this new year

It's half way through the first month of this new year and I just remembered my "resolution" list from 2010. I told you I wasn't much for resolutions! But, as those of you who are list-lovers like myself will relate, the temptation to cross things off, is just more than one can bear. So here goes:

The 2010 list of aspirations (in no particular order, of course):

do more yoga --I've finally enrolled in a class, so yoga is happening (uninterrupted) once/week! I think that's more.

learn to make pies

build some forts --More than I can count

sew something for each girl --Well it's something-and just under the wire to boot!

canoe the Kickapoo (it's been too long) --Sadly, on to 2011's list

spend more time doing NOTHING and liking it --really, what was I thinking? Nothing??

find humor everyday, use its power like discipline --I read the book "Playful Parenting" by Lawrence Cohen. It made such good sense. I think this one is a life-lister.

grow a medicine garden --attended a "herbs for family health" workshop, lots of good ideas

follow Andy's example, practice generosity --that man is a guiding light, thank goodness he is in my everyday!

figure out photoshop --scrap it, I'm finding enough to do in iphoto

knit something for myself --well, I knit these for myself in 2009, and knit a pair for a friend in 2011, better keep it on the list.

take the girls to Lake Superior

watch a movie or two with my husband --oh geez, I think it was just two, this one and this one. Not exactly date-night material, but good for discussion and thought.

harvest and eat more wild foods --blackberries, mushrooms, red clover, nettles, red raspberry leaf, elderberry

plant trees along the driveway --that's been on the list for 5+ years, oh, what's another one?

talk less, listen more --sigh

model kindness and patience for my children --work in progress. I recently read somewhere that ninety-five percent of what we learn is through modeling, only five percent through instruction. Now that's some parental food for thought.

sew bedroom curtains --not to be for 2010, but a little studio space for me is in the works...so it's bound to happen in 2011?

have friends over more ---I just couldn't bring myself to cross that out, though I do think we accomplished it. We hope to have many more days and nights of good friends and good food in this home.

let go of fears --leave the best for last did I? Hello old friend. See you in 2011.

Looking toward 2011 I'm thinking that list can hold pretty steady. Lots there to still work on, or to continue (I'm super eager to plant and harvest more medicinal herbs, and there has just got to be more crafting on the horizon). We are continually inspired to produce more than buy, and create more than spend. That keeps the list good and healthy.

Here's wishing you joyful work and play in the year to come.

Postscript: My dad gave me a hard time for not crossing out everything I accomplished (so, now you know why I am how I am). I explained that the things that I did accomplish, that I have photo documentary on, I highlighted with a link. You got that right? Besides I had to actually learn a little html to get those few lines to have a strike-through. Geez, I should have put "learn html" on my list!