keeps getting better

I'm getting better. Every day I can feel myself feeling free-er, happier, calmer. I don't know exactly what changed, but I like it. I have ideas again, I have energy. I have ... life.

My herbal teacher brought me some things to help counteract the anxiety and stress I've been feeling. I've started taking a tincture she makes. Also, Oatstraw and Nettle infusions were started tonight.


Tomorrow is a "halloween" breakfast at work. We are supposed to bring a breakfast item. In our room we were all debating what to bring and I said I was thinking about either bagels from Panera or pumpkin bread (homemade) and everyone yelled out Pumpkin Bread! So... when I came home and got settled, I started the bread. It turned out better than any I've ever made.



I'm thinking this weekend I'll make chicken and noodles and maybe pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese icing. yum yum...

I love making homemade bread, but do it so rarely because a- i can't eat it all myself and b- it is so time consuming. Turns out, it really didn't take any time at all for me to put this recipe together tonight and once it was in the oven I could turn my attention to other things. I'm going to start making some kind of homemade bread at least once a week. I can always take any surplus food to the office (they are like Mikey - they'll eat anything). There are so many different types of bread I want to try. The first one will be the Buttered Rosemary Rolls that Ree over at The Pioneer Woman wrote about today. I know they aren't completely from scratch, but it's a start and sounds so fabulous! I do have a wonderful yeast roll recipe from my Grandmother that I could use for it too. mmmm... yeast rolls.... (ugh.. I can hear my blood sugar racing up the scale as I think about it). That is the one bad thing about my bread plan. Being diabetic, I really should stay away from bread. But I'll work on the breads and I'll also look for recipes that aren't as bad or are at least a little carb/diabetic friendly (is there such a thing?) :)

I'm going to go start my latest knitting project. The black and white fun fur scarf I mentioned a few days ago, hasn't been started yet, so I'll do that tonight while I watch what would loosely be termed a football team of UNC visit Virginia Tech. At least basketball season starts soon. :)

blessings
~*~

a good day

thanks for the comments on yesterdays post...i appreciate the words and thoughts..

Today was a pretty decent day. I did have a hard time getting out of bed this morning, but I made it in to work on time. It was a pretty quiet day at work and I didn't feel pressured and was able to make it through.

I picked up some yarn to start a new scarf for a co-worker of my SIL.



I'm not sure about how it is going to work with the white yarn base and the black fun fur...but that is what she wanted. I'll probably start it tomorrow at lunch.

After work I took care of some chores around the house. I was sitting on the steps of the deck waiting for the beast to come back up when I found a surprise in one of the flower beds...in amongst the weeds...

It's a salvia like one I planted two summers ago. I didn't see it at all this summer and now...there it is...


so pretty...

tomorrow is another day, hopefully it will be a good one...

finding the light

I've been in the dark for a while now. I think it all started when I went to the mountains early in the month. That trip went so badly and I seemed to spiral down after that. I've felt so lost, so alone. Most of the past several weeks I can't even remember. There have been times when it seems like I'm awaking from a dream...I've lost time, found myself in places that I have no recollection of going to. I've missed a lot of work, a lot of family and friend time. I guess I've been hiding, but I don't know what I'm hiding from. I know Halloween is coming up, but I really have felt like a zombie. Not the kind that eats brains, but the kind that just goes through the motions, that kind can barely get up the energy to get out of bed.

What time I remember, has been spent here...


...or here...


I've barely seen the changes outside, only stepping out the front door far enough to collect the mail from the box. I made two excursions away from home this week. One, at the instance of a dear friend, to collect a few spiritual tools to aid in overcoming my current state (only to find the shop was out of most of what I needed). Several hours and a scary trip to the wal-marts later, I felt almost worse than when I left. Friday, I skipped out on a family dinner, which angered my mum making the situation even worse.

Yesterday was the last session of the nine month course I've been taking in herbal medicine making. It was a lovely time and I'm so glad that I practically forced myself to leave the house and go. I realized on the drive to class (40+ minutes from home) that I'd missed the change in the light. That time of year where the light turns from blindingly bright to a subtle glow. That is always when I know fall is here (despite the temperature in the high 70's). I think that is also when I realized how in the dark I'd been.

The rest of the day yesterday and today have been spent trying to find the light...bringing it back into my home and into me.





I'm not there yet...but I'm getting closer.

blessings
~*~

a couple of thank you's

So last week, during my self-imposed hibernation (I'll explain later), I won two giveaways. Yep... TWO! :-)

The first was by the lovely Jennifer at Gypsy Mare Studios. I got to pick a pendant from her Etsy shop. It was a hard decision... so many beautiful pendants! I did manage to pick one and it arrived on Thursday. It came wrapped so cute and she also included three of her wonderful headless horseman cards.



I picked the Blue Moon and Stars Pendant...



It's even more beautiful in person. Thank you so much, Jennifer!

After that lovely surprise, I received an email from the fabulous Melissa at Fantastical World of Holidays (otherwise known as The Holiday Queen).

I won a party favor... one of her adorable treat cups. It is so cute and here it is...filled with my own treats for Halloween.



Thank you so much, Melissa.

I can't tell you both how much your prizes brightened my week.

blessings
~*~

Octoberfarm is having a giveaway...

...and it is really cool! Check it out here...

blessings
~*~

more giveaways

Mrs. B has some awesome giveaways today. This one is my favorite. Check them out.
blessings
~*~

another fabulous giveaway

I tell you...there are some wonderful artists out there and some great people! Mrs. B is still holding the giveaways and there is one there today that I just love. Click on the link on the left to go check out Mrs. B's giveaways. Click here to see the giveaway by Gypsy Mare Studios. Her art is just beautiful!

blessings
~*~

Another great giveaway via Mrs. B

Check out the amazing giveaway that Jaz (Octoberfarm) is doing for Mrs. B's 31 days of Halloween! I so hope I win this one!

http://silvermoonwitch.blogspot.com/2001/10/if-any-one-single-giveaway-was-going-to.html


blessings
~*~

another cool giveaway

Mrs. B's 31 days of fun is still going on and she's got some great giveaways. This is one of my favorites!


Don't forget to check her site every day. There's a button on my side bar to the left that takes you to her site. :-)

blessings
~*~

Finished!

I finally finished the baby blanket! Yay!



I started it in May as a gift for my sister in law's sister's new baby. She had the baby in August and I just now finished it. Oh well, better late than never...

blessings
~*~

Giveaways!

So everyone and their brother (or I should say sister, since most of the blogs I read are written by women...hmmm..anyway) is having giveaways during the month of October. Since I love free stuff (doesn't everyone) and some fabulous things are being given away, I'm going to mention them here.

Our first one (remember, I'm playing catch up) is from Cat at Darkling Woods Studio... (love love love her art!)

take a peek and if you like, enter the contest!

blessings
~*~

Home

I'm home...three days early.

Long story, the details of which I am certain to bore you with later.

I've missed all the start of October blog fun. I'm going to spend the afternoon playing catch up. (and hopefully getting my fall/halloween decor down from the attic!)

blessings
~*~