I have spent this first day of the year doing very little except sit on the back deck with various members of my family, eating, reading and chatting. If you sit in the right spot, you can barely see any of the many surrounding houses, and it feels decadently peaceful.
I was unexpectedly distracted from wishing you, my readers and friends, a Happy Christmas, as gastro overwhelmed the kids in the days leading up to the 25th. Thankfully they were all well enough on the day itself that we could make the last minute decision to join the rest of the clan for lunch in the countryside. No one had been ill for a day and a half, (so we deemed it safe) and both Luke and I seemed to have dodged being infected. This year was one where all 32 of us were present, which was lovely.
I have spent some of the lazy days between Christmas and New Year sketching. Contemplating ideas for next Christmas, and tossing around another idea that draws inspiration from all the hand drawn lettering that I have been seeing on Pinterest, such as this, and this.
I have a friend that picks a new, inspirational word each year. While not particularly looking for a word myself, I was contemplating “hope” and decided that it was really a word for every year, something that I hope will accompany me always! I am itching to turn this into a fresh stitchery, but at the moment I must contend myself with drawing it carefully with Illustrator, until I can get my hands on the beautiful variegated Cottage Garden Threads that I plan to use.
Today actually marks 5 years since I started my blog. I will return to my giveaways soon, to mark the occasion, but I am currently feeling too languid and relaxed to spend much time on the computer. Summer so far has been mostly beautiful and mild, and I have another Kate Morton book* that is waiting to be read…
* pssst… Kate Morton’s first bestselling novel was released here in Australia titled “The Shifting Fog” but was renamed “The House at Riverton” when it was released internationally, and became a bestseller. I have not seen “The House at Riverton” available for Kindle but “The Shifting Fog” is, and it is only $3.63.
Happy New Year, A sparkling 2013 to all of you!