Morning Glory Studio

Last post of 2009

Honoré here: I am busy wrapping up end-of-year organizing tasks so I can begin 2010 with a reasonably ordered slate. To that end, I've done the following today:

1. Inventoried the quilting/stitching projects on my "someday/maybe" list. I'm up to 59; some are in various stages of "in progress," though not many, I must admit.
2. Identified six habits I'd like to establish over the next year. I'll share those in a later post but in the meantime, you can read more about the idea in Leo Babauta's new blog: 6 changes.
3. Selected my one little word for the year: Begin. I will share more about why I chose that word, again in another post. If the one little word idea is new to you, it is the inspiration of Ali Edwards. You can read all about it in this post and this one.

Now, I shall resume my task of putting some order to my desk so that I can greet the New Year in style. Have a great evening!

Cheers~

It's Christmas Day in the morning. Have a very merry, merry Christmas.

Peace and Cheers~

Christmas Eve Day

Hard to believe it's Dec 24; seems like the month just began. It's early afternoon and I'm waiting for the ham to finish baking. Christmas dinner has gone from three to eight so I'm cooking meats, pies [storebought] ahead. Every year I always cook fresh cranberries and that dish is also done. Simple: boil the cranberries in water, orange juice and sugar until they pop. I've been doing this since I was easily seven. Sixty years.WOW!

I've a few odds-n-ends cleaning chores and remnanats of decorations I decided not to use to put away ...and then, my intent is to spend the afternoon working on my JYC album. So looking forward to doing that...hoping to have several pages done to share tomorrow.

Soon it will be 2010: one of the weekly blogs I read offers ten tips for being more organized. #9 especially resonates with me. I am a morning person; soon I will become a retired morning person. I'm planning on using my peak time to indulge myself in exploring creative activities and I'm 100% sure a change in routine will go a long way in my realizing my intentions. Stay tuned.

It's time to check the ham and go make a favorite Christmas dish among my family: jello made with sour cream. Very simple: substitute one cup of sour cream - I use fat free or low fat -for each cup of cold water. Mix with a fork and pour into a jello mold  [it helps if you've sprayed the mold with a cooking food spray ]and set. Serve by removing the jello from the mold . Yummy.

Hoping you've finished all your tasks and can spend the rest of the day relaxing and basking in the spirit of the day.

Cheers~

 

Not at all panicked

Today's JYC* prompt was right on time: I was beginning to feel antsy due to the fact that I've not been mobile since the Blizzard of 2009  hit the east coast this past weekend. The streets and walkways and even my garage apron are clear. Big Q: can I, once out of the garage, make it down the alley? Has the snow melted enough so my car will move easily? Today the trash is collected and so I'm banking on the big trucks squashing more of the snow down and then I can hit the road. I still have some shopping to do: last-minute gifts, poinsettias and random grocery items to buy; mail a few more cards - I ran out of stamps; stuff like that.

Anyway, taking the time to brainstorm [make] the list - I played with google's task list application - truly served to ground and calm as I engaged in organizing refinement ;-)). Plus, I learned a little more about the app and it's benefits.

Hope you're on track with your list.

Cheers~

*JYC - I'm particpating in Shimelle's annual online class:  Journal Your Christmas

100 % chance of rain...

Honoré here: ...that was the forecast for Wed, Dec 2. Guess what? It rained! A cold, constant downpour for most of the afternoon. Quite a marked contrast from the day before. But I write not to give you the weather report; rather, to share a December/holiday memory from long ago, occasioned by yesterday's rain and a prelude to today's big event: the lighting of the National Christmas Tree.

As a child, we always got/put up our Christmas tree on Dec 24. So, when it was my time as a 22 year-old, newly-wed grown-up lady, I waited until Christmas Eve day to buy and purchase my tree. Know where I'm going? Yep, it rained, and rained, and rained and rained...I was devastated; in fact, I cried.

I thought about that day - 45 years ago - yesterday, for some reason, and smiled. The event has become one of my memories of the season and I can now smile. It wasn't the end of the world, as I then thought. Other years passed and I often waited til Dec 24 to get/put up the tree. This year - as in recent years - I'm putting up an artificial tree: white, pretty.

Tonight, the National Christmas Tree is lit. I'm glad it didn't rain and this evening's weather was near perfect for the occasion: a cold front came through and dropped the temp to a most seasonable December day. Great for all those people who had tickets to this outdoor event. And no, I didn't have a ticket so I'll watch the lighting on tv or YouTube.

Enjoy~

It's here!

December, that is. I am finding it hard to believe there are only 30 days left in this year. Where does the time go when you're having fun?

I am really getting into the holiday spirit, rather early for me. Usually, I wait til much later, say Christmas Eve, to do all the decorating; I think that's a throw back to my childhood. Then, we did everything: put up tree, shopped for and wrapped gifts, etc. At least that's how I remember it. Unknown to me, then, my parents, of course had been getting ready for Santa for weeks and they did a great job of keeping my sister and me in the dark.

This year, as I've done for the past three years, I am participating in Journal Your Christmas. (Do take a look.It's not too late to join and, once you have, your membership is forever.) I love this online project; in fact, it's become a tradition with me. I especially like the journaling piece recalling the past, creating new memories and marrying the two. This year my intention is to spend the 37 days, Dec 1 - Jan 6, in a very creative mode, documenting the projects, process and the season in words, pictures, and on this blog. As the days pass, I shall share some of my old and new memories and of course, all the fun I'm having - especially, the things I'm learning along the way.

Tonight's nearly full moon, the first of two this month, is absolutely stunning. A perfect beginning for this very special month.

Cheers~