trimmingthesails

OLW - getting started ...

It seems a little ironic that having having chosen "Be like water" for this year, we should be hit by storm Christoph bringing heavy rain, snow, high wind, flooding ... Perhaps I should have chosen "Be like the sun"!

In the meantime, there is still some very wet walking to be done, (no excuses allowed), bits of sewing and mending await, there's soup to make and seeds to be sown - if I can get them out of the flooded lean-to we call a greenhouse. And wondering if a heated propagator with lights might be a good idea - any recommendations? Hoping for better things for you, where you are!

Giving up on chronology ...

... mostly. I'm intrigued that a number of scrapbookers seem to be eschewing Project Life this year - because so little happens now in a week that it's hard to find things to report? Looking back to last January, I am amazed to realise that within the space of four weeks, we had family from Germany to stay, travelled to Ireland to visit relatives, and made two weekend trips to London. I don't think we've been more than a few miles from home since 2020, and as for traditional 'first footers' at New Year, we may be having ours in mid-summer at this rate :).

So for the foreseeable future, pages may have to emerge from a clutch of similar moments, or a theme, or an interesting design that catches the eye. Looking across our photos of walks, benches seemed to feature, so this is how it panned out ... (Click for a clearer view).

For the memory-keepers among you, I'm wondering how you've decided to document this year? Is the staying-so-close-to-home leaving you feeling "What's the point?" or are you finding new ways to record this strangest of times? Wherever you are, I hope it's more comfortable than our minus 3C (26F) here! Warm good wishes to you all ...

The joys of a monochrome world and 10 Things on the 10th ...

The Joys of Monochrome ...
... may be hard to find after a while, but I do love the plain beauty of January after all the colour of Christmas (though it was a little muted this year). Underfoot it's been treacherous but we've made a determined effort to walk for miles every day. I suspect that this year's This Is Life photobook is going to have a slow start ...

I'm planning a greater variety of page design this year, rather than a consistent 'pocket' pages look, though I'm not expecting it to stray much outside the clean and simple; and now that Cathy (Zielske) has moved away from scrapbooking and into card-making, I fear I'm a bit of a lone lover of this style now. But it makes me happy :).

Leslie, over on her blog at OnceUponATimeAndHappilyEverAfter, shared an inspiring list of ideas at the start of the year for 10 Things On The 10th - thank-you, Leslie. This month, it's ten memories or ten things learned in 2020. Here's mine ...

10 Things Learned From 2020

1 Expect the unexpected. Allow yourself to wobble a bit, feel all your feelings and name them (if only to yourself), then take a deep breath, get grounded and steady, and decide how best to respond.
2  Podcasts enlarge horizons. In 2020 they were, and continue to be, a wonderful resource for new learning, deepening, and expanding my knowledge of the world even - or perhaps especially when - I find them challenging in some way: Americast, Pantsuit Politics, The Hive, Accidental Gods, Everything Happens, Economics Update ... And, of course, our very British institution of The Archers: 'a contemporary rural drama', the world's longest-running soap opera (since 1951) where everything happens at what seems a glacial pace seemingly in real time and there are no car chases. It has a wonderful range of characters and some very strong and socially important storylines. Perfect for a big pile of ironing :).
3 A diary really only works if you remember to look in it. (Yes, there is a backstory but it's too long for here and now).
4 My body really misses hugs from little ones. There are few things as warming as little hands clasping your neck, or a hot little breath on your cheek.
5 Blog friends are just the best in these difficult days. Being invited to share in other lives and worlds is so enriching. And the kindness of a message or an email lifts the spirits - so thank-you :).
6 I'm not as self-disciplined as I thought I was. That's been hard to admit. When days spill over into other days in a seemingly long grey stream, it's easy to say "I'll do it tomorrow". And then still not do it tomorrow.
7 Two hot water bottles are always better than one. One for the feet, the other to hug :).
8 You can go a really long time without using cash. I don't think I've taken money out of a cash machine for nine months. However, I appreciate its anonymity. I don't like the feeling that whatever I purchase is being recorded somewhere. Am I paranoid?
9 Marshmallow tea is not as nice as it sounds. Supposedly soothing, it's a tad soapy and the bits of root feel slimy. Going back to mint.
10 We need to find a new way of organising our world equitably and sustainably so that all feel respected and can fulfill their potential. So many events have peeled back what was hidden or or half-hidden from view (or perhaps I didn't take the time or make the commitment to look more deeply). I want to feel that whatever I do in the the rest of my years helps to effect change.

Sending warm good wishes to you, wherever you are ...

A word (or three) for the year ahead ...

For 2021, my One Little Word is three - is that allowed? I'm not really asking permission! - just going with what's been flowing through my life for the last few weeks. Having read the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tsu years ago, the slim volume with its soft cover caught my eye on my bookshelves in December, so I lifted it down and gently flicked through the pages again. This phrase just leapt out at me ...

Then, serendipitously, I came across a little video made by Einzelgänger when I was searching for something else and again, there were moments in it which resonated with me. In that wonderful time between Christmas and New Year (some call it Twixtmas, which I love) we walked in the snowy hills and mist-shrouded woods, along by burbling streams; and right there, by that tree, looking at the flowing, lively water in the midst of the frozen landscape, it settled into my soul for the year ahead.

I am intrigued to see how it unfolds, a little excited as well as apprehensive, and hoping it helps me navigate this health condition-as-yet-without-a-name which has dogged my days since August. (Serious possibilities have been eliminated, I'm glad to tell you). As yet, I haven't enrolled in Ali's class, and am undecided - we may just rub along together, it and me, in our own way.

Hoping that if you too have a word for this year - which, again, is shaping up to be a year like no other - it brings you growth and movement and joy ...

New Horizons and Days of December (part 2)

Hello and wishing you all a very happy and creative New Year! Although new horizons are beckoning and I'm looking forward in lots of ways, I haven't felt able to give these attention until completing my December Days album - and it's finally ready (after yet another proof-check!) to be sent off to Blurb for printing. (Part 1 is here). Below are many of rest of the pages, though there are quite a few of our lovely family (created from Whatsapp-ed photos and messages) that I'm not able to share. As you will see, we did a lot of walking; being outside every day at least once for a walk, and often twice despite the snow and ice, has become a firm part of our days. We are embracing the Scandanavian habit of Friluftsliv :).

On a shelf in a cupboard (because I don't want to be reminded of my failure-to-complete) languish a few unfinished December Days projects, so I am very pleased to have managed to bring this one to a proper end. Hoping that I'm setting my future self a good model for the rest of 2021! Sending you all warmest good wishes, Alexa.