I hope my American friends all had a great Thanksgiving. Ours was perfect - filled with good friends, lots of cooking, delicious food and excellent conversation ... and, of course, plenty of leftovers.
And then came the official start of the Christmas season, which means an overabundance of ads and special offers in the mail and online. Every year around this time, I find myself wanting to run the opposite direction. Away from excessive shopping and toward a simpler life, handmade gifts and slowing down.
This has always been my favorite season - colder weather, shorter days, good food, baking cookies, crafting, gifting, end-of-year reflection, and planning for a fresh new year.
This year, that yearly pull toward more traditional living seems stronger and I find that I am leaning toward it in many ways - wanting to take more time cooking, baking and preserving good food, taking greater care to shop local and at small shops, caring for and taking pride in our nest, knitting more, sewing lots more, painting, writing more snail mail, and reading and reflecting.
I am drawn to doing things more thoughtfully and working more with my hands, being tuned in to the seasons and nature, and making things myself wherever I can.
In past years, I have felt that same pull but it always seemed like it would require too much change that I didn't think I had the time or energy for. But this year it feels like it's time. And I think it'll be a really good change, which I am sure you will read all about here on my blog...
In many ways it feels like my life is coming full circle going back to many values and skills I learned from my grandmother, including a love for cooking, baking, knitting and crocheting. She also did a lot of ironing and darning of clothes, which I have yet to develop a love for... But then I don't have to love everything, do I?!
Wishing you a peaceful and joy-filled beginning to the holiday season!
❧ Silke
What a beautiful Thanksgiving table with such lovely blue candles!
ReplyDeleteAnd I am looking forward to the cold weather that we will get in December if only to wear the lovely knitted scarf you sent to me! I love it so. Thank you. xx
Your Thanksgiving table looks so inviting!
ReplyDeleteWhen I have a reason to cook or bake, I enjoy it very much. I just don't see the point in doing it for just myself, which is the case most days. I like all housework, especially ironing. It is something I find almost meditative!
Love the close-up of Ramses. It makes me want to get a cat again, but I know I won't do that right now - it would be so unfair to any pet, with the kind of life I am leading.
Hello Silke. It seems I've been away a while. Been sick for a month, but almost back to normal now ~ hopefully just a few more days. This post is very nice and hits home with many of us, I believe. I am trying hard to rid myself of too much stuff so I can live a more simple life and devote more time to art and people. The days are going by much too quickly for me to accomplish all I want to do. Now that I am feeling better, I hope to get back to that task.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to come to the Art Show that you and Daniel had together. It looked wonderful and had to be SO exciting. One of these days I am going to get down there and pop in to surprise you.
SO happy, too, to read your blog posts. I miss the old days when many of us were blogging. So many have given it up. I like fb, but it is not the same as blogging. I still blog, as well, and need to get back to writing more significant posts. I seem to have drifted off into posting photos and quotes.
Your Thanksgiving table looks lovely. Enjoy your Christmas prep as best you can. I SO dislike what is happening to the meaning of Christmas and the greediness and rudeness of people. Maybe with enough magic and love from enough people, we can one day bring back the Christmases of old.
Audrey ♥