Ann of Owlshire Posted March 21 Report Share Posted March 21 “If you're reading this, you must be in dire need of a change. The same thing happened to me, long ago. I'd lost sight of what mattered most in life... real connections with other people and nature. So I dropped everything and moved to the place I truly belong.” — Grandpa's Letter Welcome to RL Stardew Valley! We're now moving into spring and as usual I'm behind on getting the garden beds ready, sowing my seeds, and all that jazz. Briefly, an Origin Story: I'm a 44 year old American woman living on a 10 acre woodland property in rural England I call Owlshire with my partner, son, bouncy golden retriever, and a flock of plucky rescue hens. I work fulltime in games development, and as a family we enjoy nature and playing games. During this challenge we will be on holiday (part staycation, part travel) during half of Week 0, all of Week 1, and the beginning of Week 2. More on that in the challenge updates. Health/Energy / Less is More Last challenge I cut snacks, and it did not result in loss, but it did result in my weight stopping its slow upwards creep. That's something! For this challenge I'm going to begin a slow and gradual reduction in portion sizes at meal time. I don't calorie count or measure because I find it too tedious to maintain, so this is going to be a hard one to track, but basically it comes down to asking "could I take a little less?" at meal times and trying to find the right balance. Exploration Lately we've gotten into geocaching, and of course the dog needs her daily stomp 'round the woods (and for that matter, so do I!) Last challenge I was aiming for four miles a day total clocked into my Fitbit. This challenge I'm changing it to 30 miles a week (slightly over four miles a day on average). This gives me a little bit of flexibility, because, hey--life happens and some days I clock seven miles, and some days I only manage three. Stardew Living Last challenge I kept an informal log of my "Stardew Moments," and while I may not do that every day on this challenge, I want to focus on the things that make me feel like I'm living Stardew Valley dream, rather than the things that make me pulled away from it. The Farm It's spring! I need to get the seedlings going, have a plan, get early seeds in the ground, prepare the beds... hm, maybe not in that order. [ ] Revise Plan [ ] Prepare beds [ ] Get early seeds in [ ] Get Feb/March/April seedlings going We're also researching a green house, but I don't know if that will result in an actual greenhouse by the end of this challenge as this is mostly the Mr's initiative. Mend and Make Do I have a huge pile of mending, and a desire to try visible mending on some of my items, but have I touched any of it in the last mumble-mumble-years? Uh, no. Mend at least five items of clothing from the Pile of Doom. Festival TBD At the end of each season in Stardew Valley there is a festival--I'm using this as my challenge celebration. I haven't decided what it is yet, and that's okay. 7 2 Quote “If you're reading this, you must be in dire need of a change. The same thing happened to me, long ago. I'd lost sight of what mattered most in life... real connections with other people and nature. So I dropped everything and moved to the place I truly belong.” — Grandpa's Letter from Stardew Valley 🇺🇸 Adventurer 🇬🇧 🌳🦉🌳 Current Challenge: Stardew Valley Link to comment
Sovalis Posted March 21 Report Share Posted March 21 So excited to follow along on more Owlshire Adventures!! 1 Quote Past Challenges: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16 Current Challenge: #17 “Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson Link to comment
Sea-to-sky Posted March 21 Report Share Posted March 21 3 hours ago, Ann of Owlshire said: Mend at least five items of clothing from the Pile of Doom As another owner of a pile of doom, i applaud any attempts to reduce into contents. 3 Quote the creative spelling comes as standard. Enjoy! A journey of thousand miles, begins with a single step - Lao Tzu Challenge: #1, #2, #3 Link to comment
Everstorm Posted March 21 Report Share Posted March 21 Following! Enjoy your vacation! 1 Quote Life before Death Strength before Weakness Journey before Destination Link to comment
Rookie Posted March 21 Report Share Posted March 21 What a wonderful challenge ❤️ 1 Quote {Chase the wind and touch the sky; I will fly} Link to comment
athousandwords Posted March 21 Report Share Posted March 21 5 hours ago, Ann of Owlshire said: We're also researching a green house, but I don't know if that will result in an actual greenhouse by the end of this challenge as this is mostly the Mr's initiative. I'm not an expert, but I'm fairly certain you need to collect all the pantry bundles in order to build a greenhouse, so it'll take the Mr a full year. It's only spring, so best you can get right now is some Speed-Gro if you get all the spring crops. Cheering you on - this is the most delightful challenge to follow!! I love how perfectly you matched each of your goals to Stardew activities! 1 3 Quote Level 16 Ravenclaw Rebel Fairy tales do not start, nor do they end, in the dark forest (Ted Lasso) COMPLETED CHALLENGES: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13.5 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 CURRENT CHALLENGE Link to comment
Ann of Owlshire Posted March 22 Author Report Share Posted March 22 18 hours ago, athousandwords said: so it'll take the Mr a full year It'll take the Mr a full year anyway, he hems and haws and researches forever on stuff like this If it were me, we'd have already got a cheap starter one from the home improvement discounter because I learn by doing 2 Quote “If you're reading this, you must be in dire need of a change. The same thing happened to me, long ago. I'd lost sight of what mattered most in life... real connections with other people and nature. So I dropped everything and moved to the place I truly belong.” — Grandpa's Letter from Stardew Valley 🇺🇸 Adventurer 🇬🇧 🌳🦉🌳 Current Challenge: Stardew Valley Link to comment
Sepherina Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 I love this challenge! Here to follow and support. 1 Quote “You can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore before you decide to be happy” -Nightbirde “Dreams do not come true all by themselves. They are nourished by the bounty of hard work” -Unknown Disney Imagineer 2024 Word Svastha: Standing in One’s Own Power Current Challenge: Sepherina Continues her Quest of Strength Prior Challenges Spoiler Sepherina: #1 , #2 , #3 , #4 , #5 , #6 , #7 , #8 , #9, #10, #11 Avery The Patient: #1 , #2 , #3 , #4 , #5 Link to comment
Ann of Owlshire Posted March 23 Author Report Share Posted March 23 Stardewlike Funny, I thought I'd be posting here more on my holiday, but it's been a lot going on! Especially out in the garden. I've cleared two beds (one with a major invasive species), replanted them (wildflowers seeds and primroses); potted three rose bushes on our patio... I'm extremely sore. I can walk forever, but apparently my digging and standing/squatting muscles were underworked. Oof. I haven't been on many dog walks, other than a short one in our woodland this morning to check on the Bluebell Status (beginning to bloom!). I'm still getting my mileage in from everything else though. I'd planned to clean up the patio (such a mess, made worse by potting the roses) and start on the veg garden today, but I didn't get far into either: the weather was quite changeable! Sunny and warm one minute, dark and cold and pitching down rain (and sometimes hail) the next. It carried on like that through the day, so I focused on indoor chores. Like packing and preparations for our upcoming trip. I also did a local event today! I'd found out there was going to be a Spring Equinox Pageant, so I took Enting along with me. They cut it short because of the weather conditions, but it was fun while it lasted. There was singing and morris dancing and the ceremonial planting of an apple tree and (Enting's favorite part) we were given lots of wildflower seeds to sprinkle around the wildlife reserve, plus some to take home. 6 1 Quote “If you're reading this, you must be in dire need of a change. The same thing happened to me, long ago. I'd lost sight of what mattered most in life... real connections with other people and nature. So I dropped everything and moved to the place I truly belong.” — Grandpa's Letter from Stardew Valley 🇺🇸 Adventurer 🇬🇧 🌳🦉🌳 Current Challenge: Stardew Valley Link to comment
Sovalis Posted March 23 Report Share Posted March 23 How wonderful! Quote Past Challenges: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16 Current Challenge: #17 “Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson Link to comment
Sea-to-sky Posted March 24 Report Share Posted March 24 11 hours ago, Ann of Owlshire said: other than a short one in our woodland this morning to check on the Bluebell Status (beginning to bloom Yay! Bluebell season! Quote the creative spelling comes as standard. Enjoy! A journey of thousand miles, begins with a single step - Lao Tzu Challenge: #1, #2, #3 Link to comment
fitnessgurl Posted March 24 Report Share Posted March 24 Here & following along for more adventure!❤🌼🌺 1 Quote L3 Human Ranger/Assassin Str. 6 Dex. 2 Sta. 1 Con. 12 Wis. 8 Cha. 3 https://www.nerdfitness.com/character/58014 Motto: Where there is life, there is hope. Soli Deo Gloria Link to comment
Mistr Posted March 24 Report Share Posted March 24 Your spring equinox festival sounds lovely! I hope you recover quickly from garden clean up. I am looking forward to starting that next weekend. Today we had snow, which counts as a valid excuse to work inside. 1 Quote Level 76 Viking paladin My current challenge Battle log Link to comment
athousandwords Posted March 26 Report Share Posted March 26 On 3/23/2024 at 4:28 PM, Ann of Owlshire said: I also did a local event today! I'd found out there was going to be a Spring Equinox Pageant, so I took Enting along with me. They cut it short because of the weather conditions, but it was fun while it lasted. There was singing and morris dancing and the ceremonial planting of an apple tree and (Enting's favorite part) we were given lots of wildflower seeds to sprinkle around the wildlife reserve, plus some to take home. This sounds like a little slice of Stardew! 1 Quote Level 16 Ravenclaw Rebel Fairy tales do not start, nor do they end, in the dark forest (Ted Lasso) COMPLETED CHALLENGES: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13.5 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 CURRENT CHALLENGE Link to comment
Scaly Freak Posted March 27 Report Share Posted March 27 Here for the pictures of your amazing "back yard". And festival stories! 1 Quote The Great Reading Thread of 2024 “I've always believed that failure is non-existent. What is failure? You go to the end of the season, then you lose the Super Bowl. Is that failing? To most people, maybe. But when you're picking apart why you failed, and now you're learning from that, then is that really failing? I don't think so." - Kobe Bryant, 1978-2020. Rest in peace, great warrior. Personal Challenges, a.k.a.The Saga of Scalyfreak: Tutorial; Ch 1; Ch 2; Ch 3; Ch 4; Ch 5; Ch 6; Intermission; Intermission II; Ch 7; Ch 8; Ch 9; Ch 10; Ch 11; Ch 12 ; Ch 13; Ch 14; Ch 15; Ch 16; Ch 17; Intermission III; Ch 18; Ch 19; Ch 20; Ch 21; Ch 22; Ch 23; Ch 24; Ch 25; Intermission IV; Ch 26; Ch 27; Ch 28; Ch 29; Ch 30; Ch 31; Ch 32; Ch 33; Ch 34; Ch 35; Ch 36; Ch 37; Ch 38; Ch 39; Ch 40; Intermission V; Ch 41; Ch 42; Ch 43; Ch 44; Ch 45; Ch 46; Ch 47; Intermission VI; Ch 48; Ch 49; Ch 50 Link to comment
Ann of Owlshire Posted March 28 Author Report Share Posted March 28 Hi! I've been away, now I've returned. On Monday morning we headed south to Exmoor for three days! It was a good trip. We visited some friends, and then hit a few interesting sites: Tarr Steps (old clapper bridge); Dunster Castle; and Knightshayes. There was a lot of walking on day 2 and 3 (not so much on day 1 which was mostly driving and then hanging out inside at our friends' house as it was bucketing rain). (The right photo is me trying to show Enting how to assess risk and cross stones and land bits in the Barle River. Not shown: a minute later when he decided to start scrabbling off on his own and in my haste to stop him I lost my footing and fell in myself! Luckily, I caught myself well and only had a sore bum and a wet sleeve. Could have gone much worse!) I had set out some geocaching routes, but we didn't get to them. However, Enting kept wanting to geocache in places that there weren't any, so we made a game instead of peering around in nooks and crannies and "odd looking things" searching for places we'd investigate for a geocache if there were any. Apparently pretending to geocache is almost as much fun as actually doing it! I have ideas for the garden! Knightshayes in particular had a cultivated woodland garden, that I feel may be some of the answers to our own untameable front garden. I'm ordering appropriate wildflower seeds to start the process of turning it from an ugly, left-to-seed-by-previous-owners overgrown mess to a slightly more cultivated and intentional wild garden. 5 days of holiday left.... Hi everyone, I hope your first week is going well! 6 1 Quote “If you're reading this, you must be in dire need of a change. The same thing happened to me, long ago. I'd lost sight of what mattered most in life... real connections with other people and nature. So I dropped everything and moved to the place I truly belong.” — Grandpa's Letter from Stardew Valley 🇺🇸 Adventurer 🇬🇧 🌳🦉🌳 Current Challenge: Stardew Valley Link to comment
Sea-to-sky Posted March 28 Report Share Posted March 28 1 hour ago, Ann of Owlshire said: have ideas for the garden! Knightshayes in particular had a cultivated woodland garden, that I feel may be some of the answers to our own untameable front garden. I'm ordering appropriate wildflower seeds to start the process of turning it from an ugly, left-to-seed-by-previous-owners overgrown mess to a slightly more cultivated and intentional wild garden We had a section of garden under trees with heavy shade in our previous house and went wild woodland garden for it as not much else would grow there. Highly recommend bluebells and primroses. Also native cyclamen are fun. Native wild strawberries. all incredibly low maintinenece. 2 Quote the creative spelling comes as standard. Enjoy! A journey of thousand miles, begins with a single step - Lao Tzu Challenge: #1, #2, #3 Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted March 28 Report Share Posted March 28 8 minutes ago, Sea-to-sky said: We had a section of garden under trees with heavy shade in our previous house and went wild woodland garden for it as not much else would grow there. Highly recommend bluebells and primroses. Also native cyclamen are fun. Native wild strawberries. all incredibly low maintinenece. Hellebores are also an interesting thought... 2 Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
Sea-to-sky Posted March 28 Report Share Posted March 28 13 minutes ago, sarakingdom said: Hellebores are also an interesting thought... Snowdrops are good too 2 Quote the creative spelling comes as standard. Enjoy! A journey of thousand miles, begins with a single step - Lao Tzu Challenge: #1, #2, #3 Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted March 28 Report Share Posted March 28 3 minutes ago, Sea-to-sky said: Snowdrops are good too The best. 3 Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
Sovalis Posted March 28 Report Share Posted March 28 Your photos are so beautiful, Ann. I'm so glad you share them. 💜 Glad you had a good trip! 1 Quote Past Challenges: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16 Current Challenge: #17 “Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson Link to comment
athousandwords Posted March 28 Report Share Posted March 28 Such beautiful photos! That clapper bridge feels right out of a fantasy world! And I love your purple hair. 😍 1 Quote Level 16 Ravenclaw Rebel Fairy tales do not start, nor do they end, in the dark forest (Ted Lasso) COMPLETED CHALLENGES: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13.5 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 CURRENT CHALLENGE Link to comment
Everstorm Posted March 28 Report Share Posted March 28 I love your photos! Just magical 1 Quote Life before Death Strength before Weakness Journey before Destination Link to comment
Ann of Owlshire Posted March 29 Author Report Share Posted March 29 18 hours ago, Sea-to-sky said: We had a section of garden under trees with heavy shade in our previous house and went wild woodland garden for it as not much else would grow there. Highly recommend bluebells and primroses. Also native cyclamen are fun. Native wild strawberries. all incredibly low maintinenece. 18 hours ago, sarakingdom said: Hellebores are also an interesting thought... 18 hours ago, Sea-to-sky said: Snowdrops are good too Yes, this kind of part/full shade woodland flowers are exactly what we're thinking! (We already have all of the things listed around the property in places, but I want some concentrated in this particular set of beds.) 3 Quote “If you're reading this, you must be in dire need of a change. The same thing happened to me, long ago. I'd lost sight of what mattered most in life... real connections with other people and nature. So I dropped everything and moved to the place I truly belong.” — Grandpa's Letter from Stardew Valley 🇺🇸 Adventurer 🇬🇧 🌳🦉🌳 Current Challenge: Stardew Valley Link to comment
Sepherina Posted March 30 Report Share Posted March 30 Your trip photos look very magical and fun! I hope the rest of your holiday is just as exciting. 1 Quote “You can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore before you decide to be happy” -Nightbirde “Dreams do not come true all by themselves. They are nourished by the bounty of hard work” -Unknown Disney Imagineer 2024 Word Svastha: Standing in One’s Own Power Current Challenge: Sepherina Continues her Quest of Strength Prior Challenges Spoiler Sepherina: #1 , #2 , #3 , #4 , #5 , #6 , #7 , #8 , #9, #10, #11 Avery The Patient: #1 , #2 , #3 , #4 , #5 Link to comment
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