**
***
(Amazon links are affiliate links.)
Did you catch the snake warning above? Do any of you remember that? It’s been awhile… But it came up on Instagram a couple of weeks ago when I did a Q&A session. Hopefully I haven’t traumatized anyone by posting those photos of Bea’s little green snake! You can read about the snake warning system here.
I realize that I haven’t posted here in more than a week, maybe the longest I’ve ever gone without at least a quick check-in. The past week or so included a two day power outage, the basement clean-out, homeschool planing, and so much more. It’s been non-stop.
Cleaning out the basement was exhausting! I’ve only just barely recovered. When we moved here in 2016 everything non-essential plus all off-season clothing was dumped there with the intention of it all being dealt with. But then it sat, and sat, and sat. Children rummaged through bins and bags. More stuff was added, and by the time I got started you couldn’t see the floor anymore. I spent two days sorting, organizing, purging, and lifting. In the end, Jonny hauled a trailer load to the dump, and another to Goodwill. I was ruthless. My high school yearbooks went, as did Jonny’s unfinished paintings from twenty years ago. I was physically sore for about three days after finishing. If I had to do it again, I couldn’t. I was so exhausted afterwards that it felt like I’d been through some sort of trauma. When I was still exhausted three days later, it occurred to me that something else might be going on. I remembered that my doctor suggested an iron supplement at my last visit, though I never got around to looking into that. So I did. I’m taking this now, and it only took a couple of days to start feeling better. I’ve been dragging all summer, and I think that low iron might be to blame.
For the first time in I don’t know how long I read a book cover-to-cover in a couple of days, but I’m not sure I should recommend it! It definitely couldn’t be named on my Happy Reading List. When an online group I am in decided on Sigrid Undest’s, Gunnar’s Daughter, for their book club pick, I knew I wanted to read it. I’ve read quite a few books by Undset including one of my favorites, Kristin Lavransdatter. Gunnar’s Daughter reads much faster than Kristin, and is a fraction of the length at only around 150 pages. It’s an intense read and I couldn’t put it down. The only reason I hesitate to recommend it is that not everyone likes a good tragedy. Read it if you like that sort of thing! For me, it was a good shift from all the Mitford books I’ve been reading.
Jonny and I watched The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society on Netflix last week, and I can definitely recommend that one! I read the book years ago and enjoyed the movie. I so rarely watch movies these days, but this was a good one. I actually watched two movies last week because I took my younger kids to see Christopher Robin at the theater. It was a sweet movie and I think I good choice for Silas and Job’s first theater experience. We had fun and I ate way too much popcorn. (I know-movie popcorn is terrible. But once every decade shouldn’t kill me?)
Last week must have been a sort of “summer’s last hurrah” week for us because in addition to going to the movies, we took a day trip to White Oak Canyon with friends to hike and swim. I intentionally left my camera home, so the only photos I have are on my phone. Jonny also started a tree house for the kids and I canned tomatoes. Whew!
I lamented to a friend that I’ve hardly knit a stitch lately. I sure hope that changes soon because I’ve got quite a few projects going now, including a shawl I started just after I finished cleaning out the basement as a reward to myself. Any excuse to cast on! Beatrix quickly claimed this project, so I will aim to finish it up for her November birthday.
How about all of you? Are you ready for fall? Next week our homeschool co op starts up again as do homeschool band and orchestra. Can summer really be ending? Honestly, I think I’m okay with it. I think I’m ready. Sort of.
p.s. The head scarf wait is almost over. I’m updating my shop on Thursday afternoon at 1 p.m. ET. I have lots of new things to share with you including organic, naturally dyed, cotton gauze scarves (perfect for fall!), head scarves, and even a limited edition run of naturally dyed organic baby swaddles. New goat’s milk soap, and playsilks have just been re-stocked as well. I told you, I’ve been busy!!!! 🙂
p.p.s. In the photo above, Mabel is wearing Beatrix’s orange Sunday Sweater that I knit in 2012. I dyed that yarn in 2011 with tickseed sunflowers and the color is still so vibrant!
Lana says
Our children had a tree house that began that same way on three trees. Last year I hired the son of a friend to come and tear it down because it was no longer safe. It is sad to have it gone but our baby is 27 so it had been there a long time. They spent many hours in that tree house. We really feel that we want to move from this house now and start on a house that is just ours and not so heart wrenching all the time. I suspect that a move will generate a pile of boxes and things that we will have to sort through, too.
karen says
that snake is beautiful! (I am not afraid of snakes in photos….). cleaning out a basement would drain all of my energies as well. I hope the task is forever done never to be repeated!!
Melisa says
Hello Ginny,
Hoping what you’ve started taking for low iron will be helpful to you. If not, another fellow mom told me about MegaFood BloodBuilder. It’s a food-based iron supplement, and seems to be helping my iron level stay up.
Blessings to you and yours!
Melisa
Kathleen says
I’m so excited you have photos back in your shop! I was hoping to purchase one a few months ago and didn’t see them at that time. Now I just have to make the hard choice of which ones to buy. 🙂 Also, I love the look of your new headscarves and scarves – they are beautiful colors and I love the feel of that type of gauze.
Marion says
Hi Ginny, It was nice hearing from you. I missed your always welcome posts. Glad that you are feeling better with the iron pills. I love the color of Mabel’s sweater. It is so appropriate for fall. I too, am reading “The Chronicles of Narnia”. I am not enjoying the books too much, but will finish the series. Take care and good for you for cleaning out the cellar. It is always a tedious job to go through old and things that have accumulated over the years.
Marion
Joan says
I am looking forward to Autumn. I do not like the hot weather. The bush in our back yard has a few berries on it. That usually means Summer is coming to an end and Fall is close. I just started to read ” MY Dear Hamilton”. Glad the children had a good time at the movies.
Joan
Marilyn says
Thank You for the update. Sorry that you had no power for two days. Hope your food did not spoil. That sweater Mabel is wearing is beautiful. I have started to read “The Chronicles of Narnia”. They are not my cup of tea, but I am determined to finish the series.
Marilyn
Lisa says
I always love “meeting” another Kristin L fan. A book near and dear to my heart, and I’ve been thinking I will read it again once the weather turns cooler…..
Becca says
Your posts always inspire me to dream and pursue those dreams. Just lovely.
Thanks for the book/movie recommendations. Our youngest daughter and I saw Christopher Robin on its second day at our theatre. Beautiful and rather like the Pooh I’ve always imagined when reading Milne’s books.
Blessings on your homeschooling and your co-op adventures. We miss being in a co-op, but needed to take a bit of time off from the hustle of too many activities. Maybe another year.
MotherOwl (Charlotte) says
Oh, you’ve truly been productive. Time for relaxing knitting befre fall begins, and school with it. I’m NOT ready for fall yet – or for school to start, but it will, whether I’m ready or not.
PS I love the dress Bea is wearing in the snake photo. Have you told more about it somewhere?
Ginny says
Yes, I wrote about it in this post: https://gsheller.com/2017/11/mice-for-her-9th.html
MotherOwl (Charlotte) says
Thank you.
PS. I love Sigrid Undset’s writings as well, but never read this one, thanks for the reminding me of it.
Theresa Boedeker says
Found out I was low on iron too, this summer. Now my numbers are so high, they are almost out of the normal range. I was thinking naps were my best friend, but now I rarely take one. One doctor told me that women have less red blood cells than men, (testosterone makes more red blood cells for men), and then women menstruate for years and often have a few babies, and all this adds up to low iron.
Glad you are felling better. And good work on all that cleaning and organizing.
Emily says
Ooh, a new to me Sigrid U. book to read! 🙂 I keep meaning to re-read Kristin L., but you know how that goes. It’s just so HUGE! 🙂
Do you still sell shawl pins in the shop? Because I might be needing one ASAP. 🙂
Ginny says
I’m not sure when I’ll have shawl pins again. 🙁 Jonny is swamped and stressed out with his “day” job.
Elizabeth says
such a lovely sweater! wow, that clean-out project sounded massive! so glad you were able to do it! I do hope you have a peaceful day today! Your pictures are so beautiful, thank you so much for sharing them!
Klara says
Ginny, I also enjoyed The Guernsey… movie. If you are fond of such kind of historical stories, I do recommend another Netflix movie called Milada. It is about a Czechoslovakian polititian Milada Horakova, senteced to death in the era of arising communism in Europe. It is touching but encouraging at the same time. Her last letters from prison were written to her daughter Jana who was only able to read them 40years later. They are so powerful.
Klara says
I also enjoyed The Guernsey… movie. If you are fond of such kind of historical stories, I do recommend another Netflix movie called Milada. It is about a Czechoslovakian polititian Milada Horakova, senteced to death in the era of arising communism in Europe. It is touching but encouraging at the same time. Her last letters from prison were written to her daughter Jana who was only able to read them 40years later. They are so powerful.
Martha says
Yes, so ready for fall/winter, it is my favorite season! I don’t love summer heat, even though I enjoy the long days and the garden. I’m hoping to try a fall garden for the first time this year. Not so ready for the homeschool year but I think I’ll always feel that way, and once we get rolling things feel more normal and less daunting. I’ve tackled some long overdue organizing and cleaning projects this summer, too, which feels good but wanted a bit more done before we began school. I cannot wait to take the kids to see Christopher Robin, what a great idea! Will have to do very soon.
Nicole Spring says
oh my YES! on the iron. We have been using Floradex since my pregnancy with Baby F. What a difference it made. My iron was so low I had to double to recommended dose for 6 months.
Tonya says
So glad you found the source of your tiredness. Just a gentle note that Amazon is a company with questionable ethical practices that you might want to research. Vitacost.com also carries Gaia products as I am sure even more indpendent stores do as well.
Kristen says
Hi Ginny! I always love reading your updates and what your sweet family has been up to.
Would you share where you are buying your cotton gauze? I have been looking for some for a project and having trouble finding good quality – yours looks so lovely!
Angela says
i wondered where you had gone since I hadnt seen your notification come up in me mail box. welcome back and I do hope you feel better now that you are on your iron supplement. have you tried tissue salts? maybe you should have a look into that too, that is if you want to go a little natural. i use them for everything.
beautiful moments shared as always – and I loved the kids sliding down the river- fall on your instagram stories, I know my boys would have had a blast.
Eileen says
So glad to hear from you, I was wondering where you were when no posts on the blog or Instagram, (loved the ask me a question on Instagram.) You have been busy! Those children of your’s just keep getting cuter, Bea, so grown up and Mabel so sweet! Good luck and happy new school year with all the aadventures the year has to offer. Looking forward to the Thursday update on Etsy.
Jihan says
What kind of homeschool co op are you a part of? This is going to be my first year homeschooling but I’m having a difficult time finding anything except classical conversation co ops.
Tara says
I love your style! It makes me want to buy one of those lovely scarves this afternoon. I like the relaxed look of it all. Your blog gives me such joy. Honestly it does. It’s so beautiful.