a long end / a fresh start

2010 ended abruptly after quite a bit of hard work:

fall semester was a struggle, having been led into by a summer that would be an understatement to be described as having not gone according to plan.

there were times i thought i might not make it--
times i thought i might just run away screaming--
times i thought that if i just took one long, deep breath,
it might all of a sudden be over.

finals happened. i graduated.
christmas happened. i moved out of keene.

the year two thousand ten ended with an overcooked (but tasty!) pot of homemade eggnog.



2011 will be different.

you know why?
because i'm never going to let 2010 happen again.

this is a year that has started with no expectations,
but with the understanding that what happens, happens.



and you know what?

i've already spent a few days relaxing, reading, and knitting.

a great job just fell into my lap.

and today i had a lovely afternoon with a good friend, a great yoga class, and some yummy sushi... all of which i intend to experience more of in the coming months.



here's to a Happy, Healthy, Unstressful New Year,
and may peace find you when you most need it and least expect it.

delightfully met Jared Flood and his pup Luna this weekend as he taught a few workshops at Harrisville Designs.


my body feels like it is slowing down and going into hibernation mode without me ... went to a network chiropractic consultation this morning to see if some energy-redirection and adrenal supplements might help.


my lack of focus on school is spreading to my knitting and i can't focus on one project... i have about five projects that i've cast on but i can't get farther than about an inch on them before moving on to another project... this is frustrating.



but this is lovely.
(i found out today that the paisley-like motif that i like so much from indian designs is called a "boteh")


i'm so ready for thanksgiving.

baking is the new studying.

i've decided. it's an invaluable substitution!


basically i had a major paper due today,
(the second draft of my senior seminar paper)
as well as two exams, tomorrow and the next day

BUT

tomorrow also happens to be my friend kate's
BIRTHDAY!

(not to mention that my other friend kate
just brought me a 30-lb bag of carrots
from a lovely vermont farm where she works)

what to do? (was this really a question?)

i made carrot cupcakes.


(image and recipe courtesy the cupcake project)

and,
more importantly.

candied carrot spirals (!)

who cares about my exam tomorrow?!

carrot cake is brain food!
...i'm totally not worried.

i just want to be me
and be able to believe that that's enough.



i'm just feeling so sick of myself right now.

so the other day i remembered that all of my beloved jade plants were still out on my porch,

after many a night of freezing temperatures.



and now, as you can see, they are mostly dead.

here's to hoping that they come back now that i've trimmed them.