Let me tell you all about the craziness of the Little Cabin In The Woods. Since we moved up for the fire season, every single day of my life here, something hasn’t worked. I’m in a position, on a daily basis, to freak out, grow terribly frustrated or give in to a storm of anger. Here’s a list of things that don’t work or break on a regular basis or have broken and been fixed: power outage to the Airstream, a fried hard drive in my desktop computer, broken plumbing, power outage in the cabin, patchy internet connection, patchy phone service, broken internet connection (as in, my actual hot spot device is currently broken…I’m not even going to go into how awful it has been dealing with Verizon…) and last but not least, no hot water due to a lack of propane.
Yup. I’m taking ice cold showers. It’s brisk! It’s good for a frustrated soul too. I’ve had such a short fuse this week…too much emotional strain. Cold water helps me keep it real.
Life has been jolting about like a 1960 Volkswagen Beetle that is being driven by a kid learning to drive a stick shift for the first time. Some days I don’t get anything done because I’m trying to solve problems in the cabin or with my connectivity to the outside world. It can be exasperating. Instead of pitching a hideous tantrum every single day, I’m trying to view all the troubles I’m having as opportunities. For instance, when the electricity quits flowing into the Airstream and I can’t work, I view it as an opportunity to walk out into the forest and paint or go bike riding or take a box of beads down to the lake and swim between crafting bead strands. Or I sit down and practice writing in the heat of the afternoon when the Airstream is like an oven. All those moments of inconvenience can be turned into life experience, one way or another.
I am master and commander of the chaos. If I tell it to bug off, it does, and then I can proceed to have a lovely time doing something unrelated to the chaos.
Having to take a cold shower is another thing altogether but when I am in there, I imagine I am under a pretty cascade on a lovely, wild river, in the backcountry. I have a nice fire going in my campsite and am washing away the sweat of the day. I caught a couple of beautiful trout earlier on and am looking forward to reading a book in the dusk of the evening. The water is fresh and cold, pure snow melt from the high country and it makes me feel alive. You see? I transported you for a moment, didn’t I? If I keep my eyes shut while in my cold shower, I can take myself some other place and it seems lovely instead of darn terrible. In point of fact, when Rob comes home eventually and helps me to load the propane tank into the back of the truck to take to town to be filled, I might miss my cold showers and the wild living of my imagination. I know. This is all so disgustingly optimistic. What can I say? I’m like a sunflower. My face follows the light.
Today I am going to a flea market down on the Columbia River. I might pick up a delicious lunch on the way. When I get back this evening, I’m going to work on some earrings in the cool of the evening and watch, with gladness, as my forest falls into night. The stars have been magnificent lately, something to ponder on while I fall asleep in my cozy nest up in the cabin loft.
Life sure can be annoying, but it’s still wonderful.
When life gives you limes, make gin and tonics.
That’s all I have to say about that.
Happy belated Canada Day and Fourth of July to all my beloved Canadians and USA-icans. I belong to two very beautiful countries and it’s always wonderful to celebrate these awesome lands with friends and family and friends who are like family.
Be well, little saplings,
X
::Post Scriptus::
Cutest overalls ever, right?
Yowza!! That’s a lot of practicing patience- whew!! I’d say you’ve got it mastered now. I’m sorry to hear about all of the frustration with TLCW- I know it’s not easy on you. The beauty you share and invite in despite it all is heart warming and inspirational- thank you for your grace. 🙂
Oh, and hey, I’ve been drinking Gin and Tonics with lotsa limes…yummy! Chin, chin!!
Oh, and the overalls are the cutest things ever!! With the hat!! I promised a little girl I work with I would wear my cowboy hat and red cowboy boots the next time I saw her. And, when I do that a little, “Yeehaw!” happens- I dunno, it’s a Virginia thing. 😉
Those overalls are cute!! I love how overalls are back in style so to speak…….haha.
You are a beautiful soul Jillian.
Oh, Jillian.
Ever wonder if the more you turn your nose up at Chaos; the more you find a bit of joy and opportunity in it, the more it wishes to taunt you? Sometimes I wonder that. Tricksy thing.
And yeah, you’re just about the cutest thing in those overalls.
xx
To live optimistically is the best way, though to a pessimist, optimists are THE most annoying thing ever. I know this, because I am constantly driving my crabby hubby nuts with my attempt to make him see everything differently.
Another thing I have noticed: when you react badly, the troubles just keep coming. Sounds like you are being tested, girl! But, it also sounds like you are doing pretty good with it all!
Here’s to an easy July!
xx
Often I feel so happy to have found you, and this. You inspire continually! (And what a great way to kick all of life’s little troubles in the butt!)
Jillian, I’m new to your work, but admire everything from your AMAZING photography to your perfectly articulated words to your stunning jewelry! It’s so frustrating when it feels like the universe is conspiring against us, but you seem to be handling it with such grace! Hang in there and know that there are people who always look forward to your work, no matter when that might be! 😉
Gi-i-i-irl!!! You look fantabulous in those overalls. I love your imagination.. you made me happy today with this attitude and this post and I pray the Internet cooperates with you because we need our fix of fantabulous posts. xx
“..it matters not how strait the gate,
how charged with punishments the scroll.
i am the master of my fate:
i am the captain of my soul.”
~ from ‘invictus’ by William ernest henley
A woman after my own heart.
Positivity is a wonderful thing. When things get too rough, I can feel myself forgetting it, although that takes A LOT to get me to that point. And sometimes, I just don’t *want* to be positive. That little voice inside me creeps up with “well maybe this is better anyway…” and I want to slap it, but I don’t. I know it’s right. Gin and Tonics, my dear. All the way.
You would probably look pretty cute throwing a tantrum, though 🙂
holy overalls. that was a winning purchase, my friend.
well yes, you are a little disgustingly optimistic. but that is because i am most definitely not. glad you are keeping your face in the light even when life throws you some curves. and yes, those are darned cute overalls!
cute hat too 😉
I love how you see the positive in your situations, very inspirng
“Life has been jolting about like a 1960 Volkswagen Beetle that is being driven by a kid learning to drive a stick shift for the first time.”
Ha! Love the simile! Sounds very apt for your current situation. But you clearly are a true optimist, and so of course all will be well in the end. In the meantime, enjoy those cascades 😉 (it’s been so hot and humid here lately that I’ve been taking cold showers deliberately!)
You are so inspiring! Gorgeous pictures!
I have to agree with Heather….been taking cold showers on purpose here too. The day that we arrived back home from WA was so disgustingly hot and humid. Had to unload all of the camping stuff and it was 113 degrees and felt like a swamp. Eww. Finished bringing everything in and then ran for the bathroom. Was so impatient to be under the cool water that I walked into the shower mostly clothed.
I always try to look at broken things as a lesson in gratefulness. Living without warm water for a while makes you think about how grateful you are for the luxury warm showers, for a beautiful bathroom to enjoy them in. It is so easy to forget sometimes how lucky we are to have these conveniences and to take them for granted.
Also, I adore that hat. So cute!!
sending you the deep love and light
and yes
i will take a glass of limade…or perhaps and lime margarita is in order!
love and light sister-friend
Nice to see you. I like your bike.
The dangly pondi pines are quite simply the best!
Cheers, babe.
x
Can I just say that the sunflower quote is going to be my new go-to thought. Be like a sunflower and follow the light! It’s really perfect!! Sometimes everything seems to fall apart, but all we can do is dwell or make the most of it. Cheers to you and maybe make yourself a yummy gin & tonic before that cold shower, ok sunflower girl? 🙂
i like your philosophy: make gin and tonics!
and being master and commander of the chaos.
love the overalls and the shots of my wee friend penepie!
girrrrrrrrl, where’d you get them there overalls????? 😉
LOVE!!!!
Jullian, I love your blog. Really. First I revel in the pictures (I can feel summertime through the screen) and then I savor your words. Thank you for keeping this blog– even during the most frustrating of times. The overalls: cute, but that Penelope!!!!
So happy to see a picture of Penelope! I was going to ask on this post if she’s been ok since I don’t recall seeing her for awhile. What does she think of the great wide open woods?
Penelope!!! And a bonus GSP!!! Yippee!!! This post has made me extremely cheerful.
You are absolutely troooooop adorable! Je t’aime (et j’adore tes salopettes)! XO
It’s all so darn beautiful and keenly felt, Jillian!
xoxo
First off, look at those handsome beasts! And you can bet your beautiful soul that I include you in that pack!!! Also, the shot with the haze of light through the deciduous forest, well gosh, there are no words, but I was transported!!! And lastly, I and envious and covet those coveralls!!! Worn like a true nature lover, farmer, adventurer and animal wrangler!!!
xo
p.s. I am beyond thrilled to learn that your Robert and your yourself are safe, out of harms way!