This Perfectly Imperfect Life

Last Monday, January 5th, was Twelfth Night, and how only a week has passed since then seems surreal to me because it seems much longer! (But that's another mono-related story for another time). Twelfth Night in Christian tradition refers to the day before Epiphany (which is also Three Kings Day and Little Christmas). Twelfth Night is the day before when the story of the Nativity tells of three wise men visiting baby Jesus. Twelfth Night is also the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas, which begins on Christmas Day. (Some say it begins the day after Christmas, making the twelve days end on Epiphany instead).  On Twelfth Night, I burned the holly branch from our Winter Solstice holly forest walk, which I didn't bring into our home until after Christmas Eve. According to myths and legends, it is bad luck to bring holly into your home before Christmas Eve. (It stayed on our front porch until I brought it in Christmas night). Why did I burn the holly branch, you ask? A...

Each year I try to pick a word that hopefully encompasses my overall intentions and goals for the new year. I begin thinking about it around Christmas and journaling on it after Christmas and through New Years Eve. My word for 2014 is " Focus ." It may be something that seems to go without saying, so to speak, but it's something I have a lot of trouble with because of my unpredictable health and uncooperative body. Living with disease is anything but simple or easy. I thought it would get easier handling it with time as I get older, but I've been inexplicably wrong about that! It's been getting progressively difficult.  Now that I'm over the shock of it, and out of fear that none of my dreams will ever some true, I've been trying to learn to work with it as best I can. I want to figure out a way I can focus on my overall goals more which works with my unpredictable health and uncooperative body so that by this years end I can hopefully see more pr...

I hope all who celebrated yesterday had a lovely day! The day after Thanksgiving, since I stopped working because of my health, has meant a cozy day at home filled with snacking on leftovers and watching Christmas decorating shows all day, a favorite, favorite guilty pleasure that I enjoyed so much! (And one I didn't admit to anyone until I told my bff G in 2008 lol!)  Hold it. No, I do not shop on this day. I refuse for many reasons, but mainly because I worked too many years in retail & therefore too many Black Friday's and I relish the fact that I no longer have to leave our home on this day unless I absolutely have to!  Anyhow, back to the topic at hand! Since that home and gardening network (that rarely airs anything to do with gardening anymore) stopped airing its' Christmas decorating show marathon on this day a few years back, I've had to find a new day after Turkey Day ritual to replace it with. Let me tell y'all, it hasn't been easy and I...