New Years Intentions and a New Moon TUSAL

My year end TUSAL.  What's a TUSAL?  Read on...

This past year has been really full for us - we saw improvements in my health (as much as chronic illness will allow), some challenges in his, we moved toward a more active and highly fulfilling relationship with Cedarlight Grove, I served on the Board at our UU church during a period of great upheaval that is ongoing, we GOT MARRIED, Michael's job of 11 years "downsized" him in a multi-person lay-off (the most recent of several), and that spurred us toward several decisions about long range self employment plans while he quickly took the steps he needed to secure new employment within three weeks.

Roller coaster ride, for sure, complete with scary and exhilarating bits.  I confess, my wish for this year - as it is almost every year - is for peace and quiet.  Peace from contention for myself and those around me, and quiet enough to be able to listen to my interior thoughts.  Of course, a huge part of achieving that is simply insisting on making room for it, and that is something I am always working toward, rather unsuccessfully.  And part of it is dependent on what life brings.  What last year taught me is that Michael and I, between us, can face some challenging stuff without unnecessary trauma.  That's a really nice thing to be able to trust.

I do not, as a rule, make 'resolutions' for New Years, but I do like to set a few intentions, and these are mine:

1.  This is annual - I'll be blocking out what stitchery projects I will be doing throughout the year.  This year, specifically, I want to do ornaments for all nine of my grandchildren.  It's been a few years since I have, and it is time.  Every time I do this, I consider it may be the last time my hands will let me do it for them.  Additionally, I have a couple large pieces for us that I'd like to finish, and I want to work on a couple auction pieces, starting early enough to get them done before various auctions occur. (In other words, plan ahead!)

2. Healthy eating - Michael and I didn't fully give up, but we did allow ourselves to ease up on a lot of snacking and carbs, with inevitable results.  He did such a fantastic job last year shedding weight that has plagued him for a long time, I want to ensure that isn't undone. (Meanwhile, my excess pounds seem to be plastered on with crazy glue, but even without weight loss, I know avoiding certain foods makes me feel better and it's worth it)

3.  Soap Making!  I plan to devote time each month to learning the art of soap making, from simple to progressively challenging.  I am very excited by this! I try to learn a new skill every year, and this is in for 2014.

4. My Dedicant's Program for ADF.  That was the entire basis for beginning this blog.  Michael finished his and is now preparing to work on his Clergy Training... and I'm still puttering along.  I am ok with that as the way it needed to be... it was helpful to me to simply experience ADF without worrying about formulized documentation.  But at this point, that's what's missing - my documentation  And there are so many truly intriguing study options available once this is done, so.... going to get it done.  I'm striving for before my birthday in early June.

5. Household organization - my lifelong nemesis, but becoming SO critical if we are to move forward on our various desires.  I need to set up a systematic plan for decluttering and then maintanence that won't totally run away from me when my RA decides that I can't manage a work day.

6. Finally, this year, I will not only be serving on our UU congregation's board (until summer - I will not be re-running for next year), but I was elected Member Advocate on Cedarlight's Witan (their board).  It's a new position, and that's intimidating enough, but my continuing to feel like I am very new compared to so many others there is also intimidating.  But my intention is to do my very best, and I am humbled by being allowed to serve in this capacity, and very grateful for the opportunity to do so.  I'm thinking a lot of Isaac's Bonewitz' delightful maxim, "Why not Excellence?".

~~~

Sooo... TUSAL??  It is the Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long, where each New Moon, stitchers show off not their work, but their jar of thread snippets, or ORTS (Old Ratty Threads).  Why? Well...why NOT?!

Above is my jar over the last year - minus those threads that wound up in little pill bottles when I was out and about and forgot to toss them back into the main jar.  The threads will be set out for birds for nesting materials - I've done various things with them over  the years, from offering them to a good fire to using them to stuff ornaments, but I like offering them to our local birds best.

And so, on this first New Moon of 2014, my totally empty jar awaits a year's worth of filling up.  Into this jar will go the labor of my hands, the love I send to those I stitch for, the meditations that come while hands ply the needle, and the frustrations of threads frogged out again when a mistake has been made.  I look forward to it all.

Happy New Year!

~ Lynda

Root Veggies and a Roll-Your-Own Finish

This weekend, the Farmer's Market was full of turnips.  I think Michael and I have decided we are pretty much in favor of just about any root vegetable, but neither of us are all that familiar with turnips.  Even so, we bought a basket of them - small and tender and smelling earthy and somewhat like radishes (mmm, radishes), and last night we prepared them along with some sweet potato, and the result was delicious and tasted like Autumn.

This is what I love about going to the Farmer's Market - it makes it so easy to stretch your food repertoire.  Occasionally, you may not like the result  but most of them time, you find something new and wonderful (or in the case of turnips, classic and wonderful).  We paired our baked turnips and sweet potatoes with a hamburger patty topped with cheese and some sauteed mushrooms.  Delicious!

Baked Root Vegetables

1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into large chunks
6 small turnips, well scrubbed, stems removed
2 cups homemade beef or chicken broth (optional - can just use water)
2 cups water (approx)
1/2 cup melted butter
2-3 T. brown sugar
salt and peper to taste

(The amounts given are only suggestions - estimate how much your family will eat.  Our turnips were quite tender so we didn't peel them, but if you want to, go ahead!  Apparently this is a matter of opinion.  And of course, feel free to mix up any other root veggies you like!)

Put broth and root veggies in a deep pot to cook, adding enough water to cover.  Let come to a boil and then simmer briskly for about 25 minutes.  Remove from pot and let cool enough to handle.  Mix butter and brown sugar in a bowl large enough to hold the vegetables. Chop veggies into bite sized pieces and turn into the butter mixture, stirring to thoroughly coat.

Place in a rimmed shallow pan and spread out to a single layer.  Season to taste, and bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes.

Next time, I'm going to try them in a more savory recipe rather than with sugar, but this was a very fine introduction to turnips.

Meanwhile, I have to show this off, because I've been working on it since May, and it was such a pleasure to stitch!  This is from Ink Circles and is  the first of her Roll-Your-Own series of mandalas - she sets up the pattern, but leavs choosing the color scheme up to the stitcher, with tons of support and help picking colors.  It's been a terribly fun experience, and I have the graphs for her follow on sequel charts, although I think I will need to turn to other stitchery for awhile before tackling the next mandala.

But isn't this lovely?  I chose these colors hoping to evoke the shades in peacock feathers and I think it worked out quite nicely.  I can't wait to put this into a square frame and hang it.  (Also, it's my first finished project signed with my new married name, so it is quite special and appropriate to hail the colors of Juno's peacock!)

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