Knitty Gritty Thoughts

Being Mindful

I got back on the horse literally and figuratively speaking this week, I had another lesson on Tuesday and that went well.  I felt pretty good and did some jumping and even though my legs were burning by the end it was good, a good kind of working my muscles kind of burning.  I really appreciate all the well wishes, thank you so much!  I was lucky, no major bruises and although I tweaked my neck a bit and it's been hurting and aggravated a bit when I sit at a computer, no major injuries to speak of. =)

Anyhow - so as I'm getting back to speed I haven't been doing much knitting but I did want to talk to you a bit about being "mindful."  Something that's been bouncing around in my brain for a long time.

I hear people talk a lot about their resolutions at the beginning of every year as if January 1 is going to wipe their slate clean and all the things they've ever wanted to accomplish will be possible right in that instant of the clock striking 12.

Rather than resolutions, every year I try to choose a word or thought that kind of epitomizes what I hope to accomplish or what's on my mind at a particular time.  The word kind of chooses itself, I let things marinate in the back of my skull until the same word keeps jumping out and out at me and that becomes my "mantra" for the year.  Now you may be thinking that a mantra sounds like a serious word, but the intent of it is not really so serious.  I like having a word, thought or idea that expresses to me, in a single instance what I hope to accomplish.  I can keep it on my brain and it will spur me to action.

As you may have noticed by the title, my thought, my mantra, this year is "being mindful."

Being mindful means different things to different people.  To me it means that I'm aware of the things that I do and the choices I make.  I suppose I should back up for a second, and start at the beginning.  That's the best place to start isn't it?

Gradually last year I began to notice that I started to feel a bit out of balance.  Work-life balance, home-cleaning balance, family-time balance, health-life balance, financial-personal balance, there are so many things that we're balancing day to day aren't we? 

They're all intertwined- our small, day to day choices can affect our health balance, our financial balance and even the environment which I'll call our earth-life balance.  As an example- an item that we chose to buy costs us money right?  It affects our financial balance?  However it also affects the earth as well, say for instance if it's a coffee, it can be the disposable cup that we throwaway or even the source of the global resources put into the cup, the coffee, the milk, the sugar, etc.  Even if we buy things that we take home and use, these items can even affect our personal balance as well as our financial and earth balance.

"Stuff" costs us, more than we're aware.  Once we lay out money to spend to purchase an item we're tied up in the emotional clutter of taking care of it, insuring it, making sure it's not broken and we're even emotionally tied up in getting rid of the item, or not, after it's come to the end of it's usefulness.  I know I've mentioned I've been spring cleaning lately but it's really deeper than that, it's figuring out what's valuable to you, and being aware of the cost of your financial clutter.  Both of those links are life-changing articles - I highly recommend a read. =)

I suppose this is a complicated way of saying that I'm choosing - I'm making a decision to be more mindful on what I buy, using what I have and the balance my choices impact not only personally, financially, but also on an environmental level.

I'm choosing to re-balance and reconnect my life to the world around me and I'm choosing to tread lightly upon the earth.

Some of the ways I've started choosing include -

• Purchasing quality over quantity
• Using what I have
• Decluttering my home and putting items I no longer use into reuse in other functions (towels, clothes, etc) or choosing to donate or sell extra items rather than throwing them away to reduce my impact on the earth
• After decluttering being mindful of the items I invite into my home
  
  • Do they bring me joy or happiness when I look at them?
  • Are they useful, functional items
  • How are the items made, what materials were used and who made them?
    • Was the labor fair?
    • How was the environment affected by the creation of this item?
• No more plastic bottles - I have 1 sigg bottle which I just love and I haven't purchased plastic bottles in over a year.  If you must purchase, please recycle
• Being mindful in the car that I choose and its gas usage
• Choose to replace old appliances with more energy/water efficient ones
  
  • I got the chance when our old washer and dryer bit the dust at Christmas.  It really does use less water!
• Being mindful of using towels more in the kitchen than paper towels
• Replacing all my fixtures, not just shower heads with low water use ones, including aerators on all my sink fixtures and kitchen. 
  
  • In 1 month my water usage dropped in half by this change alone
• I want to know where my food comes from and eat less processed food
  • I've joined a CSA for fruit and veggies
  • I recently started buying all my meat and poultry local including eggs
  • It's important to me to know how my food is treated and what I'm putting into my mouth
  • This ties into eating seasonally and locally, both important items that I'm being mindful of
  • This ties into my making my own bread and pasta now, from scratch
  • Funny point - hubby was so worried about only bringing whole foods into our home, nothing processed (something I often refer to as clean eating) that he bought me a book on how to make icecream!  =)  Yep the first thing on his mind was, icecream! =)
• Recycling as much as I possibly can
• Purchasing a rain barrel to remove my impact on local water for my plants outdoors (NC is currently in a big drought)
• Using more natural cleaning products (as old ones run out I've been buying Seventh Generation, I like their motto and they clean good!
• I stopped using body wash (and I used to love body wash) because of the excessive packaging.  Don't worry, I switched to soap. ;)  Same goes for body pouf's, it finally occurred to me that those little things are made of plastic, out of oil!  Who wants to be rubbing ourselves with that when we're knitters and crafters?  I'm making my own! =)  I'll share some patterns for this soon.
• And many, many more things that I can't think of right now...

Ways I would like to become more mindful-

• Starting a compost pile and reducing more waste
• Make the switch to reusable bags away from plastic or paper! (this is so tough, but very important to me!) =)

It's not about being "perfect" what ever that is, it's about being mindful of the choices that you make and their impact on you and the earth itself.  I have many many times that I've fallen down or haven't made the best choice, but I make the choice that is right for me at the time and that's important.

I would love some inspiration, crafty folks are so wonderful I know many of you are doing many of these things and more.  How are you choosing to be mindful in your own life?  Will you join me in choosing?

In the meantime I'm enjoying a stack of knitting books as I mull over choices and opportunities for next knits and a little bit of mindful/mindless crochet as well.  It's fun to mull. =)

...Slow Down...

I've decided that the universe likes to send me messages sometimes, especially ones like slow down(!).  In a normal day I'm a whirlwind of activity - I dislike pausing or sitting still as much as I can and I love running from one thing to another.  It seems the universe has other plans however.

Remember I mentioned way back that I had started back up horseback riding again?  I know I really haven't talked about it much since then, I've been riding a lot, building up my muscles again and last month I started jumping again which was fun.

Yesterday I went on a trail ride with my instructor and some of the other girls.  I was riding Sunshine who is a thoroughbred mare (anyone who knows horses would think, whoa, fiesty!)  =)  Thoroughbreds are known for their, shall we say, high spiritedness and as we were riding she was getting more and more high-spirited, tossing her head and prancing.

Anyhow at some point she totally freaked out and tried to make a run for it.  I stopped her and then she reared, I held on.  She bucked and tried to kick the horse behind her, I held on.  At that point she tripped and fell on top of me!  It was then that I let go which I think was a good plan!

The only thing I could think of was I didn't want to get my foot caught in the stirrups and drug around (which has happened to me before) so I was happy to be clear!  I rolled away from her hooves as she tried to regain her balance.  Luckily nothing was broken, I was achy and bruised but not too bad.  I even got back on her after we walked to the road and rode her around a bit (you know that old saying "you've got to get back on the horse?"  it's true! =)

Anyhow so I went home, no big deal but when I woke up this morning I am SORE!  I feel like someone had run me over with a truck and I am suddenly 80 years old.  I'll be fine, I just need to take some time to slow down and pamper myself.

So in the meantime I slow.down. and sit a bit and crochet since I can't hold my needles with my wrist tweaked.  I started a easy-peasy tiramisu blanket (a free pattern by Miss Posie, it's in her side-bar).  The ravelry details are here.  I'm working up to her super-cute baby cardigan so I'm treating this as bit of a warm-up.  I have lots of the new cotton-ease that I'm planning on using.  The lake color is for the blanket with a tan border, and then matching cardi eventually.  It will be super cute!  I'll take pics next time when I've managed more than a few rows and have something  to show you.

Until then I'll be over here, slowing down, putting my feet up and relaxing! =)  Have a great week!

Lendrum Wheel For Sale

Something about spring, the dogwoods are blooming, the sun is shining and the temps are perfect, it brings on major decluttering.  This isn't some wimpy cleaning, this is a full out assault on all things clutter! =)

Along those lines I finally made the decision to sell my lendrum wheel. I thought I would post it over here and on ravelry and see if anyone was interested.

I bought it used from a friend oh, only about 9 months or so ago.  It was a wonderful wheel to learn on and it made me realize how much I enjoy spinning.  Now that I have my matchless the lendrum isn't getting any attention and I'd like it to find a new home where it will be happy.

Specs:

Lendrum Single Treadle Wheel

• I bought it used, and it's a slightly older lendrum
• There are a few cosmetic wear marks on the knobs and treadle which would buff out nicely if you were inclined to do so.
• It spins lovely, very smooth and even and is a wonderful wheel to learn on, or to travel with as it folds flat into a bag
• It comes with a custom bag from the well-known "Bag Lady" that fits it perfectly
• 4 bobbins
• Jumbo Plying head with bobbin
• Lazy Kate (lazy kate is missing one of the metal rods that holds a bobbin but can easily be replaced with a skewer or extra knitting needle)
• New all items retail about $550, asking $250 + shipping and I'll send along lots of free fiber to get you started! =)

Whoa - The interest has been overwhelming!  I'm digging myself out of my email box now but I believe the wheel has been spoken for.  Thanks everyone! =)

Here's a photo from when I bought it...It hasn't changed a bit. 
I'm happy to send more pics of closeup if you're interested.

Thanks so much for looking, Back after more decluttering! =)

Of Socks and Mail

I guess it's a good thing I blogged so much last week, I feel like I don't have much to say this week.  Busy, busy at work, taxes (ugh!) and I've been spring cleaning and organizing like no tomorrow.  Clean cupboards make me happy, what can I say?? =)

I was once again part of Lynne's lovely special swap and paired up with Debby which was a real treat.  Debby is a real sweetheart and I enjoyed getting to know her better.

She sent me such a lovely package - the theme was spa treats which is one of my weaknesses.  I love beauty products that promise, better, prettier, shinier, well, anything!  My bathroom is covered in them (well, was, hence the spring cleaning.) =)

I received a lovely package that really made my day, beautiful bath bubbles, lotions, pedicure treats and a candle to enjoy while I do it all.  One of the neatest little tools ever was the cuticle oil stick she sent me from bath and body works.  That thing is amazing, it's not pictured because it's sitting on my desk and hasn't left my side since it arrived! =)  There was yummy, yummy yarn as well.  I am so, so excited to try out the new alpaca sox (and I'm anxious to see if mine will pool like grumperina's in the ball.)  and don't forget the yummy merino too - it's so soft!  Thank you so much Debby for being a wonderful swap pal!

In other news I've been doing some plain sock knitting this week but the yarn isn't so plain.  Since I'm on a roll with short-row heels I thought I would finally bite the bullet and try toe-up socks one more time ( I haven't done them since my Badcaul ones)

The yarn is Wollmeise in poison nr 5 (strong) and it's quite decadent to knit with.  I wanted to use up every little inch of this valuable yarn so I searched high and low for a pattern that would work.  It had to be toe-up and it had to be knee highs (knee highs in this would be ultra-decadent! =)  I finally found it in Star's awesome pattern, the Anne Diamond Socks.  Ahh perfection in a pattern! =)  I'm looking forward to starting the upper leg this weekend.

Speaking of which I'm going to busy this weekend.  Mama-e is having one of her dye workshops sorta close to me (2hrs away) and I decided to go for it.  I'm always interested in learning new things or new and better ways to do the things I already do and I'm interested in chatting with someone who I've admired her yarn for a long time.  Should be fun, I'm really excited.  If you live in the area there's still room I think, come join us! =)

Have a great weekend all!