Thursday, January 01, 2015

Beginning

January.  New Beginnings.  I read these stanzas from Alfred, Lord Tennyson's poem "Ring Out, Wild Bells"

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.
Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

I agree.  The old year is gone.  Ring in the new, the true.

As I wrote earlier this week, my word for 2015 is LIVE.  I want to live simply, healthfully, mindfully, devoutly and thankfully.  As part of my LIVING thankfully, I will be continuing to post my Friday Fave Fives every week.

1.  It has been cold here in Southern California.  At least, it has been cold for us.  Really cold.  Don't snort, all you northerners, but it was 30F this morning.  Below Freezing.  We are not used to this and we're not equipped for it, either.  I'm so thankful for a warm home which has a functioning furnace, for hot coffee, for a cashmere sweater and a hat and a scarf and gloves to add to my fleece jacket to fend off the frigid temperatures.


(yes, the camellias are blooming)

2.  We still don't have internet or cable at home.  I'm thankful for our local coffee and mobile hot spot (also called Starbucks) which allows us yummy drinks and internet access daily.  In fact, it's where I am right now typing this.

3.  I'm thankful for long time, special friends.  On Sunday I met up with an old Oregon friend who is now living off and on south of LA helping her parents.  Years ago, we homeschooled together and we still keep in touch.  We had a great time catching up.  It amazes me that sometimes friends grow in the same way I have and we end of being even closer than we were before.  It's like we're sisters.  I can't wait for her to return from her east coast visit so we can continue all those conversation trails we started.

4.  The Autry Museum is across the road from the Los Angeles Zoo in Griffith Park.  We've been wanting to visit the Route 66 exhibit there and New Years Day turned out to be the best time.  Bonus:  it was freeeee!

5.  I'm thankful for being able to live healthfully. We have been walking regularly again.  I love walking the streets of my neighborhood and I'm thankful the mud has been mostly cleared and we can safely navigate the streets now.  Those daily three mile walks do make a difference.

What are you thankful for this week?

15 comments:

ellen b said...

Enjoyed reading your five. I watched the Rose Bowl parade this morning wondering how all would fare in the cold for So.Cal. weather. When you aren't acclimated cold is colder. Glad you have the means to stay warm. I have to find a way to put 3 miles into my daily this year...it's only an hour! :)

Faith said...

It's so cold here in eastern NY tonight that I Skipped my walk. Well, i DID walk from my husband's car to Panera where we had dinner :)
LOVE your thoughts on your word of the year. My faves wil be posted in the morning. You have a great list here. Keep up your walking. I received a Fitbit for Xmas from Dave so am going to be more purposeful about my walking work outs. Now if it would just get warmer.....haha...not likely until March!

Monica said...

Oh goodness! That is cold for you! My little town is right on Route 66 in Missouri! We see a lot of tourists each summer! A lot from Europe!
Hope you have a wonderful New Year and looking forward to spending it with my friends here in Blog world! :)

Mereknits said...

Lovely things to be thankful for. I love the word you picked, I am thankful all my Christmas things are boxed up and put away, can I be thankful Ohio State won last night too?
Hugs,
Meredith

Jerralea said...

I like the word you picked. It goes along with my word, "intentional." I want to live intentionally, not wasting a moment.

Glad you can resume your walks, but I'd wait until it is warmer than 30°!

Susanne said...

Museum + free = yipee in my books. Love your word and thoughts about your year with the word. I'm still working on mine, haven't quite decided yet. Happy New Year and stay warm!

Barbara H. said...

It's neat when you can get together with old friends and take up where you left off and connect in so many ways.

Wow, three miles! I am impressed!

The camellias are lovely.

Gracie Saylor said...

Connecting with friends while playing Bunco, connecting with my children while watching football, swimming in a warm indoor pool for three hours this week, connecting with a childhood friend via phone, and enjoying wintery sunshine are five of my favorites of this past week. Thanks for sharing your faves and inspiring me to recognizef some of my blessings, too, Linda :-) xx

Gattina said...

It's hard to deal with the cold when you are not used too ! My poor friend from Southern France, was freezing here and she had taken her warmest clothes ! I had to let her some of mine, lol ! I know Starbucks too, they start to open in Belgium. I knew it from London.

Melanie said...

I understand about unseasonably cold temps. Here in Florida we will occasionally have temps in the 30's and high 20's. I can imagine friends in the Northern states rolling their eyes! It's not supposed to get that cold here! I like your word - Live. Have a blessed day.

Brenda said...

30 degrees IS cold! Though the other night it was 15 below for us. It won't be long and we'll be able to get out there and walk. Glad you're able to now.

Kathie said...

I even heard some snow fell in your area!!

3 mile daily walks - good for you!! I'm trying to get back into the exercise routine after a Christmas hiatus. My old bones are stiffening up :(

Wishing you a Happy New Year!

Tracy said...

Happy New Year, Willow! VERY much welcoming in the new this year here too! It's been cold, but thankfully not too much snow... yet. ;o) ((HUGS))

Caroline said...

Happy New Year! I love your camelia picture. I haven't had much luck with them.

nikkipolani said...

Somehow, I thought you'd chopped down all your camellias. Glad this one survived -- that's a pretty picture.

Yes, it was cold! I got a new indoor/outdoor digital thermometer for Christmas and it's been fun to see those numbers drop to the 30s at night. That's definitely cold for us.