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!

Photos For January

A simple vignette at Federal Grove.

A December rainbow... you don't see many of these. 

Beautiful sunrise.  This photo is looking west!

And one evening the sky looked as tho it was on fire.

Bedding The Bonsai for Winter

It's a good thing one of the subjects of my last Bonsai 101 class was how to put our bonsai to bed for the winter....

winter arrived a week later.

24*F in mid November.

About a month earlier than normal, we brought everyone around to their winter home.

There they were tucked in close to each other, with straw stuffed around the pots.  This will keep the roots at a even constant temperature thru the winter. 

A few I have in the garage because they just are not ready for such terribly cold temps this early.

It's Fruit Cake Day!

Fruit cake.

There seems to be no middle ground... you either love them or hate them.

I'm on the LOVE side of the coin!

Even as a small child, when my parents were given a gift of a fruit cake I broke into a happy dance.  Better yet if there were several such gifts that year!  When I married Himself I found out that his father MADE fruit cake... the most wonderful fruit cakes ever.  Haven't had one since 1993.

Then a few years ago I discovered the fruit cakes of Assumption Abbey in Ava, Missouri.  The Trappist monks there make incredible fruit cakes to support their abbey.  Check out the video below... it is quite interesting.

Because they a kind of pricey (but worth it) every few years  I will order one as a special treat.  It comes in a plain brown box (so your neighbors won't know)...

... with this tin inside.

TWO pounds of lusciousness!

Is that not a picture of fruit cake beauty?

Ummmmmmm....

My Wish For You: All The Blessings Christmas Has Brought

Oh Christmas Tree

This year our tree is a simple tree.  Lights, garland, and an angel on top (that was purchased our 2nd Christmas together).

As we had finished with the lights and garland, we had our evening hot tea sitting in front of it.  It was so pretty we decided that was as far as we were going to go this year.  

Simple abundance...

Bonsai 101: Austrian Pine

For my second Bonsai 101 class the topics were tree structure and how to winterize our trees.  We carved up a trunk slice so we could see all the different parts.

Our tree of the month was an Austrian Pine.

Eileen explained how care of a pine is quite different than that of a juniper.

Hmmmm...  I have never fooled around with a pine because they are rather fussy.

A good start in an interesting nebari (base).

This tree isn't anything I'd paid attention to, so I had to have a lot of help from my mentor.

Lots of help...

But I'm happy with how it turned out.  (Oh by the way, her name is Vienna).