Tying Up Loose Ends

I like my Ts crossed, Is dotted, and loose ends tied in a nice pretty bow.  I don't always achieve that here where I am inspired to post things in the moment and then let things hang.  Consider this post my attempt to remedy that.

Here's a follow-up on last year's very loose new year suggestions and aspirations (not resolutions!):

• The visit to Raleigh was great fun and a definite highlight for the year!
• Art & Soul was intense and a whirlwind five days of classes, but I learned so much and finally got to take a class with Juliana Coles - a dream realized for me.
• Didn't make it to Monticello, but we did visit historic plantations along the James River over the summer and spent a couple of days tramping around Colonial Williamsburg for my birthday.
• My work did not appear in the With One Stamp section of the Somerset Studio issue it was assigned for (I forgot which one now), however, it was included in that issue's gallery section and in one of the special edition Galleries Somerset publishes each year.  That was nice.
• Sadly, I let participation in Illustration Friday, lapse.  I hope to revive that in 2008.
• The aspirations listed were hit and miss.  I quickly discovered that fielding a fantasy baseball team, even in the "casual, non-betting" league is not for people who just want to have fun and follow the game.  Those fantasy baseball team managers were downright rude, not to mention complete chauvinists, something I am familiar with even in my own family when it comes to baseball - I probably shouldn't have been surprised, but I was.  A kick-ass chilli recipe did not materialize, and while I tried not to worry, the sudden shift in Mr. P's job sucker-punched our life mid-year and definitely squashed any calm and contentment I cultivated in the earlier part of the year.

I'm glad I wasn't too boxed in to concrete goals and achievements.  How could I have planned for finding the Norfolk Craft Mafia, making new friends, and participating in Handmade Parade?  I couldn't have and that's the point of leaving things open to possibility ...

"Let mystery have its place in you; do not always be turning up your whole soil with the ploughshare of self-examination, but leave a little fallow corner in your heart ready for any seed the winds may bring ..." (Henri Frederic Ameil, Swiss, Writer)

A few posts back I mentioned commemorating the 500th comment on the blog.  Said milestone was reached a few weeks ago, but the 500th commenter, sadly, did not leave their name or a way to contact them.  I guess we'll commemorate the 600th comment!  Thanks to everyone who takes the time to leave a note or comment or open a conversation with me.  It never ceases to be such a thrill to see your notes in my email!

I also promised a review of the Lemon Rice Pudding recipe from Laurie Colwin's book.  The finished dish had a lot of potential.  It was creamy and lemony but I did not like the chopped up rind - I spent a lot of time picking it out of my teeth.  I'll definitely try to make it again next year without the rind.

My niece arrived in the world on Sunday, December 23rd.  New Mom and baby are doing well.  I'm an aunt!  How cool is that?

I think that covers everything I wanted to follow up on.  Don't say I didn't warn you that it was going to be a chatty few days ...

Comments

[Mr P]

Why are your goldfish blue??
Looks great anyhow
Love you tons

[Christine Candora-Hickey]

Happy, Healthy New Year