Thursday, December 31, 2020

It's Not Oatmeal...

Why not? Without further rigmarole, I hereby proclaim the word of the year 2021 to be




I googled it and found the following:

whim·sy
/ˈ(h)wimzē/
noun
noun: whimsy; noun: whimsey
  1. playfully quaint or fanciful behavior or humor.
    "the film is an awkward blend of whimsy and moralizing"
    • a whim.
      plural noun: whimsies; plural noun: whimseys
    • a thing that is fanciful or odd.
      "the stone carvings and whimsies"
Origin

Whimsy is what a person who's a dreamer and out of step with the real world might have lots of. People who are full of whimsy are odd, but often fanciful and lovely, like Harry Potter's friend Luna Lovegood. Whimsy is also a whim — something you do just because you want to.
================================

Not bad, eh? I still plan to accomplish stuff, to love, be grateful, intentional, hopeful... all the good words that screamed at me this year, but then... I started to hate them. 

Despite the fact I am now definitely the boss of me, I am kinda tired. Sometimes I want to push on and climb every mountain, and honestly... sometimes I just want to get a slice of pepper-jack cheese and stare at the color of the sky. I end with these delightful graphics I found with whimsy in their store names, life styles, titles, or product... How relaxing. I believe I need this word after last year when  I chose roar for the 2020 motto... to honor the quietest year of the world.... since radio... lol

Happy New Year!
















Whimsy and Hugs!

Wednesday, December 30, 2020

Snow!



                                              Another year's photo... No guests at my table for far too long...

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Today brought some quiet snow ... and a few groceries for New Year.'s Eve and Day... I finished a small afghan I had started in early October. We watched all but the most recent episode of  The Blacklist.  I made meatballs and "zucchini ziti." It was a good day to catch up on laundry and just "chill" by the artificial fire of my Duraflame... And now... tucked in bed with a snoozy cat... I can't quit thinking about onion rings and how dry my head feels... lol  Bet you didn't expect that, huh?

Next I will be telling you I decided to skip the word of the year. Nah.. I have one. It just keeps changing. Anyway. Stay cozy and enjoy the quiet if you have it, the noise if you don't... 

Whimsy and Hugs!







Tuesday, December 29, 2020

Happy Christmas/New Year Week!

I don't know when, but I became a morning person! I do enjoy the first hour or so of the day... I have more blue hour photos than I can shake a stick at, as I'm sure you all know! 


And the morning's new dawn looks suspiciously like yesterday's! But that is a delight actually! Almost 40 years ago I was hospitalized for nearly two months after my son was born. I learned right then I didn't want to be released from that to go climb mountains or attend gala events... I wanted to come to my quiet home and putter around in the kitchen, throw in a load of laundry, sweep up a corner, and generally do the daily round of chores, including my very favorite--- washing dishes by hand. I once owned an automatic dishwasher, but it just became a very handy place/rack to store my china and silverware. I was probably born to be in the house staff of Downton Abbey... a genuine Mrs. Pattison, for sure! 


My son bought me some really lovely Christmas gifts. One was this delicious rose gold teapot! I have not heard its whistle yet because all the brewing I have done is in the wee hours when he is still trying to sleep. He also bought me the sweetest quilt and shams, which I will be sharing this week. 


Our prairie has sounded like these pictures look--- although we had no snow for Christmas. We sure had cold, icy wind... 6 degrees with a much lower chill factor! My dad's windows howled (each equipped with metal weather stripping that plays such melancholy tunes)... Of course, I love it! lol... Was there ever a contrary thought I did not embrace? I can honestly say if given a choice between a vacation in sunny Hawaii or beautiful Fiji or any truly glorious paradise vs. a morning at home with a cup of tea or coffee (Diet Coke!) and a real cookie,--- I would never blink an eye and choose home-- and that cookie!

Google Images photos


I am working through some nearly-finished WIPS  (Works in Progress) before 2021 arrives. This one got its last stitches Sunday. It is called Peppermint and Holly. I've been kitting up my New Year's start, and today I drew near to a finish on a Earl Grey denim blue and grey granny afghan. My goal is to try not to buy any materials, cross stitch charts (patterns) yarn, or paper pads in 2021.  Unless I get a heap of things fully finished (also a part of the plan.) We shall see, and after all... I made the rule, so... one month at a time!


I will be dipping in later this week with my "Word of the Year" post. Can you guess it? 

Whimsy and Hugs!

Wednesday, December 23, 2020

Merry, Merry Christmas to you, Dear Ones!





Many blessings to you and yours! 

We are the Baby Zoomers!

A dear friend who graduated high school with me  yesterday a few years ago renamed us the baby zoom generation. She has a lovely, large family, and they set up zoom calls all the time! She and I have joined another sweet woman to do some Bible studies through zoom, and we are planning to connect in 2020 while we knit or crochet and chat! Today she and I opened our Christmas gifts to each other after my son made a delivery/pick up trip... So many fun moments... She has a way with gifting that sparkles any day... 

I made her some things and bought some...  She asked me when I did these things, and I laughed that "all I had was time." I hope to spend some of that time productively in 2021... I have long heard of living intentionally. Instead of floating, just execute an intentional plan... Hmmm.

One gift I made was this French Country Journal...


But I had the most fun making a box of cards dedicated to each month of the year! I think I missed taking a photo of  February's, but it was rosy...  I made three cards and a little bag of tags and ephemera for each month... She gives so much to her community, church, and friends, she will be able to use them I am sure! 

November had chickens standing in for turkeys


August sun...


July

Strawberries in June

December


October



April...

September

January

May's Poppies

I told you about the keto cookies. Here is the brand of chocolate chips I used--- and the recipe...They aren't Aldi Kitchen sink cookie -good, but I give them a 7.5... lol





One more day until Christmas Eve! Ho ho ho!


Whimsy and Hugs!

Monday, December 21, 2020

Happy Winter!

Although it is pretty warm for Winter in Missouri, the wind is absolutely wild! 


To celebrate the new season... I started the day with homemade chocolate chip Keto cookies and Cookiedoodle coffee! lol Now, ya can't go wrong with that surprise for my son! They were awesome--- almond flour, xantham gum, keto sugar and chips, and all...


I am ready for Christmas! Gifts are ready to be delivered and wrapped... It's a Christmas Miracle! 




Whimsy and Hugs!

Thursday, December 17, 2020

Rx for Change

Well, lucky for thee I am not posting photos of my big revelatory moment tonight... or rather the seventy fifth thousand advent of it...  No, tonight's catalyst was slick and messy and really quite nasty! Curious? Read on...


My dark and chilly landing ... Sorry about the lighting.


We have hung heavy comforters over the opening to the lower room of our house. We don't use that room, and it isn't heated or cooled. And it causes the darkness...  But I will now continue with the mess...

I decided Keto quiche would be good for supper, and it was wonderful. However... during the creation phase yours truly ah... missed the mixing bowl with a grade A- brown shelled egg...  No, "luckily" it didn't run down the cabinet or hit the floor..  Naw... It slid, ooey-gooey into the side of my linen/tea towel/junk/??? drawer by the sink. Well, mercy me! It really made a mess. And now, after I finally finished the clean-up, I am glad that happened... 

This table-scape comes as a memory of festive brunches past. Mom and I threw a little party for some dear friends, and we had a blast!
Merry Christmas 2014

So... after a hasty sponge-out and "wild tossing out on the floor" of slightly eggy towels and sponges and whatchamacallits, I realized that drawer was a huge mess full of stuff that really should be elsewhere or pitched. And I did that... through clenched teeth. Seems I have turned into my grandmother. Now not really, in all the magical and perfect ways she truly was--- but in the respect of dwelling daily midst the old and worn and tattered (with lovely all stored neatly) ... So, this was/is my returning lesson. Use these blessings/gifts/pretties... I once was fascinated by a comparison of the Biblical story of Manna..  use it daily for it cannot run out--- or be stored. 

So flashback to finding a drawer of lovely nightgowns given to Gramma. I was cleaning out her bedroom after she passed away. There in her special drawer I found a soft red shawl I brought her from a trip to the city, box after box of pretty lace trim cotton gowns, new scarves and purses...  you know that kind of drawer. You have all either had one or love someone who does! I compared it all to her daily clothes so worn, patched, and laundry-thinned. I can see her standing in her kitchen with her apron pinned over a dress because the ties were long gone. (And there was no end to the never worn aprons in her closet)

I hear my dad's story about taking his dear Oldsmobile to the junkyard after it was totaled in the 70's while parked in front of my house in town. He saw the irony. He had loved that car and ordered seat covers immediately from Fingerhut's famed catalog... He told Mom, "I told the junkyard owner kind of proudly those seats had never been sat on. --- and he told me they would no doubt sell the windshield first thing which will let the rain ruin those seats we never sat on..." 

And so the saga finds its end... with stacks of  "too-cute to use" tea towels christened with a golden egg goo for their first brush with real living and a Tide pod. I had been saving these beauties while I employed the eldest towels and crumbly sponges to greet me daily in my cleanups...  So, I shut my eyes and pitched the grayed yucky, everyday towels... not even stopping for the rag drawer (although most like my rescue mode will scoop them from the trash for paint rags--- as if I paint) It matches my date with my wardrobe where I separated those old tops that looked so much in the spirit of my gramma. I already bought comfy, cute sweaters so what IS my deal?

In case I suffer a catastrophic financial crisis, I will not be attired in tomorrow's new, but/old clothes. Today I am trying to reclaim the beautiful life I used to seek...


And I vow to have my linen drawer shut next time I make a quiche!


Whimsy and Hugs! Christmas 2014

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

It's in the mail!

Today when my mail lady gets in her car, she will have this shawl/wheel-chair afghan for a friend in Florida. I hope it brings her joy. She had a stroke over a year ago, and her son is her care giver. I was blessed to be a care giver for my mother, but I cannot imagine the stress of being one during the Pandemic... My heart goes out to all of you who are giving your hearts and your days for love... 


I made her a rose one last Christmas. She calls it her magic blanket and asked for a blue one, too... 


It measures 45 inches square



Yarn is Caron Latte Cakes Velvet Teal.  Pattern? Why, Granny, of course!

Whimsy and Hugs!

Saturday, December 12, 2020

A Little Cheer!

Finally... Hope you are all doing ok. Today was a great day. I woke up about 3 a.m. and my son was already up. We decided to watch some tv while a few rows got added to a  shawl I need to get in the mail. I have 3 and a half rounds to go! 

In my move of furniture I carved out a nook in the kitchen for my desk. So far, I enjoy getting a little more organized... as in having a place for things... I have a stack of books waiting for cozy afternoons that came from a dear friend <3, my bill drawer, my makeup, and correspondence/Bible Study/Planner space. I impulse bought that black desk in a favorite shop several years ago... Not the easiest drawers to open and close and not my color furniture usually, but I liked the small size and cozy charm... That Jim Shore Santa was Mama's... She loved him when he had his shows on qvc... And my dad and I created the shadow box in 1973 I think. He made the frames, and I used 3 calendars to do the 3 D... we made 10 or 11 of them as gifts, and I have four seasons--- Mom's, one each from my two grandmothers after they passed... and this winter one I kept... Through the window you see a glimpse of his collection of insulators and floats...  



I am not done with the tree decor yet, but we used a pencil tree this year. Santa is going fishing! He is, I assume, working from home this year! Seriously, my dad chose this Santa to gift to his father a long time ago because Grandad was a fisherman extraordinaire. (PS spellchecker says there are 3 d's in grandad-- granddad...??? I have never spelled it like that...)


I think my little kitty has reclaimed this quilt from last year... she has slept in this chair so much that she worried me... I googled it, and the posts all said cats slept between 18 and 22 hours a day! I never noticed when she divided up her time! lol...


"Man, dem are sum berry big birds!" She is fascinated by our wild turkeys, so majestic. I have counted way over 20 in my flock. I hope hunting season is over. I don't allow hunting here. but this flock moves over to neighboring farms... and they do... I know the rationale from the hunting community... and they may be correct... just not here...


Talk to you soon... Today and yesterday have been dark and lovely... with a chilled drizzle sent to harbor even more contentment at staying inside. Tonight is keto taco salads, but lunch was a little cheat of chicken wings with real bbq sauce...