quiet christmas

I don't know about you, but I'm glad Christmas is over. It's not just this year; I feel that way every year. I think it's just all of it...the decorating, the list making, the present buying (finding the "perfect" gifts!), the wrapping, the did-I-forget-anyone feeling, the card sending, the baking, the anticipation, the missing loved ones that are no longer with us, the get-togethers. Though we didn't do that this year.

Don't get me wrong; our Christmas day itself was lovely. I made my annual breakfast casserole and we also indulged in an almond Kringle while opening our gifts. Of course, the cats were included. Later in the day, we had a video call and gift opening with Tim. We were hoping he could come home for Christmas, but he had to work.

Brian is usually stumped what to get me for Christmas, so this year I helped him out. I have a favorite artisan shop in a nearby town that carries a unique selection of handmade and vintage finds. A few weeks before Christmas, we browsed the shop and I pointed out some of the items I really liked. I stepped outside and let Brian shop and pick a couple of things while I waited. One of the items he chose was this handmade bracelet. He also chose a beautiful, soft winter scarf made in Germany that I was eye-balling. He did good!

Best of all, Brian surprised me with a writer's medic bag. (By the way, my shirt says, "Eat, drink and be meowy." It's a Life is Good shirt.)

This gorgeous leather bag is handmade by Galen Leather in Istanbul, Turkey. It unfolds to showcase places for pens, journals, and writing essentials. A friend of ours had posted about this bag on Facebook last month. Her husband had given her this bag for her birthday. I had commented on the post how much I loved the bag. Brian saw my comment and took it from there. 😉 

Here's a little history behind the bag.

Brian's hard to buy for. Not because he's picky. Far from it! He's non-materialistic. He loves books though, especially anything about Chicago or his favorite sports team, the Cubs. I ended up finding several Chicago books he amazingly hadn't read yet.

The end!

All the Christmas decor is taken down and packed away until next year. I was tired of looking at it and the house started feeling cluttered. Since our winters are mostly dismal and it gets dark at 4:30, I'm leaving up fairy lights and candles to cast a warm glow.

We have a big winter storm heading our way this afternoon. The first snowfall of the season. They're saying our area will get whopped with snow with ice mixed in, plus winds up to 30 mph. Power outages are a possibility. And it figures: Brian has been on vacation these past two weeks and he goes back to work tomorrow morning. I worry when he has to travel in this kind of weather, especially since he has a 25 mile commute. 

I hope to be back with an end-of-year post on New Year's Eve. 
💓

a hibernating weekend

We're under a winter storm warning. I can feel it. I can feel the pressure in the air because my head is heavy and stuffy. The snow is supposed to hit us anytime now and go all through the night and into Saturday morning. Depending on how this storm tracks, our area could get up to 10-12" of snow. Or half that amount. Only time will tell. Then will come the high winds, which mean blowing and drifting snow.  On top of it, the temperatures will plummet after the snowstorm, leaving us with wind chills below zero. Welcome to January, I suppose.

Not that I embrace winter; I prefer warm weather and lots of sunshine. But I have to say that there's something about cold, dark days that have me actually liking the solitude, the peacefulness, the snuggly hibernation of being inside, all warm and comfy.

Nancy over at Clearing the Space wrote on January 10 about hometending and creativity. I love that word, hometending. Technically, I don't think it's a real word, but I envision slowing down and taking the time to nurture your home and make it into a place where you want to spend time. A home where you feel safe, warm, and nurtured. Where you are surrounded by things you love and that bring you comfort. I think winter tends to bring on more of that nesting and hometending feeling.

That might mean puttering with different arrangements (that's where the creativity part comes in), taking the time to dust your furniture, putting fresh sheets on your bed, watering and misting your houseplants...freshening up the bathroom with a small vase of flowers on the vanity and clean towels hung on the towel rack. Try a delightful combination of essential oils in your diffuser...add a few drops of orange, lemon or grapefruit oil to a spicy blend of cinnamon and clove. Orange and patchouli is another lovely combination for winter. 

Turn on music of your choice and some little fairy lights. Heck, sing at the top of your lungs or even dance around the house while you're hometending, if that's your groove.

 When you're finished tending your home and the snow is falling, or it's just too damn cold to go anywhere, wrap yourself up in one of your favorite warm throws and listen to a Podcast, delve into a good book or magazine, knit or crochet, write in your journal, look through a cookbook and plan to make a delicious dish, binge watch something worthy (or not) on Netflix. 

 

"A little house ~ a house of my own ~ out of the winds and the rain's (I interrupt this quote to insert snow's) way." (Padraic Colum)

I know two things for certain tomorrow: between rounds of helping Brian shovel, I'm going to build a fire in the fireplace and try a new chocolate chip cookie recipe. It's a Jacques Torres (pastry chef and chocolatier) recipe and uses both bread flour and cake flour. Different and interesting, right?

If you're in the winter storm's path, stay safe, warm and snuggly! 

Practice some hometending..and tend to yourself, too. 💓