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Friday, January 1, 2010

Effective

I don't believe I've met one single person that will miss 2009 - way beyond the normal "Boy, I'm glad that's over." I can't even count how many people I know who were very blessed (me included) by the year, but also very challenged. Wandering Gecko said it well, "For the most part you (2009) were an exhausting and stressful period of change littered with sad episodes." I know we are all ready to move on.

Last year a friend wrote that her new year resolution was to do something with fiber every day. Wow, I thought, that's a great choice. Much more fun than eating healthy or exercising... She probably accomplished it as well. She's that sort of person. She mentioned this year that if she could get [this and that] done, she'd feel so effective. Effective. I believe I'm going to grab that one. Whatever I do, be effective.

I have many fun goals for the upcoming year. Santa brought me not only the lens I'd hoped for, but a new camera as well. I'm toying with trying to write a book about Hank and the stupid sheep. I have a couple favorite fleeces stashed away to spin and knit. A new idea for felted sheep. Some painting projects.

It would be nice if it weren't newsworthy when I cleaned the house, and if we didn't eat so many frozen pizzas, I wouldn't have to clean the oven as much (dual purpose goal ;-). I live on a farm. With a green house. That raises no food. Yeesh - what am I thinking?!?

I used to be a runner (and thin ;-). I used to play golf. I used to backpack. And ride or drive my horse every day. I also used to not have a farm to manage, 26 sheep... I know. However, my hope for the new year is that if I am more effective, some of these used to's will become do's and my lofty ambitions typed above will be replaced by (beautiful) pictures of finished items.



Starting with Crazy Esther's 2009 fleece.

I washed it a few weeks ago. It's super fine and very soft, but the colors are a bit muddy and the tips are very sunbleached and tender. Much like Esther herself. I'm thinking, to preserve her Velveteen Rabbit "personality", that I might just run it through the picker to open it up a bit and then spin it into a bumpy novelty yarn, perfect for a shrug.



And I am confident Crazy Esther and I can pull this off. Because we are effective!

Happy New Year everyone!

20 comments:

Jenny Glen said...

If you write a book about Hank and the sheep - I'll be first in line to buy it!

Mary Wick-Morning Star Shetland Sheep said...

Wishing you an "Effective" (good) 2010. I enjoy reading your blog.

Joanna@BooneDocksWilcox said...

I manage to pull on some clothes and make it to the office almost every day but that's about as EFFECTIVE as I can get. :-) Happy 2010!

Tammy said...

Happy and Effective 2010! :-) I'm just not sure what it has been about this last year, but it was a wearying one. There were sad moments, bad moments and tons of good moments, but old 2009 just leaves a bad taste. Take care,
Tammy

mudranch said...

Love the idea of a book... Your animals are so funny and I love how you personify them.

My daughter got a rough coat collie for Christmas and his name is Hank after my family collie I grew up with whose name was Henry but we called him Hank as a nick-name from time to time. So... Here's to the wonderful Hanks in the world and to your effective new year. Many blessings to you and yours.

BTW - I gotta know what lens you got! And camera too... I'd love to hear all about it!

Ed said...

I'd buy a Hank and the Sheep book, for my nieces of course;-)
One positive think about 2009 is we got to meet and grow up with Keebs and Grahm..:-)
and of course getting to know so many cool bloggers..

Lori Skoog said...

I sure do appreciate reading your blog, and admire all that you do. Resolutions are for the birds! How many people do what they say? The ideas you have for the new year are real! It's hard to fit everything in when you have so many interests...do what you can do. The book sounds good to me, and with your painting style you could do all the illustrations.

Happy New Year to all at Punkin's Patch.

Michelle said...

Great post, and I can so relate to your "used to's." Too bad we aren't neighbors; we could help each other get back in the saddle and back in the Nikes more often!

VioletSky said...

I look forward to following how effective your new year becomes.
Good fortune with 2010.

flowerweaver said...

Yes, effective is a perfect choice, I feel the same. Wishing you, Saint Tim and all the critters a fabulous 2010!

Alice said...

I also think Effective is a great word for 2010. It might not have changed the sadness of 2009, but it will put the energy you have into the things you can control, and save some for favorite pastimes. Wishing you the best.

Camp said...

I think you "effected" a lot of us already....me for starters! Keep up the good work!

tonya said...

Best wishes to you for the new year! I'm excited to hear that you're going to do a book! I'll look forward to updates on that!

dibear said...

If you do a book I know your illustrations will be super! Wishing you the best is 2010. :)

Dana and Daisy said...

I finally got my quasi reparis made to my spinning wheel, and I spun a spool of yarn on it the other day. It was a bit of roving that a girl gave me a few weeks agao, and it smelled a little "fresh from the farm" I suppose I could wash it but there's not enough to do much with it anyway, and being my first spool, well, it has some inconsistencies.

I'm saving the wool you sent me last year until I get a little more mileage on my wheel!

Happy New Year!
Love, Dana and Daisy!

Crystal Jigsaw said...

A book about sheep will be right up my street being a sheep farmer. Best wishes for a prosperous and fulfilling year.

CJ xx

Tina Marie the Willow Witch said...

Effective... I really liked that.
I really enjoy reading about Hank, because I have a Great Pyrenees and Burmese mountain dog cross, he is so peculiar and not like my other dogs, but he is at the same time a lamb that is soooo easy to love...

gtyyup said...

I'm with you on the "effective" thing. You can do it! I hope I can too. Welcome 2010!

DayPhoto said...

I want one!!!!!

Linda

http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com

Anonymous said...

I love the picture of Esther. She looks like she is meditating!

My dad died Sept 2008 so 2009 was a rough one. My resolution was to meditate every day. Did I do that? No. But I did meditate 250/365 days, which is 68.49% according to my calculator. That is more than I would have done if I had not made the resolution.

I intend to carry on this year with the meditating and see if I can do the same thing with exersize - 1/2 hour every day.

I find it best to make a resolution I can measure. I put a sticker on my callendar on the days I do what I said, then I can count up at the end of the year. It keeps me focussed. It helps me to get back in the saddle when I have fallen off the wagon. (OK. I will stop now)

Good luck with your New Year's Resolution. Enjoy being effective. I will be curious to read how you work it.

Leah