Autumn walks and autumn fairs.

It really is autumn now. The fire has been on a lot already. The wind is coming from the south and the trees are colouring up. And lots of toadstools this year, due to a wet summer. Our youngest has taken a liking for finding unusual toadstools and mushrooms. Like this one.
And these cute shiny ones. So we all went for a walk up Te Mata Peak by the redwood trees.

We took quite a few photos crouched in between the leaf litter and bushes.
These looked amazing, feeding on a dead tree, all blue green and as big as your hand.

We were nearly back at the car, when I mis-stepped and twisted my right ankle. I felt a nasty crunch . And nearly fainted...Ouch!!

The rest of our Sunday afternoon was spent in the emergency department of our hospital, getting x-rays and a half-cast plaster on. My ankle had gotten a swelling the size of an easter-egg while I was still on the ground, and I was told that I had torn a ligament, which had ripped a fleck of bone off as well. No wonder I felt a bit funny...
Still a week of the easter school holidays to go... I am not allowed to put any weight on it. Walking with crutches is fun for the first 5 minutes. But it is 5 days later now and I am frustrated and sore. My left leg has muscle ache, my shoulders ache, my hands are bruised from the handles and I managed to get a blister on my hand as well. I thought I might get stronger, but I seem to be moving around slower now. The worst is I can't carry anything. Like a cup of tea. But I am so lucky to have my Love popping in from work and my youngest getting me things and doing some of the housework.

Today we went to the doctor, I'll be off work for a wee while. We got some other crutches from the hospital, I'll put some extra padding on them. Hopefully I will get a new plaster-cast in the next week , one that will allow me to put weight on it, (if my foot is up to it), or a waterproof one, so I can have a shower.
So I guess I'll be updating this blog a bit more often.

Here a picture of me at an autumn craft fair at Hohepa Homes .That's a residential community for people with intellectual disabilities, with protected work places and schooling. They have an anthropological philosophy and are closely connected to our local Rudolph Steiner school. There is a working farm, they produce organic cheeses and vegetables. My Mum-i.l. used to work there in the weaving workshops, when they still lived in Hawke's Bay. And every year they have a large fair with art and craft stalls, food and entertainment. So here my own stall. It didn't go as well as I had hoped, but I'll go back next year again. My youngest daughter helped me that day, the oldest was just visiting us on the photo.

I did 2 fairs in March. I quite like it. Even though we got rained out on the other one.

In February my daughter asked me if I would make her a new schoolbag. Crocheted please. I was amazed. She wanted me to make her something everyone would see? Sure thing.

I showed her some of her Oma's hand-spun and dyed yarns. She loved it. She drew a picture of how the bag should look and how big (big!), with a zip. So I made one and lined it with a sturdy rib, because I didn't want the crochet to stretch. I added a few big inside pockets as well.
It closes with a chunky zip , "made with love".
She uses it every day and all her friends think it is very cool. Here she is in her school uniform ready for her day. Now she has a bit of Oma-L. with her to keep her company.

She has been doing so much better the last few months. It's like we have the original girl back with us. It is a real relief. It is amazing how both our girls have coped with so much sadness in our family the last 3 years. And it has been very difficult .

Grief lasts so long, it will never quite go away. It just softens at the edges.