this is why I didn't go out. I did listen to podcasts, while I made peanut butter granola bars
I make them a bit differently each time. This time the syrup ingredient was honey and a bit of molasses,. I added in cacao nibs, a dash of ground flaxseed, and pumpkin spice.
Breakfast bars, so much easier than toast..
And I read more of the Yorkshire mystery with Inspector Blades agonizing his way through another murder.
Knitting happened and I'm beginning to think there's enough yarn for a small cowl, but I have a Plan B, anyway.
Then I suddenly fancied doing a bit of spinning, very inexpertly, with a bandaid on my sore thumb, and lack of practice.
Various bits of unlabeled roving, some easier to manage than others. It's not all about the spinner -- some roving is friendlier than others. Also some is better suited to needlefelting than to spinning.
Disclaimers aside, I'm not a very good spinner, hands too cool and slippery to handle roving well. It slips through my hand. But I like doing it, so there's that.
These activities are good for anxiety. When you feel tuned into history, spinning as women have for centuries, you feel less distraught about now. My theory anyway.
Happy day everyone, what's your equivalent to fiberarts for self care?
That yarn is making a really pretty cowl. You're playing a rousing game of yarn chicken and hopefully you win! Stay warm.
ReplyDeleteYes, yarn chicken rules!
DeleteMy self care is reading books, reading blogs, playing solitaire on the computer, and getting a bit of exercise. I was also doing some cross stitch but took a break from that...
ReplyDeleteThis sounded good. Except I'll pass on the crossstitch.
DeleteBoud, I listened to Heather Cox Richardson today on YouTube. She is an American historian and gives great coverage of what is happening these days, putting things in an historical perspective. She is knowledgeable and interesting. She gives great updates! I think she has a podcast.
DeleteI get her daily newsletter. She's a great historian, very good at putting today into context. I'm glad you know her
DeleteI trust that roving is not "blood-red", at least not recently (re bandaged thumb). Had I roving and a drop spindle, I'd join you in the spinning. Such a meditative process, and as you say, a connection through the centuries.
ReplyDeleteThere's a crack under the thumbnail, seasonal issue, big nuisance, and a bandaid helps it hurt less when I do anything, everything, it seems to involve ny thumb if I even think. This too etc etc
DeleteWell dagnabit. As I was saying...lacking both, jigsaw puzzles, tai chi and making bread are my anti-anxiety go-tos. And hiking when weather permits. You had a very good excuse to stay indoors today. 5F: BRRRRRRRRRR.
ReplyDeleteChris from Boise
Those sound like good things, especially the bread
DeleteSelf Care? I read and I sleep. repeat as necessary.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds restful.
DeleteI was an indoor cat today too. 😄
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I have different floors in my house. I think I'd go mad if I were in an apartment, on days when I can't get outside.
DeleteI think the cowl will look nice and warm once it’s finished
ReplyDeleteLike you the connection to women of the past is one thing I do enjoy. It really does ground you and gives hope that all will be ok. Others have survived and we will too
Exactly. I think of people spinning and weaving during the Black Death! Cheerful comparison.
DeleteMy self-care? I suppose it’s walking with no particular plan. That doesn’t work on bad-weather days.
ReplyDeleteI hear you in needing to get OUT! I have a bit of a struggle in extreme temps when I can't.
DeleteJigsaws. I haven't done one such Christmas. Need to get back to it.
ReplyDeleteThose breakfast bars sound good.
The bars are a lazy woman's breakfast.
DeleteAnxiety is at a high level. I'm reading and writing a lot. I need to paint but feel like I should clean and purge a little bit first, that it will be my reward. One thing I am NOT doing is heading out into the polar vortex!
ReplyDeleteHm. My reaction is: life's short, paint first!
DeleteSo glad you have such variety in your fiber arts. I've had to limit my creativity severely with hand difficulties that allow me just typing still. Even controlling the mouse has become a challenge with the shakes. So reading and watching TV shows, and fortunately still driving places and seeing friends are really great for my well-being. And taking photos with my phone! I'm grateful for what I am able to do!
ReplyDeleteYou do make the most of what you can do, the secret of life! I can only do fiberarts for a few minutes these days, so switching off is useful. When I can't knit I can stitch etc
DeleteI suppose gardening is what works best for me. And walking. Which I have not been doing. Perhaps today...
ReplyDeleteWalking is great, weather permitting. Yes, why not get back to it.
DeleteI listen to books, bake, mostly bread, listen to music and try, mostly without success, to manage cats. I'm thinking about sitting down at my piano and relearning how to play. I'm in the thinking stage.
ReplyDeletePlaying a musical instrument is wonderful for the brain, much more than listening to it, good as that is. I'd cheer you on to get back into it.
DeleteWorking with your hands reduces stress and it has the added bonus of being productive. When I'm stressed, I often bake but now I've noticed I'm itching for clay when stressed:)
ReplyDeleteThere's a relationship between dough and clay, after all!
DeleteGranola bars....very good..and convenient......Stiff porridge with added bits!!
ReplyDeleteThat's funny, because it's pretty much accurate!
DeleteThis will be the perfect weekend for lots of indoor activities for myself like reading (The Correspondent) and working on my Christmas gift of a wooden jigsaw puzzle and perhaps watching some movies. It can storm outdoors and be cold, but being indoors and safe is the perfect place for myself and many others.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I no longer have to turn out in all weathers.
DeleteI suppose any kind of creativity is a form of self-care. For me -- photography, I guess? Not tied into history like spinning, but still fulfilling. It's been a long time since I've felt temperatures as low as five degrees.
ReplyDeleteI think walking is important for you, too. Along with photography.
DeleteHmm - self-care? Read blogs and pretend that its part of my world? Between elderly parents, busy job, living with a grumpy old man and a teenager in the house, getting said house ready for sale and trying to find another house to move into, I have discoverd that "me" time is in the car listening to podcasts - currently doing the French Revolution which is calming because I know the outcome.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you have at least a bit of me time. Your life is hectic.
DeleteI love taking walks outside. Those save me. Quilting is my other top self-care activity. I read every day, and I bake as much as I can. Regarding self-striping yarn, do you start a new row you get to the next color of the yarn coming off the ball/skein? I tried to look this up before asking you here, but perhaps my question is too basic because I can't find an answer. Seems like the size/shape of your item would really affects how the self-striping yarn would look.
ReplyDeleteSelf striping yarn is is usually designed to work for socks, and in this case a narrow scarf. If you knitted anything bigger, it would pool differently.
ReplyDeleteOh, for socks! Yes, I can see how that would work well. Or a narrow scarf! Thank you. I can picture it.
DeleteI get that. I have stuff that I change up when I make it to. Fun, that.
ReplyDelete