The macaroons I made yesterday are completely gone. I believe that they, and Nancy’s wonderful home-made pizza, were the only things that actually completely disappeared at the party last night. We stayed until way after midnight, of course. By the time we drove through town on our way home, the whole place was closed up and dead. Even the cops were gathered up back at the station, convinced that all the traffic was over and done with. I think we maybe saw one other vehicle the whole trip through town.
Our group has a tradition of getting together and having a sauna party on New Year’s Eve. Everyone heads into the New Year with a (more or less) cleansed body and spirit. Right after the loud shout of “Happy New Year!” we all do a do-si-d0 around the circle and everyone hugs everyone else in the room. I sort of felt like I was all charged up with love and joy by the time I had given and received over 20 heartfelt hugs.
We stayed until all our champagne was gone, which took a while since I was the designated driver and it was Jim’s responsibility to take care of most of that bottle. I did take a glass out and pour a libation to all the directions and also to the fire Ciff had burning. What a wonderful night it was, clear and full of bright starlight.
It was very cold and windy up on the ridges, but down in the sheltered valley where we were gathered, the air was fairly calm. This morning started sunny and very windy. Suddenly, I looked out the window and saw this:
We didn’t remember that it was supposed to snow today, so we dashed over to the computer to check the 7 day forecast. Sure enough, it said there was a chance of flurries. The radar showed that we were the only people who were getting any snow at all. Within five minutes it had finished and the sun came out again. The wind is quite cold and very gusty; the sun is making no progress in warming up the earth today.
No matter, after all, it IS winter.
I had it in mind to clean up the entryway display. It took me over three hours to move everything off that set of shelves and wash it. I can’t tell you how many fossils, rocks, shells, pieces of driftwood and other cool stuff I have on those shelves. It represents the collection of a lifetime.
Once I got the shelves cleared, this is what the kitchen looked like.
After everything was cleaned up, I got a little artsy about the shell collection, and posed Kuan Yin “Blessing Earth” amidst it. I have to admit I am pretty proud of this picture. I especially like the little shell with the pieces of amber and the glass bead with the blue star. I can still remember when I saw that bead flashing at me out of the sands along Playa Domenical in Costa Rica. The amber came from the North Sea. The antique net ball I found at Oil Bay is in the upper right corner.
After I got it all put back together, the entry way looks like this:
Now, I shall leave you with the poetry installation that K and I put together with my refrigerator poetry set after the Solstice Party. I think it pretty much says it all.
As far as “resolutions” this year, I intend to join with our friend Roger, and resolve to try to have more fun this year than I did last year. I think that is pretty sound advice.
Happy New Year!
the havens 
I would love to have a place for all my shells and stones and little figurines etc. etc….but it will have to wait until the kids are much older! You have made a beautiful display.
I think anything with “puppy” in it pretty much guarantees fun and happiness!
Hooray for fun! That’s the way forward. I love your shell collection.
OOh I love that artwork on the wall outside your window — what a unique way of representing a wave!
I’ve always wanted one of those magnetic poetry sets but hate to buy it for myself … no one has thought to buy one for me so I’ll have to break down this year and get one myself.
And finally, I love the resolution you’ve made — I think many of us should make such a positive and cheerful resolution!
Happy New Year!
Diane at Sand to Glass
macaroons?! i so wish i’d gotten to taste some! if they’re as awesome as you say and better than the ones we had at dinner, which i’m sure they were, i’m very jealous.
glad you enjoyed the peanut butter cups! am happy to hear you’re making them, too.
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year! I love your shell collection. I wish I had room to display the shell I pick up every year. Instead, I’m trying to incorporate them & sea glass into concrete stepping stones. Of course nothing I’ve found is as large as your big shells.
Hi Charlotte and Mr McGregor’s Daughter! I love my shell collection too. It is amazing whenever I wash it — it takes me back to the beaches I walked on to pick them up. It also reminds me of the shops I went in to buy some of them!
The giant clam shell is one that was cultivated for sale. Jim bought it in the Phillipines during one of his tours overseas. I use it as a place to put all my other shells. Only, now I have way too many for it, so I now use a bread bowl that was purchased for me years ago. It too is almost full.
Henitsirk, if you look at that display the only figurine there is the Kuan Yin sculpture. It was mass produced and not very expensive, so my attitude is “If it gets broken, I can get another one.” I look at all those shells and rocks, and my position on them is “Every single one of them managed to come to shore through surf and past rocks. They probably aren’t going to break if someone is playing with them.” I can’t tell you how many little children have been beguiled into peace by those shells and rocks.
Alie, I may just send you a few of those macaroons. Without wanting to sound too proud of myself, I would say my macaroons are better than the ones at Andre’s. We found out that Jesse is coming home on leave in a couple of weeks, so I need to make a batch anyway.
Diane, you must get the magnetic poetry. It is way too fun! I recommend buying at least two different sets. I am toying with the idea of getting the third set they have out. There should be blank ones that you can write words on. Sometimes I have a particular word in mind and it just isn’t in the set.
I am so glad you like the abalone wave. I think it is one of the most amazing features of my back yard, actually. I need to write a post about how it came to be. Soon.
A very happy and healthy New Year to you and yours with loads of FUN! Love the way your entry way looks now with all of your lovely collection on display. Great use of fridge magnets too. 😉
More fun? Yes please! 🙂
Okay, so we are all agreed. This year we are all having more fun! I’m looking forward to it.