Morning Glory Studio

currently...31 dec 2017

 

10:59 am |21 degrees

listening to Sunday Baroque ...

remembering the morning sky @ 7:21 am was a bright blue, sprinkled with jet plane contrails - now grey and overcast...

talking to Norman as we eat breakfast...brunch?...

watching a couple squirrels scamper among this tree's branches, playing with one another ... and a flock of birds swoop, land, leave ...

noting yesterday's snow - still on roofs and deck...no melting today...

drinking tea ~ a mixture of green and Teavana Peach Tranquility...

texting a couple single friends - we touch base daily every AM and share our individual plans...

looking at clock: 11:30 am ~ thinking it's time to return to my craft studio and resume where I left off yesterday...

2:28 pm | 22 degrees

listening to Elise Joy and Ali Edwards discuss their 2018 words as I type this post; you can catch it here ... are you choosing a 2018 word: care to share?  I'll share mine tomorrow...

We're bringing in 2018 right here in the warmth and safety of home! Wishing you a safe, bright and Happy New Year!

Cheers~

outer order = inner calm...

 

 
today's sunset about 4:30 pm

...So I decided, after walking into my craft studio this morning, that before I could make my big list, I needed to restore some order - there was not a clear flat surface upon which to write. I have, over the past few weeks, come in and dumped, leaving just enough space on my computer desk to move the mouse. And you know, after a while, the chaos and disorganization kinda gets to you! Plus you can't think straight!

As Gretchen Rubin  is fond of saying: "Outer order contributes to Inner Calm" - you can learn more here in a quick 2 minutes podcast... One thing I noted as I purged, sorted, pitched, neatened a pile or two, the  fountain from which many of my ideas and inspiration flow was sputtering from the overwhelm of the messy room and my energy, enervated!  I also found a large sheet of paper, 25 x 36, that will be just perfect for my 2018 master plan.*

And that is how I spent this, the last Saturday of 2017. Time now to stop and get a bite to eat. I hadn't realized the hour: 8 PM! 

*Tomorrow it will be super c-o-l-d and a perfect day to work on that 2018 master plan - which is actually going to be more of a map of my imagination, desires and intentions...I think. Time shall tell.

Cheers~

2018's crystal ball...

Perhaps like me and countless other people around the planet, you are looking forward to and contemplating  2018 : plans, hopes, desires, projects, a big event, changes you desire to make in your daily routine, new habits to cultivate, old habits to discard - what to start, stop, continue! 

My crystal ball is foggy...dreams, desires, ideas, dailies aren't quite solidified in my mind let alone on paper or digitally. One day I'm leaning towards this  -whatever it might be - and the next, well, maybe not! In a word, indecisive.

When I was working, I'd end the year with large sheets of flip chart papers pinned to a cork wall in my office - I wish I had a photo. The sheets listed all the irons I/my department had in process plus ones we planned or wanted to schedule. We made a lot of progress with those projects, ideas, thoughts. Perhaps because the last month in December was very quiet in the library world and we had the time and opportunity to zero in on projects without being interrupted. 

I was thinking about those flip chart papers today as Norman and I waited for his medical appointment and prescriptions to be filled. We're scheduled for snow to accompany the frigid temperatures we've had for the past 48 hours.I can  probably find some oversized papers around here..especially if I restore order in my craft studio. I'm thinking that I might just spend a goodly portion of the weekend clearing up that crystal ball...

How's your crystal ball looking?

 Cheers~

 

thursday 3 | on a cold winter morn ...

     

thursday 28 december 2017 | 7:58 am  |15 degrees

        T'is a tad cold, to say the least, on this - the last Thursday  of 2017. A good day to find warmth in the comfort of a toasty warm room, sitting on the bed...blankets at arm's length. Journaling. Reading. Thinking.  No sense in rushing the day.  

The question: What is particularly lovable about winter? is easily answered by:

• the holiday season's lights, festivities, music, gatherings with family and friends...
• reliving old and making new treasured memories while sipping hot tea ...
• gratitude for a blank schedule -no appointments/reason to venture out into the cold - a working furnace ... Shhh - don't want to jinx ...

What do you love about winter? Stay warm.

Cheers~

 

 

unraveled wednesday | 27 december 2017

 

 

 

     On the stitching front, I've been putting Baby Elias' quilt together - it's  about 2/3 rds finished. I have one more outer border to add.  Next, I make the quilt sandwich and turn over to a friend to do simple quilting...and it will be done! I've been thinking that my next quilt made-for-a family-member will be for Kayla - my soon-to-be 17 years old grand niece who will graduate in 2019

I've not done much reading since last week -  still reading  A Rule Against Murder  plus I have a slew of new books waiting for me to crack open ... I did run across this web site for free e-books the other day... Perhaps you are already familiar with it...

The day began on the very.cold.side...so my morning was very.slow, too. We just got a weather alert: more bitter cold plus a chance of snow flurries; both good reasons for staying inside where it's warm and cozy. 

Joining Kat and others for this, the last UW post for 2017! 

Cheers~

 

 

today is tuesday...

 

 

On the campus of The University of Maryland/College Park is a new hotel, aptly named The Hotel. It has 297 rooms, conference facilities plus several interesting restaurants. I stopped today to check out the restaurants and make reservations for a New Year's Day brunch for my friend Margaret whose birthday is New Year's Day...and yes, she was the first baby born in the town...the hotel lobby is quite dramatic and I was really taken to this seating area - one could easily take up residence...

I was out and about mid-morning primarily to check out The Hotel restaurants and to order new glasses! I had my eye exam Nov 30 and with Dolly in the hospital, today was the first chance I had to go choose frames! I was surprised that traffic was so light between noon and 3 pm... 

No errand of mine is complete without a stop at the grocery store...this time Whole Foods... Home, I have a slice of veggie pizza calling my name...so I guess I'll wrap up this post and go eat, especially since sunset is nigh...

Cheers~

 

 

home for Christmas...

 

 
Christmas Eve, Norman and I joined friends for an annual Christmas Eve potluck dinner party and fun gift exchange. The  spread was delicious, the green beans, very tasty... and we all had a grand time...

The best present of this holiday: Baby Elias is home! He came home Friday and weighs 5 pounds +. ... Dolly says he's a night owl - up most of the night so that's leaving her a little peak -ed. She's doing well tho' there's a little paralysis on her right arm - a result of the medication and some nerve damage...but, she's getting better, every day. Fortunately, she'd done most of her holiday shopping before Thanksgiving so that was out of the way... Both Chris and Elias got new Christmas jammies, too... Unfortunately, several of my nieces have been smitten by a cold/flu bug, so that put the brakes on a family gathering...

Five weeks ago to this day, the world stopped as Dolly, seven months pregnant, was in severe distress. Five weeks ago to this day, Baby Elias, born. Today, they are both home and getting stronger and better each passing day. For these blessings, we are forever grateful.

And here it is 7 pm on Christmas Day 2017. Hard to believe that there will be 365 days til Christmas 2018... Happy Holidays!

Cheers~

when I write by hand ...

 

Sunday 24 December 2017  7:20 am ~ sunrise

when I write by hand, I feel comfortable. I enjoy seeing the characters form, feeling the pen/pencil glide across the page ... 

when I write by hand, the table lamp casts a shadow on the paper, my hand and the pen's point, as I form words, make visible: thoughts, ideas, capture bits of information, tell a story ...

when I write by hand, I take in the sights and sounds of my surroundings ...

when I write by hand, I pause to sip my tea and stretch my fingers, exercise them a bit...

when I write by hand, memories flow forth; ideas  sprout; thoughts occur; feelings of contentment wash over me ...

when I write by hand, I fill pages of prose - the words just seem to flow even tho' I might not say a darn thing...

when I write by hand, I am safe, secure, comfortable, encouraged, alive, content, present.

six minute diary | 23 dec 2017...

 
(Source: Southern Living Microwave Cookbook. Margaret Chason Agnew. Oxmoor House, 1988. p 222) *

Well, day is done, gone the sun, what have I done? 

Did: made trip to the post office for stamps and  grocery store for  the above dish; the grocery store was surprisingly quiet considering the season/date/day of the week...guess everyone was present-shopping and tomorrow, groceries... finally got around to hanging a fir wreath on front and putting out a new seasonal lawn flag ...better late than never...

Saw: a group (5-6 UPS trucks) doing a meet-up/ package handoff...gotta get those presents delivered...

Heard: Norman talking to himself as he makes spaghetti and looks for plastic cups; the latter weren't found...but he made me a tiny ( 1/2 slice) toasted cheese + ham sandwich. Tasty...

Enjoying: Tho' unseasonably warm - 64 degrees with light rain today - weather's scheduled to make a deliberate turn down with temps falling to within the high 30s beginning Christmas Day...and possible snow to end 2017! Time will tell...

Trusting that your Saturday before the holiday has been quiet and fruitful for you!

Cheers~

*I bought my first microwave oven in 1985 and since, have done most of my cooking almost exclusively in the microwave oven - even, on several Thanksgivings, roasting a full -sized turkey. I haven't made this recipe but all the others from the cookbook have never disappointed. I expect this recipe won't disappoint, either. Will share a review after the holiday. 

V is for victories ...

 

Today I ran several errands:

First, to  my favorite Christmas-time nursery (Behnke's). This year they didn't have the lovely poinsettia tree but there was this fun angel in a quilted dress Best of all, I found some fun stocking stuffers and a unique candle: it's flat and stands perpendicular; comes complete with its own built in candle-holder.

And on my way home, traveling south on US Route 1, stopped at a red traffic light, I heard a loud honking sound. I looked up and through the front window and saw a huge flock of Canadian geese overhead! I have been wanting to click Canadian Geese in flight forever! 

Just a brief time out among the shoppers and I was pleasantly victorious with my errands. That works for me! What's on  your victories' list today?

Cheers~