Sometimes You Have To Give It Up For Winter’s Beauty

Living in the midwest it’s easy to forget that not all winter days are gloomy.  The gray becomes ubiquitous.

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So seeing sunshine and blue skies and shimmery snow out my window yesterday made me smile all day.  I could even ignore the 14ºF temperature outside.

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While it’s true that I enjoy summer’s showy colors, a February landscape dressed in neutrals is appealing, too.  It makes me feel grounded.

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I believe that sometimes you’ve got to remember to stop and enjoy what is, especially when you live somewhere where a pretty winter day is a rarity.  Yesterday, grateful am I.

My 2015: The Year Of The Recluse

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Looking at the calendar today it occurs to me that I have been remiss in not sharing with you, my gentle readers, my resolutions revolutions one word goals dreams aspirations vague ideas simple plan for the new year, 2015.

Clearly I need to get more scoot in my get-along.

[The preceding phrase is one that I don’t normally use, but I heard a football color commentator use it when talking about some player doing something, so I decided to add it to my folksy phrases repertoire.]

[Yes, I have an actual list of folksy phrases that I started about 10 years ago.  I recently rediscovered it when I took it upon myself to sort through the stuff in my desk.  Trust me, I will be referring to said list often now that I have found it.]

So here is what I’ve decided that this year will be all about for me.  I’m going to be a recluse, defined thusly as: “a person who lives a solitary life and tends to avoid other people.”

Not exactly anti-social, but non-social.  ‘Ya know?

And sometime throughout the year I might even explain why I’ve come to this decision.  But for today all I’m going to say is that I’m comfortable with the idea of spending more time by myself while pursuing my particular interests– like finding & using folksy phrases!  😉

A Revelation Upon My Return To Blogging: Snoopy Is My Spirit Animal

“My life has no purpose, no direction, no aim, no meaning, and yet I’m happy. I can’t figure it out. What am I doing right?”

~ Snoopy

I’m back.  And ready to challenge myself by continuing on with this blog, The Spectacled Bean. There were moments, while I was off in the real world doing holiday things, when I wondered if I’d return.

So easy to let this all go.

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But then my spirit animal, Snoopy, turned up among the Christmas tree decorations which we keep in boxes in the basement– and I realized that I’d missed having him around in my home office.

As inspiration. Motivation. And protection.

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Thus it came to be that the Snoop-ster and his ever faithful friend, Woodstock, once again found themselves sitting on this funky old chair which adds color to my home office.  And it is from this vantage point that Snoopy has my back once again.

Which, as you can imagine, makes me happy.  🙂

Like A Memorable Episode of M*A*S*H, I’m Bugging Out Until 2015

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Remember that M*A*S*H episode in which the 4077th bugs out?  And each character’s true nuttiness is revealed by what they hold dear as the camp is forced to move elsewhere?

Of course you do.  It’s a classic.

Well, gentle readers, looking at my schedule and commitments for the next 2 months I’ve come to realize that I’m going to be on the verge of quiet hysteria busy with decorating & dinners & shopping & parties & travel & events & gifts.

Too busy.  For an introvert like me.  [Please refer to the chart.]

Considering that I keep this blog just for the heck of it, I’ve decided to take a blogging break.  To wit, I’m going to bug out and pretend to be a holiday-obsessed, Christmas-music-loving, party girl who adores all the glitz, booze and calories associated with this time of year remain calm-ish.

Happy Happy Joy Joy, everyone.  I’ll see you next year.