Another year has come and gone and we are now facing a brand new slate! Do you make resolutions? Or do you try to make improvements to your life on a daily basis? I tend to do the later.
It doesn't matter how we plan improvements, I think. It's just important to live life intentionally.
New Year's Day. A fresh start. A new chapter in life waiting to be written. New questions to be asked, embraced, and loved. Answers to be discovered and then lived in this transformative year of delight and self-discovery. Today carve out a quiet interlude for yourself in which to dream, pen in hand. Only dreams give birth to change.
Sarah Ban Breathnach
I love putting up a new calendar for the new year. For years now I've used Susan Branch's calendar on the side of my refrigerator. Grayden and I go over the year's plans and begin to decide when those plans will be carried out. There are winter projects that I want to delve into. I must get the supplies to begin. So many ideas ..now to choose!
If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail! Benjamin Franklin
This year there are several projects that need attending to around our home. These are projects that when we were younger, we would do ourselves. This is an eye opening fact that is facing us as we age.
I'm going to make the traditional Hopping John for good luck today! Being a southern girl we must have our black eyed peas for luck. It's just for fun! Quite tasty to boot. If you need a good recipe I posted this one last January. Here
I'm going to make the traditional Hopping John for good luck today! Being a southern girl we must have our black eyed peas for luck. It's just for fun! Quite tasty to boot. If you need a good recipe I posted this one last January. Here
This year I cooked a pound of dry blackeyed peas in the crockpot overnight. I had a leftover meaty hambone from the holidays that I added to the crockpot. Yummy!
Grayden asked if we could have this for breakfast as it was a wonderful aroma coming into our bedroom this morning.
Grayden asked if we could have this for breakfast as it was a wonderful aroma coming into our bedroom this morning.
I then followed the above recipe and used these blackeyed peas instead of canned peas.
Have a wonderful New Year, dear readers. I have loved getting to know each and every one of you. Your comments always make me smile! I wish I could have you over to enjoy our Hopping John to ring in the New Year! ♥
Have a wonderful New Year, dear readers. I have loved getting to know each and every one of you. Your comments always make me smile! I wish I could have you over to enjoy our Hopping John to ring in the New Year! ♥
Blwyddyn Newydd Dda!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you and Grayden!
As you do, so do I, choosing to make improvements every day, but New Year's Day does seem to offer the cleanest of slates with which to make that special new beginning happen. I certainly use the time between Christmas and New Year to reflect and assess the areas that need the most attention and biggest changes although I don't start anything on the first!
I have my Susan Branch calendar on the wall, and it makes me feel connected to all the Girlfriends across the world as we share the images each month. I have a NT one by the phone though.
~~~Deb xoxo
Blwyddyn Newydd Dda, dear Deb! I wish I could pronounce Welsh wishes! Very few vowels in your language.
DeleteIt warms my heart to realize all the friends I've made through Susan Branch! That's an amazing thing about technology and of course her wonderful spirit! The National Trust calendar must be a special one. Have a lovely evening, my friend! xoxo ♥
No, I gave up New Year's resolutions years ago. Your New Year's dish must have smelled heavenly to have your husband be asking for some for breakfast!
ReplyDeleteVee whenever I use the crockpot overnight the most wonderful aroma seems to enter the bedroom as we rise. I frequently make stock overnight. Have a great evening. ♥
DeleteMartha Ellen, those beans and ham hock looks terrific! I'm planning on similar tomorrow; the weather is getting cooler and bean and corn bread sound good. Daddy always says if we're living the way we should be living there's no need for resolutions. I tend to keep on living the same way but trying to improvement. I've made some changes in my life, recently, and they're for the better. My better anyway...smile.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I've eaten supper for breakfast and breakfast for supper...it's all good.
Sandra, I think I've always got something to improve on in my life. Each day gives us a new chance. Here's to all of our attempts to have a life that was intended for us! Enjoy your evening and Happy New Year to you! ♥
DeleteI don't make resolutions but it is a good time to slow down a bit and think about how we want to be living. It is a little adjustment as we grow older and realize we need help for some things we would have easily done when we were younger! Grace for that! Wishing you blessings in this new year and enjoy your black eyed peas tonight!
ReplyDeleteDotsie, our home needs painting inside and out. The enormity of the task is making us rethink that we need help this time. We've always done this job ourselves. The Hopping John was great! Blessings to you also, Dotsie! ♥
DeleteA Happy New Year to you!
ReplyDeleteAnd I use a mini Susan Branch calendar, on the side of my refrigerator! :-) It is for all our appointments, birthdays, general happenings. I can look at old calendars, and "see" the year. :-)
I don't make Resolutions. But plans for putting procrastination behind me... Now that I am going to try to do. :-)
I have a new sewing machine, which I have not yet touched. But now, I will begin again, to have fun with simple sewing, in my life. :-)))
Tessa
Welcome, Tessa, thank you for coming by. I just bought my sewing machine into the office so it is more assessable for ease of sewing. I've done some simple mending and a few small projects. I hope to begin other projects there as well. I will come over to visit soon. ♥
DeleteI'm enjoying the excellent music you've included. My Susan Branch calendar is up, too. I've been busy posting on several of my web journals today, but haven't gotten to the one about my New Year plans. All my ideas are floating about in my head at this point! All our projects last year were for the same reason you mentioned--getting the things done that we can do ourselves while we still can.
ReplyDeleteI'm finding I want peaceful music lately, Cathy. Maybe because it's been so busy around here. I too have several ideas and must choose what to begin with. ♥
DeleteHappy New Year, Mary Ellen!
ReplyDeleteMay you be blessed with good health, laughter, love and peace.
Hugs! ♥♥♥
Thank you, Michele. I wish the same for you! ♥
DeleteHappy New Year to you too Martha Ellen!!!
ReplyDeleteI am here in Wisconsin now, and the snow from the 28th is quite lovely. Yesterday we went out to brunch with a friend and then my mother-in-law took me to meet her quilting friends. Arnie is in Crete on a ship.
Enjoy your time there, Margot. Sounds like you are enjoying yourself! Happy New Year! ♥
DeleteHappy New Year!
ReplyDeletewww.rsrue.blogspot.com
scoopfromahandicapper.blogspot.com
And to you as well, Regine! ♥
DeleteMartha Ellen,
ReplyDeleteSusan Branch's calendar is delightful. I haven't see one before. I always get the book calendars every year (Mary Engelbreit). They're so colorful and positive. Your blackeyed peas with ham looks delicious. I didn't know you were a southern gal - how splendid.
Happy New Year, Martha Ellen! So glad to get to know you better, and I look forward to more of your wonderful posts.
~Sheri
Sheri, do yourself a favor and visit Susan Branch's blog. It is delightfully positive and quite charming! She has written several books and her watercolored artwork is lovely. I used to get Mary Engelbreit's magazine...it is no longer in print. Her art is charming as well.
DeleteI was born in VA and have lived here my whole life! It is home.
Happy New Year dear Sheri! ♥
Martha, I am very big on calendar's. Trying to keep my calendar tidy, not so much! I have always loved Lang's huge variety because they have so many wonderful artists, it's difficult to choose. This year I bought one covered in cats by Lowell Herrero. I keep threatening to design my own, but there is too much on my plate to do the extra artwork. I am looking forward to seeing what project you have chosen to embark on this year! Cheers!
ReplyDeleteJeri, a calendar by you would be wonderful! The Lang calenders are always beautiful. I do keep a messy calender as well and usually mark up the one in the office. Take care of those adorable ducklings! ♥
DeleteYour New Year's dinner looks wonderful, Martha Ellen! I would love to learn more about the tradition of Hopping John. For the past few years, I have been using 'One Little Word' to intentionally guide me through the new year. It's always such an exciting time of year. I just love fresh starts! We will also plan for many home projects throughout the year. It is definitely an adjustment to think about hiring people to do the things that we used to do on our own. It's time to be kind to ourselves in this way. It is truly a joy visiting here with you throughout the year, Martha Ellen! Wishing you all a very Happy New Year! ♡Dawn@Petals.Paper.SimpleThymes
ReplyDeleteDawn, if you go to the link for the recipe it will take you to my post last January where I wrote about the tradition of eating blackeyed peas for good luck. I loved your post about "One Little Word" and went to the link. What a great idea.
DeleteHappy New Year to you as you Blossom! ♥
Although, like you, I do not make New Year's resolutions, I do enjoy the clean slate that January offers. It feels good to have a new place to begin with fresh goals and new plans and a clean calendar (even if it doesn't stay clean very long). :)
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you, friend! Your blog is a bright spot in Blogland!
Thank you, dear Cheryl. I've so enjoyed getting to know you! Happy New Year! xo ♥
DeleteI tried eating black eyed peas. I think it's an acquired taste. :-) I hope you have a wonderful time planning your new year and that many great adventures await you. We have some winter projects in store for us too. And I agree about the necessity of planning. Many blessings!
ReplyDeleteJudy, if you come over for dinner, I promise not to serve blackeyed peas...Good luck with your winter projects. Many blessings to you as well! ♥
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