flying

This month of January is already flying by so quickly that I can hardly stand it. The promises I made to myself to step back and slow down even more have been difficult to hold to, but thus far we've persevered. :-)

It is easier to do so in our new Homestead, where life in the country has a naturally slower pace. Where our daily schedule follows those of our new neighbors---morning tea coincides with the AM rush at the birdfeeders; the rosy glow in the lounge window means it is time to start building the evening fire. I LOVE living here. Just as my loft apartment in the city was the perfect spot for me in my twenties, so is the Homestead for me two decades later. :-)

So how have we been spending the first days of this glorious new year? Mostly at home, in the quiet, playing games, cooking, and enjoying the company of visiting friends. We continue our commitment to healthy, homecooked (and tastier) foods, and long walks in the woods are a treat, feeling not a bit like the dreaded exercise. There has also been a fair bit of reading, writing, baking, and talking. Oh, and napping. :-)

There has not been as much knitting or other crafty making going on---I think my hands needed a bit of a break after the mad rush to finish the family's Christmas presents. I will be starting the gift making way earlier this year, but even with the crazy knitting crunch during the holidays, I am so glad we decided to go homemade this year. :-)

I also have dusted off the yoga mat and started the 21-day yoga challenge sponsored by Yoga Journal yesterday. Yoga has been a part of my life now for at least 12 years. Sometimes it is a more regular companion than others, but I always return to the mat because it feels like home to me, no matter where in the world I happen to be. :-)

I have made only a handful of goals for myself for 2012 because I've learned not to fall into the trap of trying to accomplish EVERYTHING in just one year. The biggest challenge I've set for myself is to eliminate much of the global media/Internet surfing/mindless distractions from my life and only allow myself to focus on local news and community events. It's not that I don't care what is going on in the rest of the world. I have come to find it all so overwhelming to bear at times, especially when there is very little one can do to change a situation or eliminate the suffering; thus, I want instead to channel my energies to problems and projects that are relevant to our neighborhood and home township and the people who live here. I am curious to see how my life will be affected by this change in the coming months.

I have also committed to a Photo 365 (366) challenge specifically for iPhones. I still love my Canon, but truthfully when I am out and about, I prefer to use my iPhone than lug around a heavy equipment bag. The vintage photo apps are tremendously fun to explore (and reasonably priced too), and I simply love the looks of the photos I've been taking (like all seen in recent entries). Most importantly, though, iPhoneography has revitalized my interest in picture taking/making, which of course forces us to pause and step back to have another look at the world around us. And THAT is never a bad thing. :-)