Day 11 of Week 2 January 2025

Hello 2025

A texture of events greets us this new year with more sorrow than happiness. The wildfires in California are heart breaking in ways that cast shadows over what joy we may feel. Prayers and help are much needed.

The weather in New England is typical of the Northeastern United States. While there has not been very deep snow out my door, I expect Old Man Winter will have a few snowstorms to spare for here. 

My focus is to stay in the house as much as possible. It is a challenge to see how many trips to the store I don't have to make.

The blog breaks I've been taking have been restful. I haven't been taking many photos, celebrating the holidays much, writing, painting or going out and about visiting places. Excitement is on the level of finding an unopened bottle of blackberry brandy tucked in the corner of a lower cabinet and fixing a few technical computer issues on my own.  Oh, and putting effort into knowing what day it is in case the trunk of the car hits me on the head really hard, and I have to tell somebody what day it is. (They always ask.) The trunk slowly lowers after I lift it up. It's an ongoing learning process for me to get out of the way in time. 

A Funny. I was kneeling on the ground to access the back of the driver's seat floor where my key blade fell. Neighbors only saw my boots and butt sticking out of my vehicle. Thinking I fell, they were approaching and shouting out asking me if I was all right. At first I had no idea what they appeared so alarmed. We laughed. 😂

Next week's post is about bird watching...Birds Are Slobs

Have a Funtastic Weekend!

Read a good book

Bake apple strudel

Sing to a favorite window view

Dance 

Count your mittens & gloves

Browse wicker baskets online

Plan a spring excursion

Recite a Robert Burns poem aloud

Reflection Monday January 2025

  Self Care

You

watching out for you

❤️

🙏🏻

A New Year

 2025

Make Your

Happy!

Thoughts in December

Me at three years in my red jacket

By the looks of the trees, I think the photograph is in the spring. I remember that yard better than any place I've ever lived except for when I was a stay-at-home mom. 

This month I've been thinking along the path of what I want these weeks to be for me. Holiday decorations are minimal. I donated all but one two foot fake tree. Being creative and being outdoors are on my jingle bells' agenda.

A few weeks ago, I began writing about how I feel about being creative, writing in particular. To my surprise, having to put those thoughts into words has been a good learning experience. I've never been keen on writing about graphic violence or sex. A character can be dead without describing how. A person can be a murdered without going into the details of why. 

All of that brain activity brings me to my desk. It needs to be clear of stuff. I know where I am comfortable painting. I haven't chosen a writing nest. Sofa, recliner, dining table or desk are the spots where I land to write. This week I will set up a place to write. Where did I chose? The sofa, in a corner surrounded with pillows including one to put my clipboard writing surface. I'll still use my desk, but not for long hours of writing.

December is a month this year that will be not only productive, but it will also be happy by baking cookies in small batches. I will post the recipes as I go along.

Meanwhile, my easel awaits.

How is your December shaping up?

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Depression 24/7/365

Tis the season for many as one of few jolly moments.

There is no enigmatic smile on our faces or in our hearts.

How we carry our condition along through the year may be similar to some but not to others. 

Based on my life's journey with depression, all I write about here is based on that first-hand experience.

Everyone, I believe, goes through stages as they age and participate in different events, birth, jobs, adventures, moving education and such. Our personalities develop and sometimes, there are hiccups in that process. 

Depression, for me, is what causes my being me hiccups. At present, the type of depression episode I've been coping with for over a year is not the same as in the past. I think of it as a depression meh episode.

I used to notice symptoms and deal with them as they arise. This time, while able to laugh, enjoy, have clarity, most of what I felt connected to has disconnected. It is there. I know about it. I remember it. It is all a pile of meh to me now. Weird.

The most significant part of my meh episode is that there is no constant wallowing in sadness, melancholy, dreads or paranoia.

At this stage, I feel, reading about depression that others experience is a good idea because it might help me understand better what is going on. Maybe being at the end stage of my life is impacting me stronger than I anticipated. I have been clearing out stuff lately. That release of the past might have freed up space in my mind to explore this part of my life journey.

Do you have books on depression to recommend?

Day 335 of Week 48 November 2024

Looking Up

Farewell November 2024!

Warm and windy describes this past 30 days here in the upper westside of Vermont. The weather went back and forth from fall jacket to puffer coat. Thus far, no snow boots have been needed. The higher elevations, some not far away, did have snow fall. 

I keep looking though. Maybe tomorrow a few flakes will be seen out my window.

Have a Cozy & Warm Weekend!

Browse fonts online

Make a gift box out of a cereal box

Tell your favorite shoes a story

Bake a peach cobbler

Sing to a bowl of grapes

Watch cat videos

Make beef stew in the slow cooker

Try blueberry tea

if a nah, then

have a blackberry brandy in

hot chocolate

P.S.

In comments, I'm showing up as anonymous

when using my cell phone.

Password & Email Maintenance

Clearing out folders, changing passwords, and sorting photos was a monthly event for me that took hours, sometimes days. Files and photos, I feel, no longer require monthly sorting. Maintaining good password health, however, is always a priority.

In the early days of Ebay when, I believe, a lot of people were getting online, a unique password for each website one registered with was popular with some people. (Moi) A one password for all probably isn't a good security system. Writing down passwords in a tabbed address book is an easy way to keep track of that important information. 

Some tips I use for passwords:

1.   Use unique passwords for everything 
2.   Always write passwords in a notebook 
3.   Add date of creation and changes
4.   Never save passwords online
5.   Minimum 12 various characters long
6.   Never use personal information, name, dates, etc.
7.   Refresh by logging in monthly
8.   Note the website for each password
9.   Keep old password books for a few years

Tips for email addresses:

1. Write down email address in the password notebook
2. Categorize email addresses for family, websites, friends, etc. 

 

Day 320 of Week 46 November 2024

November

On my cell phone at the moment, posting this from my comfy recliner, fluffy slippers on, thinking about dinner and where did this week go.

This week has been a blur. Sunshine nearly everyday throws my brain off. I find myself wondering where the blustery rainy days of autumn are. There are areas if New England in serious drought conditions. I pray for reasonable rainfall that doesn’t cause flooding. 

Posting via a cell phone has its quirks. For example, the typing screen area floats around eith the touch of my finger. I have the feeling that is because it is in the caption space, not the text regular space. (Not. It is just the way cell phone screen is.)

Anyway, about the election anxiety, what I read about what the next administration is doing, increases my anxiety. I was hoping to see good things of a real presidential nature. 

Instead, I’m given reason to feel scared to even post my opinions about what is going on. Already I deleted two paragraphs. 

Pray for America & the World

P.S.

And just now, something bumped my chair.

I try to make it happen again. Nothing. There is nobody living in the room with me.

 

MIssing Summer?

 

The recent weather in New England has been unseasonably warm. Sitting outdoors has been glorious. Nature knows in America there is a high amount of stress over the presidential election today. I feel that Nature is being kind to us.

Meanwhile, no matter who wins, I will be taking a blog break

Enjoy November!

Reflection Monday November 2024

The United States of America

for the first time in 248 years

could possibly elect  

a woman as our president.

God Bless America