It has been a very busy and productive week! Some unexpected projects are now complete and I feel like is has been a rich 7 days since our last Saturday Meanderings. Thank you for joining me today as we chat about all good things this week!

Valentine’s Day, Arizona’s Birthday, Ash Wednesday

This week is chock-a-block full of holidays, especially this past Wednesday. I hope you did something special on Valentine’s Day with either a spouse, friend, children or the myriad of people in our lives that we love. Typically we host a Valentine dinner party, but this year, it is just my husband and I, which actually felt extra special.

Delicious steaks, arugula salad (with fresh arugula from a neighbor’s garden) with a lemon vinaigrette, roasted cauliflower for two made the perfect VD dinner.

February 14th is also Arizona’s state birthday, now 112 years old. Our home was built in 1912, the same year Arizona became a state. What makes this interesting for us is that the owner of our home at that time, Everett Ellinwood was also integral in writing the Arizona constitution and actually ran for the first governor’s seat (and lost).

In the Christian tradition, Ash Wednesday, also on February 14th this year, marks the start of the holy season of Lent, a time for reflection and repentance in preparation for the celebration of Easter. Needless to say a very busy holiday week.

Painting Project

I did spend last weekend painting the art room in Dunn Edwards Cottage White. With an entire gallon in my paint stash, it would be wasteful not to use it. The trim (baseboards, crown molding, window and fireplace) are already painted Cottage White so getting the walls to be the same color is an easy decision.

Goodbye goldenrod yellow and hello creamy white. Honestly, I did like having color on the walls but for my art room, where I will be hopefully painting more, the walls are much brighter. I will do a full post on the re-do once the room is all put together.

My Stuffed Hen painting

In removing all the canvases from the art room, I find some of my earlier paintings that are, shall I say, a bit rough. At one first year art class, I took an old shedding stuffed rooster (not even sure how it is in my possession) and attempted to paint it with a bowl of eggs.

Instead of tossing it or painting over it, this original is perfect for the hen house! I put it under glass because the hen house gets a bit dusty with all the hay. It looks nice in its new home.

Spring is in the Air

Even though the mornings here are so chilly, the days are getting warmer. The first sign of spring in our yard is when the peach tree puts out its first blooms.

In addition the birds (and the bees) are out in force. Even though I mentioned this before, you must get the Merlin Bird ID app by Cornell Laboratories. It is completely free and you can record the bird sounds in your yard, or when you travel, and a list of birds magically appears on your phone.

Here are all the birds that are chirping in my yard this week. Such a great app and you can find the information here.

Spring Garden

Just yesterday, I finally removed all the frost protection from my garden beds. Our mornings are still nippy but I am hoping we are past freezing temperatures. Some surprises~my huge tomato plants sustained frost damage on the top, but many healthy green branches and leaves remain. When I last checked, the tomatoes were green and growing. Look how many have started ripening now!

Our winter tomatoes are not as flavorful as the spring/summer ones, but they are certainly better than anything you can find in the grocery store! Looking forward to cleaning out the old and planting new for the spring.

Last Call for All Things Lemon

There are only 2 spots left to the All Things Lemon class on Saturday, February 24th. With the weather getting warmer, it will be so delightful to gather on the back terrace. You can click on the link here to register. I will be closing the registration on February 20th or when the last two slots are filled.

Why Do My Hardboiled Eggs have a Green Ring around the Yolk

I love following Lisa, from Fresh Eggs Daily. She lives in Maine, raises chickens and ducks, has written 6 books and hosts her own television show. When I have a chicken question I generally will search her website for an answer.

Recently, she writes a post about that green ring often found in hard boiled eggs. Since I didn’t know the answer to this, I found her post very informative. If you would like to learn more, you can find it here.

Mary’s Must Haves and Updates

Lately I am focusing on natural health remedies. I don’t know about you but I am so tired of all those pharmaceutical commercials advertising a pill or vaccine for everything (and hearing the litany of bad side effects). Granted, some medications necessary, but when did we become a society where we believe a pill cures everything?

Please know I am not referring to serious illnesses here. I am a believer that the world is full of germs and viruses and we should be taking a more active role in building our own immune systems.

Living on a 112 year old property, I think many of our original plants and trees were sourced, not only for their beauty, but possibly for their medicinal value.

Olive Leaf Extract

In doing some research, I discover that the leaves of olive trees can be used as an extract, tea or powder. We have lots of olive trees and am drying the leaves for tea. However, you can purchase the extract~which has the amazing benefits:

The antioxidants in olive leaf extract are mainly polyphenols. From WebMD: Scientists believe these plant-based nutrients play a role in preventing conditions like cognitive decline, cancer, and osteoporosis, heart disease, and Parkinson’s. This extract also lower blood sugar and helps prevent LDL (bad) cholesterol from building up in your arteries. Olive leaf extract may also reduce the severity and duration of upper respiratory infections. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and anti-microbial effects. Wow.

Surprisingly, I’ve never heard of this before now. Olive leaf extract comes in both liquid and capsule form. I am taking 20 drops (recommended is 30-40 drops) in a glass of water daily to see if it improves my cholesterol level and my cognitive functions. Over time, I will work my way up to more drops; I don’t mind the taste either.

Naturally if you have any underlying health issues, always consult your physician before taking any supplement.

Soil Test Kit

I never used to test our soil before planting my garden. Using our own compost (see that post here) seems to suffice, but I find when I do a soil test, I am a bit surprised by the results.

My recommendation is getting a soil testing kit is well worth it. My Soil Testing Kit is 17% off at $29.99 right now on Amazon. Whether you are planting now or in a few months, you may want to consider getting one. It takes about a week to get a report after you have sent in your soil samples.

Queen of Hungary’s water Update

As mentioned before, I did buy Karen’s Botanicals Queen of Hungary’s water. First of all, there is a very strong vinegar smell. In some of the reviews, users indicate if you make it yourself, there is more of a rose water scent.

However, I must say my skin feels very clean and tightened after use. Instead of using both morning and evening, I am only using it in the evening. The description of the product states that it restores the pH of the skin and it helps improve dryness, flakiness and inflammation. Since using it (about a month), my skin feels great. Will it help me look decades younger? Time will tell. Wouldn’t that be nice!

That’s a wrap. Looking forward to sharing the photos with you next week from the All Things Lemon class. Enjoy the long Presidents’ Day weekend. Do you have any special plans?

As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. My blog may contain other affiliate links but not all links have affiliations. I truly love to share products that I have personally tried and highly recommend. If you connect with a product through a link on my blog (and if I am an affiliate) I may receive a very small stipend.

Even though the ground hog states we are getting an early spring, it still feels like winter here~cold, rainy, and windy. Below is a stunning picture my neighbor shared of a rainbow after Wednesday’s storm. The mountains are getting lots of snow and with this colder weather, soups and stews are on the menu every day. Happy weekend and welcome to another edition of Saturday Meanderings, where we chat about all good things.

Baby Chicks

After 3 plus weeks in a cage on the breakfast room table, the 15 new chickens are ready to go out to the hen house. Baby chicks are so cute the first week or so, but by week 3 they get a little fragrant.

Since we designed the hen house (see hen house post here) to have a separate section for new chickens, we did some work this week getting it ready for their arrival.

In this section of the hen house, all the hay is removed and the floor, roosting perch and laying boxes are thoroughly cleaned using a steam cleaner. This small portable one is perfect for this task. To learn more about this steam cleaner, click here.

Now clean and with fresh hay, half of the hen house is ready for the new flock. Of course their first night the temperatures dropped to freezing, but with the help of heat lamps, the chicks stay cozy.

Piano Lessons

Yes, it is true I am taking piano lessons. Years ago, I took a few lessons with our children’s piano teacher, Miss Eva. She is so remarkable, as a vibrant 85 year old. Am hoping that learning musical notes, scales and scores will keep my brain healthy.

We have a beautiful piano and it will be nice to use it again.

Unscheduled Project

The sitting room off of the master bedroom and home office has been a makeshift art studio for me (see that blog post here). Located on one end of the room is a rather large day bed, purchased many years ago. Is it ever used? No. But trying to get it out of this relatively small room is a complete pain in the butt.

For some reason this week, I decide I want this day bed out. In doing so, I realize this room is a mess. It’s time to repaint the walls, clear out the clutter and try to make it a real office/art studio for me. Have you ever started a project and wish you hadn’t?

Now the enormous day bed is sitting in our upstairs hall as we debate what to do with it. Since it’s hardly been used it is in excellent condition.

In the meantime I will paint goldenrod colored walls to something more neutral this weekend. Hope to show you some good before and after photos soon.

Trying New Recipes for the All Things Lemon class

I am having such fun experimenting with lemon and citrus recipes, in anticipation of the All Things Lemon class on Saturday, February 24th. There are only a few spots left so if you are interested please sign up now.

You will leave the class with my favorite lemon recipes and your own jars of limoncello and preserved lemons. If you want to get a sense of what a class here at Bella Terra looks like, check out this week’s post on our Valentine cookie decorating class here.

Did You Know?

I am familiar with companies like Stitch Fix and Rent the Runway but I wasn’t aware of Amazon’s Prime Try Before You Buy. Prime Try Before You Buy is a Prime-exclusive program where you can try eligible items from women’s, men’s, kids’, and baby clothing, shoes, and accessories before you buy them. You have seven days to try the items at home and you are only charged for the items you keep.

However, for an extra fee of $4.99 per use, you can have access to Prime Personal Shopper and allows you to work with Amazon’s stylists to find wardrobe pieces that fit your taste and budget.

If you’re looking for a wardrobe overhaul or to refine your personal style, enlisting the help of someone with styling expertise can take a lot of the pressure off when shopping for clothes online. Or if you are like me, I am not fond of clothes shopping.

The Difference between Prime Personal Shopper and Prime Try Before You Buy

Prime Try Before You Buy, unlike Prime Personal Shopper, is free as part of an Amazon Prime subscription and is available to all Prime members. The service allows you to do more or less the same things as Personal Shopper, including curating a selection of clothes, shoes, and accessories based on a survey and your selected preferences. The big difference lies in the absence of a stylist to help guide your selections or curate.

Has any one tried this? I have a question into Amazon on how one signs up for the Prime Personal Shopper as it isn’t intuitive when you go to their website. It seems like you will need to use the Amazon app? Will let you know how they respond.

From the Internet

I love finding beautifully designed spaces. Beth Webb, internationally known interior designer, is known for her serene and elegant style. If you feel stressed, just look through the portfolio of photos on her website.

Mary’s Must Haves

For the Face…

I have mentioned this product before and I did reorder it this week. Colorscience Total Protection Brush-on Sunscreen is something I use EVERY day. In lieu of face powder, I brush this on and enjoy the SPF 50 protection.

Yes, it is not an inexpensive sunscreen but the last time I ordered this was January 2023~13 months ago. If you amortize the cost over time, the initial price of $69.00 ($65.55 if you subscribe), equals approximately 17 cents per day. A bargain to protect your skin from sunspots or worse, skin cancer. I have never seen it on sale either. It comes in multiple skin tone colors. You can find it here.

Speaking of taking care of your skin, my dermatologist recommend I use La Roche-Posay Vitamin C anti-aging face serum to visibly brighten and smooth uneven skin tone and those dastardly wrinkles. Groan. After using her sample packets I just received my first bottle of serum this week. Hoping for good results.

Does anyone use a Vitamin C serum? I sure miss those days when I only used soap and water on my face.

For the Body

I exercise 5 days a week always live in yoga pants and workout tops. Truly, my inventory is old and so pathetic. Instead of looking like a ragamuffin, I finally purchase 3 new pairs of yoga pants in plum, olive green and blue. A bit of a color is a stretch for me as I tend to wear black and gray.

I am sporting the plum ones as I write this post and I like them~especially the high. thick waist and the pocket for your phone. Great color selection and are on sale (17% off) at a reasonable $24.99. They are very comfortable and hopefully will wash well. Makes me feel a bit dressed up! Ha!

Last Saturday, one of my subscribers, Corrine, commented about using Vital Proteins and how they have helped her. Do you supplement your diet with collagen peptides? I started using Vital Proteins about 4 years ago. Within 3 months, I noticed less popping sounds in my joints. Also my hair appears thicker too. Collagen peptides are great for your skin, nails, joints and hair.

Every morning I put two scoops into my coffee (equally 20 grams of protein) or hot beverage and it’s part of my daily routine.

There are so many different brands and flavors, but I use the regular, unflavored 24 oz.Vital Proteins. A new Vital Proteins Advanced is available too. Here is a link to a page that has several brands/flavors/sizes.

Occasionally, Costco will have the 24 oz. Vital Proteins marked down and limits the number of containers you can buy. That’s when we generally stock up so we always have it on hand.

Wishing you a happy weekend. I will be painting as it is supposed to be raining all day Saturday with chilly temperatures. Would much rather be curled up with a book by the fire, but the art studio calls.

Cleaning your upholstery is a perfect indoor project, especially during winter weather. Even though cleaning upholstery is not on my small or big project list this year, it is out of pure embarrassment that forces me to tackle this project. We are talking seriously grubby chairs. A wet, cold and rainy day in February seems to be the perfect time to do so.

A Garage Sale Find

Back in April 2021, I purchase 4 upholstered Parsons chairs for $50 from my neighbor’s yard sale. They are the perfect size around my dining room table, unfortunately they are very stained and the wrong fabric. In my post, Using Slipcovers, I find perfect perfect white twill ones from Ballard Designs. If you are looking for slipcovers like these, they are on sale right now at Ballard Design for $55.20 (marked down from $69.00). Note they also come in other colors. Make sure you measure your chair as these slipcovers fit perfectly on my Parsons chairs.

Procrastinate Cleaning

I don’t know why I didn’t take the time initially to clean the original chair fabric. But I didn’t and instead, put the brand new white slipcovers on and forget about it. Time passes and each time I remove the slipcovers for washing, I lament how I really need to clean the original upholstery.

After the busy holidays, it’s time to remove and wash all the white slipcovers on the dining room chairs…..and finally get all the stains out of the plaid chairs.

Spot Treating First

I spot treat the stains and let the solution sit for 3-5 minutes. With a brush, I scrub the area and this seems to make the actual cleaning easier. You can use Spray and Wash or any spot cleaner, like Resolve.

Best Investment Ever

A few years ago, we bought the Bissell Little Green machine and I can honestly say, it is the best decision. It has paid for itself time and time again. Here’s what I love about it: 1) it’s rather small so easy to store; 2)so simple to use and the directions are easy to understand; 3) instant results at home; 4) anyone can do this and you do not have to hire someone to clean your upholstered furniture.

One plastic container on the machine holds the cleaning fluid and the other captures the dirty, discarded water that is sucked from the fabric.

The Bissell Little Green machine, in addition to cleaning upholstery, also works on cleaning up spills and pet messes from carpets. To see how it cleans up a red wine stain on one of the pool house chairs, click here.

Right now, the price, on Amazon is $123.59. However, if you buy it direct from Bissell, the machine, OXY spot & stain remover and an OXY Pet Boost for $129.21 (go to website and search Little Green). Plus Bissell donates to their foundation for homeless pets.

Clean Chairs, Finally

Within a short period of time, I am able to clean 4 yellow plaid Parson chairs, the two white upholstered dining chairs and one large club chair in the family room. It takes a few hours for the fabric to dry but it is amazing how clean they look.

Though this is a completely unscheduled project, it is perfect to do this in February on a gloomy, rainy winter day.

With freshly washed chair slipcovers, the dining room is now sparkling clean.

Sunbrella fabric cushions

Before hosting the Valentine Cookie Decorating Class, I find the outdoor cushions on the back terrace are also stained and unattractive. Since we hold classes on this same covered back porch, I add these cushions to my cleaning regime.

The outdoor furniture is a bit protected from the elements because this porch is covered. However, these cushions are sometimes exposed to dust storms, driving rain and just plain dust. During the nice weather here, we entertain frequently in this space, so beverage spills and food stains also occur.

Here is what the sofa cushions look like after a quick cleaning. What a difference! Does anyone know if you are supposed to treat Sunbrella fabric with a protectant? I’ve never done it.

Though I consider my home relatively clean, like anything else, there are parts that require extra attention. So happy to get this unscheduled project done!

Happy February, Groundhog Day and welcome to the first Saturday Meanderings of this month. February 2024…wow. Who remembers the year 2000 like it was yesterday? That was 24 years ago! As life continues to just fly on by, my attempt at slow living is truly failing. Here we are with another month starting and it’s time to chat about all good things this week for Saturday Meanderings.

Add Touches of Pink

This week, I am adding touches of pink to the house to celebrate the month of love. I treat myself to a new wreath for the front door from TwoInspireYou. I first found them initially on Etsy and they make wreaths of various widths. With a 4 foot wide front door, standard wreaths look a bit puny so it nice that they create wreaths up to 30 inches wide.

These are not inexpensive wreaths, but they are a very good quality and last a long time. I purchased an autumn wreath from them several years ago and it looks as good as the day I received it. Granted, you need to store them properly, but I find these wreaths a good, long term investment.

The pink peony wreath with greenery comes in a hot pink, paler pink or a white flower. For Valentine’s Day, I add a few yarn hearts to pick up the colors from the nearby lighter pink geraniums. A few pots of more pink geraniums are in the wicker basket on my blue beach cruiser.

Fireplace Garland

Do you remember the Valentine’s garland I made a few years ago? That’s up this week on both the dining room and breakfast room fireplace mantels.

What’s nice about this garland is that once you make it, you can use it year to year. Paper heart garland DIY here. Yarn heart garland DIY here. Each year I try and mix it up with something else-like this pearl button garland.

Why not find a fun or unusual container to hold your heart-shaped candies? This Cambridge Rose Point footed mayonnaise bowl with etched depression glass is from the 1920s. I never use it for mayonnaise so may as well use it here.

Are you putting up any decorative touches for Valentine’s Day?

More Progress

This week I am able to check off 3 items on the 2024 Small Project List~woohoo! Though I cannot take credit for this one, I am thrilled that our side green gate near the rose garden is finally painted. It looks so nice and fresh. A relatively easy project with a great impact! Though the picture doesn’t reflect that actual deep and rich blackish green of the door, it still looks good!

Valentine Cookie Decorating Class

The class is full and we will be creating gorgeous Valentine cookies today! I’m a little worried about the weather because the temperatures have dipped out of the pleasant 70s to the 50s. But we have heaters on the back terrace so hopefully everyone will be comfortable. Will take lots of pictures and share with you next week.

From the Internet

I just discovered Drew Michael Scott from Lone Fox Home on Instagram. Truth be told, I try not to spend any time on my phone unless I have to, but this young man is so incredibly talented I watch all his videos. He recently purchased a 1929 small Spanish style home and on a budget and with amazing creativity, he is transforming it into a one of a kind living space.

He finds bargains on Facebook Marketplace and has a great eye for detail. What I like is that he is true to his taste and not following the latest trends. Drew is an inspiration as his ideas and techniques are not typical, but very innovative. You can find him on Instagram @lonefoxhome (where you see him in action) or his website here (which sells his products).

My friend, Stacy from Bricks ‘n Blooms has written her FIRST book and it will be releasing on February 6th. Stacy is a phenomenal gardener and her flower beds are magazine worthy. Here’s what Amazon has to say about this book:

In this incredibly comprehensive and gorgeously photographed guide, master gardener Stacy Ling helps aspiring green thumbs achieve success with her easy-to-grow, easy-care, and low maintenance approach to growing beautiful flowers.   

I have preordered mine and you can see it here. Let’s help out a budding new author and get lots of books sold! Fabulous gift to a gardener!

Speaking of flowers and seeds, my sweet friend, Kim from Shiplap and Shells shares a recent post on the viability of seeds. If you are like me, I try and plant seeds that I find several years later and wonder why they didn’t grow? See Kim’s informative Flower Seed Viability Chart here.

Mary’s Must Haves

Lately, in the afternoon I am enjoying a hot cup of tea. However, I am unable to find this tea on the supermarket shelves. It is available online and I highly recommend it. Twining Earl Grey with Lavender is delicious. Of course I add a few things like honey, a small amount of vanilla extract before I steep the tea bag in hot water. Then I top it with some steamed oat milk (any milk with do). You can find this yummy tea here.

First Saturday Lime

Even though I have shared this before, I cannot say enough good things about this product. It is the ONLY thing that gets rid of those nasty worms that eat my geraniums. It was probably over a year ago I first applied it and didn’t see one worm for months. The package recommends you apply it monthly and First Saturday Lime is a healthy alternative to pesticides.

Plus this product does many things~ from increasing soil pH to turning hydrangeas pink. You can use it with horses, chickens and even as a whitewash. Pretty amazing and a 20 lb bag runs about $32.00. If you follow me on Instagram @lifeatbellaterra, I did a reel this week demonstrating how I use this product. You can find it here.

Perfect Hostess Gift

If you are looking for a Valentine gift or hostess gift for February, isn’t this an attractive cocktail shaker set? I own a few products from this company and so far the quality and performance has been great. This entire set is only $24.99 and includes a 24 oz. shaker with a built-in strainer, a double sided jigger and a muddler mixing spoon. See it here.

Help for my Knee

Decades ago, due to a bad skiing accident, I severed my ACL and significantly injured the other two ligaments in my left knee. Three surgeries and a full year recovery, I am happy to say I do not walk with a limp. However, lately my knee is slightly swollen and creating a bit of a fuss.

I am looking at this ice pack wrap as perhaps a solution to minimize the pain. Does anyone use a product like this? Coldest Knee Ice Pack Wrap can be used for both hot and cold therapy. This reusable compression is best for Meniscus Tear, Injury Recovery, Bursitis Pain Recovery, Sprains, Swelling and Rheumatoid Arthritis. It’s on my list of things to buy and you can find it here.

That’s a wrap! Have a beautiful weekend and whatever you do, stay warm and safe.

As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. My blog may contain other affiliate links but not all links have affiliations. I truly love to share products that I have personally tried and highly recommend.

Here we go, another new year! Do you change your behavior or make resolutions? Does the month of January mean a new start? After an indulgent Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year, this month is a time for me to reset. I am ready to eat a cleaner diet and get back into a healthier routine. There is something to be said for having structure in one’s every day life. Happy New Year to you and yours!

The Concept of Time

I clearly remember how time, especially during grade school, felt like it dragged on forever. Why does time go so slow when we are younger, and speed up when we are older? Perhaps the older I get, the more I value time and want to live more intentionally.

Theme for the Year

Some people pick a word or theme for the year. Last year my theme was financial austerity~trying to get a better understanding of where money goes and spending wisely. Not sure I completely accomplished that but I feel like I have a better handle on that responsibility. But this year, I am going back to basics.

For years, as a corporate executive, I faithfully kept a Franklin Press Daily planner. But the last few years, I played life by ear. I prefer to be organized and focused on accomplishing things so I am back to using a daily planner. Not just for work but also for pleasure. It seems I do not schedule enough personal time for me in my life and I’d like to course correct that in 2024.

Ann from On Sutton Place offers an attractive 2024 planner that you can download if you are a subscriber. In addition, there are weekly planning sheets that I have set up behind each monthly calendar. Simply put it all into a 1″ view binder and you have your planner for the year.

If you don’t want to download this planner, check out this very pretty and cheerful one from Rifle Paper Company. It’s a 17 month calendar and on sale now for $21.60. I actually might order one because it looks like the perfect size for traveling. Click on the link here.

Holiday Projects in January

One of the goals this year is to put our holiday decorations away in an organized manner. Not everyone organizes the same way and it can be challenging if two people, with totally different organizational systems, store the holiday stuff.

For years, I would put all the holidays items away and knew exactly where everything was. But now that my husband is helping, he has his own system~which looks very different from mine. The hope is that we can find common ground and create an organizational system that will work for both of us.

Another project is updating the holiday card address list. This is one task that I must do right after the holidays or I’m scrambling next November. Each card’s address will be cross checked with what I have on file for next year’s mailing list. Cards are not inexpensive and I certainly do not like getting one back with an undeliverable stamp due to an outdated or bad address.

Since we use Minted for our holiday card production, they have an online address assistant where we input our mailing addresses. It is so easy to update and any changes to this list are made electronically.

Annual Projects~both Big and Small

For those of you who own an older or historic home, you realize the house projects are never quite done. This week I am creating 2 project lists for the year~one for bigger projects (those that will take several days) to small projects (those that can be accomplished in a few hours).

My goal is to complete one big project per month and at least one, hopefully 2+ smaller projects per week.

A Focus on Health

Fortunately, I am blessed with good health. In the past my only trips to a doctor would include an annual (or every 3 years) physical. Anything in between would fall under an urgent or emergency visit (like my shattered big toe). However, since my unexpected kidney stone in October, the last two months are filled with follow-up medical visits, even though I feel perfectly fine.

Each visit, quite frankly, has been awful. Long delays, unnecessary tests, rude employees and the answer to my many questions is “well, you are getting older.” My health goals in 2024 are to be so healthy that I never need to see a doctor, strengthen my immune system so I do not get sick even when around others who are, and continue exercising and eating well.

Who’s with me?

Scheduling some Creative Time

On my new 2024 planner, I am marking out time on Fridays for painting. I love to paint but haven’t really done anything since 2022. The only painting I did in 2023 is a watercolor Valentine’s dinner invitation and a watercolor class with my friend, Tevia.

My art room is a bit of a mess which will take some organizing, but the goal is to paint 4 days a month and challenge myself to both bigger and smaller canvases too. Here is the only large canvas I have painted to date (in 2022).

I start this Friday and am looking forward to outlining subject matter and picking up a paintbrush.

Please share your hopes and dreams for 2024! I’m planning on it being a very good year.