If "Every day is a fresh beginning," quote attributed to the writer Susan Coolidge, I believe, the first month of the year certainly is, too. Big time!
Here we are at the start of a New Year, and I'm back in the blogging world again.
As I recently wrote to my friend Susan, the break from all things bloggy for the past month has been good. I felt a freedom of not having to keep up with it all every day, and yet there was that feeling of being left out or alienated or separated from all the great information, uplifting thoughts, feelings of belonging to a group of kindred spirits, etc. It probably doesn't make much sense to say it was freeing not to blog and/or read and comment on others' blogs, while at the same time missing doing so.
Although a hard pill to swallow, I've come to realize making changes in my life that will afford me as much leisure time as I desire isn't proving to be easy. (Hunh, 'magine that.)
Holing up in my quilt room takes time away from my every day homemaking and routine life on our little homestead which remains very important to me and, of course, is something I enjoy and which does bring me a measure of contentment and satisfaction.
What I have to face is that I want to do too much. I have too many things that interest me.
A goal for this month of January is to avoid slipping back into the all-work-and-no-play day after day routine. I'm continuing to work on it all. I'm a work in progress.
I copied the following from a blog post one of my favorite bloggers, Rosemary Beck of Content in a Cottage, wrote back in 2012. She said:
January is my absolute favorite month
of the whole year. The holidays are behind me
and there is nothing pressing before me.
Perfect for nesting and doing
self-indulgent things like
watching movies, reading books,
knitting, sprucing up my blog,
or anything fun.
So, hooray for Rosemary's inspiring thoughts so well put, hooray for this first month of the year, hooray for new beginnings or for continuing on the path of discovering new ways of structuring each day's hours, and . . . welcome January!
HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!
"Wisps of Words was here.... :-)"
ReplyDeleteDeeeeeeelightful to see you again!
Hmmmmm, didn't I spend last year, telling you, that you want to do toooooo much?????????????? ,-)
Find your perfect blogging nitch. And then, enjoy it.
Hugs, hugs, hugs.....
You were the "kick in the butt" I needed with your incessant heckling of my bad, bad ways! ;o] It's true that we sometimes need to hear good, old-fashioned logical advice from someone looking from the "outside." And I have so appreciated you and your intelligent words.
ReplyDeleteHugs back at'cha!
Thank you, Mama Pea, for returning to your blog. I really enjoy reading your posts. Happy New Year indeed! -Mary Mc
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year Mama Pea, Papa Pea, Chicken Mama and Gilligan!!! ;)
ReplyDeleteI wish you all the best for 2019...I really hope you find a good balance Mama Pea. I've been going through lots of deep thinking lately and having great enlightening moments! What I considered work before, well, it's really fun for me so I'm enjoying every moment as a homemaker and soon to be homesteader!! :)
I'm happy to see your blog post! Actually I know how you feel. I felt the same way over the summer when I took a long break to enjoy the garden and the weather. I felt kind of left out, but I needed Rain time. :)
It snowed overnight, so nice to wake up to fresh clean snow this new year! I'm loving winter dare I say! :s
Mama Pea, welcome back! I was so worried that you would be gone forever! Your blog is always an encouragement. I'm glad your blog break was a refreshing one.
ReplyDeleteMary Mc - You make me feel very happy. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteRain - Oh, how I wish we lived in close proximity so we could sit and talk and you could enlighten me regarding all the very profitable work you've done on balancing yourself and becoming such a centered person. You've done so much work and gained so much knowledge! I would LOVE to be able to talk about it face to face!!!!
Leigh - Your blog contains so much of your research and knowledge and experience that I feel mine in comparison is a piece of fluff to be kicked back under the bed. So to read your kind words makes me very humble. Thank you.
Hope you had a restful time off and found some down time to enjoy. Thanks for coming back, even if you choose to take it easy.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Phil. I did find time to do what I wanted that was out of the ordinary! Now to keep doing that and I think I'll be a lot less cranky and better able to handle everything else. I have missed blogging and reading everyone else so want to feel good about adding that back in.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back! Looking forward to hearing from you again, even if it's not as often as before.
ReplyDeleteDFW - Thank you very much! Happy New Year to you and your loved ones.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back and Happy New Year! I have long recognized that there are not enough hours in a day or years in my life to do all that I am interested in, yet I still hang onto all my art supplies from college and my 20s hoping to someday get back to creating in those mediums (one example). We can only do the best we can at juggling everything, and then give ourselves grace.
ReplyDeleteWe all need a break from daily chores. I like to think you went on vacation for a month. Did miss you terribly, but we all need our down time. Happy New Year to you and yours! Love having you back!!!
ReplyDeleteMichelle - Wise words, woman! Not saying you should, but I sold all my paints and easels at a garage sale a few years ago. Haven't missed them. So far. Giving ourselves grace . . . could you make mine come a little easier?? ;o]
ReplyDeleteLynne - Thank you so much! I think I'm going to handle it so it feels good being back. (Fingers crossed.)
Happy New Year Mama Pea, Papa Pea!!
ReplyDeleteSometimes a brief hiatus is needed. We work hard throughout the year to get all kinds of things done on the homestead. You must make sure to give yourself time to play....doctors orders...LOL!!!!!
Hugs, and Love to you, and your family.
Welcome back Mama Pea! And a very happy 2019 to you and yours!
ReplyDeleteThat is a very thought provoking quote - especially since January is my most dismal month. I am trying though to make it happier. As I sit by the fire and throw wishes its way, I will most definitely try to embrace the nesting that January demands. I shall give it a whirl!
I am hoping you find good balance. We are a work in progress aren't we? :)
Gosh, Mama Pea...you were missed, but Sooo happy you are refreshed! Happy 2019! All the best to you and Papa Pea, and glad yer back!
ReplyDeleteit's all in the timing! I was wanting to follow you for quite awhile now and of course when I did you were 'gone girl'! LOL! I have a zillion interests and I run out of time every day. I am planning this week on how to 'touch base' on all my interests without stretching myself too thin. Plus, I've even more interests this year...what's a gal to do....baby steps I guess. I try to stay balanced and take it slow as for too many years I was 'pushed' by society and others. I have never been bored in my life and I'm sure you haven't either! LOL! So glad to finally make it over here....welcome back and Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteLovely to hear from you, and as you can see....I, too, can't seem to leave the blogging world entirely behind!
ReplyDeleteWishing you and your partner a Happy New Year, and hoping that you and I are better able to manage all the different elements of ourselves, without getting ourselves into a tizz because we can't seem to keep up with all that we want to do. Love and hugs, Vx.
Dear Dr. Sandy - I am listening to you!
ReplyDeleteMrsDM - Knowing your feelings about the month of January, I thought of you a lot when sharing that quote. Are you willing and able to get out regularly during this cold (for us!) month for fresh air and a walk/talk with Nature? Or how about scheduling (and following the schedule!) in something each day that you really enjoy doing? If all else fails, send me those extra January days you want to get rid of. Hugs.
wyomingheart - Thank you and best wishes for 2019 to you, too! I'm sincerely hoping this year we all can shed the black cloud of anger and hate that pervades the news and social climate. It's time for a change and I sincerely believe the change must start with each of us personally. When you get down to it, that's about all we can truly control.
Sam I Am - It's been said that those "interests" are what keep the live spark going and glowing within us so it can't be a bad thing, right? Staying balanced and happy is sometimes the challenge when it would be so easy to become frustrated and feel as though we're running around like the proverbial chicken with her head cut off. I don't wanna be that chicken so I'm going to keep a close eye on how you handle all your wanna dos and interests and take notes! (No pressure. We put enough of that on ourselves without outside help!) ;o}
Vera - I can see that even though we are literally (geographically!) a world apart, we're on the same wave length this start of the new year. (Great post by you today!) Sending Happy New Year greetings to both of you. What will these next twelve months bring for all of us??
So glad you had time away to think and ponder, so glad your are back. We missed you. Happy New Year to you and yours! May you find balance and fulfillment all through the year.
ReplyDeleteOh, I am so, so happy you are back! It is just not the same without you, here in the blogosphere. Happy New Year! xo
ReplyDeleteTheresa Young - I'm still thinking and pondering! But just like trying to meditate, my mind seems to slip and slide all over the place. I've always said I do my best thinking when I'm working in the garden or doing handwork. Well, gardening isn't an option just now but I have been doing a lot of knitting. I may be making progress . . on the thinking AND knitting! Thank you for your encouraging words. Happy New Year to you also. Here's to a good year for all of us!
ReplyDeleteSusan - Thanks, my friend. Although I was MIA for only a month, it wasn't the same for me either.
Welcome back. I hope you enjoyed the break. Don't be so hard on yourself MamaPea. Take time to smell the flowers and enjoy your "hobbies". Life is short.
ReplyDeleteLisa B - Yes, ma'am! I'm tryin'. ;o] Happy New Year to you and yours!
ReplyDeleteIs this the longest break?
ReplyDeleteGlad that you are back. The best Happy new year present.
DDD - It's the longest break I've taken since starting the blog in 2008. (Doesn't seem that was sooooo long ago!) I'm glad to be back, too, and so appreciate your kind words. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteWelcome back Mama Pea! Happy New Year to you and your family!! :)
ReplyDeleteLisa - Thank you and sending best wishes to you and yours for a wonderful year of 2019. (That would be nice, wouldn't it? A care-free year slipped in now and then wouldn't hurt!) Hugs.
ReplyDeleteGlad you’re back - I’ve missed you! Happy 2019!
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