Star-shaped bullets

So, the problem with going off the radar for a bit is that there's too damn much to say when you finally jump back in.

This would be the appropriate time to apply bullet points.
Ahem:

* I hate cars. I hate my dependence on cars. It is one of the few downsides to living rurally. And yes, this can be read as: the car is dead, having overheated in between one middle of nowhere and the other, but kind strangers with goodness in their hearts do still exist in this world, so I am thankful for that, at least (further translated: the boy and i got home safely by way of random motorist whose name I feel guilty I've forgotten).

* It's not the end of the world, but terribly inconvenient.

* Like sinus infections and colds that last two weeks.

* The new yarn shop, Knit or Dye (website isn't up yet), has opened in downtown Bratt. I'll be teaching some felting workshops this fall, and starting up spinning classes after the holidays. It's a beautiful store...please come check it out if you're in the area!

* We had a memorial service last weekend at market for a revered member of the local farming community. I wanted to make a post about what I learned about myself and my community that day, but I need to find a moment when I have more in me than just bullet points. The short of it is that we actually have friends here. After three years, it's time to let go of our new-kid-on-the-block tendencies toward hermitism (which really should be a word), stop feeling sorry for ourselves, and allow ourselves to become part of this amazing community. So, we don't know jack about farming. We are surrounded by amazing resources and beautiful folks who are more than willing to share their experiences and offer advice. And be our friends.

* I won't be at Market tomorrow, as the weather is supposed to be pretty nasty. My booth can handle a little rain, but not the torrential downpour in the forecast for most of the day. Next year, we'll get some corrugated roofing for my space, but it seems silly to get it now, when there's only one month left. Anyway, this gives me time to spin the giant bag of husky dog/wool blend that a customer dropped off at my booth earlier in the summer. It kept making its way to the back burner, but there's no denying this is the weekend for getting things done.

* Bullet points are boring me, so here's something to look at:

* I'm in the process of redoing the website...pretty soon there will be no shop on the website, just a link to Etsy. I'll still have information on the website, a customer gallery, link to the blog and what-not, but I just can't spend two hours adding three items to my shop. Ten minutes apiece listing on Etsy makes much better use of my time. It's totally worth the commission. Changing the site is going slow, though, as I'm trying to learn Dreamweaver as I go, and I do not have a computer-y brain. It just needs a whole new background page and everything. That's all.

* Pics of the pumpkin harvest coming soon! Not sure how many of them are edible, but they sure are purty (even if a bit lop-sided and pale on their undersides).

Absent.

No Market for me today...the hardly-any-sleep schedule I have been maintaining for the last few weeks has landed me in bed with a sinus infection. Bah. My head throbs looking at this screen, but there is only so much sleeping and feeling sorry for myself that I can do...it was time to at least say hello.

Hello!

Anyway, there is just something so wrong about being sick in the summertime...although, later today we are to have thunderstorms galore, so I suppose I will have even more reason to stay indoors and take care of myself with copious amounts of tea. A little easy knitting, perhaps. I should stop right there, as I see where this is going...a little knitting...oh, maybe I can handle a little spinning...and oh, there's that next batch of felting all set up and waiting for me...until I find myself exhausted and feeling worse because the urge to create outweighs the natural instinct to protect the self.

So. Knitting and no more.

Highlights from the past week or so of life and craftiness:

Berry-picking is the grandest, most wonderful thing about summertime, in my opinion. Well, that, and the utter lack of snow.
9 pints of organic blueberries became one pint dried, two quarts frozen and seven jars of blueberry/peach jam. Going for round two this Wednesday, because I WILL be feeling better.

When I wasn't jamming, I was wooling:

The heart on the cobweb felt in the upper left photo was purely accidental, but totally perfect.
The yarn on the upper right is to celebrate Jacey's soon-to-be-released art yarn instructional DVD I had the pleasure of participating in earlier this year. It's my fave technique, so much fun to spin and the resulting yarn just makes me giggle at its cuteness.

More herbs. More tea. Must close eyes for a while.