Two Steps Forward . . .

and One Step Back.  Sounds a bit like a line dance instruction, more like life.  This past week I've had the pleasure (?) of slowing down in order to allow myself to recover from "the Crud."  You know, the stuff that settles in to make you realize just how slowly the days are warming?  But, I've turned the corner and no longer am having that lovely "out of body"/ "moving under water" experience when climbing out of bed in the morning.

The silver lining of being sick?  I did make some good headway on my Spring Shrug.  I've completed one sleeve and am cruising through the back, almost halfway!

The knitted fabric is a little womply, but hopefully some blocking will take care of that.  The first part (beginning of sleeve) was a bit tricky and fiddly, but once I completed 3-4 inches of knitting it got a lot easier.  Or maybe I just got over my fear that lace weight yarn was fragile?  It's amazingly tough for such a dainty thing.  Kinda' like snowdrops.

Another plus, I had the excuse to lay in bed and indulge in one of my all time favorite movies:

The gorgeous scenery helps allay my impatience with Spring's slow arrival here in Colorado.  The costumes are simply to die for.  And the story, ah well, Jane Austen knows how to tweak my soul.  I feel more about this film than I dare share in this space, trust me.  I do so enjoy thinking about the intricacies of love.

That being said, I was able to peruse the garden on my way to the hen house yesterday.  That in itself felt very productive!  I snapped a few pictures of the early spring bulbs to share and as a note to myself for the fall season.  I do so like to plant bulbs in the fall.  A panacea for the upcoming long, dark Winter, knowing that promise is buried in the ground.  These pictures will hopefully act as a map later when I try to find some places to stash hope!

Iris Reticulata and Crocus

Soul Therapy

The weather this morning was not fit for fowl nor beast.  As evidence my hens wouldn't venture out of their coop, and the pups weren't begging to play outside.  Spring was indeed coming in like a lion, roaring so hard tree limbs were down in the garden and outdoor furniture was being blown about.  Good time for some indoor pursuits.  Since it is Friday, the one weekday that I do not go into work, I thought I would give myself a little self care:

Ginger Foot Soak
Grate a cup of ginger*
Put Ginger into an old T shirt rag or cheesecloth or muslin (whatever you have on hand) and squeeze the liquid into a basin, I use my Homedics Sole Therapy Foot Bath.
Add 2 generous teaspoons of olive oil.
Now pour in hot water and soak.
Towel off and slip into a pair of your favorite socks.

*Ginger is one of the Trinity Bulbs in Eastern medicine, the others being Onion and Garlic.  Use these liberally, especially during the colder months to enjoy optimal health.

This is an incredible treatment.  I soaked long enough to finish a swatch for my Spring Shrug (45 min?)

Knit Picks Alpaca Cloud - Tide Pool

and my feet kept tingling for another 45 minutes or so.

Bliss!