Tail feathers

We've come to the last three days of 2016 and I return to my mantra over the past few years: inhabit.

There's a lull everywhere from work to social gatherings to sidewalks, and rather than wait idly in this quiet, I want to wrap my arms around the ending fully, filling and living these days and hours.

One of my presents this Christmas was the book Dinner at the Long Table from the folks behind Marlow & Sons et. al. We've already cooked a sumptuous clam chowder from it, and I've started my headlong dive into devouring its contents cover to cover. This style of cooking, gathering, and living warms my soul. I want to ensure we take lessons and inspiration from it as we grow - in our next home and any that follow, when we have children and they have children. Also worth noting, the book is a joy to touch. It's large and its pages substantial; it makes me happy to hold it and flip the pages. Coffee and tea will be consumed in this reading. This was a good find. 

Also during these in-between days I'll continue to do that thing that I love: "being productive," while taking the time to look back on all that we've experienced this year, actively remembering and savoring and bookmarking things to revisit, frame, or share. I'll do some easy planning for next year, as already we're in the window where bigger things are best left for after the wedding such as sewing lessons and international travel. I'll add to my list of projects and recipes. I'll catch up on reading the New Yorker. We'll have more family couch hangs and watch movies we've been meaning to watch. 

We'll spend New Years Eve that way plus twinkle lights and bubbly. 

Looking forward to 2017, we'll continue our budding tradition of early brunch at Roberta's when the rest of Brooklyn is still sleeping off champagne and revelry. I'll look to explore intention setting and wellness. The results of this year's wellness assessment (an insurance thing at work) were that I could get more sleep and be less stressed. 

I'll also look for ways to nurture my little Etsy business. I recently shared an article about side hustles and what they mean to millennials, and it hit on my sentiments exactly. A creative life is my dream life, and I'm holding onto my belief that you can be anything you want to be, do anything you want to do, if you work hard enough at it. The truth is, if you want a successful side hustle you have to put time into it. You have to lose a bit of sleep. I'll try to balance this with the above. 

For now, here are some highlights from the 2nd half of December: 

Here's Hux in in winter time

One of our two new ornaments this year. We get an ornament or two every year and .. I'm a little concerned we'll run out of room on day. That'll be the day we'll have to get two trees: one for the first floor and one for the second.

Made new pillows! 

Cat and I have been getting together every year in December to wrap Christmas presents since I don't know when. This year was another success.

This little bowl was originally made with a lid. My dad made so much fun of me because the lid wasn't quite round. After that, there was no unseeing it and the lid was scrapped. 

Llama Inn on a snowy day

This picture was posted on Instagram by Remember Lunar - an Australian small business that sells jewelry and bought some of my ceramic ring dishes! So excited to do this order and see them available for sale on the other side of the world.

Ceramic cacti forever