As with Feather your Nest Fridays it is important to consider the whole year just as it is important to consider the week that has been. If not it all goes by in a blur! How can we appreciate what we don't stop to even notice?
Over the next week I am going to write a series of posts and set the scene for 2019. At last I can get back to blogging as I did before we were moving. Usually I have set some themes each year. I am really excited to do this again.
One thing I noticed this year is how much I know now to always listen when you feel prompted. It took me a long time to learn this. Earlier in life I had many times when I had a strong feeling about something but I would think "oh don't be silly" and try to ignore it. This always ended badly! Eventually I learned NOT to do that. This had caused some pretty major disasters before I learned my lesson.
Now I recognise the strong feeling or prompting is a whisper from God.
Four years ago now I first had a really strong prompting to set my empty cellar to good use and stock it as a pantry. And so I did. We started on a journey and I wrote that up in my Pantry and Preparedness series. This took me on a course of learning so many new skills! I have loved it!
Perhaps a year ago I felt prompted again. Suddenly I saw that I could improve our preparedness a lot more and we had the opportunity to move back to the family farm. It all fell into place incredibly.
My heart was readied and it took renovating and selling our Adelaide house (huge amount of work)
moving ourselves, renovating a messy farmhouse, starting a new garden from scratch, and establishing a homestead. All with a wedding in the middle!
We have so much to be grateful for. That prompting turned into a huge adventure.
I know many other Bluebirds also felt a prompting to get more prepared, stock up, move to improve their position. So many of you are on a similar journey!
Now you do not need to move to build up your home. Many people have a kind mini homestead in the city. We can bloom where we are planted!
The important thing is to listen if you feel prompted. Never ignore a feeling.
If you get an opportunity make the most of it. Grab it with both hands and recognise it as a blessing. This might be a bucket of apples came your way! It might be you found a major bargain. It could be anything but if something good comes your way then make it into something wonderful.
Literally, if life gives you lemons, you can made so much! One person with a bucket of lemons will waste them. Another will make many delicious things plus gifts and even cleaning products! That bucket of lemons will equal a couple of hundred dollars by the time she has finished with it. I guess it is like that with pretty much everything.
So if 2019 is like a bucket of lemons what are you going to do with it?
We cannot control everything. But we can control a lot. Our daily habits, weekly shopping, all our homemaking and cooking, the atmosphere in the house... so many things we have a lot of influence over.
We also have the opportunity to change, learn new things, implement plans and start anew. There is nothing like a review and a new plan. Like seeing an opportunity with fresh eyes!
So today is just about appreciating how far we came this year. It was a significant year, maybe one of the biggest of my life.
What are the things that you feel grateful for?
Have you felt a prompting or a realisation that you need to change something, learn something, implement something?
Tomorrow we will focus on the new year. Today I just wanted to be thankful for the awesome year that is closing.
Have a very Happy New Year! xxx
This post felt just like a sermon...a very refreshing one!
ReplyDeleteI love your lemon analogy.
2018 robbed me of my bucket of lemons before I had a chance to do anything with them (in the form of illness which has persisted in one form or another all year)
In 2019 I get a new bucket of lemons, and I'm determined to make the most of them!
I have plans to try and tackle what ails me, and until I'm better, I will focus on little else, because without our health we really have nothing.
Wishing you many more blessings for the coming year.
Love from Cheryl
Dear Cheryl, I am so sorry you have battled illness this year. I hope you are doing better. We dont know how much everything depends on our health until we experience a serious or long illness. You are right about that! Do all you can for your health. Meanwhile just do what you can and when you can. I hope 2019 will be much better! With much love, Annabel.xxx
DeleteCheryl,
DeleteI'm praying your health improves and that you have a richly blessed 2019!
-Kath
You have had such an amazing year, and I look forward to sharing 2019 with you too xx Happy New Year to you, Annabel, your family and all the Bluebirds!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Fiona! Happy New Year!! You had a pretty big year too! I like your latest development! xxx
DeleteHappy new year! our house goes on the market and we are making the move to the country, we have just only finished renovating the house we were in and planned on being her a long time but obnoxious neighbours have prompted us to leave the suburbs I plan on a much bigger veggie garden and orchard and some chickens and I would love a walk in pantry we are looking for an old cottage we can do up so hopefully this year will be one of dream building and working hard for the lifestyle I have always dreamed of.
ReplyDeleteDear JarrahBella, Oh how exciting! A big veggie garden will be wonderful. We have found many reasons to love the country. No close neighbours is one! We have four fruit trees and will plant more in winter. And chickens are just so nice to have. I hope you will also find a house that when you walk through it there are the things you dreamed off all along... then you know it is your house! It sounds like a very exciting 2019 for you! Please keep us posted on your journey it is so like ours! With love Annabel.xxx
DeleteDear Annabel and bluebirds,
ReplyDeleteAnnabel thank you for a beautiful post, I love reading all of your posts, this one was like poetry with photos, it spoke to me and encouraged me to focus on the good parts of 2018 .i am grateful for my eyesight, I had two eye operations this year after losing sight in my right eye as you know Annabel .i am so grateful I can read properly for the first time in a long time, I can do crFt again, I can see my nieces beautiful girls that they are with both of my eyes.i am grateful to the two surgeons who did my two surgeries, very thankful to the nursing staff and eye clinic doctors and nurses, thankful to the volunteers at the hospital for bringing more a cup of tea and biscuits when I wait for hours at the eye clinic and most of all I am grateful to have such caring loving , supportive parents .
I am grateful for this blog and you Annabel and bluebird friends for keeping me company every week and for sharing your talents, ideas and support and prayers.thank you all.
I am so grateful I have kept myself out of a wheel chair this year, I have never been in a wheelchair for a long period of time and I do not want to be.i will fight every day to remain as mobile as possible.
I am so very grateful to my doctor for another year of care , bulk billed care , that is rare these days.
I have been reflecting on the year and other things that have happened this year are :
My sister had a back operation and I am so thankful she is now pain free.she is very happy too as are her husband and daughters.
I have lost about 25 kg this year and am now 45 kg lighter than I was 7 or 8 years ago , maybe 50 kg lighter not totally sure exact figures.
I am so grateful to have had my grandma with us another year and to have been able to go to her birthday celebration and share in her joy at turning 94 .
I look forward to 2019 , I feel an urge to decorate and declutter more.so watch this space!!.
Thanks again Annabel for your inspiration and friendship.
Love Barb W
Dear Barb, Thank you! Wow having your eye sight back is so wonderful. You are right, how blessed we are to have good doctors and surgeons so dedicated to their work and the volunteers who do so much! When Dad was in hospital we were amazed at the work of a whole army of volunteers. Just wonderful.
DeleteI know your parents are amazing. Yes that is a big blessing.
It is a big help for your doctor and bulk billing, that is a huge help.
I am very happy for your sister. What a success that was!
Well done Barb on your weight loss and all your efforts with your health. Barb each little thing counts and you have made a big difference!
I love your Gran. She sounds like such a nice lady.
Thank you Barb for a beautiful comment. Have a very happy New Year and I hope 2019 will be very happy for you. With lots of love, Annabel.xxx
Barb, you have had many wonderful blessings, indeed! Thankful with you,
Delete-Kath
Happy new year Annabel. I have really enjoyed reading about the feathering of your new nest.
ReplyDeleteThank you! and thank you for commenting! Have a wonderful 2019! xxx
DeleteHappy New Year Annabelle. You are right -over a year much can be accomplished with a positive attitude and an eye for an opportunity.
ReplyDeleteDear Eathmotherwithin, I feel you also make the most of materials and produce and I know you notice the beautify around. These are gifts in themselves! With love, Annabel.xxx
DeleteHi Annabel what a lovely post as always i really enjoy sitting down with my coffee and reading your blogs i have learnt so much from your blogs too i look forward to more of your blogs in the new year, Iam very grateful for our friend that has let us stay here and give us the time and space to really get our lives together we have come so far we couldn;t of done so with out his helping hand.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful and safe new year xx
Dear Melissa, I am so glad that a friend has helped you! What a blessing. I hope 2019 will be good for you and you continue to make great progress! I have lots of posts and challenges coming up and they should all be the kind that will help you get ahead! Thank you for your kind words! With much love Annabel.xxx
DeleteHappy New Year to you and your family, Annabel. It certainly has been a whirlwind of a year for you and I get tired just reading about how much you have been able to achieve in such a short time. You really are quite amazing! Thanks for such interesting blog posts.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much Nanna Chel. I hope to be back to crafting and making now things are settled a bit. It has been a whirlwind. And for you too with the renovations. It will be nice to get back to some kind of normal! With love Annabel.xxx
DeleteOne never knows what is around the corner Annabel. We are going to be having a BIG celebration in 2019...details soon...love Mimi xxx
ReplyDeleteOh this sounds intriguing!! I am staying tuned!! Sounds exciting Mimi! xxx
DeleteAnnabel I would so enjoy having a walk-in pantry, and yours looks terrific. I think I understand what you mean by tuning in to God's voice when he speaks. This year I ran my first ever Women's Workshop with the women of our church after following God's leading (and asking for and receiving definite confirmation). It was very special for so many reasons. God has also lead me to create and establish a women's ministry in our church based around the woman of valor, that you know so very well, described in Proverbs 31. Our first gathering is scheduled for January. If someone had told me two years ago I would be involved women's ministry I would not have believed it. Such an idea had never occurred to me. :-)
ReplyDeleteDear Sherri, That is wonderful. Seriously more women are needed for womens ministry. I think of both Prov 31 and Titus 2. There seems a great gap as many young women have no older women to teach or mento them. I was really lucky to have a beautiful older Christian lady to mentor me when the girls were little. So blessed by that lady until this day. So your work is important. Well done!! People say oh they have nothing to do, no role now especially if the east is empty. Not true!! Scripture tells us exactly what we should be doing! With much love Annabel.xxx
DeleteThankyou Annabel and Bluebirds,it has been a year of many things and new beginnings for many of us .
ReplyDeleteFor our family,a wedding and a new grandson,highs and lows and learning curves,learning to go with the flow of life and let go of that which we have no control over .
Thankyou for all your encouragement , insight and hard work .
Happy New Year 2019 , love and best wishes, Maria xxx
Dear Maria, Thank you! The bigger family we have the more it is a case of there is always something going on! We have to find a way with all of this and look after our selves plus homes too. It is a stretch! I am trying to find this balance this year! With much love Annabel.xxx
DeleteThank you Annabel for inspiring me to move forward. I love visiting you here. 2018 was difficult health wise, I have a blood clotting disorder which I was told this year, has led to Parkinson's Disease. Your writing inspires me that I still have a valuable role, even if my homemaking is now much slower.😊
ReplyDeleteDear Lynn, I am very sorry about you being unwell and your diagnosis. Get right on to the Parkinsons website. The work of Michael J Fox and others is making a difference!! Do not be discouraged. Do all you can for your health. And yes you do have avery important role. With much love, Annabel.xxx
DeleteAnnabel, thank you so much for writing. I have learned so much from you, Patsy, and Vicki, along with countless others this year.
ReplyDeleteDear MamaHen, Thank you so much for commenting. I feel in wonderful company to be included with Patsy and Vicki. Have a great 2019 with lots more learning. I am trying to learn learn learn as skills give us so many opportunities. With much love, Annabel.xxx
DeleteWhat an amazing year for you! We also have learned to listen to that still small voice prompting us!
ReplyDelete25 years ago, when we moved from a small mountain town in CA, we went looking for a farmhouse with some acreage to continue raising our 10 children (number 11 had just married). We looked at place after place here in central Ohio, but as wonderful and affordable as many of them were, none “spoke” to us!
Imagine our surprise when we found a huge 100+ year old house right in the center of our capital city on a small city lot in “the hood”!! It was affordable, 5 minutes from Dave’s work downtown (instead of the 72 mile commute each way to work in CA!) and as soon as we saw it - 8 bedrooms, 4 full bathrooms, huge full basement- 5200 square foot of living space, we knew we were supposed to be here!
It was crazy. Everyone thought we were crazy! Over the years we were able to start 5 community gardens in our neighborhood, help band together with neighbors to rid our neighborhood of some undesirable elements and buy the side yard next to our house for a ridiculously low price through some miraculous occurrences!
With that land, we were able last year to add chickens, 13 fruit trees, multiple berry bushes, 500+ square foot raised bed square foot garden, koi pond and more!
We love our homestead! This year we found free bricks on freecycle and put in a nice brick walkway extending about 85 foot from house to alley. We added new to us reclaimed solid cedar fencing around perimeter of side yard for a crazy low cost that again came as the result of a prompting!
The promptings we get usually involve action plus, often, some hard work, but oh, what amazing results!
Our pantry has grown and diversified as I’ve learned new ideas, methods and skills from you and the other bluebirds!
Our side business has exploded and grown beyond our imagination and has been a way to recycle/declutter and bring in extra income at the same time! Promptings all along the way!
End of Spring 2019, Dave will retire and we are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead! Travel, cruises, golf? Nope!!! Expanding/improving our little urban homestead and becoming more self reliant! We can hardly wait!!!
Dear Gardenpat, Your husband not having a long commute must have been a great help. From all I have seen and heard you established yourself a true homestead right there!! The additional block certainly is an advantage and you have set it to such good use!
DeleteYes promptings can lead to inconvenience at the time, hard work, massive changes.... but they will be right.
Your side business you will see when I post my challenge is a perfect example of using what you have!
I know Daves retirement will be used to further everything you are doing!! He will probably be more busy than ever! Have a wonderful and blessed year! With love and thanks, Annabel.xxx
You have had quite a year. It flew by. I am looking forward to learning new things and doing new things this year. Praying for a year of good health.
ReplyDeleteHopefully your life can slow down a little, and you can actually enjoy every moment you are spending in your paradise!
Happy New Year
Dear Cheryl, I am hoping you have health breakthroughs. Gradual improvements add up too!
DeleteYes we need to slow down and soak it all in. Have a wonderful year! Love Annabel.xxx
What a beautiful post Annabel and you are right there are so many things to be grateful for. DH also knows I get prompted regularly and just come out and say the oddest things and he knows just to follow my lead and likewise he does too. I second following those promptings and feelings as they are a blessing from God and a direct line of communication with God, Jesus and the Holy Ghost.
ReplyDeleteSo where to start with our blessings as there were many -
- Great and supportive friends such as yourself Annabel and fellow posters on many sites.
- Encouraging and supportive friends.
- Promptings to fill up our freezers with vegetables from our previous rental more so than usual.
- Watching our grocery stockpile increase so much over the course of the year.
- Making sacrifices and saying no to many things we wanted to purchase to increase our home deposit savings.
- Increasing my ability to have better "pantry eyes" and spot bargains and take advantage of purchasing them are true blessings.
- Strong feelings on how to save more money by implementing new and fresh ideas.
- I am blessed to have a wonderful husband who loves, supports and works along side of me each and every day to accomplish so much.
- The message to start looking now for a house. Now firstly I thought that feeling was wrong after seeing some less than desirable properties but after seeing property number 4 that was the one for us. Probably teaching me to be more patient I would suggest :), did I mention I was born a redhead.
- We are truly grateful for buying our own home and no longer renting any more.
I am sure that there is more but these are the things that most stood out to me.
Have a fantastic New Year everyone and for those who had a challenging year I wish you a better year for 2019.
Sewingcreations15 (Lorna).
Dear Lorna, Sorry I am slow to reply! I am working on a lot of posts and am behind!
DeleteYou certainly had a hugely significant year!!
It is wonderful that the two of you can recognise a prompting even if one of you hears/feels it. It is can amazing thing.
Lorna I do so much better with the company of friends where we can share our progress.This is so encouraging so thank you as week by week we have helped each other celebrate the victories!
We all have so much to be grateful for in 2018. Now it is a new adventure for 2019. I know you will make so much progress with your new house and property. What an asset now to have no rent. You are investing in your own homestead now! With love and thanks, Annabel.xxx
Happy New Year to you Annabelle! I'm so glad you had a great year and you listen to your heart. Wonderful farm you have now.
ReplyDeleteThank you Vickie! Happy New Year to you too! We are off to a good start!xxx
DeleteAnnabel and Dear Bluebirds!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
Oh what a whirlwind of a year for you and I. Like you, if someone asked if I was moving in June, I would have laughed. As you spoke, I had the feeling of needing to move, in regards to my old house, it was perfect, we had done all we could to it. Though that feeling grew, so at the end of Summer we put an offer in on a house in the country, though we are still in a development we are in the back and no one is behind us but a creek, deer and turkey. It is so peaceful and we are where we were meant to be.
We went through cancer scares, my health problems, but all seem so far away now. We were blessed with a new Grandson in December, I was laughing because we had a huge baby shower the same weekend as you were busy with the wedding.
As you point out, life is a basket of lemons and what you do with it, does say a lot about you. This coming year I am praying I am more of an industrious Proverbs 31 woman.
May you have many blessings this coming year.
Love,
Rosanne
Dear Rosanne,
DeleteYou are one of the most industrious people I know already! But it is wonderful to keep striving and also via your comments, Pantry Ladies, A Working Pantry classroom etc you are a good example and good teacher. This is needed! Many do not prepare at all nor take advantage of opportunity! Many thanks Rosanne, With love Annabel.xxx
Annabel, such a lovely post! You know it is easy when reflecting to dwell on the negatives, but what a disservice that is you and the work God is doing in you. Thank you for sharing from your heart today (((hugs))) :)
ReplyDeleteI love that you speak of listening to those promptings. It is definitely a skill we must work at. I recall one instance when I didn't listen and it all just went wrong. A car tow (lots of money) a wasted whole afternoon later...sure wish I'd listened to the Lord when he'd told me to go straight home, but I had just a few more things to do. Stubborn woman. Well, now I listen.
Have a very blessed day ladies!
-Kath
Dear Kathryn, It seems like we all have this happen where we just dont listen then are so sorry! It has happened to me plenty of times. I hope Ive earned my lesson!
DeleteThank you for your lovely comment. I am sorry with a slow reply, with lots of extra posts I am taking a long time! Have a wonderful 2019! With love Annabel.xxx
Ha, ha, ha...I know I said I wouldn't be on the computer, and here I am, checking your blog the very next day! I'm so glad I did. I love your reminder to take stock of the year past. You certainly have had a big year! Mine was big "mentally"...the biggest one ever. You are so right about listening to promptings. If I hadn't, this year would never have happened, and for me, it has been a miracle. I am very excited about the year ahead, although so far I'm not sure where we're headed...right now I am keeping an open eye and mind to what this year will bring. I am looking forward to seeing what you have up your sleeve!
ReplyDeleteLots of love,
Jen in NS
Dear Jen, I know you had some very significant events in 2018. It was an important year! I hope 2019 will be great for your family! With love Annabel.xxx
DeleteThank you for the entire year of writing as well as today’s post. Happy New Year. And thank you for the reminder to review 2018 and see the wonderful and important parts of this past year!
ReplyDeleteThank you Hilogene!! We are off to a good start! xxx
DeleteDear Annabel,
ReplyDeleteYou had an amazing year and I am so happy that you are where your heart sings. Enjoy every moment.
I learned, long ago, to listen to the Holy Spirit's prompting, also. Things always turn out just right that way.
2019 should be a very interesting year. Although 2018 flew by so quickly, it was a year with high and lows, for us. I am grateful for my family and that they are all close and well.
I will turn 70, in the middle of 2019, and, personally find that hard to believe 😊. It seems like I just left High School (LOL). I plan on making this year a healthy one for me.
Happy New Year to all the wonderful Bluebird ladies.
Love and hugs,
Glenda
Dear Glenda,
DeleteI find aging hard to believe as well! Time passes too fast. There are too many things to do and not enough time. But I want to make the most of 2019 and enjoy it. I hope it will be a good year for you Glenda! With much love Annabel.xxx
Happy New Year to you Annabel! Oh my, your pantry looks beautiful! You are so right about making the best of whatever we have. My sister passed away in November only 10 weeks after a cancer diagnosis. It makes me think about the fact that today is the only day we can be sure of and to use it for the best. I'm so looking forward to your wise words in 2019.
ReplyDeleteDear Marie,
DeleteI am so very sorry about your sister. What a shock. Yes this would change your perspective. Look after yourself and I hope that the new year has good things for you and your family. With thanks, love Annabel.xxx
You've had such a wonderful year, and I'm so happy to have been able to follow your adventures!!!
ReplyDeleteThis year, I'm grateful for all the work I did over the summer that helped make my house easier to run and keep clean. There's still daily maintenance, but my summer overhaul really got things organized. There are still plenty of things that need to be done, and I'm looking forward to doing them. Thanks for helping me to stay motivated! :) Happy New Year!
Dear Stephanie, A summer overhaul sounds wonderful. It sounds like it paid off and you are enjoying the rewards. If you have lots still on your list (as I do) just keep at them! It feels so good to get things accomplished and you kind of build momentum!
DeleteHave a really good 2019 and thank you so much! With love Annabel.xxx
Annabel you have had such a busy year. I know there were many hurdles to go over, under or around, yet you did it with such positivity. Looking for the rainbows can be difficult yet you achieved this. You also have realised a dream to have your own little homestead.
ReplyDeleteI was looking back at 2018 and Bluey told me what the best thing was about the year. It was that he didnt end up in hospital once! Given previous years this is something to celebrate. Our son and his partner got engaged. We travelled to parts of the country we hadnt seen before and had a wonderful time. Our daughter has found her life partner and is busily saving for the two of them to get a house of their own. I learnt how to embroider and make some lovely gifts with this new skill.
I am looking forward to what 2019 will bring for our family. There is already a Wedding happening at the end of September. I have been asked to make the flower girl dressed for this. A task I am looking forward to.
This year has started with a positive vibe. I am so looking forward to this continuing.
Happy New Year to you Andy and the family. Give Mum and Dad a big hug from me. Lots of love to you and all the Bluebirds for a positive and bright New year.
Live is positively good.
Dear Jane, Yes it was wonderful Bluey stayed out of hospital! And the travelling you enjoyed! So many good things.
DeleteI hope 2019 is a great year... I think there is much to look forward to! With love and thanks, Annabel.xxx
Your journey has truly been amazing and I have enjoyed following along so much. You bless us all with your posts and insight.
ReplyDeleteIf a couple who is now so dear to us had not followed that prompting voice my husband would have died two years ago. They found him in a parking lot where he had had a heart attack and called for the ambulance and prayed there with others who gathered around.
We are still looking for that house but we know that God knows when and where so we wait. You have indeed been blessed with a wonderful new home. I am excited to see what your plans are for the New Year!
Much love, Lana
Dear Lana, What wonderful people they must have been. I cant imagine your gratitude.
DeleteYes I feel your house will come and you will know immediately. Waiting is hard. I have a thing where when waiting I act in faith i.e. you know it will happen so be working on getting ready to move. There is much to do to move and sell. So this is how I busy myself while waiting.
Thank you for all your encouragement. With love and happy new year, Annabel.xxx
Thank you for the reminder to make the most of every opportunity that comes our way and to be grateful in all circumstances. This post was a real blessing and a great way to conclude 2018.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year everyone!
Love, Kaye xoxo
Dear Kaye, Thank you! the opportunity that came my way today was half a case of apricots! So you can guess what I have been doing!
DeleteWe can grab every opportunity for good. Thank you Kaye. Have a wonderful 2019! With love Annabel.xxx
Dear Annabel,
ReplyDeleteThis year was such a huge year for you and marked the beginning of many new life-changing things. I know you are meant to be where you are. It suits you and I can tell how happy you are in your writing.
This year was a big one for us too. Colton graduated from fire/paramedic school, which marked the end of so many hardships for us. He is loving his career and John and I are loving having him home more. John also turned one this year along with meeting major milestones, like walking and eating solids exclusively now with almost all of his teeth in. I started up my dream Etsy shop, Spring Creek Loft. Around the ranch, we cleaned up the yard, which had basically been left to ruins. Now we have nice grass and a new fence. We also got chickens and planted our garden.
I am so excited for the new year and I can't wait to see what we are all able to accomplish! I hope all of the bluebirds have a wonderful 2019!
With lots of love, Kelsey
Dear Kelsey, Your family did have a huge and wonderful year. Gosh I remember when Colton was dreaming to get this job and he did! And when you moved to the ranch! You all have come a long way since then and with a baby!! You did very well with your shop, garden and I am so glad about the chickens. Colton graduating was a huge thing too.
DeleteI hope you have much more good come your way in 2019! With much love, Annabel.xxx
Happiest New Year to you Annabelle, I’ve loved following along in your journey! You are such an inspiration and encouragement to me! The past two years have been full of difficult circumstances that I have come to realize I have absolutely no control over. Thank you for the reminder of the things I can control and influence, one step and day at a time, and what beautiful, gorgeous, abundance can come from faithful perseverance. Blessings to you in the New Year! -Amy
ReplyDeleteDear Amy, Thank you so much. It is tough with situations we cannot control that is for sure. I hope for you that the things you can control or influence will make a big difference. We have to try and bloom where we are planted right now. I like the saying "do what you can, with what you have, where you are" as that sums it up for me. I hope you have a very Happy 2019!! With love Annabel.xxx
DeleteDear Annabel,
ReplyDeleteI missed this post until now.
So much reflection on a great year for you and your family. What a difference a year makes, so many new adventures ahead for you. Through your blog we are already learning about the fantastic place where you now live, and where you have made your home. I cant wait to learn more about your new life :)
Much love,
Tania xoxo
Dear Tania, It is amazing what a difference a year makes. I feel that if we make our minds up a day or a week or a month can make a massive difference. It is an exciting thought. I just want to make the most of everything! With love and thanks, Annabel.xxx
DeleteAnnabel, I love your sweet gentle voice of wisdom. I, too, have learned to listen to that still small voice of God and how loving of Him to care about the little things, like shopping lists and such (at least for me.)
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to a new year with new challenges. We've decided to forego our big garden this year and concentrate on a smaller raised garden that I can keep up with better. This way I can start on renovating the flower beds into a better vegetable, flower, perennial bed instead of 3 large beds, none of which really get the attention they need.
I also want (need) to get back to quilting. I have 3 birth quilts to do (one is 8 years over-do) plus the older grands have requested "special Grammie-made gifts" this year. Those will be simple quilts also, but I need time to make that happen.
The year I was job-searching and we were especially frugal, I used your example of making cards and tags. I've been saving those special papers and such and want to make more.
And I really want to go through all the rooms, closets, cupboards and drawers and do some major decluttering.
And finally I want to continue learning how to maintain our health. So far this winter we have avoided the nasty flu that is going around. I am crediting that to our added probiotics regime.
And lastly, I love your photos of your roses. I know you've mentioned the variety before but could you please put that in a post with photos. One of my garden goals is to create a small rose bed with David Austen roses. I love them so.
Thank you again for sharing your home-making with us.