My nettles,

My Summer has been filled with keeping windows open as long as possible in the afternoon to let the cool wind in but trying to keep the mozzies out, dancing to pop with fairy lights flashing at all hours and pushing the wool on my lap away cause it gets too hot while crocheting.

I graduated high school, fully, all done, exams done, speeches said, teachers hugged, tears cried, dances danced, goodbyes told and WACE and ATAR Score acquired at incredibly shocking and insane 89.1 which is way more than I ever expected, securing me my Uni spot. I survived 3 weeks of exams and 17 weeks no break, while sick and starting to lose my marbles...completely.

But this break, and time with myself, and my mind, no homework or school, or uniforms, or teachers, or boys, or finger callouses from 3 hour exams, has helped me find a couple of my marbles again.

My break has been long, much longer than I have realised.

I joined the fight for the Tingle trees, where I went to a 3 day blockade at Mount Clare(Ill make another post going into more detail I think).

It felt like an endless crochet of presents for the events and holidays.

I started learning Swedish and became moderately good.

I got to wear the clothes I wanted, every colourful, velvety, layered, questioned piece of clothing and started to wear my clothes that are usually trapped in my closet.

For a while it felt like I was living out of my suitcase, staying in the city for a tad too long.

I started a very exciting endeavour, of starting a pumpkin patch, which has honestly brought so much joy, pride, achievement and love to me I cant believe it, watching them bloom has been like watching my own babies blossom.

I completed the entire 8 seasons of vampire diaries for the third time while crocheting Christmas and birthday presents, as well as starting True Blood, which is honestly becoming more of a favourite then TVD, the super pasty vampires are freaky as, and Eriks Swedish is testing my knowledge. (Ps why are all of the vampire media came out in 2008, like Twilight, Vampire diaries and True blood all around 2008, I haven't seen someone point this out before and i think its so interesting)

I scrapbooked and made jam, saw my first nasturtium flower, and then pumpkin blossom. Had a funeral for a sadly departed mouse who lived in the walls I found in a hidden trap in the house.

Celebrated my 18th birthday and my loves 19th(same birthday) as well as friend chirtmas as we hadnt seen each other since graduatino, stressed over the cake, food, weather, friends, presents, and then enjoyed the actual day so much, it was magic. I got so spoilt, I was given a witteling set, the new Patti Smith book, stickers, a beautful rainbow mug, the most amazing blue abalone shell earings that my friend got me from her holiday in New Zealand, I got earphoenes form my loves BROTHER, which I was so suprised and warmed by, bunting, a flower crown, a jar fairy winter land from my sweetest and he also got me the most incedible, gift ever...my very own switch lite!!! So I can play skyrim, stardew and start animal crossing on my very own switch not his!!

I stayed at my loves property for the first time (usually he stays at mine), we watched funky movies with his brothers like coneheads, held baby guinea pigs that crawled up our sleeves, picked flowers, sat by the dam and dipped out toes in with the fishies, ate the funnily made dinners, listened to the most twinkly sounds of the windchimes, the pobblebonk frogs(Limnodynastes dumerilii) and my beloveds twin brother playing guitar mixing together with the odd cat crawling up to you asking for pats. But the best thing, most importantly, spectacularly, wonderfully of all, we slept in my loves new VAN. The most beautiful, perfect 2013 Volkswagen that is now all OURS for us to paint, and dec out, to live in and make memories, to give us the freedom that we have dreamed of since we began, so that finally we can live together.

I got to spend time with the whole new friend group, E and her boyfriend, C and my love, at the beach and at a dinner in the park where we swung each other around and fought with stick swords. Going to a Tingle Fundraiser together, where we danced like bugs and got to do an energy circle which is the craziest thing if any of you havent done it before where 5 people stand in the middle eyes closed, the whole crowd holds hands and then you run up to the 5 people in the middle of the circle and go wwwwwwwhhhhhhhhhoooooooooo to formidable vegetable(a band). It was to raise money for the tigles and lots of the beautiful souls that I know from ACTIVATE were at the fundraiser, things like that remind me my goal. I met a girl at the end of the night there who was 19, me and my love started to talk to them, and it flowed so easily I havnt been able to talk like with a stranger for a very long time, she asked me for my number and Im really hoping that we can be friends, cause i would love some freinds who are really into an environmental scene, to help me grow and so I can also help them. I messaged her pictures of my pumpkinds and she messaged me a picture of her squash.(can you see me in the middle photo, blue beanie singing to the seed with my mouth open haha)

I gave in to the thought that has been itching at me for months, and dreaded half of my hair, to which I hope my mum doesnt notice until they are fully developed and cant be brushed out again. I wrapped them in my mettalic yarn so that it could hold its shape a bit better, and no I didnt sectin properly I was doing it by myslef but no one is looking.

Ive done a lot, a lot, a lot, things that allowed me to grow out my nails for the first time in so long, because I wasnt stressed(My recent Centrelink youth allowance call changed that but ignore it)

The past week, has felt like the coming back down and the settling of the water again, doing a whole bunch of document stuff, trying to get youth allowance, finish my driving hours, figure out my Uni timetable which was seriously delayed, applying for jobs and looking for cars, doing police clearances so I can do school prac, and just generally trying to figure out my uni questions about where to get textbooks(still dont know).

Im starting Uni in exactly a week, and Im so excited and terrified and questioning everything. I'm starting to mellow back out into that school zone, almost itching to write notes again.

This Summer Ive been to feel the sun soak into my pores, and brighten my eyes, its taken me out of my room that I felt like I was never going to leave during school, its rejuvenated me and let me remember what it's like to be a human again and not an autopilot ATAR student. I've been spoiled and danced, eaten peaches and plums, slept in till absurd hours, and felt so lucky to be able to actually rest.

Blessings and wishes,

A very revitalised Nettle