My Room

 

I am sitting in the midst of a mess.  Open bottle of glue, scissors, paper scraps, pen, water, an open rolling cart of art supplies, printer pulled near so that I might print off pages, a ruler, a pile of trash (paper), open journals, open notebooks, my Bible...I've completely claimed one half of the dining table.

I am irritable as can be.  John is in the music room calling out to talk to me about sundry thing.  My computer is slower than molasses.  And the printer is temperamental at best.  I would like to cry, yell, fuss.  

Random Thoughts

I've been seriously lacking in the ability to take any inspired thought and write it out but I do have quite a lot of thoughts shoved in my head at the moment and so I thought I'd do what I occasionally have done over at BHJ and write a post with those random thoughts.  Perhaps once I unpack what is cluttering up my brain, I can get back to the business of actually writing cohesive posts.

In the meantime, here we go:

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I Am A Writer

 

In October, I had an idea for a book I wanted to write and self-publish, based on my experience, and I want it to be listed as Penny Ann Poundwise.  I knew it would be unlikely to turn into a best seller, but I thought it might be a help (which was always my initial reason for writing as Penny Ann) and I felt it would be a good way to get my toes wet in the self-publishing field.  

I thought about it all of November and into December as the thing I was going to start in the New Year.  I was excited about it and spent time outlining it in my head and making lists of various things I will need to learn to carry it through.  It looked daunting, true, and I knew it would require a great deal of patience with myself and the processes I would need to go through, but I was certain this was my direction for 2026.

Keeping Time

There's an island in Norway, Sommaroy, where there is no time.  No clocks. No schedules.  Just people. People who move there hang their watches on the bridge going onto the island and there they stay.  School doesn't sound starting bells.  No one lives by any schedule.  If one were up at 3am, you might well find a football game being played on the field. Life is lived as is natural to each individual.  You sleep when you are tired.  You wake when you naturally awaken.  You eat meals at whatever hour you feel hungry...

Honestly at the moment I heard about this island, I was in a great hurry to get ready to take the grandchildren out for a special day.  I was running a little later than I'd planned...It was ironic that I heard of the place when I did.  I stopped what I was doing for a moment and seriously contemplated a life in which time had no presence.

Gentle January

 

On the day before New Year's Eve, I went to bed with my mind teeming with plans for the next day.  I wanted to clear off the patio, a goal that's been on my list for all of Fall and now into the beginning of Winter.  I wanted to hang the pictures I had framed and matted for the kitchen in October, and the plates and platters I brought in from the shed at the beginning of December, too.

I needed to go into town to run errands, to mop the rest of the house (did the kitchen that day), and many more tasks.

When I woke on New Year's Eve, I had a headache.  My foot ached.  

January Bliss

I will be transparent and tell you that since I've been doing these posts about the little pleasures, I plan to indulge in each month I don't always get around to each one...but I do hit upon enough of them that I feel it's worthwhile continuing to plan each month I'm in.  My lists keep me mindful that I have things to be enjoyed in each month and sometimes only in that particular month.  

I've written my list of resolutions which are all personal goals this year.  I'm not planning projects or to push myself much in any direction except in personal growth, improved health, and spiritual growth.  They are about the same sorts of resolutions the average woman might make so I won't bore you with mine.

Reading 

However, one thing I did say towards the end of the year that I wished to do in 2026 is to re-read the books and stories that impacted my childhood (and early adult) years.  For Christmas, I chose to read the Fairy Tale, "The Little Fir Tree".  

I recall sobbing over that story as a girl.  I'll tell you now that as I read it, I wasn't moved to tears, but I could see the wisdom in it.  That little tree was always rushing things along, spending all of its days regretting the season of life in which it was and wishing for something more, almost always disappointed in his now, right until the day it realized that his life was over and done.  

For this month, I have pulled An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott, and Five Little Peppers and How They Grew by Margaret Sidney.  I thought I'd commit myself to just the two books, although I've quite a few more on hand which I might read but perhaps I'll want to read other books, as well.  So, I'm starting with just those two.

I'll add any other books I choose to take up to individual posts throughout the month.

I also plan to read through the Bible.  I'm not going to make this big push to read it through in a year.  I've done that many times over.  What I do want to do starting this month is to read a little Old Testament, a little Psalms, a little New Testament each day and sort of just absorb what I'm reading.  It's not about chapters but about verses or paragraphs and sitting with them for a full day before I move on.  

Coffee of the Month

While I very much enjoyed the Gingerbread coffee of November, my December coffee blend just didn't cut it.  I tried a second creamer mixture, and it didn't do much for me either so I reverted back to plain half and half.

I have mixed up a special coffee creamer for January.  I found it online on Christmas Eve and went right ahead and gave it a try.  The recipe is as follows:

Peppermint Creamer

2 cups half and half (or 1 cup cream and 1 cup whole milk)

1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract

2 teaspoons powdered cocoa

3 tablespoons Maple syrup

Mix well and store in a covered container in the refrigerator.  

I use about 3 Tablespoons per 8-ounce cup of coffee

The original recipe called for half the amount of peppermint.  I didn't find it to be quite enough, so I doubled it.  It is not a strong peppermint flavor but there is a certain coolness I recognize as being minty in the creamer.  

The original recipe called for 2 tablespoons of cocoa.  It might seem the amount of cocoa I used is not quite enough, but I assure you for me it is just perfect.  I'm no fan of mocha anything.  You'd think I would be since I love both coffee and chocolate, but Mocha just is not my favorite.  The smaller amount of cocoa adds a depth and richness to the flavor of the creamer that suits me.  

Winter Music:

Any relaxing jazz music suits me quite well this month.  Slow paced, peaceful, lovely clear notes.  I like this mix and the ambience of this playlist here.

Winter Pleasures

On cold but sunny days, we've made it our habit for the last few years to put chairs on the sunny end of the back porch and simply sit in the sun.  Even if it's windy and we must wrap in blankets, we'll sit facing the sun, absorbing it, for at least 20 minutes each afternoon.  It's amazing how well that works at lifting the mood and how much better we sleep if we have that bit of fresh air and sunshine daily.

In December, I found myself making less soup.  And then one night we had a lovely slow roasted pot roast, and I filled a bowl with that rich broth from the pan and felt so comforted and so nourished that I wondered why on earth I'd stopped making soup in this season.

I'm going to resume my soup making.  One of the issues I run into is that most recipes make a huge pot.  While I don't mind freezing soup, it does mean that I'm limited by how much I can fit into the freezer at any point.  This month I'm going to make Brunswick Stew which is a longtime favorite of mine.  I generally end up sharing this stew with Katie and Sam's households.  I also want to make a pot of black bean soup.  The one at Ina Garten's site looks really good to me.  And I think a creamy potato soup is pretty hard to beat if it's frigid outdoors.  I like to make a smaller pot of this, just enough for the one meal, and serve it with a sandwich, either a toasty Reuben or a Sloppy Joe.

This being the month that we are fresh out of a sweet laden Christmas season, I don't have plans to do any baking of cookies or cake or pies.  Besides we're running right into February which is laden with birthdays and cakes.  We can nibble on leftovers from our Christmas treats if we're desperate for a bite of sweets.  This month is heavy with a variety of citrus fruits to enjoy, and I do love oranges, mandarins, tangerines, lemons and grapefruits.  Honestly, citrus is my second love after summer peaches.

Over Christmas I started saving apple peels and drying them, as well as citrus peels which I mixed with cinnamon sticks and cloves and allspice to make a potpourri which added a lovely natural aroma to the house.  I thought for January I'd mix rosemary and cedar with that potpourri to make simmer pots to use throughout the month, especially if we have to run the heater.  

I'm going to look for something to snuggle under when I'm watching tv or reading or playing about on the computer.  Back when John was working, I made him an extra heavy fleece blanket to throw over him when he was sleeping at work, since the place came equipped with the hospital issue sheets and blankets (not nearly warm enough!).  He's kept it all these years and pulls it out every winter.  I, on the other hand, have never found a throw that works for me.  I've been trying to use what I have which are either too heavy and bulky or too flimsy.  I'm sure if I were to actually look, I might find something that has the softness and lightweight warmth that is perfect for me.  

I'm going to purchase some pansies and flowering kale, plant some parsley and cilantro and possibly snapdragons in a couple of my larger flowerpots.  They do well as winter plants for us in this area and if it does freeze it seldom is cold enough long enough to kill them.  The amount of pleasure I get from seeing those happy little flowers is worth every penny.

I'm also planning a trip to Lowe's (here at the end of December) where I will purchase reduced price Amaryllis bulb kits.  They usually will bloom about mid-February and add so much color and loveliness to my home.

And lastly, I plan to hang and fill the bird feeders.  I want to move the second feeder to hang where I can see it from the west facing windows in the living room.  I get so much pleasure watching the birds come in to feed each morning and afternoon.  

Especially this time of year, I enjoy watching sunrise and sunset.  Fortunately, sunrise occurs closer to the time I naturally awaken in the winter.  I am, however, prone to set myself a task along about sunset each day and miss it entirely.  I thought for this month, I'd mindfully set aside a half hour each evening to sit and simply watch the day close.  I find it is a lovely ritual to watch the sunset and then go about the house closing the blinds against the dark and snugging in for the evening.

That's what I plan to do to savor January...

A Glimpse at my First Junk Journal

 

It is my belief that when we are new to a craft or art, it's quite likely we will need to learn what that art form is all about.   And that the very best way to learn is to start where you are with whatever droplet of inspiration that you might have and then one must find others who are performing the same art and learn from them and what inspires them.

So, my first junk journal is a semi failure.  I didn't have a clear idea of what I was doing only a vague notion.  And while I found I had a good eye for potential materials, i.e. junk, I lack skill in executing what my vision saw.  A few pages of the Christmas journal turned out cute, some were a mess and some downright ugly.  My biggest mistake was failing to have a blank space to journal!  I can remedy that by going back and adding in pockets and then tucking embellished labels and tags and sheets into pockets and envelopes.  These fun little books are meant to be used as a true journal with photos, writings, quotes, etc., as well as a way to express an artistic point of view.

New Year Musings

A wonderful, wondrous year is nearly behind me.  2025 turned into such a journey of discovery and loveliness that I get teary eyed just thinking about it.  Now we are just days from the start of a whole brand-new year in which possibilities are like a thousand little seeds scattering into the wind, nestling into crevices and cracks of earth where they will be watered and pushed to grow into somethings in the perfect seasons ahead.

I had no idea last year at this time what 2025 would bring, not that I've had insights into other years either.   I can say without a doubt this year has been the most joyful year I've ever had.  It was a bit of a struggle just at first as I began to shed off the out of focus, out of balance methods I'd used to cope in the struggle years behind me.  I'd buried myself under the necessary and unnecessary tasks alike in an attempt to hide from it all.  But I broke free and I've come to a lot of understandings, realizations and such that I hadn't sorted out in past years.  Somehow, there came an opening, light poured in and I felt myself come alive once again.

Calm Down...

 

Well, this is it.  At this point there is no further time for preparations, decorations, shopping, wrapping or anything else.  Christmas Eve, we have our gathering with Katie's family.   We'll go by to visit Mama on our way home.  

I won't go near a store in the next three days because it will be super crazy and the traffic will be horrific.  I'm pleased that I have all I need for our Christmas Day feast. 

The Gift

I've been thinking about Christmas quite a lot this year.   It's hard not to think of the gifting part of the season when you are up to your eyeballs in wrapping paper, and while I dearly love to give, I can't help but think of the gifts of my past, of what I might receive this year, of what the year ahead might bring.  

Looking back, I recall only a handful of Christmas gift items that really blew me away. There was the year that Santa brought me Sweetie Pie.  Sweetie Pie was a lovely blond baby doll wearing white eyelet, with a pink velvet bow in her little, tiny ponytail atop her head, lying upon a pink velvet pillow, bordered in white eyelet.  She didn't do a thing.  She couldn't talk or walk or drink as some dollies could, but she was so pretty, and I loved her dearly for more years than I'll own.  And Amie loved her too when I dug her out and passed her on.

There was the year Granny gifted me a pair of bell bottom pants, a turtleneck shirt and my first compact.  That was pretty major right there.  To be in style and seen as grown up enough to have my own face powder was a pivotal moment. 

There was the year I received a pearl ring.  It was set in an unusual way and was totally unexpected, nothing I'd asked for but which Mama had seen and chosen for me.  I was fifteen.  Just the age to appreciate such a lovely thing and to cherish it.  

Honestly, it's much that lingers in my memory.  John's given me lovely things, but he tends to gift me in October (sort of an anniversary in his mind...I've no idea why) and only things I'd had a hand in choosing (due to his gifting anxiety).  But there was one night near Christmas when he went into the mall and I stayed in the car, though I've no idea why.  And when he came out, he handed me the loveliest little pair of diamond earrings and he said, "I couldn't resist them...they sparkled like your eyes..."  Well, who wouldn't love that?  A few years later he gave me another pair, very similar, without the pretty speech.  

Funnily enough, while I am a big girl and have always felt I needed to have big jewelry to properly show on my person, John's gifts are inevitably incredibly pretty, delicate and feminine.  It's very gratifying to have him give me these things because it's a proper reminder to me of how he envisions me.  There are lovely pearl charms to hang from my ever-present hoop earrings.  A pair of diamond and amethyst earrings that are the size of my pinky nail at best and a delicate gold chain with tiny baby pearls strung along it that hits me just at the hollow of my throat.  I'm telling you this man truly does gift well when he sets aside his anxiety and just goes for it.

There was the silk wallet he paid a friend/co-worker to bring back from China when she went on a work trip.  It was very well made, beautiful and I loved it so much that I had to put it away because it had worn so, but I always felt a thrill of pleasure when I'd take it from my purse to pay for a purchase.

The children often gave me gifts that made me cry.  They were sweet and funny, and I saw their hearts in the gifting which meant the world to me.  

But overall, I haven't been given great or spectacular things.  Not saying that in a disappointed sort of way.  I didn't expect great or spectacular.  I expected that if I received anything at all, I'd be polite and complimentary and pleased enough that the giver was pleased and I'd take whatever I was given and enjoy it until it was used up, eaten, worn out.  And if I received nothing, I'd not be disappointed and whiny about it but carry on, as one ought to do.

Which brings us up to this year...It's been a lovely year.  The year itself has been a gift in so many ways.  It's been peaceful and pleasant, filled with lovely things.  We had a proper bit of winter and a proper bit of spring and a mild summer and a lovely autumn.  November alone was a month of legend where pleasantness and loveliness in autumn is concerned.  

There were family times together, not all the children gathered at once, but the individual families came and we have had time with them enjoying their company, laughing and talking and eating together which is the most companionable way to be.

There were all the gifts that flowed back into my life: reading, art, swimming, singing, piano, music.  The gift of time to truly enjoy those things.  The ability to change a very bad habit of being unbending and boring and insistent upon doing all the work all of the time and never taking moments to enjoy.  And the ability to recognize when I'd allowed fear to become the controlling emotion and I stopped it in its tracks and went right ahead into the scary places arriving in triumph and joy. 

There have been sunrises and sunsets that blew me away and clear bright nights and the coziness of home when it was stormy or cold and miserable.  There have been good meals and more than enough always to feel like plenty.   

There has been major work done on the house again (this time it was painting the kitchen, back entry and laundry), and on the cars and we've had money enough to do both.  I won't say it didn't get a bit tight, but it wasn't so horribly tight that we were in a permanent state of doing excessive penny pinching.

This year, this whole year, has felt like a wonderful gift.  Unwrapped in layers a little at a time and finding with each layer something that was especially lovely.    And I am so very grateful for it all!

The year of 2025 will be the year I'll remember best as being gifted much...

The Stockings Are Hung...

When I was a child, I wanted one of those mesh stockings filled with cheap plastic toys and barely edible hard candies so badly!  Alas, one never was left for me. I don't remember stockings being a thing in our early childhood and it most certainly was not a thing at all when we were older kids. 

Year after year, I'd read The Night Before Christmas and when I'd get to the lines, "The stockings were hung by the chimney with care..." I'd wish above all things that I had a stocking to hang and wake to find filled.