Time to Focus and See Clearly

The year kind of sets its own theme, doesn't it?

Focus...  See clearly...  Clear vision.

The last few years have shown me what is important in life.  As I get older I have to take things slower because I recover slower.  Things take longer to do.  

And I have learned that not everything is as it seems.  

So with that I have started to cut back... focusing on what is most important to me.  

It feels good.

Celebrate Independence

 

Simple, as in... Abundance, as in...

Each year for the past 4 years I’ve chosen a ‘guiding word’ for the year.  A thought to center my focus on.  In 2015 it was “Create”, ‘16 it was “Beautiful”, in ’17 it was “Enough” and in ’18 it was “KonMari”.

Ambitious words... exhausting words. 

This year is more gentle... my word(s) are “simple abundance”.  In it are wrapped my last four years.

SIMPLE~

In the past year I have been in full KonMari (and have been KonMari-ed).  Besides the catch phrase “Does it bring you Joy?” I have added one of my own:  “What is the point?”  Besides ‘things’, I’ve looked at habits, hobbies, plans for home & yard, and even organization & clubs. 

My calendar is much less full, so much simpler.  Hobbies and plans are more focused.  Things are those that I need and use (except for the shed... the shed is always a mess...).

ABUNDANCE~

With the focus on what I have... a husband who adores me, my faith, a home that is both spacious enough and private, a most excellent kitty, a comfy car, food in the larder, nice clothes to wear, access to the things we do need... I will learn to cease striving and be grateful. 

I will create.  I will sing.  I will laugh.

Simple abundance, indeed!

The 'Why' of Decluttering and Minimalism

You've probably noticed over and over my decluttering efforts.  For example, I'll say "the garage is finished!" and then some months later "working in the garage".  That's not because we have gotten a bunch of new stuff or because we've trashed out the garage... it is because I look around and think "There is still too much stuff in here... we do NOT need (fill in the blank)".   

And so off I go again on another KonMari decluttering session.

The end result (each and every time) is a good thing, with an enjoyable process getting there.

Recently I saw the below movie review.  It struck a cord in me and put words to what I've been feeling.  I have the movie up next in my Netflix DVD list; looking forward to seeing it!

Decide!

Aching Joints Are Grateful

I have thanked God many times for this man!

He is Dr. Stewart Adams... the chemist who 'discovered' ibuprofen (aka Motrin).

Did you realize ibuprofen was was patented in England in 1962, and licensed for use in 1969 in the UK and in 1974 in the US?

Remember These?

The other day I was fixing a couple quick grilled cheese sandwiches and musing on how much the recipe has changed for Velveeta.

It used to be really, really tasty AND inexpensive.  Now, it's meh.  I wish I could go back to the '70s  and get a loaf made from the old recipe!

That got Himself and I talking about what foods we miss because they were changed beyond recognition or don't exist at all anymore.

Pinwheels.  These were one of the 'snack' cookies we'd get at snack time in kindergarten.  They've changed so much and have gotten SO expensive for just a smear of chocolate.

I think you can still find these at certain places.  The BEST tho were the Kroger store brand called "Freezer Pleezers.

Extinct.

Why Planters...why?

WAY better than the current 'cake in a cup' stuff.  Especially that chocolate chip cake variety!  MMmmmm!

Old fashioned wieners.  When I was in elementary school Mom worked next to a meat market that had the best link wieners.  

Weird and fun.  The drink was actually pretty darn good.  The balls are tapioca balls, same as in bubble tea.

Himself said he missing the bubble gum that used to be in with trading cards.

He also like Black Jack gum.

And of course there are the old days when Cracker Jacks really had toys in them.

And who can forget "the drink of astronauts"?

So... what do you miss?

What's In Store For February

It's time to move into the February challenges.  Since January went so well, it has really motivated me for this next round.

With the upstairs KonMari repeat done I can now focus on making each room "sparkle".  Not just sparkling clean but a sparkle of personality too.  In other words, I'm going to do some redecorating/rearranging.  Starting easy by doing both bathrooms.  

My outside project is going to require three or four warm days.  We are putting in a planting bed on the south side of our house.  I want to plant flowers for cutting.  We got it started but hot weather stopped our progress.  (When you are working on the south side of a house in TN anything over 80*F becomes too hot fast.)

My kit of the month was inspired by the terrible train crash in Washington state.  We are putting together a compact trauma kit to keep in the trunk of our car.

For my personal fitness challenge I'm going to add some serious stretching to my routine.  I'm getting a little too stiff lately.  Besides basic stretches, I'm looking at learning some beginner yoga.

February is nails and make-up month.  Last month I KonMari-ed out a lot of my old products.  This month they will be replaced much more thoughtfully.  Less will be more, so to speak.

My spiritual challenge is to start (and keep going) a gratitude journal.  I have several ideas for this one!

My creative challenges are a bit easier this month.  For my mixed media project I'm going to work with dream catchers in many forms.  My creative project will be learning to weave.  I'll start small and hope by the end of the month to have progressed to working on a scarf.  Writing will be about some very personal events that I will publish for myself in a small Blurb book.

Photography challenge is to get some great shots of frost, ice, and snow.  (Should have had this one last month, eh?)  My photo album that will be worked on is our 2004 trip through the SW United States.  I just need to get my journaling done.  And my photo book for this month is Alaska.  I've been there twice and will get both trips done.

February is 'collecting' month for bonsai.  Meaning we go out and start digging up trees to start working with.  I have 7 right here in my yard that Himself is going to get for me.  I'm going to poke around in our woods to see what is there too.  Bonsai club has a couple collecting field trips lined up for March so I need to get my personal ones done now.

My continuing challenges are the KonMari ~ this time in my studio.  Want to have this FINISHED by the end of February.  Fitness ~ sloth running.  January was a bust and I have my 5K on the 17th of March.  Appearance ~ hair and skin.  Gotta remember to add to my routines!  Mixed media ~ again a January bust.  Want to get 2 done.  And finally, need to finish the photos cull/sort on my hard drive.  I am so close!

How Are Those Resolutions Coming?

This first month of the year is almost over and most people's New Year resolutions have already been abandoned.

Consider this...

Potato Tower Report

Remember this spring we planted some sprouting potatoes to try growing in a 'tower'?

They grew larger and larger.  Pretty much filled the top of the tower (I can not find the photos I took...).

When the time was right, Himself pulled off the wire and tipped the planter.

This is our harvest...

Yeah...

But you betcha we cooked them up and had a tasty meal!

We've decided that the time and effort we have put into vegetable gardening doesn't justify the results.  It's too easy to travel up to the Amish produce auction and get exactly what we want at a good price.  And it's a whole lot more fun than weeding and de-bugging.

The Hurricane at The Sticks, Tennessee

It is hard to believe that Hurricane Harvey traveled all the way to Tennessee... and beyond.

As it approached local weathermen had no idea what would happen.  Their rainfall predictions were 2 to 10 inches.  Seriously?  

We did what was needed in case it "was" 10 inches with high wind (making sure the downspout extenders were in place, putting away outdoor items, etc).  Then we waited.

After some on and off rain all day Thursday, it finally hit around 11pm.  

It poured.  It was like there were more raindrops falling than should be...could be.

It didn't take long for it to be sheeting down the road, driveway, and our hill.

 It rained and it blew all night long.  Next morning the wind had died back even tho it was still raining.  We decided after our morning cuppa (yes!  We still had power!!) that we would drive around the area and see what happened.

First we cleared small branches out of our driveway and drove carefully over the new 'ditch' across the drive (you can see it forming in the above photo on the left side).  But there was nothing major amiss.

We didn't go far before we came to this washed over area.  Himself moved the branches so we and others could pass through.

Went around this fallen tree...

...but this one turned us around!

Here the river overflowed and pressed down this entire field.  You can see the river back in its banks on the upper right.

Upstream was a MESS!  Look at how the river scoured the side of the bridge!

It was worse on the other side!  Wash out!!  It's going to take quite some work to fix the road here.

Closer to the Cumberland River, the water flowed across from a field into a park.  We stopped here and watched this truck cross to see what the depth was.  As you can see, it was just at his hub caps and not moving fast at all.

Although it LOOKED more impressive than it was.

Where it wasn't muddy from the field, this is what it really looked like.

When the rain finally stopped, we did an 'official Harvey reading' from our rain gauge.

The total of the entire storm here at The Sticks was 8.75 inches in about 30 hours.

If you are looking for an excellent charity to give thru for hurricane relief in Texas, I would suggest Samaritan's Purse  ( https://www.samaritanspurse.org/ )

I Am...

I recently did a fun creative project.  An activity in one of my groups was to make something with personal affirmations... it could be a journal page, a letter to our self, a collage... whatever.

I made a mixed media piece.

The bubbles (circles) are watercolor backgrounds that I cut circles from.  From there, I considered for several days on who and what I really am.

What I know... not what other people think or judge.

It was a good exercise...

Summer Wild Flowers

The wild flowers have been just lovely in Tennessee this summer.

Rose Mallow (in the hibiscus family)

Cone Flowers

Milkweed

OK... not a flower.  But isn't it pretty?