The Big Reveal

 My sewing room was too crowded.  I was crunched into the corner with my sewing machine, and every time I moved my chair, it got stuck on the heat grate.

I realized that I was trying to make that one room work for several different things.

On the encouragement of a friend, I decided finally to do some moving.

Here is the "old" sewing room,  and its new look, with actual floor space, and it feels so good.

I can't believe that I haven't done this long ago.

Part of my plan to get more iron in my diet, is to include fortified cereals.

I never knew that some cereals, Total, Honey Nut Bunches of Oats, Multi grain

Cheerios, and others, have 16 to 18g of iron per cup.

So cereal with almond milk it is.

And yes, that's Willie watching me,  because he's never far away.

The sewing room was  moved, a little bit at a time.

This cupboard had to be emptied to make room for sewing paraphernalia.

And voila!  My new sewing nook.   It's really perfect, and I love it.

The light is amazing.

"Desert Twilight"

That's the name my FB followers chose for this hand dyed warp.

It's time to get dyeing again.

So the other day, when my energy was up, I decided to cut some knotweed and locusts that 

were blocking the view of the road, when pulling out of the driveway.  I was going to 

do about 6 feet, and then another 6 feet the next day, and more every day.

Unfortunately, in the process I got stabbed with a cut locust tree.   It punctured my ankle, and got my attention right away.  It bled a lot, and it hurt a lot.

I came in and poured peroxide on it, and dressed it.

But still, two days later, it was red, and swollen, and hot.

And it throbbed.

So I made my way to Urgent Care, and got a tetanus shot,  and a script for antibiotics, 

along with instructions to elevate the ankle for a couple of days.

Oh, yay.

So here I am,  Elevating my leg.   Someone has decided to take over.

I told you, he's never far away.

Shazzam.

Looking back, I find it hard to get my head around where this last year has gone.

I've lived alone here now since last June, and I'm just beginning to understand how much my life has changed, and how much I have adapted.

I am doing it, even though at first I couldn't imagine how I would.

Here's my first garlic crop.  Twenty heads of hard neck garlic.   I am very pleased with them.

I have a natural warp on the Louet, and this is a mōbius shawl with a rose milk weft.

For several months, my Frigidaire refrigerator has been leaking water every day.

The seal was gone, and it was making horrific noises.

I made the decision to cut my losses, and buy a new one.  I decided on a side by side, 

so I have more freezer space.

This is the road we usually walk the dogs on, not much chance of seeing anyone, and that's

perfect for Willie.

Another mōbi off the same warp, this one has a rayon warp.  It's a little heavier, but 

still very soft.

This next one was the original treadle sequence, which I didn't particularly like, the red and 

the black ones above were woven with a random treadling that I came up with.

I decided a long time ago, that I did not have to treadle a draft the way it called for.

My boy.

As I have talked about previously, I have been getting increasingly exhausted.

I described it as "bone tired", and getting anything done was a huge challenge.

My first iron infusion was last Tuesday,  and just this weekend, I am beginning to 

feel the effects of it.

This weekend I have gotten more done than in two days than  I have in weeks and weeks.

Today, I feel like ME.   Wow.

The energy I have today is almost scary.   Almost.

I had a wonderful beet salad at a restaurant a couple of weeks ago, so I came home and recreated it.

 I have two more iron infusions, and I can't imagine how much better I will feel after I get them.  I am so grateful to the doctor who finally listened, and put two and two together.

This is Lois' corner, where she is working on dish towels.

In my energized state, I decided to change the studio up.   My friend, Sue, gave

me lots of good ideas and things to think about, and this afternoon, I started moving 

things.  It might take a few days to get it all together, but when I do, I'll be back with photos.

I'm so excited.

Quiet

The heat and the humidity are tough everywhere.   I am not sure why 

people cannot relate this to global warming.   I saw a post that said yesterday was the 

hottest day on record, and the next hottest was the day before that, and the next 

hottest was the day before that!!!

Seems pretty clear.

I have been working inside for the most part, with quick forays to do things

outside, but nothing heroic.

On the medical front, (I believe at my age the medical front is never

ending, just saying) I have been notified by my doctor 

that my iron levels are in the toilet, which

 may account for my extreme fatigue.

And here I was blaming Covid that I had at Christmas.

So I am waiting for the hospital infusion center to call me to go in

and have an  IV iron experience.

I tried the oral kind, and that didn't work well.   I had extreme stomach cramping for days.

The big question is though: 

Why is my iron so low?????

I think it's because I am a vegetarian, and this past year, I have not been very 

good about my diet.

I had reasons.

This is Lois's work, but she is in the hospital, and hopefully will be back at it soon.

We are quite the pair.

I have done some weaving, and quite a bit of sewing.

This is a ruana in hand dyed merino wool and silk.

I love the draft.

I have been eating a lot of caesar salads, with portobello mushrooms.  It's one 

of my faves.

My sweet little Naya has been struggling with anxiety for months now.

At first it was just fireworks, and that has been the case since day 1.  But then 

she started having little panic attacks daily.  We could not figure out why.

Shaking, pacing, panting, drooling.

I had a med for "fireworks", but it didn't prevent them from happening, 

just took the edge off while they were.

So back to the vet, and she's been on Prozac now for quite a while.

The attacks have lessened, but they haven't totally gone away.

I didn't want to give it to her twice a day, but at some point I may have to.

It's horrible to see her in such distress.

Once again, can I just tell you how weaving has been such a life

savior to me.

I still get up in the morning, and I can't wait to get to it.  There is no way 

to even describe how comforting it is to me.   Only another weaver would get it, I guess.

I do have to get back to the dye work........maybe after I get pumped up with some iron.

Plugging along here in Kingsbury..........checking in.  

I don't really have any words of wisdom today.........some days are just that way.