Sewing/Simple Dress Experiment: I'm a happy owner of a new blue dress/apron set. The color is quite bright, but it complimets nicely my tanned arms. Yes, I have spent so much time outdoors that I have some color on my skin! In case you are wondering, all the dresses I have sewn so far are similar, except for the color. My pattern offers lots of options, but so far I have felt that my current choices are the best. I haven't even done different length sleeves- sometimes I think it might be nice to have a dress with elbow length/long sleeves, but then I always remember some situation in which I would not like that length. So, 3/4 sleeve it is.
   It doesn't feel particularly boring to have all my dresses so similar either. This surprises me probably most of all- I remember too clearly thinking that if nothing else, dressing simply would be dreadfully boring and that after a while I'd hate the way I look the same from day to day. But, IMO, I look pretty from day to day, and most importantly- I look like me. When I see myself in the mirror, I see a person who looks confident, capable and ready for anything the day might throw in her way. I like that.
  Yesterday, I stumbled upon yet another little interesting fact. In USA, the consumption of clothing has increased by 50% since 1990's. 50%. That's a lot, especially considering that Americans probably wore decent clothing even at ´90s. The figure didn't tell, how things are in Europe, but I'm pretty sure it's something similar. In Finland, I think, the change might be even more dramatic. I feel the selections and advertizing has skyrocketed during the last decade or so.
  It's ironic, how this has happened at the same time we have started to worry about environment in general, and about climate change in particular. It's sad, how this has happened in spite of the news we have received about sweatshop production of clothing in China and other Far East countries. We know better and better that modern Western lifestyle is disastrous and that consuming too much is not good...yet, that concern just doesn't turn into actions. I'm not sure if this irrationality can be explained- it truly seems as if the left half of our collective brain has no idea of what the right half is thinking.
To me, this is another good reason to dress ostensibly simply- to try my best to broadcast the message that I don't want to be part of this general madness. Some people may think that I'm an idealistic fool. But, I rather look like a fool than behave like one. As I mentioned already, though, I don't think I look like a fool, except in case fools look pretty.

Hair: Clean, soft, slippery. Barely under control with 3-tone Lavender Ficcare clamped over my bun. I'm about to head to the shower- the very humid weather shows no signs of going away and so, I have lots of laundry to do and many showers to take each day to keep me fresh. If only this weather would do my hair the same it has done to the garden!

Sounds like it's really time for you to get a new, nice sewing machine! The clothes I have sewn for myself don't have buttons (I use hook & eye to secure the neck of my aprons because that's so handy), but I think I am going to have to learn how to do them, since T has started to ask, when am I going to sew something for him.

Butterflies: I discovered two beautiful painted lady butterflies (Vanessa cardui) from our lilacs. They were very friendly little fellows, sat still for long moments and let me admire them from every angle. Too bad T had taken the camera with him, otherwise I would have tried to take a picture. But in any case, that's Species #5, and first species rated Uncommon that I have discovered from our garden. 

Weather has become pleasant once again- the tropical weather lasted long enough to make to the news, but today it's nice: sunny and windy, and humidity is gone. I managed to sleep well last night- so well that I actually overslept. Not that I was going anywhere though. Otherwise I have been very productive today, trying to make up for the lethargic days in the beginning of the week.
   Consequently, my hair is out of the way, in a bun inside small snood. I really, really like those things! They are so comfortable and cute, and go incredibly well with my dresses. I'm so glad I got them ready for the summer.

Sakina: My new avatar is Kvasir, and it's an Asgard from Stargate series. Ok, I admit that I'm slightly weird and that I've been watching Stargate a lot lately...neither is a secret, exactly...

Weekend went really quickly, working in the garden mostly. We bought furniture to our terrace, as well as visited the local farmer's supply store where we bought lots of flowers and a cute little bird bath.
   The garden is doing pretty wonderfully, even if I say so myself. I think certain T's mother who has sounded slightly doubtful on how we are managing country living, will be surprised when she sees it...
On top of everything else, it seems that our butterfly project has picked up speed after some more quiet weeks. On Sunday, we found Species #6, Orange Tip butterfly. We were happy to see it- it's an early species whose flying time will end soon.
Besides more gardening, this week I really have to start working with the dreaded quantum mechanics essay. I have printed five or so articles...it'll be "interesting" to see what I can stitch together from them. As always, I would LOVE to write a great essay that would get me a good grade from the course, but with this course, I doubt that it is possible. But I will try.

Hair: Covered from morning to evening. The sun is shining very warmly now, and there is no other alternative during long days outdoors. Wash as usual on Saturday, and I have also rinsed daily. But, it looks very shiny and healthy, so I guess I'm doing something right.
Today I bought us two more straw hats. I wasn't all that happy with my first one- it had too wide brim that fell in front of my eyes. Besides, T has been stealing it (real cute sight with the pink bow...), and I wanted to buy one for him. I visited many stores before I found something that looks even slightly unisex. It's still not as plain as I would have wanted to, but it's the best I could get.

I love SG-1!  I also like SG Atlantis and Sci-Fi in general.  I've just been watching the last season, I don't own any TV show dvds.

I don't think you're weird at all. 

On a random note, yet still sort of connected, did you have that minbari styled dress you wanted for your wedding? (I only have babylon 5 season 3, but I am in love with Delenn's dresses.)

Ok, so, here is my first butterfly picture: Painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) on blackcurrant, picture is near natural size.
Again, the butterfly was very cooperative and posed patiently while I tried to snap a good picture.



Hair: I hauled the Big Swap Shipment to the post office, and so, my hairtoy swapping is done for a while.
As I said yesterday, I received 8 (eight) pairs of Longlocks hairsticks. I don't have all the names of the new sticks at hand yet. I am going to request an update to my Collections page when I find them all, so that you get to see them, though.
  I got: A FoilStix pair (Aqua Elegance? ) -a beautiful pair in gold, aqua and turquoise. First FoilStix pair of my collection, and totally gorgeous.
           Two pairs featuring shell beads, in pink and aqua. Both are gorgeous. I hunted for a pair with shell beads for a long time and never got lucky. These pairs were totally worth the long wait- shell beads are every bit as beautiful as I had hoped.
         A SwingStix pair in pink. I like SwingStix, and since I like pink hairsticks, it's nice to have a pair of pink Swingstix.
         Fire Garden SpiralStix. The red pair I have been searching for Ages. And it's Spiral Stix. And it features chinese flower beads. I already had a pair with chinese flower beads (though different ones), and I loved how the little flowers seemed to float inside the glass. These are just as amazing, and they are set on a pair of red SpiralStix. Talk about perfection!
         Pink Ribbon FuturiStix. It features twisted ribbon pairs in a color I didn't already have. It is FuturiStix. It is pink. In other words: the perfect pair.
         Coppery/Mink FantasyStix. I owned one pair of FantasyStix, and loved the look. Plus, I have liked my brown sticks, and was looking for more sticks in that color. A pair of beautiful, brown FantasySticks is therefore a perfect addition to my collection.
        A pair of SugarStix with rose beads. As you all know, I can't resist SugarStix. At all. This pair has really amazing rose beads and a delicate rose and green leaves design topped with that fabulous Sugar glitter.
       
I'm in Hairstick Heaven! Now, I only need to figure out, how and when to wear them. Maybe I need to get a life or something...

The pic of the butterfly is beautiful,Galadriel!!!  Your hair looks great,too!

Thanks, both.
My hair has grown quite nicely, in spite of a trim here and there. I hope it means that I will also see some improvement with my hemline soon now that I start maintaining phase- my first one during this whole journey.

I have a bun picture I need to load up for you- one featuring a pair of my new hairsticks! However, RL matters first.

Life: We have a new rabbit. It's a boy, almost 4 months old and bought from the same place where we got Lumi. He is very cute, and so far, he and Lumi are getting along quite well. We don't dare to leave them together unsupervised yet, but so far, they have behaved well. I have to post a picture of him to you as well.
We named him Pyry, which is a boy-ish name, and means snow storm or snowfall. There is pun included though- in Finnish, you usually use the word in longer form if you want to say snow storm- it would be Lumipyry. Can't wait to see our friends to roll their eyes...
     It seems that I also have found work. For a couple of weeks, anyway. A big orchard nearby hires people to trim their apple trees. I called them today, went to interview today and will hear about them tomorrow. It's the kind of work that is available in this region- the difference between this farm and the others is, that these people weren't totally put off when I told (when asked) that I have an university degree. It's so annoying how employers don't seem to get that if university people don't find appropriate work, they would be happy to do something less glamorous as long as it pays the bills...But, if all goes well, I am about to get a great deal of exercise, a good tan, and some money. 

Country Living: We have a wasp nest in one of our side attics- in fact, it's in worst place imaginable inside the house. The wasps are already a major nuisance, as they find their way indoors, especially to our bedroom. So, we called the exterminator. He will come to check the situation tomorrow. There's no way we could manage the situation ourselves...but this is SO going to cost...
        Garden has magically experienced another transformation, from a spring garden to a summer garden. Roses, huge peonies and centaureas are in full bloom, grass grows like crazy...and our vegetable patch is ready. Yesterday I collected away our last radishes, and today I planted cucumbers to their place. Salads are doing well, as are dills and beetroots, and potatoes are also developing nicely. Most importantly, everything is in good order and we have managed to do all the necessary work in good schedule. Well, of course there is always something to do- but nothing really alarming.
     Our baby birds are almost grown up and are out of the nesting boxes. Now they roam around the garden- they are yet too small to venture very far. But cute.