One day this past week, while mentally juggling the necessary tasks for multiple events coming up, I was also mentally off in the new year dreaming and scheming. I don’t know how to accomplish a few of those dreams. They’re big and in directions I have never gone before.
That sounds familiar.
As questions and specific details came to my mind while it was wandering, I decided not to get caught up in the “not knowing how” and so I proclaimed with belief, “Let’s make it happen people!”
I was the only one around. Me, in my kitchen working on my multi-tasking moments. That’s it. I guess for now, I am it, so making it happen is gonna have to fall on me.
Fine. But I’m putting a “Make it Happen” person on my holiday wish list. Probably at the top. Next to the Livestock Conservancy directory of heritage farm animals that I want to curl up with on a quiet winter day. There will be a quiet winter day, I just know it.
As long as we’re sharing, what’s on your wish list? Yes, your “selfish” wish list. Mine is much shorter than the dog eared holiday catalog pages that have been coming in the mail would lead you to believe but that’s how I balance my ten-year-old self with my forty-eight-year-old self. The downfalls of being an adult with a budget.
Here are some of my wish list items…
Bombas socks. I purchased some to try because they are socks that do good things. I think I saw them on Facebook – the power of advertising dollars at work. When you purchase a pair, the company donates a pair to help the homeless. They cost more than the average country gal’s pair of socks but they’re worth it, and a great item to add to your wish list. They fit well, are comfy and the toe seam is a non-issue. They do good and they feel good. So much so, that I declared this year that I was phasing out my other socks (except for Heat Holders…more on that in a minute) and going Bombas all the way for my everyday socks. I know, I’m just so brazen.
Since we’re on it, I also want some more Heat Holder socks. Years ago I received a pair as a gift and was happy with that one pair until last year. Last year I started living in my chicken themed garden boots. When the weather started getting cold, so did my feet. My garden boots are not insulated – few are, garden season is warm ya know – but my garden boots are waterproof and that makes them all season in my opinion. I needed warm socks. I dug threw my sock drawer and, Enter Heat Holders. That pair of socks kept my feet warm so I added a new pair to my sock drawer and now wish for another. Otherwise, I have to do laundry more often and that is just not gonna work out. Doing the laundry is not half as difficult as putting it away. I’d become a teenager and wear my socks over and over until it was laundry day before I could fit in more laundry days to my routine.
True story.
(Sniff, sniff…what’s that smell? Oh, it’s my socks…)
Okay, I’m off socks now and my wish list is calling for more flannel shirts. My favorite outfit is a pair of colorful sweatpants or comfortable jeans (still looking for those – maybe I should add that to my wish list too), a soft colorful flannel shirt (one that matches my colorful sweatpants), my heat holder socks and my chicken designed garden boots. In the summer, my favorite outfit is a soft whimsical tee shirt, a solid color pair of shorts and my garden boots. I love my garden boots, or as I call them, my “barn boots”. It makes me feel more country. I tend to find the best stuff for my own wish list when I am shopping for other people so I have already picked out my flannel shirts for Christmas and this summer, a new pair of garden boots joined the Christmas gift stash in the closet. Wait until I show these to you! But they’re for Christmas and I can’t open them yet.
The Spice House in Milwaukee has the best spices and one of my faves is their Chicago Deep Dish Pizza blend. Yes, I did get some already for my stocking. Since I was conveniently buying some as gifts, I may as well be economical and save on shipping costs by adding one in for me.
Will there be any surprises for me at Christmas, you’re wondering? I have been good this year so I suspect Santa will leave me a couple of things under the tree…unless I buy them all first…
The Gardener’s catalog has a mouse-shaped watering can that I think is adorable and I wish for some new work gloves as well.
Candles. I’m on a crazy kick with candles these days because I have been searching for THE candle to be MY candle in my country shoppe when I open it. That’s the shop owner trend these days. My current obsession is a beeswax candle so that I can support the bees. They work so hard ya know. Burning beeswax has the added benefit of cleaning the air of pollutants and allergens which is very handy in my home. But, I never set myself up to be in only one area because the world has a lot to offer. I do want to offer USA made candles, and that is my only main requirement right now. I have about $500 worth of candles on my wish list to try out. That seems a tad bit over the top so I should whittle that down. Or…I could call it business research and buy all of them. Or…I could buy some for the people around me as gifts and then hang out while they light them so I can get a whiff. (It would also cover the smell of my overused two pairs of Heat Holders until I see if more come for Christmas.) Stay tuned to see how my mind settles this one…
And lastly, for the main items, and until I see something else to add to my wish list as I shop for other people (“one for you and one for me” is the best way to shop), I am dreaming of an art easel. But, I have a January birthday so I am considering pushing this item to the birthday wish list, along with a new pair of sneakers and some comfortable jeans. I know nothing about easels and would like to research them before I just give someone the reins to buy me any old art easel they find.
I like control.
Research on this topic will probably take a back seat this busy holiday season so an easel seems to be a great birthday wish list item.
Well, that was a far off topic of conversation we just had about me and what I want, but we had fun didn’t we? That’s the benefit of making moments that matter and spending time with people. We get to chat all about me. What better way to make moments that matter?
Moving on to other “make it happen” moments, we’ll now talk about plants. Not surprised? I don’t blame you but I did think I would be able to take a break from plants this winter.
Guess not.
I brought my old-fashioned geraniums into my house to overwinter, at least the ones that passed my “I like You” test. I had purchased a bunch of heirloom geraniums and mums this summer for my mission to sell something different. I actually bought way too many and was in over my head because I went a bit crazy. I love these two kinds of flowers but the garden nurseries usually sell the same few kinds and I was looking for something different. So, I’m on another new path to see what I can come up with. My mums are still in the “sun room” at our new old farmhouse waiting for me to give them some lovin’. They’re tough gals and hanging in there waiting for me to “make it happen”.
The sun room smells wonderfully of plants as you pass through to enter the house. Ahhhh. My kids think it stinks and they hold their breath. What do kids know?
I’m supposed go be propagating all over the place with these plants but that poses some additional needs. I need time to do that. I need more pots to do that. And more dirt. I need more space to tuck the plant pots around. And then I need homes for these propagated plants.
I started some coconut-scented heirloom geraniums from seed and they are super cool. They really do smell like coconut. But…the aphids are loving hanging out with them and that is not cool. My flowering geraniums seem to be of no interest to pests but a few of my scented ones have been attractive. I’m determined to rescue these gals from the aphids, although tossing them out and starting over has crossed my mind. Since I’m going “organic” I have been researching ways to rescue them naturally. My current kick is to try raising them with basil, which is supposed to be distasteful to aphids.
It’s not working.
I think I should start raising aphids. I have a hearty country variety.
Now lets talk turkey. Definitely a “make it happen people” moment coming up since Thanksgiving is this week. I had a table in my hometown’s craft fair yesterday, my first moment to introduce my homies to my designs. I had to balance that importance with not being a crazy lady for my family like I became a few years ago when I tried my first craft fairs.
I’m still working on that balance but I did much better. Baked goods, plants and corn bags were my sellers.
Any hoo, my energies went into my show. Now my energies need to go into Thanksgiving, but not our own dinner just yet. Our school has some Thanksgiving celebrations on Monday and Tuesday that I need to prepare for first.
Anyone have any idea how many potatoes you need to make mashed potatoes for 40 people?
Me either. Me neither.
Where’s my “make it happen” person???
She’s probably reading this book about plants that she did not know was so big when she requested it from the library and that she has no business reading…
See?
That’s one big book. I hope my “make it happen” person gets back soon because we have mounds of mashed potatoes to make and then it’s on to cleaning for the holidays.
I’ve been eyeballing my dirty homestead lately and making a mental list of the things that I need to clean to be ready for Thanksgiving Day, and company. Dirty windowsill, dusty lamp on the windowsill, flower petals everywhere, dust bunnies under my bed, oh and don’t forget to change the sheets…mopping, vacuuming, more dusting and of course, clean the toilets, sinks and add a fresh hand towel.
And trying to break it down into tasks that get assigned to various moments betwixt now and then to git ‘er done. There is no organized focused plan for this. I rarely clean that way. I’ll tell you all about it in my next post.
Of course, if I stopped chatting with you I could probably get some cleaning done.
Nahhh…that’s what my “make it happen” person is for.
Now where are they…?
