An Early Christmas
I realized last week that I’d better get in the Christmas spirit because I have to have most of my gift shopping/making finished by Thanksgiving. Since we travel back to Ohio for the Thanksgiving holiday we don’t go back at Christmas. That means we celebrate both holidays at once. It’s nice to get them both done at once, but that means I have to be ready for an early Christmas. Usually it sneaks up on me because I’m focused on putting the garden to bed and getting all the fall cleanup finished. Then I realize we have Christmas in two weeks – YIKES! Thankfully I’m usually good about purchasing gifts throughout the year as I see them, I only have a few things to finish up this week and then I’ll be ready.
Thankfully there’s snow on the ground, which makes it much easier to get ready earlier. I put Christmas music on the stereo last night and worked on a few Christmas gifts. I’m just about ready, but I’ll check and recheck my list a few more times. It’s actually nice to do it so early, that way Mr Chiots and I can celebrate a leisurely Christmas alone at home. I don’t have a tree up yet, but I feel like I should have one up to put all the gifts under. Perhaps we’ll head out and cut one this weekend.
Do you celebrate any double holidays to make it easier?
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Quote of the Day: Thomas Jefferson
It is neither wealth nor splendor, but tranquility and occupation, which give happiness.
-Thomas Jefferson
Hopefully you can take find a bit of tranquility today. I find that winter makes it easier to find, it seems natural to spend more time being inactive, particularly in the evenings. Reading, doing puzzles, sewing, crocheting, coloring, all help me cultivate tranquility.
What’s your favorite tranquil activity?
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Artistic Repose
When I was a kid, coloring was one of my favorite activities. My coloring books were always done from front to back, in order, and the pictures were colored to perfection with outlines and a lot of shading. I remember once my little brother got ahold of one of my coloring books once and scribbled on a page halfway through the book. I didn’t even want to finish the book, but of course my parents weren’t about to buy me a new coloring book for that reason. If I remember correctly, I carefully cut out that page so it was no longer in the book and then I could proceed.
A few months ago I spotted Secret Garden: An Inky Treasure Hunt and Coloring Book at a local bookstore. I was immediately taken and dreamed of coloring the beautiful pictures within. Impulse purchases are not my thing, so I didn’t buy it right then. Much time was spent mulling over whether I should buy the book. Last week I decided to go for it and got it and a set of Staedtler markers.
The markers are perfect, but the color does bleed through to the back page a little. I really like the saturated color they produce, so I’m using them on front cover and any pages that don’t have anything on the back. I have a set of Prismacolor colored pencils I will use for the other pages. Here’s the front of the book after I got finished with it (see image above before coloring).
The coloring pages in this book are highly detailed, it takes a lot of time to complete each one. It was definitely $15 well spent for the many hours of artistic repose I will get from it! You can bet I’ll be coloring through it in order, let’s hope Mr Chiots doesn’t get ahold of it and decide to color a page halfway through.
Did you enjoy coloring as a kid? Do you still color as an adult?
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Quote of the Day: Faith Popcorn
Handmade things with all their wonderful charming imperfections have a very rare value. Any craft as applicable and pragmatic as kitting has a great future.
Faith Popcorn (from The Wabi-Sabi House: The Japanese Art of Imperfect Beauty)
As I’ve been crocheting away I notice the mistakes I make. Of course not many people would notice, but I do. I have to keep myself from tearing everything out to fix my mistakes, making myself remember that imperfections make things unique. I’m trying to learn not to be a perfectionist, which is quite difficult for me. Sometimes good is good enough!
Do you find that you are too much of a perfectionist?
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Soapbox
Yesterday was voting day here in the US, one of those days most of us are happy to see come and go so the political signs can leave the corners and the ads can leave the internet & tv airways. There’s really nothing more annoying than the constant negativity that election season brings. While I vote each time the polls are open, I have long since come to believe that this is definitely not the most important way to encourage change and to make a difference.
I’m a big believer I vote each and every day with the food that graces my table and the places I spend each penny I earn. My most important vote is cast with the choices I make each and every day, where my money is invested, and how I choose to spend my time.
I cast my vote for the kind of country/community I want to live in every Friday morning at the farmers market. I cast my vote every time I choose to buy from a small business over a big corporation. I cast my vote when I invest in my community rather than in big banks. I cast my vote when I spend my time helping neighbors and building my community. Sure I often spend more money on some things and don’t make as much on my investments, but sometimes looking at the bottom line isn’t the best way to look at things. Often we need to look at the long term effects of our decisions. I want this country to be a wonderful place for my friend’s children and grandchildren and I try to make sure each and every one of my decisions works towards that goal.
The best part of these choices is that it enriches my life greatly. Every Friday morning I am happy to chat with the same farmers and help be a part of that community. Building my local food system is my favorite way to cast my vote for what I believe in and the changes I want to see!
What’s your favorite way to vote other than in the voting booth?
