Each day is nothing more than a hundred (more or less) tiny moments strung together. Each moment is like a page with a single picture. The beauty is this: we get to set the narrative for that picture. We get to write our own book, each and every day.
In its purest form, each page is neither good nor bad - it just is. Instead, it's the narrative that we add to the page that sets the tone. So, the way I see it, each page is an opportunity for awe, or joy, or gratitude. Granted, there are unforeseen circumstances that can disrupt our narrative, but I still believe we have the freedom to frame those circumstances and react to them in whatever way we choose.
We have the choice to keep our fingers on the keyboard (or the pen in our hands) and control how the story is ultimately told.
This is something that I remind myself of, often. I remind myself that I have a choice - to see the positive or the negative in every picture. One thing that writing this blog has done for me, over the years, is to serve as a daily reminder to pay attention to all the little moments of wonder - so that I can share them with you. As a result, the quality of each day improves, and hopefully I add something to your day as well!
Sometimes, there are stories to share . Some days... just these tiny moments of wonder.
We awoke to a frigid, frosty world yesterday.
As the sun rose, millions of shimmering ice crystals turned the world into a storybook realm.
From its now lower presence in the sky, the sun spread some gentle warmth across the land and the animals enjoyed a comfortable afternoon.
Why don't we let Forrest and Jenni out? The answer to that lies in the fact that poor Jenni is the object of everyone's affection. Giving all of the males access to them would make her life horrible. She almost lost an eye before we realized that she was our only female. I feel we owe it to her to keep her safe and comfortable. Forrest is a perfect gentleman - the perfect house mate. As far as I can tell, everyone in the duck world seems.... well....just ducky!
For those of you who were wondering about our cute little A-frame gingerbread houses - they came from Trader Joes. I found them to be the most economical of all the kits that are available. The size is perfect. Each house comes unassembled with a box of confectioner sugar included to make into the royal icing, little cookie people, and a few candies (not enough in my opinion - but its a start).
In previous years, I took on the task of baking our houses. However, because the number of participants increases yearly, I have learned to better conserve my energy and attend to other tasks to make the day as much fun as possible. It's a compromise but one that doesn't compromise the fun!
Also, assembling multiple gingerbread houses can be an exercise in frustration. If you care to do this... my advice is : Use a hot glue gun - it's been my experience that by the time Christmas is over, no one really wants to eat their gingerbread houses.
I have read that in some countries, candies are hidden inside, and children take hammers to the houses on Christmas Day to retrieve the candies.
PS: I am spending today with friends making pierogis and will be away from the farm. Because of this, I will not be publishing a blog post on Wednesday. We will be back on Thursday to catch up.
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Mary