30/365

Ssshhh!

29/365

Toast

28/365

New Shoes

New Friends

Since the beginning of the year I have been attending a Quaker meeting.

I like the silence
I like listening to what people feel moved to say during the meeting
I like the opportunity to share thoughts after the meeting is over
I like the emphasis on spiritual experience rather than adherence to particular doctrines
I like the openness to other beliefs
I like the commitment to peace and justice
I like the people

It's early days, but I think I may have found what I've been looking for for some time now.

27/365

Sunshine in a Jar

26/365

Seville

25/365

Great Chieftain o' the Puddin' Race

To the Immortal Memory

Then let us pray that come it may

[As come it will for a' that], 

That Sense and Worth o'er a' the earth, 

Shall bear the gree an a' that. 

For a' that, an a' that, 

It's comin yet for a' that, 

That man to man, the world, o'er

Shall brithers be for a' that.

from A Man's a Man for a' That - Rabbie Burns

24/365

Hat

52 Weeks of Happy (3/52)

A day late - but here are this week's happies.

With apologies to all those inconvenienced by the snow, but I couldn't get enough of it.

One of the Beautiful Bugs in the Bedminster trail.

Friends for dinner.

A bunch of my favourite flowers.

23/365

Cranes & Cormorants

22/365

Bloom

21/365

Grazing

20/365

Burns Night Come Early

19/365

Birthplace

Snow Day

Snowballs, sledging and hot chocolate with marshmallows.

Beats a day at work!

18/365

Snow Day

17/365

Snow Forecast

16/365

Frosty Morning

15/365

Fortnightly Vegetable Box

52 Weeks of Happy (2/52)

Spotted in M&S in Plymouth on Saturday.  The thought of all that plastic ending up in a landfill site made me want to cry, but I was tickled 'rose' by the name.

 

 My husband generally cooks at the weekend and this Sunday he served one of my favourite meals.  

Every Christmas Day my friend invites us in for a glass of Baileys after the morning service.  She was away this year, so she bought me a box of Baileys truffles instead.  That's the loving kind of person she is.

Ever since I ate them in a salad in a restaurant I have been looking for giant couscous.  Unsuccessfully - until yesterday, when I found them in our local deli.

14/365

Porridge

This Weekend ...

... I discussed Names for the Sea by Sarah Moss at Reading Group

(interesting account of a year in Iceland at a momentous time, but I'm not converted to non-fiction)

... I accompanied my younger daughter to an interview at Plymouth University
(very successful!)

... I made kartoffelsalat  for a shared lunch following this morning's Quaker meeting
(eating together is the best way to get to know people and should be compulsory in all organisations)

... I entered the Observer's Viewfinder competition
(I'm sure I have the correct answer but I'm equally sure I'm not alone)

This evening I shall be eating roast lamb (lovingly prepared by my husband) and catching up on Borgen 

13/365

Kartoffelsalat

12/365

Plymouth Hoe

Made Me Smile

Sante!

11/365

Reading Group

10/365

Bin Day

Ten on the Tenth - Favourite Meals

1. Steak, frites, salade
2. Roast lamb
3. Mackerel dauphinoise
4. Full English breakfast
5. Dal and rice
6. Crispy duck with pancakes
7. Fish and chips
8. South Indian thali
9. Paella
10. Cornish pasties

9/365

Recycled Wreath

52 Weeks of Happy (1/52)

I've joined Little Birdie's project and every Tuesday will post images of four things that have made me happy.

This is my first post.

The hyacinth bulb I 'planted' in the autumn is beginning to flower

Our Christmas tree decorations, all packed away now until next December

The trendy wellies my daughters gave me for Christmas that kept my feet dry on a New Year's Day walk through the woods

The mug I bought from my potter friend Sarah Jordan

PS
At the same time as being my 1st 52 Weeks of Happy post, this is apparently also my 400th blog post.
Another reason to be happy!

8/365

Celebrate!

7/365

Bulb

6/365

Twelfth Night

Waes Hael

Wassail ceremonies are not generally associated with inner urban life, but when you learn that Bedminster boasts a community orchard it all begins to make sense.

The ceremony, initiated by an American, began with us encircling our crab apple tree and shouting 'Awake'.  If that didn't rouse it from its winter slumber then I'm sure the Rag Morris dancing, the Red Notes singing and the poetry recitation did the trick.    The rain stopped, the sun shone and, fortified with mulled cider, apple cake and roasted chestnuts, the good folk of Bedminster scared away the evil spirits and ensured a good harvest.

My earlier photo post shows some of the cider soaked pieces of toast we attached to the crab apple branches as an offering to the tree spirits.

Waes hael!  Be you healthy!

5/365

Wassail

4/365

Summer Holiday

Red Hot Chilli Peppers

 I finally got round to planting those Wahaca chilli seeds.

3/365

Woodes

2/365

Jigsaw

1/365

Shortbread

In 2013 I resolve to ...

I'm spoilt for choice.

I could resolve to bake all my own bread ... or do all the dishes before bed ... or read more books ... or lose some weight ... or stop stressing over silly things ... or grow something (anything!) in the garden ... or switch off the light before midnight ... or start running again ... or cut down my plastic consumption ... or spend less time on the laptop ...

While I fully intend to do most (if not all of the above) at some point during the next year, I'm reluctant to set myself up to fall at the first hurdle in a month, or a week, or (in the case of unnecessary stressing!) in a day's time.

I've been interested in what fellow bloggers have been posting on the subject of New Year's Resolutions.  Lucy in the Clouds directed me to Shinypigeon's sound advice.  Karen at A Quiet Corner has been inspired by Meet Me At Mike's resolution to make 2013 The Year of Interestingness.  Jen at Little Birdie has opted for 'plans' while Nancy at The Philosophy of Lists has simply chosen to eat more smoked salmon!  Now there's a resolution I wouldn't mind keeping.  Karin at Green & Generous quotes the Buddha: "The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, nor to anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly."  Sue at The Quince Tree is swapping cakes for delicious healthy meals.  I hope she shares her successes.

So where does that leave me on this first day of 2013.

Well, I've decided to (continue to) be open to new ideas and opportunities.  Of course I want to be healthier, and tidier, and greener, and more productive.  But more than any of these I want to embrace life and all its possibilities.  Despite its various shortcomings this is still a wonderful world and I resolve to enjoy (and share) the best it has to offer.