Merry 🖤

The end of a more than good weekend should look something like this.

Wouldn't you say?

Edible stars and disco dust just left twinkling on a tattered gobbled cake.

A memory of bits of magic shared with loved ones.

Remaining buttercream smooshed & scattered.

Maybe a little on your lip too.

I returned from a weekend of fun, driving through cold weather.

Snow on the mountains as I arrived to my higher elevation.

Merry feelings trickled in with the help of winter weather.

This lead to an insatiable need to tuck more baubles in here and there.

And so, I did.

While 3 boys wrestled and ran around the house around me.

2 fur, one none fur.

Indoor playing on an icy wet day.

It's been colddddd.

Brrrr.

But it sure does help infuse the holiday spirit.

Snowy mountain goodness.

I hung my sparkly pink snowflakes from the mantle.

And played in a huge wooden bowl of petals I somehow amassed this autumn.

I had collected the summer blooms in a huge glass jar.

Never realizing I'd have so many autumn petals.

Which of course I just love.

I'll need another giant jar.

I've been adding lights to ivy in the garden.

Changing things up a bit.

I've been quite the social butterfly lately.

I don't know what has come over me.

I've been having a day here and there in town doing lots of fun things.

Going to see the twinkling lights in the Tohono Chul botanical garden.

Going hiking in other mountains (not just my own), enjoying parks.

Shopping, going out for tea, lovely dinners, wonderful company.

It's been a blast and it's been so nice to nurture my inspiration vault.

Just nice to go here and there from time to time.

I'm enjoying life so much.

On December 1st of 2014 I started going out and getting exercise and fresh air every single day.

I didn't have a plan or a reason.

It was just a calling, a vast need to escape and do something physical outside of my own world.

I'm very active in my gardens and life, but I think it's different when you stop your day to take this time for yourself.

At least it is for me.

It's become such a huge necessity to my soul and I enjoy it so so so much.

Everyday I put on some music and hit the hills.

I've worn through 3 pairs of running/walking shoes in 12 months.

It's such a great gift I gave to myself that I didn't even know I needed so much.

To just unplug from everything and break free a couple hours a day.

It's changed my schedule a lot, but is now melding with my creative life organically.

I've had such a great year, projects, fun and people in my life.

But mostly, it's been great because I stopped and gave myself a gift.

To take better care of me in the sense of taking myself out, going up hills, changing the scenery.

It's not just a physical gift but mentally and for the soul, so good.

Enjoying the beautiful mountains around me & taking advantage of them.

It's wonderful.

We forget to do nice things for ourselves.

It becomes last priority.

2015 I made it my first priority.

It's amazing how few people, if any, are out there enjoying the hills with me.

I can't even believe a year has gone by, but I know I can't miss a day without fresh air, good music and big hills now.

It's blissful, it's not a chore, it's a choice.

Why I veered onto that I don't know, haha!

But now you know what I've been doing with a huge chunk of my days for 378 days.

And then somehow it became December.

And here we are, with snow and ornaments and baking.

I'm so scattered in my baking and making this month.

Wrapping up some projects and starting others, phew!

I have clay and fresh paintings waiting for me.

Somehow there is not enough time in the day to do it all.

Still, I'm encouraging myself to get out more, despite the need for more time.

I had a prickly pear mimosa this weekend, on Saturday.

And a 12 course dinner at the Arizona Inn on Friday night, tiny bites, with wine pairings.

Oooo, that was fun.

I don't drink, so after the first course with sparkling Zipang Sake' I was a bit numb.

(but I recommend it, it was so lovely, a bit like champagne & very tasty)

Booooy did I ever have fun.

🙂

Okay, I'll stop babbling now.

 

How are you out there in the world?

 

Love, V