"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day."
- Edith Lovejoy Pierce
I don't make New Year's resolutions anymore. I stopped making them years ago when I realized I never kept them. Why set myself up for failure? Instead, I vow to keep my eyes open for opportunities and whenever possible, take them.
In the last few days, even though what I really wanted to do was stay home, curled up on the couch with one of the kitties and a blanket, watching TVLand reruns of The Andy Griffith Show, we went visiting family.
Sunday afternoon we traveled to Ft. Wayne to daughter Jenna's. She and Joe had purchased new furniture for the family room and we hadn't seen it yet. We met Jenna at the botanical conservatory first, but got there about fifteen minutes before closing, so we just perused the gift shop. I love looking around in there because they have the most unique things and always have nice plants at great prices. Jenna bought a golden pothos for $7 and I left the snowbush I wanted, but purchased a cat Christmas tree ornament.
On New Year's Eve, we joined other daughter Kara and her husband Adam at their house for snacks and general hanging out, which is something we're very good at. We had gotten Kara a game for Christmas - Gardenopoly - and we played it for awhile until something on TV caught our interest and the game was abandoned. What little we played was fun though! Kara had gotten We Are Marshall via Netflix so we watched that (very good!), as well as Robbie Madison's World Record jump. Of course, we had to watch the ball drop in Times Square, officially bringing in the New Year.
All evening we were under a Winter Storm Warning with the potential for up to 12 inches of snow with strong winds. When we woke up this morning, however, we only had gotten a dusting. I hate it when that happens.
For lunch today, we joined Mom and Dad at their house, along with Grandma, for pork and sauerkraut with mashed potatoes. This is a tradition common to the Pennsyvania Dutch (Amish) and is supposed to bring good luck when eaten on New Year's Day. The tradition states that pork is to be eaten because New Year's Day is a time for looking forward and a hog cannot look back. I'm not sure I believe in luck, but it sure can't hurt to eat good food like that.
We watched the birds at the feeders and while there were juncos and nuthatches and other birds I couldn't identify, it was the cardinals that held my attention. To see such vivid red in the midst of the gray and brown of winter is stunning. The snow swirling about didn't deter them in the least; it merely added to their beauty for those of us that were observing them.
While we were eating, the snow started up again and by the time we left for home, it was blowing around out there pretty well. We were glad to get back home and hunker down for the evening. I got to spend some time on the couch with my kitties and the blankie after all.
- Edith Lovejoy Pierce
I don't make New Year's resolutions anymore. I stopped making them years ago when I realized I never kept them. Why set myself up for failure? Instead, I vow to keep my eyes open for opportunities and whenever possible, take them.
In the last few days, even though what I really wanted to do was stay home, curled up on the couch with one of the kitties and a blanket, watching TVLand reruns of The Andy Griffith Show, we went visiting family.
Sunday afternoon we traveled to Ft. Wayne to daughter Jenna's. She and Joe had purchased new furniture for the family room and we hadn't seen it yet. We met Jenna at the botanical conservatory first, but got there about fifteen minutes before closing, so we just perused the gift shop. I love looking around in there because they have the most unique things and always have nice plants at great prices. Jenna bought a golden pothos for $7 and I left the snowbush I wanted, but purchased a cat Christmas tree ornament.
On New Year's Eve, we joined other daughter Kara and her husband Adam at their house for snacks and general hanging out, which is something we're very good at. We had gotten Kara a game for Christmas - Gardenopoly - and we played it for awhile until something on TV caught our interest and the game was abandoned. What little we played was fun though! Kara had gotten We Are Marshall via Netflix so we watched that (very good!), as well as Robbie Madison's World Record jump. Of course, we had to watch the ball drop in Times Square, officially bringing in the New Year.All evening we were under a Winter Storm Warning with the potential for up to 12 inches of snow with strong winds. When we woke up this morning, however, we only had gotten a dusting. I hate it when that happens.
For lunch today, we joined Mom and Dad at their house, along with Grandma, for pork and sauerkraut with mashed potatoes. This is a tradition common to the Pennsyvania Dutch (Amish) and is supposed to bring good luck when eaten on New Year's Day. The tradition states that pork is to be eaten because New Year's Day is a time for looking forward and a hog cannot look back. I'm not sure I believe in luck, but it sure can't hurt to eat good food like that.
We watched the birds at the feeders and while there were juncos and nuthatches and other birds I couldn't identify, it was the cardinals that held my attention. To see such vivid red in the midst of the gray and brown of winter is stunning. The snow swirling about didn't deter them in the least; it merely added to their beauty for those of us that were observing them.While we were eating, the snow started up again and by the time we left for home, it was blowing around out there pretty well. We were glad to get back home and hunker down for the evening. I got to spend some time on the couch with my kitties and the blankie after all.
"Bejeweled"
10 comments:
Gorgeous photo of the Cardinal. The only thing I do after the calendar year turns is start planning for gardening season!!
I loved your year in review posts! I'm sure 2008 will be an even better year.
Happy new year to you and your family Kylee...!
Katie at GardenPunks
Great post! Love the pork/kraut/potato lunch! Making me hungry. And great photo of the Cardinal. Very beautiful in the dull colors of winter!
Great photo of the cardinal. Looks like a great holiday card. Happy New Year. All the best for a great 2008, Bob
Rosie ~ Oh believe me, I am ALWAYS planning like that! ;-)
Katie ~ Thanks, Katie, and I wish the same for you!
Moe ~ Welcome to Our Little Acre! Believe me, that pork was really good! Yes, that cardinal really stood out against the drab background.
Bob ~ Thank you and I wish you a great gardening year!
Whew you have been such a social butterfly the past few days. Sounds like fun.
Yes the kraut, black eyed peas and pork bring back fond memories as well as an expression of a good luck meal.
I'd never heard of this reason for having pork at New Year's, but I love it! However, I'm swamped in cardinal envy. We've never seen them here, though they do sometimes comes to other parts of the province. They're just so beautiful...I'll content myself with the snow buntings, which are doing aerial displays around the yard before dropping down to have brief snacks. And we'll send you some snow if you'd like--we've got way, WAY too much now!
Although you may hate getting the winter storm warning & then getting almost no snow, the opposite is worse. Our forecast for New Year's Eve was 1-2"; we got a foot! I also love the photo of the cardinal.
It is also just a German tradition! I confess that I always hated this when I was a kid; I would choke down a single thread (must have inherited grandma's superstitiousness) and that's all. Until my grandma started to make sauerkraut balls--yum.
Sounds like you had a lovely time eventhough not all was spent on the couch with the kittycats. ;-) Love that red cardinal and your new cat Christmas tree ornament, too cute!
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