the new year and one little word

On this day before the new year begins I find myself feeling very thoughtful and dreamy. My mind easily drifts away from thoughts of today and on to thoughts of tomorrow and what a brand new year will bring. I know... it is just another day really, but New Years has a tendency to make one feel as if anything is possible. A time for reflection over the past year and a time for change for the new. Here, at my house, there are no resolutions... no promises... no plans set. Only thoughts of things we hope we will be able to do over the next year.
Some things I hope to do in 2010:

• Go hiking in the mountains at least once a month.
  
• Write every day... something, even if it is just for myself.
  
• Grow my garden twice as big as last year.
  
• Travel to the island and take my son whale watching.
  
• Go skiing. It has been too long.
• Crochet something beautiful.
  
• See my friends more often.
  
• Take some kind of exotic cooking course.
• Go to Texas and see my family.

Something that is becoming a little bit of a New Year tradition for me is Ali Edwards 'One Little Word'. She asks that you pick a word to focus on over the next year. Last year my word was let... the year before it was listen.

This year my word is rhythm.

Finding the rhythm of life, listening to the rhythm each day and letting it guide you.

Lovely

Happy New Year to you all. xoxo

the sadness within the joy

Christmas has come and gone. And with memories so fresh in our minds, we can truly say a jolly ol' time was had by all. Much laughter... much chatter... much love being given and taken. And as time flew by as it always seems to do this time of year, we found ourselves sighing with a little sadness as we thought of the next time we would all be together... a time too far away.

It has taken many years for me to realize that sadness in life is not always a bad thing. The sadness we felt over Christmas was there only because of the love we experience. And for the want of not letting go of that love. Simple and true, though you are immersed in a moment of happiness and content, the knowledge that the moment can not last is there. Not always at the surface, but sometimes deep inside a heart too full to contain it all.

So as we try so hard to stay in the moment, our minds do wander here and there. And we think of that longing that we have felt so many times. And look forward to the next time that we see each other.

tis the day of the eve

The sun is trying to make an appearance today. The light begins to play through the clouds and the trees, and all is peaceful and right. And the day begins... this day of the eve of Christmas.
I can feel the magic in the air. I can feel the happiness and the love. Peace on earth and goodwill to all. With the many bad things that happen in this world, I will never give up on the idea of peace on earth.
We will laugh and sing and dance and wallow in love for one another. We will remember Christmases past and tell of the birth of a precious little baby long ago and far away.
Then we will snuggle in bed and read some favourite Christmas books.
And yes... we will try and sleep tonight... listening to each and every little crick in the house... wondering if it could possibly be the sound of tiny reindeer hoofs on the roof.

We will believe in the magic... we will believe in the spirit... we will believe in Christmas.

Merry Christmas to all of you. xoxo

winter solstice and cookies

The view through the front glass door... through the wreath.

It seems like just yesterday I was writing about last year's Winter Solstice, and here we are at the doorstep again... an entire year gone by. So much has happened over this year, yet the scene outside is much the same with snow and icicles and all of the magical wonder that this season brings. It reminds me of that old saying, the more things change the more they stay the same. Like the arrival of an old friend we haven't seen in a year, we can always count on mother nature to deliver her beauty to us.
Our celebration of Winter Solstice is intimate. We make bird feeders for the little birdies who choose to live out the Winter here (brave souls they are). We will also be taking a nature walk in the woods by our house... something we haven't done in quite a while. We will breath in the crisp air and squeal in delight as mother nature wraps her arms around us. Then, in the evening, we will feast. Nothing fancy... but it isn't meant to be. It is only meant to ground us and help us to remember the divine beauty that is right in front of us everyday. And an opportunity to say thank you for letting us be a tiny part of this magnificent world. Finding peace and wallowing in love for all of this that we have. Lovely...

Today... we made cookies.

Decorated by the cutest little baker in town.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

christmas cookies make me smile

There's something about a Christmas cookie that makes it taste just that much better than if it was eaten any other time of the year. I'm not sure what it is. Maybe the cooler weather makes the taste buds come to life... maybe. But one thing I do know for sure... cookies and Christmas go very well together.

These little treats are some of the best cookies I have ever tasted. I first had them last year at a cookie exchange that I participated in... YUM! Something a little different.
Snowball Surprise Cookies

1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup sifted flour
1/2 cup softened butter
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 300F. Mix chopped pecans and flour in bowl and set aside. Put softened butter into another bowl. Add sugar and vanilla and blend until creamy. Pour flour mixture into butter mixture and blend. Pinch off dough and roll into balls. Cook for forty minutes or until cookies are brown. While still warm, roll in powdered sugar. Makes about 35.

Enjoy!

treasures are not just found under a tree...

Opening up that box of Christmas decorations every year is like opening up a vault full of memories. It seems each and every ornament holds a special memory of a Christmas past. And now even my boy looks at these little treasures and remembers when last he saw them. It was indeed a wonderful time trimming the tree this year.

An ornament made by the hands of my little boy a couple of years back... one from his very first Christmas when he was just three months old... one given to me with love by my own Mama... one made together at a special Christmas spent in the mountains... one displaying the sweet baby Jesus the night he was born... and one from the first Christmas my hubby and I spent together. These are just a few of many that hold special memories for us. So you see how true it is... treasures are not just found under the tree.

Leaving you today with a picture of what the blizzard left behind.

Lovely.