Hitting the dust

While these are photos from last year, they certainly represent the world around me at present.  It’s all red, green and slightly dusty looking, with no hint of the frosty mornings and clear air still some weeks away.  So, at present we have gum blossom and kangaroo paw, both lovely natives in our rambling garden.

It’s been a quiet, albeit frenetic time on occasion, including an unexpected visit to Emergency at our local hospital – I provided the transport, and sat next to the patient with a magazine and some crochet.  It was a frightening episode, but fortunately the patient has recovered and there were a couple of very peaceful days to help with recuperation.

I have been working on an Alpine Frost (pattern on Ravelry) scarf, utilising some lovely pink-purple 4 ply alpaca brought back from Tasmania last year by my parents.  They have just revisited Tasmania – and now I have four more skeins to deploy into something (hopefully!) beautiful.  I am so delighted and thankful for such a thoughtful gift.  I have a couple of other projects in progress as well, as I like to vary the pressure on my wrists and fingers, but using these fibres is true luxury.

It has also been a time of ongoing clutter clearing here in my small corner of the world.  Using the wool is one helpful activity, and I am certainly doing this with much enjoyment and enthusiasm.  The lists and completed project ticks continue to flourish.  Otherwise, my extreme budget and increasing lack of tolerance where overcrowding is concerned has seen books, clothes and magazines heading to donation bins, where I hope someone else can gain interest from them.  I’m not at all up for selling items that aren’t actually vintage or antiques, and I’m finding that I’m not really inclined to collect any longer on the same basis. 

My motto has become ‘if in doubt – chuck it’, and I am very happy to consult with outside parties as to the best garbage bags and means of cleaning everything from timber to lampshade cobwebs!  However, I was probably not the person to talk to on a rather hot day recently, when the strenuous activity of clearing gunk from near inaccessible skirting boards saw me fall asleep on the floor, duster firmly clutched in my fist. 

That was a moment where the mantra of ‘too much’ certainly held true.  

While I’ve been at home studying, now writing and channelling my energies towards whatever occupation comes next, it’s sometimes been hard to get into a pattern of activity that works consistently.  However, I do know that the next couple of months are the ‘birthday months’ of my family’s year.  Seven of us have our birthdays between the start of March and the start of May, and I want to crochet something small for at least five of those (omitting myself, of course!) 

Once again, my budgeting partially dictates this.  But – you know what?  I’m actually enjoying being more considerate with what I spend.  Although it is undoubtedly a very lean time for me, I’ve always valued being able to save and plan – a bit like making lists in general.  I have a notebook with categories in which I record what I’ve spent, I have a budget with a buffer for Sundry expenses, and I feel much more at ease regarding life for the next six months.  

This means that I am also venturing much more into reading about and practicing frugality, along with decluttering and my own brand of ‘enough’ minimalism.  Where the blog world is concerned, they do all start to clash and blend after a while, but it is interesting and encouraging to cruise around and take note of different experiences around the world.  It is also funny to see that those who – for example - craft and display china in pretty shelves are sometimes patently unhappy with having ‘too much’, whereas those who have cut back seem to be much more content. Well, that is just my observation, and I admire both parties, really, while trying to hit the happy medium.

Now, while I know my little effort here has not made the bestseller list (ahem, maybe something to do with irregular posts), I would like to mention a few blogs that I genuinely enjoy and read on an ongoing basis in addition to those on my List.  This may encourage me to get around to adding them properly!

The Singing Gardener (both for his frugality tips and the way in which he has made a house into a lovely home for himself)

Coco Rose Textiles (gorgeous crochet and photography)

Foxs Lane (almost local to me, beautiful surroundings and photography)

Be More With Less (inspiring for the clothes decluttering and quotes to accompany)

Crochet Concupiscence (amazing crochet central site)

Cherry Heart (perfect crochet patterns)

Betsy Makes (once again – crochet, with a friendly writing voice)

The Simple Year (I’ll head back here once they get going again – on hiatus at present)

Slow Your Home (another Australian, who speaks sense and sets matters out logically)

According to Matt (craft, crochet, photography and genuinely entertaining)

These are all perfect reads at different times for different reasons - but right now, while it's hot, humid and dusty outside and I'm prone to falling asleep with a duster in my hand, they all have a special part to play.

Stay cool - or warm - all!