July 24, 2016

Letting the weather affect one's life!

I dislike Winter! "Hate" is probably too strong a word for my feelings about it now that we live in the subtropics, but I still complain if the temperature drops below 20 degrees (68 F).


I've achieved very little over the last Winter month, had very little motivation, thin on ideas, generally feeling down, and spending lots of time reading inane Facebook posts because I couldn't be bothered doing anything else! I've been blaming it on the fact that some of the outlets for my designs have closed up, accompanied by lack of sleep.

Until yesterday!

Yesterday was one of those amazing Queensland winter days with a temperature of  29 degrees (84 F).  I was up early, out in the garden dealing with all those weeds that have been crying for attention for weeks. Then into the sewing room and out came a design that has been sitting ready to be put together for a couple of months. All the embroidery was done but I've been hedging on it and putting it in the too hard basket. It didn't take long at all to audition a few fabrics and work out the overall plan. By the end of the afternoon, I had cut out all the pieces and started sewing them together.


 I achieved more in one day than I had in 3 or 4 weeks! Then it hit me! I was still not getting much sleep, circumstances hadn't changed, but the weather had!!! Everything had come to life because my body thought that summer had arrived!  I had totally forgotten how the weather affects my life! [There's a medical name for the syndrome - Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).] So, I'm all enthused about stitching again. Even though I know it will revert to being cold again a few times in the coming weeks, there's a light at the end of the tunnel and Spring is just around the corner.


My lovely day was finished off in the late afternoon with a delightful walk with DH around the local Pond and down to the Beach  - perfect!


Thinking of Spring reminds me that I recently put the Friendship Garden door hanger pattern, with all its pretty flowers, in my Craftsy Store Bring on Spring!

Happy Stitching!
Val

5 comments:

Petal49 said...

Im so glad you are feeling better. Your ribbon embroidery is beautiful. The sun is certainly more pleasant than the cold although the spring bulbs need to cold to be able to flower again!

Verna G said...

I have difficulty having sympathy fro you but I guess its all a matter of what you get used to. Our winter temperatures often go as low as -40 celcius and stay that way for days. It'a a great time to stay in doors and get some quilting done! All amatter of what we are used to.
Verna G in western Canada

Anonymous said...

I think I'm just the opposite of you - the heat zaps my energy in a couple of hours, and that's the window I have for stitching. If something else has to be done - no sewing! I do tend to like fall and spring and get more done then, but summer is just not as productive as I'd like. Your door hanger is gorgeous and the peek at what you were working with yesterday - oh my I love the color of that silk!

Susan said...

My word - I have been loving this winter - it was actually a bit cool ..maybe even cold. I must have Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) too - I cannot do anything in Summer weather and as you know in Qld, summer starts in September and doesn't finish til the end of March. If only I could live in June/July all year.
nevertheless - your projects are as always very pretty...I am now stitching again your Gifts of Grace blocks.

Chrissie said...

So glad you are feeling better, long may it last. Can totally sympathise with you, I was advised to seek the warmer sun for health and hubby too suffered from SAD so he benefited greatly too, especially having spent 23 years in NZ then suddenly being plummeted into cold dreary UK seasons. Lovely that you sparked your creatively ran with it and enjoyed. take care xcx