Monday, January 9, 2012

Taking Advantage of Warm Days


In January I normally plan lots of indoor activities like sewing, cleaning, organizing, and reading. It's a good time to implement some of those resolutions from last week. However, since Thursday we've had unusually warm and dry days with highs in the upper 50's and low 60's. Being an outdoor girl, I scrapped my previous plans and headed outside to take advantage of the nice weather.

I love the woods in winter. I made a few photos of moss on the creek bank...it shows up so brightly against the brown leaves and roots. There were a couple of trees down in the woods, so out came the chain saw. He cut and I stacked. We'll have enough firewood for our campfires this spring. This lumberjack work is great exercise! So is climbing the steep hill up to our back yard. 
 
While taking a break, I found a cool retro green enamel tea kettle in another creek. It was a bit rusty and full of silt but I rescued it to use as a flower pot. There's a small junk pile at the bottom of the hill, filled with jars, pots, rusted metal and other castoffs from years gone by. I've pulled out some unique old jars that are now vases for my wildflowers. I noticed a few more unbroken jars and a metal pan were uncovered by the recent rain, and I'll go digging for them next. This is the perfect time of year to scrounge around since the snakes and spiders aren't active.

Being outdoors gave me energy:  Friday's laundry was hung outside on the line, sidewalks and porches were swept, and leaves raked off my flowerbeds. Then Ruby, my Trailblazer, got a desperately needed bath. We capped off the day with steaks on the grill. All that was much more fun and invigorating than staying inside!

Useful Notion: While focus and schedules are excellent tools to accomplish your goals, sometimes you have to be flexible, recognize opportunity, and make last minute plans to truly enjoy a fulfilling life.


Remember to be one with the nature of change. Be flexible.” – Fred Tracy

Be infinitely flexible and constantly amazed.” – Jason Kravitz


Labels

1930's 1942 1969 accountability Accuquilt adapt adjust adventure advice affirmations amazing anniversary antiques Art Deco attitude Australia autumn baby quilt balance batik beach beauty birthday blessing bliss BlockBase Blue Wren Bogie bonus breathe brightness candy cat challenge change chevrons chocolate choice Christmas closet clothes clutter coffee color contentment cooking cottage cotton crafts Craftsman crazy creativity crochet decorating design designs distraction DIY downsizing drama dreams drunkard's path Elna energy EQ8 excitement expectations fabric fall family Featherweight feed sack Fifty flexibility flour sack flowers flying geese Flynn Quilt Frame focus fool free motion free spirit freedom friends fun furniture garden Granny Hill Granny Rose Grasshopper grateful gratitude Halloween happiness hexagon imagination independence insight inspiration intuition inventory Janome joy karma laughter lessons letting go life lists little things love magic mama Memorial Day memories milestones modern Mother's Day motivation Mustang nature opportunity organizing paint paradise passion patience peace perception perspective positive energy productivity purple quilt quilting quotes rainy days reflection refresh relaxation remnant renew resolutions responsibility restoration retro rhythm Rocketeer routines ruler quilting satisfaction scraps sewing sewing machine simplicity simplify Singer Singer 99 Slant-O-Matic 500 snow solitude Southern traditions spring stitching strawberries stress sugar sack summer sunshine thankful Thanksgiving Thoughts tiger oak traditions triangle tropical prints Universal useful valentine vintage violet waiting weather winter wisdom wishes yard sales