My Year in Books

I've tried to figure out how to share my reading in 2015, and it looks like the easiest way may be through goodreads' compilation of My Year in Books.

In 2015 I read:

• 83 books
• 26,899 pages
• 12 5-star books
• 31 4-star books
• 31 3-star books
• 8 2-star books
• 1 that I couldn't bring myself to award any stars (Hausfrau in case you're wondering.) 

Some of my favorites in 2015 include:

• Our Souls at Night
• The Wild Inside
• A Man Called Ove
• Truck
• Mink River
• Gratitude

Some books that I'm looking forward to in 2016:

• My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout. I loved Olive Kitteridge, thought that The Burgess Boys was just average, but I think I'll be listening to this one as soon as it's released on Jan. 12th.
• Barskins by Annie Proulx. This won't be published until June and doesn't seem to be in goodreads yet, but since she's the author of The Shipping News, I have to give it a try.
• A Doubter's Almanac by Ethan Canin
• Pax by Sara Pennypacker. This is juvenile fiction, but the irresistible cover makes me want to read it.

 Here's hoping you have some time this year to enjoy a good book (or two)!

I'd love to hear what you're excited about reading in 2016.

Am Cam Catch-Up

The Am Cam had some technical difficulties (I got too busy to take photos), 

but it's time to catch up.

Look who bloomed on Christmas!

Minerva opened up her first bud, and since Christmas here was weirdly warm
 (72 degrees!), I took advantage of the weather to take her outside. 

We've since had a return to more seasonable weather, but that has also meant gray, dark, dreary skies. It's tough to find enough light to take photos, but here are
Minerva, Sakura, and Scarlet together.

Sakura has one flower shoot, getting ready to open soon. Maybe for New Year's Day? Minerva has three gorgeous flowers open, another bud on that shoot, and a second flower stalk with yet more buds. She'll be blooming for a long time! Scarlet blossomed a few weeks ago, and her flowers faded quickly. I cut off her flower stalk, and she's now finally growing some leaves. 

Here's hoping that 2016 provides plenty of opportunities for
beauty and blossoming for all of us.

Ten on Tuesday

Since this year is rapidly waning, today's Ten on Tuesday provides the perfect opportunity to list 10 Things You Did in 2015 That Made You Feel Proud. Making this list required a review of my year since I couldn't think of anything off the top of my head. Reading through a year's worth of blog posts did remind me of a few things.

1. Started making walking a priority. This was easy in the summer, but became more difficult when daylight saving time ended. There are days that I don't do 10,000 steps but I still walk every day. Something is better than nothing!
2. Justin's college graduation. I didn't do any of the hard work, but would like to think that I provided plenty of support. 
3. Kon-Maried quite a bit. There is still more to do, but I got rid of enough stuff that I can see the difference.
4. Read 81 books (so far -- there are still two more days in 2015!). I'm not sure this is a major accomplishment because reading is something I love to do, so the real challenge for me is not reading, especially when there is something else I should be doing.
5. Completed Book Bingo this summer. Again, not an earth-shattering accomplishment, but it did take a focused effort and was a big help in broadening my reading horizons.
6. I knit more in 2015. Okay, I only finished one more project than in 2014, but I think my goal of two more projects in 2016 is a realistic one!
7. Started Calculus One. I had plenty of calculus and math in college, but that was decades ago. Attending several of Ryan's Calculus Two classes showed me how much I had forgotten, so I'm slowly but surely working my way through this Coursera online course. While it's not easy for me, I am finding it fun, interesting, and challenging. I will try Calculus Two at some point, but what I'd really like to do next is a good course on Dante's Inferno.
8. Made some difficult decisions. I have quite the knack for shying away from the tough choices, but there were several this year that I faced head-on and did what had to be done.
9. Became more adventurous. Only some small, subtle changes might be evident to others, but I'm ever so slowly becoming more adventurous in what I eat, what I do, and how I think. It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks, but I'm trying.
10. Thought long and hard about a New Year's resolution. I hope the feeling of pride will come at this time next year when I see how well I've carried through, but it is a good and necessary goal that I'm excited about (and maybe already a tiny bit proud because I've made some baby steps this year.) More about this in a later post.

I didn't cure cancer, solve the global warming crisis or do anything really big in 2015,

 but my small accomplishments still make me feel a bit of pride.
What are you proud of this year?

Not a Creature Was Stirring ...

Not even a mouse.

Wishing you all time to enjoy the quiet beauty and peace of the season.

It's Irrational!

Happy Pi Day to all!

Happy Einstein's Birthday!

I just couldn't ignore this milestone pi day, so let's celebrate with irrational exuberance

 on 3/14/15 9:26:53.

Be Prepared

We had a small(ish) storm over the weekend that produced six or seven inches of snow. Husband John, son Justin, and I worked together on snow removal, so we had the driveway and sidewalks cleared in a pleasant few hours. I didn't do anything special to prepare for that storm since I had plenty to eat, read, and knit.

We're now awaiting another larger snowstorm that's being described as historic, epic, significant, hazardous, paralyzing, destructive, etc. I'm beginning to get a little concerned since even the National Weather Service is starting to use some of these adjectives in their forecasts, warnings, and watches, but I guess the prediction of 18-24 inches of snow and 50 mph winds lends itself to some hyperbolic language.

My other reason for concern is that I'm here by myself. John travels quite a bit for work, and is departing on his next trip today (as long as he can get out of Philadelphia airport). Several weeks ago he joked about being sure we would have some sort of major weather event while he was gone because I've managed three hurricanes and two three-foot snowfalls while he's been away, often somewhere warm and sunny.

I think the answer is to be prepared. I know how to use the snow blower and run the generator. I've prepared a big pot of soup, bread, calzones, and blueberry muffins, all things that can be easily eaten if we lose power. I have several knitting projects that I'm looking forward to working on. My phone, Kindle, and rechargeable flashlights are charging, and I have three or four "real" books at the ready.

Late last night I remembered there was one other thing I needed to be completely prepared, so I made the trip to the liquor store (along with everyone else!) to get those last important items.

Now I'm ready!

Light

I am not a joiner. This may be due mainly to the fact that I am an (extreme) introvert, but I think it also has to do with recognizing my own limitations. I try to budget my time and resources very carefully so I can do all the things that are most important to me, and not put myself in a position of saying yes to so much that I can't do anything effectively.

This works well for me in most circumstances, but I also realize that I may be limiting myself by not trying new things. There is a fine line between being happily ensconced in the things I love best and being stuck in a rut. I initially discounted One Little Word because I felt that I honestly didn't have time for it. My family, my work, and my life, along with the multiple health and life crises I have to deal with on a daily basis have left me with barely a spare moment. But between the emergencies, little sparks began to appear. These often took the form of words, words that made themselves known, and I began to pay attention to them. "Present" was written in bright lights, because I so often wanted to turn inward and avoid being present for much of what was happening. "Hope" was written in tiny script, because I very much wanted to have some, but it didn't seem possible. "Clarity" and "Courage" were written boldly when I could see them personified in others but not myself.

Then I received a card (for which I'm so incredibly appreciative and grateful), and in it Kym chose my word for me - Light. Light makes things visible, provides illumination, and guides our way.  Reading Kym's thoughtful words did all those things, and since then, Light has provided a necessary and welcome focus for me. I have only just begun to think about what I'll do with my word this year (there are no plans for scrapbooking!), but just having the perfect word at the perfect time has changed my mindset already.

I'm astounded at the myriad ways that we use Light; we often use it to mean illumination, but Light can also be defined as not heavy, deep, or serious. A light touch is gentle or delicate, a light heart is free from worry, light duties are those which are easily done, and we provide a source of ignition when we light a fire. I'm so looking forward to focusing on and exploring Light this year.

Ten on Tuesday - Good Intentions

 I'm just a soul whose intentions are good...

Today's Ten on Tuesday topic is 10 Intentions for 2015. I do like the word "intentions" as it seems to accentuate the process of change, and be softer, more malleable, and less prone to failure than "goals" or "resolutions". My intentions for 2015 are:

1.  Practice patience
2.  Be present
3.  See positively
4.  See realistically
5.  Be present
6.  Pay attention
7.  Be quiet
8.  Learn more
9.  Accept what is
10. Take action

When I read over my list, I realized that I had written "Be present" twice, but it's a big one for me, so I'm going to leave it there both times as a reminder of its importance. This list looks like a lot of things to focus on, so I've begun to see the usefulness of one little word. I've had my word chosen for me in a most wonderful way, but I'll write more about that later.  

I want to remember that intentions are fine, but that actions often need to arise from those intentions. My sister and I still laugh about a phone conversation we had years ago when I said, "You know what the road to hell is paved with."
She replied, "No, I don't, but I do know that the road to heaven is paved with good intentions."
I was so sorry that I had to disillusion her about her misunderstanding of the saying. If only the road to heaven was paved with good intentions! Here's to good intentions and constructive actions in 2015!

Begin as you mean to go on

• Reading

• Knitting

• Growing

Wishing you all much love, health, happiness, and plenty of what you need

 (and want!) in 2015!