makes me happy

New Year’s Eve

I love treating NYE as a mostly regular night.

It feels like mixing the magical and the mundane to be journaling and drawing while people set off fireworks.

I’m not usually a fan of the saying ‘start as you mean to go on’ because I don’t usually know how I want to go on but this time I am certain:

I plan to spend this year going easy on myself and doing things on my own terms.

That works for this evening and it works for 2025.

A relaxed Monday is strange but good

Last Monday, I was still getting things ready for Christmas. I was running errands and picking up gifts and making mental lists.

This Monday, I am sitting in a comfy chair covered in a blanket, reading and drinking tea.

I have stuff to do later, but it’s mostly things I’ve chosen to do today instead of at another time.

So, the idea of a relaxed Monday is kind of weird, but the practice of a relaxed Monday is pretty damn good.

I’m pretty sure Khalee agrees.

A dog snoozes in a chair
A photo of my light haired, medium sized dog, Khalee, snoozing on an oversized burgundy leather armchair. There is a Christmas wall-hanging of a lit red candle and a poinsettia and leaves on the wall above the chair back.

Seen on Today’s Walk

We’ve had a dusting of snow a few times this past week (including Xmas day- yay!) and I was delighted to see the trees lightly frosted today.

It’s like icing sugar on a treat.

A photo of trees and long grass lightly covered in snow.
Image description: a photo of evergreen trees and some long, yellowed grass. The trees are dusted with snow and there is snow on the ground with the grass sticking out of it.

Repurposing

Maybe 10 or 12 years ago I bought this hat that I really like.

It’s a black beanie with a quote from Neil Gaiman on it ‘Make Good Art.’* He’s not the only person to ever say that, of course, but it’s part of a longer quote and I bought the hat from his website so it works for me.

Except that it doesn’t work for me.

Well, the quote works for me and the idea of it on a bay works for me but the hat itself?

It’s teeny.

It was supposed to be one size fits all but it doesn’t fit me.

So, I have been moving it around from storage spot to storage spot for years. I don’t want to part with it but I can’t wear it.

Recently, though, I brewed some tea in a smallish teapot and needed to finish something before I could sit down, drink tea, and read.

My other tea cozy is for a much larger pot so I didn’t want to use that. This teeny hat came to mind and suddenly I had solved two problems.

A black beanie with white text that reads ‘Make Good Art’ - Neil Gaiman. It appears to be standing on its own on my wooden table but it is actually serving as a tea cozy for my small teapot.?
A black beanie with white text that reads ‘Make Good Art’ – Neil Gaiman. It appears to be standing on its own on my wooden table but it is actually serving as a tea cozy for my small teapot.

*I also approve of making bad art, or any art at all. The process is way more important to me than the results are.

Not a storm yet

There is a winter storm warning here today.

But so far the snow is just falling gently and it hasn’t even started blowing around.

It’s really perfect weather for walking the dog.

. A dog walking on a snowy path.
Image description: Khalee, my dog, is at the bottom of the photo ahead of her is a snowy path with snow covered evergreens and leafless trees on both sides of it.