  I would like to be healthy.  That is really the only thing I would wish different.  Most of my projects are going slower then I would like because I do no have much in the way of energy reserves.  The funny thing is when my energy is low like this, when I have been too much in the city, all I dream about is putting my hands in dirt for a few minutes a day.  Garden.  I wish to garden but that takes time too.  I am silly!

The picture speaks to how much I wish to make.  I have multiple sewing and crocheting projects in the works.  I have three more sewing projects for me in my head.  About four or five for the boyos shop and my Etsy shop.  And I am thinking about dyeing some silk.  I have been researching how to wax cotton.  

I so do not wish to buy anything!  I just wish to make it all!  Hours.  I need more hours with energy.  I will just keep moving forward.

yes, it has been quiet around here

It has been quiet in this space.  The Tall Short Person and Koda Bear started school the same week.  I do believe one of them brought the crud home.  We have all been ill.  I have been trying to work on my new project but honestly, I am lucky to just get through the minimal things I need to do.  I can sit at times.  

I started a Christmas present for my best friend.  I was wandering around instagram and saw some cool things being made with Caron yarn.  Not expensive.  Acrylic.  But kind of fun.  So I picked up some Latte Cakes (that is what they call these skeins) and started playing with it.  It is not my norm but I do like how soft the yarn turns out and I am liking the weight of the project.  There will be some warmth and comfort when I am done.  If I keep being sick, it will get done faster then I thought it would!

Health. I hope to feel better soon.  Which I am actually doing.  It is just the breathing and energy that are difficult.  I am no longer running fever so that is much better!

And another wood working project started

This is a picture of what I was doing at lunch today.  I have started building the truck cabin for the mobile sharpening truck for Serenity Knives.  Does it feel a bit daunting?  Yes.  But then all of my wood working projects have felt pretty daunting to begin with.

What has not helped this is the heat.  Usually, September starts giving some hints that the heat will break.  Not yet.  It is currently 100 degrees with a heat index of 106 outside.  Even under the carport, that is too hot to move around too much.  

I was actually getting a lot done.  I felt like I might get all the framing for the floor in.  But then a lot of sharpenings came through the shop.  Because I am learning how to do sharpenings, I had work to do.  I enjoy the process because it is meditative.  The boyos are a hoot to be around.  They make me laugh.  I feel like I am just starting to get a handle on the sharpening thing.  I know there will some hiccups on the way though.

I have about a month to get the majority of it put together.  There will be more pictures of it in process but I have other projects I am working on too.  I do have to say I have gone back to a simpler bread loaf again.  Mostly trying to keep everybody happy and to get more nutrition into Koda Bear.  Bread is sometimes all it seems he eats!

pancakes on the road

I find when I travel I crave pancakes for some reason.  I have no clue why at all but it is what happens.  This time I put together a mason jar full of sourdough pancake batter so I could have some pancakes while traveling.  I just need to add an egg.

So I did not have them while traveling but we did have them on the mountain.  I had forgotten to bring syrup so we ate them with fruit.  Berries that had been sitting in sugar.  Bananas that had been sauteed in butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.  It was so much better then maple syrup.  Though I really like maple syrup.

I also made the pancakes silver dollar size.  They were so much fun.  I like the small pancakes so much better then the large ones.  And I have a wonderful alimunum griddle on the mountain.  I am looking in thrift stores to see if I can find one for the city.

Back in the city, what did I do?  The same thing but with apple.  Braised apple.  Brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter.  Life does not get much better then this.  And I am so ready for autumn!

missing this walk

Life during the first week of school for the Tall Short Person and Koda Bear plus add in a holiday weekend and it has just been a bit busy!  I needed some quiet this last weekend so instead of writing in this space, I took a nap and worked on a blanket.  That was very much where my head was.  And my body did not like coming back to the heat and humidity.  Skating is much easier then walking but even hours of that can hurt.  I have much to do in the next six weeks and I am just going to take it a small bit at a time.

I do have to say, I miss the walk we took.  After hiking so much in the Rocky National Park, we decided we really needed to do more in our own "backyard."  Or at least our mountain backyard.  The Tall Short Person found the Chain Lake Trail in the Mount Baker Wilderness.  Even though she and Blue were not with us, we decided to take a walk.

The hike is a circle of lakes near the Mount Baker visitor center.  It is about eight miles in length and 1700 feet in elevation.  We started at the visitor center and went clockwise around it.  We got the worst of the uphill done first!  The views of Mount Baker and Mount Shuskan were fabulous.

There were two very primitive campgrounds on the walk with pit toilets.  We had lunch the one near Mazama Lake, at the campground there.  It was lovely.  And Koda Bear could touch the water and I was not worried because it did not have the drop off I am used to with mountain lakes.  For example, Iceberg Lake which we passed.

It was a good day.  I enjoyed the trees a lot.  I did hang back from the boyos for awhile in the beginning.  Just until they got their hiking legs under them.  I hike differently.  Tortoise like.  Much more of a walk.  Take a moment to look at mountains, trees, lakes.  I do not talk much when I walk.  I do need a bear bell and I am looking at buying walking sticks.  They will probaby be high tech poles but that is okay.  Being able to break down to my backpack is a good thing.

After the crazy business of the last week and a half, I am ready for another walk.  I had thought I might get to Salida, Colorado this weekend for a fiber fair but it is not going to happen.  To close to this last trip and I have a truck cabin to build before the middle of October.  I am supposed to be purchasing lumber for it today.  

I am at least going to make a start.  Dream about mountains and autumn a bit.  Dream about going for a walk.