Claude Monet and I have the same birthday, November 14. He is known for impressionist paintings of water lilies and, my favorite, a Japanese footbridge. How refreshing to see Monsieur Monet use more white than green or blue. And I love the contrasting red.
"Sandvicken, Norway" by Claude Monet
Image from Art.com.
Rhoda over at Southern Hospitality is hosting a fun party called "2008 Top Ten Projects, Before & After." The best example of before and after in my home is one room in two different seasons. First is autumn, followed by Christmas.
If you'd like to see more detailed photographs of my home and images that inspire me, please visit me at Seasons for All at Home, too!
This second week in January is one of the quietest of the year. In hindsight, I am sometimes amazed at the pace I and others keep during the holiday season, which really begins much earlier than Thanksgiving weekend. So once the last box of holiday decor is put away and now that my children are adults, there are many quiet moments to reflect on the past and plan for the future.
As I look ahead to 2009 and contemplate areas of focus throughout the year, I am inspired once again by Sarah Ban Breathnach's book Simple Abundance. This book was given to me by a very good friend and, in the months that followed my receiving it, I enjoyed reading the daily entries. Each month has a focus which was well-timed and mirrored the seasons of the year. In case it is not evident yet, I am partial to seasons and all they represent, which made Sarah's "Daybook of Comfort and Joy" even more appealing.
This year I plan to enjoy once again the pages of Simple Abundance. And I plan to focus on certain qualities of life during each of the four seasons.
Winter ~ Centering. Since order brings me tremendous calmness, maintaining organization in my home is easy. But there is definitely some fine-tuning that can be done inside closets and drawers, and in the garage. Ensuring time is spent investing in my surroundings is an investment in my inner peace, too. But centering also includes basics like re-establishing healthy habits and scheduling medical check-ups.
Spring ~ Renewal. I love the newness of spring. The flowers and Mother Nature's newborns hold a special place in my heart since my older son, my first born, arrived on an early spring morning. Refreshening my surroundings and renewing my spirit will be more defined as winter unfolds.
Summer ~ Relationships. Admittedly, summer is my least favorite season of the year, primarily because I don't like hot weather. That said, there are many wonderful family events that occur during the summer, including my younger son's birthday, our family's annual trip to Lake Tahoe, and now some lovely memories of a seminar I attended in Virginia this past July.
Autumn ~ Nesting. In my favorite months of the year, I so enjoy spending time at home. Celebrating the harvest and the season of thanks and giving are best fostered indoors. I was born in the fall and it is the time of my rebirth. While the leaves on trees begin to dry and fall, my spirit soars and comes alive again. Traditions dominate my thoughts and plans, and all the centering and renewal of the past is harvested in the relationships that were fostered over the years. Time at home with family and friends during the holiday season is the best tradition of all.
As the weeks and months evolve, it will be fun to join Melissa and others on this path of good intentions for "A Beautiful Life" in 2009. I'm looking forward to it!
I'm thrilled to have joined the team of contributors at Blissful Home, one of the channels at the awesome online magazine Blissfully Domestic! My first contribution is published today. Please won't you take a look? And while you're there, peruse the other wonderful articles.
This is a hugely talented and inspirtational group of people, and I'm very much looking forward to contributing to the Blissful Home channel of "Blissfully Domestic" in the coming months and years.
And on we go!
OK, so the 12 days of Christmas are not over yet. For many, the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6th marks the official end of the holiday season. My mother used to leave all of our Christmas decorations up through that date every year when I was growing up. I'm finding that I feel better once they're put away, and that usually means well before January 6th.
Today is the second day of the new year, a Friday, and the only sign of Christmas that I've not dismantled, which admittedly is huge, is the tree in my living room. But given that I have several boxes of decor, the process of putting things away takes a little less time than putting it all up, and nowhere near as fun.
So, as of this mid-morning, only my living room tree needs to be undecorated. Then my sons will drag it to the curb for Christmas tree heaven, which comes in the form of recycling. By this time tomorrow, most rooms in my home will appear bland. But those semi-blank canvases are my invitation for more creativity and expression. And, because I love to do this, that is fun!
And on we go.
Although I've been blogging since 2005, "Seasons for All" is one year old today. So Happy New Year and Happy Anniversary, too! Here is what I wrote in my first post a year ago today:
A season of new beginnings is upon us. Winter snow blankets us in blues and whites. We find time to nestle in warmth. As nature settles in for a long winter nap, a hot cup of tea and a good friend light the spirit in our hearts and souls. Embrace 2008 with optimism for its promise of change.
In hindsight, that paragraph is a bit poetic, but that is the theme that surfaces in my writing during the quieter moments of winter.
As I look ahead to 2009, my optimism is refreshed. And when it comes to resolutions for the new year, there are only a few I really need to make, and they have to do with living a healthy and balanced life. While I don't necessarily care for trite slogans that accompany many ad and marketing campaigns at the start of a new calendar year, I work in healthcare administration and my own health isn't thriving as much as it could be. So, I will focus on a couple of changes.
I love routine and am, by nature, a creature of habit. I know that changing just a couple of habits would make a big difference. So, I'll renew my vow to drink more water and, through the awesome and ever-synergistic connections Twitter provides, I learned about and joined just today a group called Running Wild, which promises to be lots of fun.
And on this New Year's Day, I'm also thinking of my family and dear friends, and hoping each of them has a healthy and prosperous 2009.
And on we go!
As I was looking through paintings yesterday for today's Wednesday's Work of Art, I wanted to choose one that was representative of the closing of the year. I considered a few vintage renderings of auld lang syne, but soon began to look at 1908 and 1909. I'd forgotten that some of Claude Monet's water lilies were painted in 1908.
I have the same birthday as Monsieur Monet, November 14. So on this last day of 2008, I'd like to honor my favorite Impressionist and one of his depictions of "Water Lilies," which he painted 100 years ago in 1908. (Image from Art.com.)
Have a safe and fun New Year's Eve!
Although it's only four days after Christmas and my parents used to keep all holiday decor in place until after January 6, each year I find myself wanting to take it down sooner. Although I was initially shocked to hear a good friend of mine announce several years ago that she strips her tree and it is on the curb for pick-up on December 26, there's something appealing about having everything back to normal.
I'll be spending this weekend de-Christmas-ing my home, beginning with the tree. As much as I love how it looks and smells, I love having back the space it occupies in my living room. It's a great way to start the new year! I am now so looking forward to putting away my Christmas decor that I've already switched the color scheme on two of my blogs from Christmas red to winter blue.
And this past weekend, in anticipation of having everything put away, I purchased a small carpet shampooer because I intend to do some deep cleaning in the coming weeks. My home is always clean and orderly, so imperfections jump up to greet me at first glance. Spots on the carpet just won't do, and I'm actually looking forward to using the carpet shampooer!
Cindy over at My Romantic Home is hosting a "Year in Review" party. Using photographs we've taken in 2008, she's suggesting we create a mosaic. My year is best summarized through tea and flowers, and you can see the changing seasons, too! And, of course, there is Christmas, a season unto itself. Below are two mosaics. And I hope Cindy does decide to make this party an annual event!
Tea and Flowers
* * * * *
Christmas 2008
* * * * *
"Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true."
~Alfred, Lord Tennyson, 1850
