Walking On Air

Forget Me Not

Wordle today in 2

My current total 4 

(might be 5)

What a shock!

Feels great such a silly thing brings happiness

Have a Happy Weekend!

Dance to "U Can't Touch This"
by MC Hammer

Draw a song bird 

Bake a custard strawberry pie

Read about Basalt rock formations

Plan a garden

Have a cup of tea

Pray for Peace

The next day, 7 January, Wordle in 6.

I had 3 letters in 3, and 4 in 4. 

Typical Wordle

Day 5 of Week 1 January 2024

McD Coffee Happy Face

Doesn't that title look nice.

Where have I been this last week is blurry with feeling overwhelmed by the deep clean out I am once again engaged in.  Today is a mish mosh of tasks and errands. Out early for my update on a tetanus shot, I decide to treat myself to a coffee and donut! 

Didn't happen.

In the age of technology, ordering take out changes. 

There I am waiting for a coffee and donut for what felt like over 10 minutes (probably less). The two in front of me were there even longer. I'm finally at the counter ready to order. Instead, the clerk leaves me waiting to order; and goes to prepare more mobile orders. I waited a few more minutes, then left, drove up the road, and had my food and coffee in less time than I spent in line waiting for a donut. 

What's ironic is that I went inside to order because the drive thru line takes far too long, like half an hour long. It's no wonder folks use the app to order. All of the clerks were super busy. No slacking going on there.

One problem is that there is a lack of help. A few years ago at the end of the pandemic, many folks didn't return to work. I don't know what has happened since then that causes a shortage of fast food help to continue. 

As it is, up and about early in the morning is a big time reason to take a mid morning nap. Out before 8 AM, get home before 9 AM, the yawning will begin before 10 AM. There is no coffee/caffeine I know of that will stop a mid morning nap when I've been out before 8 AM except for will power. I can't afford to waste the energy I have with dozing off. In a couple of hours, I have errands to do. If I sleep, it would take twice as long to feel up to doing all the  packing up and such. I'm not leaving this chair.* I might doze off and tumble onto the floor, but I will take the chance. Based on my naps in chair experience, I'm confident I will remain upright.

The cardinal is at the bird seed. Cold temperatures brings the birds out more. There are more chickadees this year. 

Have a wonderful day!

*Yawns were too heavy to chance the chair.

Sofa snooze until after noon time. I only slept about 3 or 4 hours last night.

Needed the rest.

Reflection Monday for January 2024

Democracy

Hello 2024!

In this presidential election year of 2024 

there is surely going to be a 

massive amount of bickering, 

false information, and lack of common sense. 

Please,

Understand clearly why it is imperative that 

Democracy is protected by Peaceful means!

Thank you 

New Year's 2024: Sydney, Australia puts on stunning fireworks show

End of the Year 2023

 January

from Reflection Monday

However you chose

to approach life,

Please Pay Attention

to the World around you.

Be respectful of others,

as well as yourself.

February

Lichen On an Old Apple Tree Branch

A favorite photograph taken at the 

Robert Frost Interpretative Trail.

March

I accidently flipped paint off my palette knife 

onto my neck where it made quite a mess.

Made me laugh.

April

The Huddle

On a Sunday morning, I became fascinated

by dinner rolls.

May

Plume Moth

The yearly visit of a plume moth.

June

Otter Creek Basin

A good place to take water study photos.

 
July

Thunderstorm Weather Symbol

 

Creating small signage from scrap wood is fun.

August

Have a Delicious Ingredients' Weekend!

Design your own tartan

Hand sew a fall fleece hat 

Read about the Coriolis Effect

Poach pears

Create a veggie goulash

Sing to a summer squash

Go for a walk with a friend

Read a few Shakespeare Sonnets

Tell your Wok a story

September

Pink cosmos were brilliant in the summer of 2023.

October

Shopping for mums in October

November

A sunset to remember in November 2023.

December 

Tea!

Day 365 of Week 52 December 2023

My Old Summer Hat

 In 2024, I will add more flower s

to my summer hat,

and dance to the music of daylight.

Zero days remain of this year.

Farewell 2023

Watch New Year's fireworks 

around the World on YouTube

Search for Kiribati, 

the islands are where 

New Year's Day begins.

Day 363 of Week 52 December 2023

Red Clover

 Summer is closer, and so is 2024.

Reflection Monday December 2023

Felt Snowwoman Ornament

There was a time when handmade had a charm that spoke of hearth, home, family, community, love. I'm not sure that holds as  much anymore when so many consumers buy foreign factory made goods that are handmade, (as beautiful as they may be).

There is a lot of detail in the felt ornamant*. I can't tell if it is handmade or a made in an assembly line. The stitching says handmade. Yet, I have seen the photographs of factory line women sitting on the ground making things by hand for foreign markets.

Did the person who made the ornament do it with love as a gift or dream of the people that have the money to give it as a gift?

🌲

* On closer inspection, wearing my trusty reading glasses, I see marks on the felt indicating where to stitch. I believe the ornament is made from a craft kit. Still, somebody put together that kit.

Photograph of the Week

 That is what happens when I decide to not 

pull out a lot of holiday decorations.

I buy more ornaments at the thrift store*.

Thinking this is a neat plot plan to try 

a different theme this year, 

homemade holiday ornaments.

I don't have to go through the decorations boxes. 

I only put on my faux tree what I make

 or buy at the thrift stores.

Chairs and snowpersons are a cute combination.

* I returned today hoping the scarf I didn't buy is still there. Somebody bought it. sigh. 

I bought 3 ornaments, a sled, a flying Santa, and a hunting cap. Make that 4, a felt snowman.

Thoughts About the Breaking Point

Breaking Point, Merriam Webster
noun ~ The point at which a person gives way under stress.

Everyone has a breaking point. 

There are, I believe, 3 types of breaking points. The high and low strength, and, then there's the selective breaking point that can't be relied on from one event to another. 

Why is that?

In some cases, a person can be trained to endure. In other cases, life unchosen, trains us to be strong, weak or meh. 

At present, there is a lot going on in the World that makes me wonder where the breaking point will be for all the craziness going on. There are real human men with the power to, that have threatened to use nuclear weapons. (Note, to date only one woman might be eventually be in that group.) 

I've touched on this subject in past posts. Old folks can be like this, repetative, even in the same conversation. Every time I clean out email addresses, change passwords, take a look at my online presence, I compare where I am to where the World is; and here I go with another post about it.

Not to brag, but I feel the World is more depressed than I am at the moment. I'm guessing, in 2024, people might turn around and realize that common sense is a safer way to live. Less strain, longer life, no breaking point to deal with.

Welcome to December 2023

Easy Squash & Turkey Soup

3 quart sauce pan

2-3 cups of chopped squash

1-2 chopped celery sticks

1 cup cooked and cubed turkey

A few shakes of black pepper

Teaspoon of garlic powder

Add water to cover squash and celery

Cook on medium low until soft

Add turkey, black pepper, and garlic powder

Add 1-2 cups broth or water

Simmer about 15 minutes

Note: If you want to freeze some of the soup, then don't add the cooked turkey cubes if the turkey has been frozen once already. You can add other ingredients when the squash soup is thawed.

The turkey was frozen in my soup. Thus, I won't freeze the soup.

~~~~~~~~~~

Ready for December?

I'm not. There's a bit of anxiety going on via December arriving in what feels like way too soon. It is unsettling. As a distraction, I've been reviewing my list of nice things to do for myself. I want to add more.

 

Remember the blog subject I wanted to post that I forgot what it is? Well, it happened again. This time I forgot within minutes. I'm guessing this is either a part of the aging process or I'm such a genius, my brain only has room for so much. What doesn't fit, gets truncated. I remember it was there as well as I remember it isn't, (whatever it is).

Ice Forming

To break the spell of December woes, I've been watching videos on subjects that aren't necessarily me-ish. I do notice a lighter attitude as I spend time pondering lanes of thought I don't stroll down often.

One such lane is the training elite soldiers go through, endure, survive. Years ago I saw a documentary about U.S. Coast Guard training. I shiver to this day just thinking about a person jumping into a cold choppy ocean. 

 

I'm such an unadventurous (out of shape) person, I didn't even watch the entire episode of "SAS Australia,*" Season 5, episode 1. I felt uncomfortable watching people in such difficult situations. They are there for a reason, good reasons. 

Would I consider such a program? Yes. 

Alas, I'm too old, bone density, stamina, and such being what it is. Age does have a few perks.

* I did watch 96% of Episode 2, Panic. I skip over most of the interview section.