Positively A New Year!

 by Mauverneen

Searching online for something, I came across this. It's a 100 year old magazine cover from the Country Gentleman. I thought it quite appropriate. Exactly what 2020 deserves. Keep reading for a look back, forward, and a little history on New Years.

       Just two more days and 2020 is history! Good Riddance, I say. I don't know of anyone who is sorry to see it go. I hope none of you were sick with the virus, or that you lost anyone close to you. Personally, I know several people that had it - two of them with severe cases - but thankfully, all have pulled through. I hope with all my heart that we can get back to 'gathering' at some point and in some fashion this coming year. Family gatherings have been few and far between for most of us, and - odd. Outdoors we can keep our distance; indoors, well, I think we each have dealt with that  a bit differently.

        Realistically, I don't have too much hope for the next couple of months, but I am keeping a positive outlook on spring, summer, and fall. There are events I hope to attend, and places I want to go, and people I want to see. I can't wait to say hello - and maybe even share a hug, if we're allowed. It will be good to feel social again. 

     March was originally the first month in the old Roman calendar, January became the first month of the calendar year around 450 BC. The month of January is named after the Roman god of doors, Janus, because this month is the door into the new year. Janus is also called the two-faced god, supposedly possessing the ability to see the into the past and into the future. Most of us typically look both ways - backwards and forwards - on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. I think there will be a lot more of that this year. Looking back into 2020, I know I will never forget it. What a disaster! 

      Looking ahead into 2021 I think most of us are doing so with faith, and hope, and expectations of, if not 'normal-as-we-knew-it, at least a 'transition' back to that lovely 'normal'.

     May 2021 bring us all a little comfort and a lot of joy!     

As always, words and photos are my own, and require permission to reprint.

However, feel free to share the blog in it's entirety. In fact, I encourage it!

Interested in photo prints? Contact me! maureenblevins@yahoo.com

See more photos at http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-mauverneen-blevins.html

and visit my website:  mauveonthemove.com

Positively Sneaky Christmas

 by Mauverneen

Christmas is in a few days.

How is it that Christmas always manages to sneak up on us?  We all know it's coming, we count down the months, then the days. We have a whole year to get ready for it. And yet...

At the last minute it's always OhMyGodChristmasisnextweek! Christmasisthisweek! 

I know there are people out there who have it all under control. I'm not one of them. I have good intentions, I really do. During the year I'll see something in a shop, on the internet, and think 'Oh, so and so would love that!' And then, generally, it falls to the back of my mind. Until about a week before Christmas and then I regretfully wish I had bought it and I'm scrambling to find something equally fitting. 

This year - the year of Covid (ugh!) - has been especially hard. I haven't really been anywhere to pick up anything unique and I certainly don't feel like mingling with the hoards of masked shoppers - not that there are many stores to even shop at these days. Actually I might feel safe with all those masks - fewer germs of any kind are being spread. I have spent more time on the internet than I should have, but it's like any other shopping trip - I find more for myself than I do for anyone else. I've been trying to talk my family into a self-exchange - you buy something for yourself and tell the other person "Look! This is what you got me. Thank you! I love it!" And they do the same. No more wrong sizes, colors, not-my-taste, exchanging things at the mall only to find they are out of everything. The perfect gift.

Ah well. 

May you all have a lovely Christmas!

 

Positively Reaping the Harvest

 by Mauverneen

It's that time of year when the gardens are over- producing. If you're not giving it away, then it's time to 'put it up'. My zucchini plants for some reason have not done well this year or last. But my cucumbers did surprisingly well (for me) and my tomatoes - wow! They usually do pretty well, but they have never grown so tall as they have this year. They are at least 5 ft high, bent over due to their heavy load of fruit. Green beans always do well for me, and peppers this year are also producing at an impressive rate. 

My youngest daughter has never planted a vegetable garden before this year, but new home, new space, and of course, lots of time on her hands led her to put in a few plants. I have never seen cucumbers like hers. I guess she got the prolific plants of the litter. So...we made pickles. She wanted to learn how to can. I'm so happy and proud of her for that. From her little cucumber patch we got 11 pints and 2 quarts of pickles! Then, on her own, she canned another 11 bottles! Did I say prolific plants?

This week we're going to can tomatoes. Stewed tomatoes specifically. 

Canning always takes me back to my childhood. My grandparents had a basement, with a stove, where all their canning was done. I do mine in my kitchen. It was the kids' jobs to wash the vegetables and I specifically recall scrubbing cucumbers. I can still feel the cold water, and the brush, and those little black nubs that I washed off. The smells during canning were always delicious. Except for beets. To this day my stomach curdles at the smell of beets. But tomatoes...

I have to go put the water on to boil.

As always, words and photos are my own, and require permission to reprint.

However, feel free to share the blog in it's entirety. In fact, I encourage it!

Interested in photo prints? Contact me! maureenblevins@yahoo.com

See more photos at http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-mauverneen-blevins.html

and visit my website:  mauveonthemove.com

Positively Settled

by Mauverneen

So - how's everybody doing?

The past few months have seemed to stretch on endlessly, yet here we are at the end of July. I don't know about you but I still haven't accomplished all I could have, or should have, what with all the extra time on my hands. But I have made it through a few projects, so there is some progress.

I still take my coffee outside most mornings and watch the birds. I usually leave the camera in the house as I already have way too many pictures of them. The deer come by once in a while, and that's always nice!

I've also had a few people over recently. We can sit outdoors, keep our 6 foot distance and still have a wonderful time. I like the cooler days. The hot, humid, miserable ones are not so fun, it's better inside, in the a.c. so can't have anyone over those days. We still feel more comfortable outdoors.

I have my grocery shopping routine too. I shop online and do curbside pick up. I have been to the grocery store exactly one time since February. It was ok. It was early in the day and there probably were only three other shoppers.

I feel like I can relax a bit, and then... One of my sons-in-law and my daughter had to be tested. Negative, thank God. I found out yesterday that a couple, another daughter's in-laws, both have it. So far they feel 'wiped out'. I hope that's as bad as it gets for them.

Baseball is back! It's fun to be able to watch the games. I can't really watch the news much, it would drive me crazy, and everything else is reruns it seems. I used to love to read.  I have a stack of books on my bedside table to get through, but lately just can't seem to pick up a book. Anybody else?

So it goes. Settling in to new routines. Sometimes good, sometimes missing the old ones. Life goes on.

Stay healthy!

As always, words and photos are my own, and require permission to reprint.

However, feel free to share the blog in it's entirety. In fact, I encourage it!

Interested in photo prints? Contact me! maureenblevins@yahoo.com

See more photos at http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-mauverneen-blevins.html

and visit my website:  mauveonthemove.com

Positively - Visitors!

by Mauverneen

fAWWWns

I had these two early morning visitors the other day. They're curious, and stare at me as I stare at them. I don't know of anything much cuter than little fawns. They just look so sweet.

Every year there seem to be a pair of them. Sometimes they show up with mom, sometimes by themselves. They like to play, racing around the open space, chasing each other and just looking happy. They are a joy to watch.

There's always that one... One always seems to be more timid, hanging back while the other comes forward. That one that gets it's nose into things, is more curious, more adventurous, braver, bolder. I like that one. I cheer it on. Perhaps because I've never been that one. But I'm learning.

As always, words and photos are my own, and require permission to reprint.

However, feel free to share the blog in it's entirety. In fact, I encourage it!

Interested in photo prints? Contact me! maureenblevins@yahoo.com

See more photos at http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-mauverneen-blevins.html

and visit my website:  mauveonthemove.com

Positively Gifted

by Mauverneen

Yesterday morning I found this feather. It was centered on a chair by my back door. It seemed like a gift.

Most mornings after I've taken my dog out and fed the birds I come sit in this chair. I sit and watch birds, or deer, or just enjoy a cup of coffee and relish the stillness and the quiet of early morning.

This chair is up against the house, under the overhang. It's not out in the open where an unexpected feather might happen to land. So to find this one, so perfectly placed, was surprising. Some people believe in signs, or spiritual messages, but nothing obvious comes to mind. I wish it did.

I love feathers. I love finding them. I admit to saving the pretty ones, or the big ones, or the unusual ones. I have quite the collection. Nothing exotic mind you, just a handful of discarded feathers that I like. It seemed like a gift. I wish I knew from who.

As always, words and photos are my own, and require permission to reprint.

However, feel free to share the blog in it's entirety. In fact, I encourage it!

Interested in photo prints? Contact me! maureenblevins@yahoo.com

See more photos at http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-mauverneen-blevins.html

and visit my website:  mauveonthemove.com