In which I give up trying to post before New year and wish you all a Merry Christmas instead.
Most people who call in here are looking for some inspiration, but sadly, there is a sum total of NIL inspiration around these parts at the moment. No cooking (I've been both sick and way too busy), zilch sewing or crafting (see previous) and the garden is an almost complete disaster (the weather, pests, the weather, diseases, the weather and a lack of time available for tending).
Well, I lie, some things are still alive in the garden, but it's all Very Grim out there.
Anyway as they say, "when life hands you lemons, make lemonade..." Or, to put it another way: When vinegar flies get into your third ginger beer plant in a row and send it rancid, be thankful that it formed mother of vinegar and have a go at making white wine vinegar from Christmas party leftovers.
Oh, and make yourself a 2010 calendar featuring some of your favourite photos from your blog in 2009! At least when it's Too Awful To Face outside, I will have some inspiration inside on the kitchen wall to spur me on next year :-)
I doubt I'll be back before New Year, so thank you all for stopping by during the year and all your wonderful, positive comments which make blogging so worthwhile, I wish you all great health and happiness for the festive season :-)
Cheers,
18 comments:
Happy Christmas and New Year to you too!
The snippets of your calendar look wonderful! I love the themed pages :) If you have time (!) can you show us more? :-)
Happy Holidays and New Year to you too. Thanks for all of the lovely posts, photos and advice this year. Look forward to learning more from you in 2010! xo m.
It's all part of the 'Coycle of Loife' isn't it? How would we appreciate the up without the down? Have a great Xmas and thanks for a year of enjoyment.x
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
I dont commemt alot,but read often.
Ill look forward to your first 2010 post.
Cheers,Granny.
Hey Julie! Merry Christmas, it can be a hard time of year with all the throw away packaging and consumer-agro...i hope you survive it and totally get into some cheer!
www.littlethistles.blogspot.com
These spells happen to all of us, Julie. Go easy on yourself. The garden will perk back up when the weather cuts it some slack. Be well, and Merry Christmas & Happy New Year's to you and yours.
Catch ya next year!
I just found your blog while looking for cracker recipes. Don't feel too discouraged about the garden, I had the exact same thing happen to mine. We got a few leaves of Chinese Cabbage out of it and then everything shriveled up and died thanks to ants eating the roots. Try again and you'll learn new ways to handle the pests . . . my mom had a totally natural garden when I was growing up (obviously I didn't inherit her green thumb) and she grew enough in it to can and freeze and feed us the entire winter and spring.
I love the idea of your blog. My parents were back the land type people (though a tad late for the 60's) and so I grew up learning to do things from scratch. My dad always said that when everything comes crashing down . . . being able to grow your own food and make your own clothes will be the marketable skills and I believe he's right.
Hi Julie, Just wanted to say (from a long-time lurker and learner) that as all things come to us, so they go, good things are now cycling your way, enjoy your rest and sending you peaceful energy and love. Thanks for all your tips, they have made a big difference to me. See you in '10 when you are recharged. Margie x
LOOOOVE the calendar Julie!
Merry Xmas to you and yours. See you in 2010!
I cant tell you how glad I am that its not just me, my garden is ok but everything else is utter chaos. Pressies left til the last minute, parcels not posted, ham not glazed, pudding nowhere near as good as last year....
You are an inspiration to lots of us to try harder so just take a break and return refreshed in 2010. Merry Christmas
x Deb
Merry Christmas Julie. If it's any consolation, my garden has gone to the dogs as well. I was feeling very downhearted and hard on myself about it, but funnily enough felt better when I knew someone else was going through it too.
I think I've been starting to see a pattern over the years that things start to get a little tattered and shredded and sometimes fall apart in life right around the solstices. Maybe it's natural somehow- maybe our bodies somehow sense the extreme expansion of light (or dark) and feel somehow stressed by it and reach our limits around this time and that's why humans developed ceremonies and rituals to help get through these days....Just musing, but still definitely wishing joy for you and your family over this season. May we all feel renewed soon.
Missing your blog!! but completely with you on the Crazy holiday month! Usually when all of my carefully laid plans (garden, sewing, etc) go awry I find that it is the "universe" pushing me in another direction (and honestly I'm feeling too tired to budge :-). So I wish you rest and renewed energy and I will wait to see where y'all go next! Thank you for your wonderful blog!
I hope that 2010 brings you energy, happiness and inspiration.
Kind Regards
Belinda
Hi Julie
Just sending you my best wishes. I have enjoyed your blog all year and enjoyed checking in on you regularly. You are inspiring to me. "This too shall pass". Happy 2010. Kind regards, Nicole
Some possibly useful info on the ginger vinegar problem: my husband uses a fermentation lock when he brews beer (and first batch of mead!) and while this is inexpensive you probably have to get it from a wine/beer making supplier. He suggests that you can make your own by fitting a plastic tube into a cork. The cork seals your fermentation container and the other end of the tube goes in water. You might have to tie it in place somehow so it doesn't float out. The carbon dioxide can bubble out of the tube but the fruit flies can't get in. He also sterilizes everything that touches the brew.
Love your blog. Happy New Year!
have a great christmas and new year, your blog is going so well. i congratulate you on your hard work. it's always such an inspiration. kind regards,
kate
Thanks for such an interesting and inspiring blog. You should sell your calendar!! I'd buy one :)
I wish my garden was a tenth as good as yours. I guess I don't spend enough time in it.
Wishing you happy times for next year with your garden, family and health.
I really like the layout and content of your blog. I am into sustainability and ideas like this can be very helpful. I am going to read more of your archives.
Kindest regards,
Tom Bailey
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