New Year Resolutions or To Do List

A day to myself what fun to catch up on reading blogs and updating mine.  I hope I didn't offend anyone by deleting their blog from my sidebar but if you haven't posted in over a year...................      I also added some new blogs.  One check off the to do list for 2019.
I have been reading lots of lists on social media of resolutions or goals or good intentions whatever you chose to call them:
-A common one is to break a bad habit.  I don't have any bad habits no really I don't smoke or drink in excess or bite my nails.  I'm sure I have annoying habits but they annoy others not me.  If they annoyed me or were bad for my health I wouldn't do them.  I read a really good book about habits a couple years ago by Charles Duhigg.  He looks at why it is a habit and specific things to change the habits.
-Another frequent resolution is to learn a new skill.  I have lots of skills and each one involves  a bunch of crap as in creative resources and products.  I don't need another stash of crap in my life so no new skills here.
-Visit a new place....thats on schedule for later this winter.
-Try a new food  looking forward to that, what new flavor of ice cream is out there?
-Taking a risk is another common resolution.  I do that every time it snows here with the way some people drive or can't put the cell phone down while they drive they should resolve to be safe.
My to do list for 2019 which is so much less serious and more forgiving and flexible than easily forgotten and rigid resolutions

1. Finish and old project or two or three
2. Work from the stash  fabric and yarn
3. Use less disposable stuff
4. Use the good dishes
5. Eat more vegetables 
6. Eat less sugar less and refined grains
7. Drink more water especially before meals
8. Be grateful
9. Be kind
10. Say a prayer

Best wishes for 2019 and may all your lists be doable --Ann--

I'm gonna miss this view

(taken in early summer a couple years ago)

I'm gonna miss this view when I sit on the patio in the morning with my cup of C and get a little vitamin D.  Watching the prairie grasses in the breeze is as mesmerizing as watching the waves on a great body of water.  The moving truck and packers come today.  I have sorted and tossed as much as will fit in the dumpster every week plus a couple trips to the dump with big things and numberous trips to the places that take used items.  And I spent a couple evenings with the chimnaria burning papers because we had a little rain and there was no wind those nights.  It was very liberating to watch old papers and small scraps of fabric burn.  The movers gave us a considerable discount if I would pack my sewing room.  I'm free of old projects and have made a list of things I'm going to do anymore:

1. Calligraphy
2. Cross stitch
3. Crafts
4. Canning
5. Camping
6. Composting
7. Gardening
8. Collecting containers
9. ??
10. ??   

I left 9 and 10 open because I'm sure when I unpack I will look for something and when I can't find it I will add it to the list so then I can refer to the list when I need a reminder that I don't do those things anymore.  Odd most start with the letter C  the only C thing I'm keeping is Coffee.  I could just say I don't do C things anymore,  kinda like the guessing game where the cook only cooks peas.   The list will save me time looking for stuff!

I'm simplifying and specializing  I will still 

1) Quilt  2) Knit  3) Needlepoint  4)  Sketch  5)  Read.  Isn't 5 really enough things to do?!?

The movers will pack the rest of the house the books, needlepoint and baskets of yarn and necessities they will all put in a box labeled living room so when I start to unpack I can put all those things right back by my favorite chair.  I'll pack the socks I'm working on in my overnight bag.  I'm ready!
The next post will be of my new front door.  --Ann--

It's easy to get lazy

It's been easy to get lazy this winter. Too lazy to walk because it has been so cold for to many days in a row. Too lazy to write blogs posts. Yesterdays post was written weeks ago and was to lazy to push the publish button. That's lazy.

 The only thing this weather is good for is curling up with the knitting needles or a book, warm socks and a quilt. I moved my chair in front of the fireplace to get the full effect of the warmth and could gaze out the window. Watching the snow fall is mesmerizing and meditative so I started counting my blessings.........

1.  that I live in a draft free house
2.  that we haven't had freezing rain
3. that we have a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables in our little grocery store
4. that I have a car with a heater that works
5. that hubby fixed my little snow pusher
6. that I have a number of projects and interests to keep from getting cabin fever
7. that I can enjoy a hot beverage at the touch of a couple buttons
8. that I have an education
9. that I have a wonderful family
10. that I live in America  

Have you counted your blessings lately?  It's time for me to get out of my lazy rut maybe spring will come next week until then stay warm.--Ann--

Ireland

Impressions of Ireland 1. everything is green very green, 2. it rains a lot but it doesn't rain hard, 3.the roads are narrow with lots of stone fences and hedges and they are driving on the wrong side of the road 4. the thrill of left hand round abouts 5.the sheep are white and clean looking, 6.  tea was served 5 or 6 times a day, 7. the flowers are gorgeous,  8. my relatives are wonderful, 9. Ireland feels like home, 10. when the sun comes out it is glorious.   --Ann--

Walkways and corridors--Sweden

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Impressions of Sweden: 1. Everyone speaks American English, they might have learned from watching American television and movies with Swedish subtitles.  2. Everyone walks or bicycles.
3. Most everyone is slim and trim. 4. There are cut stone sidewalks and streets everywhere. 5. Public restrooms are hard to find. 6. The stucco and brick are warm wonderful colors. 7.Stay out of the way of bicycles. 8.There are lots of really old buildings with lots of character. 9.There are really neat places to walk.  10. Do those steps get narrower or is it an optical illusion?
photos 1 and 2 old town Stockholm, 3 and 4 Fyris River in Uppsala note all the racks to hold bicycles, 5 cut stone walk, 6 and 7 Skansen folk park walk with trees arched over the path, wooden shoes, 8, 9, 10, old town Uppsala, 11, old town Stockholm, 12, me in the cap, a guy in a store of middle eastern decent, told me I reminded him of a movie star then he said I looked like someone from Little House on the Prairie, he said that was his favorite show growing up, I laughed and said I only live 80 miles from DeSmet where Laura lived and said our landscape looks nothing like the tv show. 13 it does get narrower at the top of the stairs.  Ann

Happy Ground Hog Day!!

10 things I learned last year

1. Tape the pasta box shut especially when I put it in the cupboard sideways other wise all the pasta ends up on the floor.
2. The bread machine doesn't make dough unless the paddle is attached to the nub at the bottom of the pan.
3.  Learned basics of woodcarving with minimal cuts to my fingers.
4.  Chocolate with hot chili pepper in it is really really good. 
5.  Chocolate with sea salt is good too.
6.  Oven roasted parsnips and carrots are delicious.
7.  Abbreviations for blogging and quilting HST is half square triangle not short for history, FMQ is free motion quilting, GFG is Grandmothers Flower Garden not my mother's initials with an extra g, WIP is Work In Progress, CRAP is Creative Resources And Projects which is all over my sewing room.
8. Grilled pizza burns very quickly.
9. Beets on the grill are the best.
10. Washing windows is less work than moving.

A very short true story:

Hubby Dear was looking out the west windows at sunset last fall and made disparaging remarks including "I'm not building a new house so you don't have to do windows."  So Wifey Dear made an effort to wash the windows only to find that someone put the mini blinds so close to the screen that they would not come off without taking down the hardware for the blinds. The only way to wash the windows was from the outside with the windows cranked wide open.  The windows exceeded Wifey Dear's reach even from a ladder because there were basement window wells below each window.  So Hubby Dear bought a squeegee that could be screwed to a long handle.  Wifie Dear got a good start on the windows and noticed how dusty the screens were which led to vacuuming the screens and the mini blinds and the woodwork and the ceiling fans and the vents while Hubby Dear mowed the lawn. Then Hubby Dear finished the windows. Bless his heart! And Wifey Dear made supper.  The End

Ann

Birthday Reflection

One of my very dearest friends sent me this beautiful bouquet of lilies. Thank you!

I have been celebrating my birthday for well over a week now. It started with cocktails with the neighbors and son, then a weekend trip to Iowa to see cousins from Ireland who were visiting there, a stop at an apple orchard for a couple bags of fresh apples, calls from kids, and hubby taking me out to eat, then this gorgeous bouquet of lilies and they just get better every day.

I am midpoint of another decade. Looking back

10 things I've done:

Mendenhall Glacier Alaska

near Savar Sweden

1.  Married a great guy
2.  Traveled to Ireland, Sweden and Finland
3.  Gave life to 3 wonderful children with the goal that they would become taxpayers.  I have to brag for just a minute here.  Oldest son was in the US Navy for 5 years, is finishing college and working very hard to establish a veterans resource center on campuses in South Dakota. Second son is a civil engineer and is deputy site manager of a wind farm in South Dakota. Youngest daughter is attending college in Minnesota and is in the dental hygiene program.
4. Gone on a hot air balloon ride
5. Built a house and still married
6. Built another house and still married to the same great guy. We have moved 10 times in 30 years all in South Dakota.
7. Have visited 30 states including Washington DC and Alaska and 3 Canadian Provinces.
8. Hosted and exchange student
9. Have completed almost 200 quilts  
10. Am not taking any prescription meds or  prescription eye wear. Just drug store reading glasses in every room of the house.

10 things I would like to do

first woodcarving figures

1. Visit all the state parks in South Dakota
2. Visit all the dams on the Missouri River
3. See the states I haven't been to especially the northeastern United States and Maritime Provinces in autumn
4. Finish my kids photo books
5. Take carving lessons
6. Go sailing
7. Take some watercolor classes
8. Live in one place long enough to establish an asparagus bed   
9. Drink wine and eat cheese in several European countries
10. Avoid ambulance rides and hospital stays   

Seize the Day
Ann