Journey
The closer to the end of the year, the busier life seems to get. What is it about December? 2020 has been a horrible year for most. Most people just want to put 2020 to bed and move on to 2021. A clean slate...or is it?
Is one day going to matter? Will all our lives change on January 1, 2021? Going by past years I am going to say... Not so much.
Practicing Drawing Faces
With that in mind let's try and make the rest of the days of 2020 special. Did you get to spend more time with your family than ever before in 2020? Did you find out you like being confined to your house with your spouse? Did you find yourselves talking more to each other or less?
Did you finally have time to read that book you have been wanting to but never had the time? Did you learn how to love silents? Learn to love being alone with your thoughts? Did you learn to make-believe being called by your husband to watch South Parkwas what you really wanted to do that second? 😹
The second page of faces in my sketchbook
Did you get used to your day not being your normal day? Did you learn to take it in stride? Learn to change the plans you had for the day because now someone else was home talking to you when you were not awake yet?
Twenty pounds of strawberries dropped off out of the blue.
Did you find yourself having to learn new things all on your own? Knowing the basics from when you were a child but never having done something on your own before is a scary thing. Did you get over your fear?
Once over the fear and finally finished with your task did you end up dropping two jars of jam on the floor right next to your computer? While cleaning up four cups of strawberry jam on your floor, wires, and carpet did you think to yourself that at least the pectin worked and the jam was getting jammy? 😺
Wishing my Mom lived closer so she could help me make strawberry jam.
Did you use this year to focus on something you always wanted to do or learn? Did you let the time forced at home become the Holiday you have always wished for?
Writing my 'Story' out by hand.
This was one of the hardest years I have lived through. I remind myself daily of all the good that came out of this weird, crazy year. For every negative, there were positives if I remembered to look for them.
Willow with her traveling house Toad made for her.
The biggest lesson I learned this year was to trust myself. To not try and be like others when trying new ideas. I am unique. My writing, art, and soul are very different from anyone else. If my art looked like everyone else's then I am doing something wrong. If my writing sounds like everyone else's I am doing something wrong too.
I learned, and am still learning, to give myself permission to be me. Just me. All of me. Me that likes to show I am human. I make mistakes. I get scared. I do not know all and that is okay. If you knew everything how boring life would be!
Thank you always for letting me be myself on Hive. You have no idea what a wonderful gift that is.
Help someone smile today. It can not hurt you.
Snook
All photos are mine unless otherwise stated
Yes, this has been a challenging year. No, I don't think 2021 is going to suddenly get better. Sorry about the jam! I've had my share of kitchen disasters, but not quite like that one. I love Willow's traveling house! Toad is very talented. (So are you!)
Thank You so so much!!
I have been slowly working on more art for the story and having a ball.
I REALLY hope your Christmas is special this year!!
This has got to be in my top 3 to 5 of worst years ever. I am still working out what I have learned. On thing, possibly two: wearing the big girl panties may be ugly, but it's worth it. I have also toughened up. I think I am learning to take things less personally.
I need to do some stock taking.
Jam looks good. Sorry you spilt some. Don't know what's worse: the loss of the jam or the cleaning up!
I have to go with the loss of Jam because I love strawberries but jam I can live without but this jam tastes like you are eating fresh strawberries on toast. I guess the good thing is I am eating more fiber? LOL
Here is the recipe if you want to try it. https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/strawberry-freezer-jam/
Yeah, not my worst year but I would say in the top 5 for me too. Way too many times having to wear my big girl panties..... but I too think this year has made me stronger and I found the strength to stand up for myself a lot more than I normally would.... so hard lessons to learn but ones that needed learning.
Funny. this post didn't start out as a taking stock post but as normal it wrote itself and showed me in writing what I really did learn this year and how while not the best year..maybe it was the shaking up we all needed? idk...
always looking for the bright side I guess.
Much Love and I hope you are staying cool!! I have a long dress, pants and a blanket on :D
Oh, I am so going to check out that recipe. Our strawberry patch is a re-boot after the drought - among the roses - and which will have to be shared with the guinea fowl.
I know what you mean about posts writing themselves...I have a rep in certain circles for giving things the Fiona treatment lol
I think lots of the lessons are good. I'm glad I'm not alone in the big girl panty department :D
The heat - proper - has not yet begun. That'll hit most in February. Right now, I'm not minding the temperature - baggy t-shirt, capri pants. Tomorrow, in the kitchen might be different. It's gonna be a long one!
Be well xxx
Oh, I am so going to check out that recipe. Our strawberry patch is a re-boot after the drought - among the roses - and which will have to be shared with the guinea fowl.
I know what you mean about posts writing themselves...I have a rep in certain circles for giving things the Fiona treatment lol
I think lots of the lessons are good. I'm glad I'm not alone in the big girl panty department :D
The heat - proper - has not yet begun. That'll hit most in February. Right now, I'm not minding the temperature - baggy t-shirt, capri pants. Tomorrow, in the kitchen might be different. It's gonna be a long one!
Be well xxx
So many strawberries! I'm super impressed that you made jam! Boo on having to clean it up. Huge YAY on learning to trust yourself! That's a huge life lesson.
when I saw the box of strawberries I about died. LOL
Thank goodness they came all cut up and frozen so I just repackaged them in gallon bags for the freezer. This way when we run out of jam I can just take a bag out and make a double batch of jam when we need it.
So many HUGS!!!!
My mom would probably say there are better ways to test the 'jamminess' of the jam than depositing them on the floor and computer cables and such. Just sayin' :)
I learned a few things this year and did a few things this year that just excited heck out of me.
1: I am +8 on the siblings ledger. It's a really good thing that I've had all year to process that. I genuinely like, in fact love the siblings I've gotten to know. That alone probably puts 2020 at or near the top of my personal list of 70 years.
2: I get to watch in something near real time a budding and enthusiastic artist learn and improve her craft. That's pretty exciting.
3: Due to wearing a mask all the time when I am outside the house I don't have to be near so fastidious with my nose hair trimming. A serious time saver with out doubt. I wonder if anyone would notice if I wore a mask on each ear? Probably ought to look into one of those gaiter thingys.
So my year has been far from a total loss. In fact, it's been quite good. Thanks for sharing yours with me.
HAAAAAAAAA
Yes, much better way to see how jammie it got then breaking 2 on the floor :D
I love, LOVE, LOVE the 3 things that excite you.
Thank You for always making me laugh and smile when I need it most!
Merry Christmas my friend.
I did buy a neck gaiter. I'm pretty sure I don't like it but it does cover my ears. Results are mixed at best.
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