Tuesday, January 1, 2019

Happy New Year!



What lies ahead? I'm doing my best to make 2019 go well. . .



The black eyed peas for luck, cooked with hog jowl for prosperity, are ready . . .


So are the collards -- for greenbacks in your pocket. (Is paper money still called greenbacks? Does anyone still use paper money?)


The Christmas tree came down yesterday and was dragged out the door. (Bad luck to leave the tree up in the New Year, said my grandmother, and while I know there are other traditions, this is mine and I'm happy with it.)


Putting away the ornaments is an act of meditation for me as each one brings with it a memory -- usually sweet. It's as good a way as any, I think to spend the last day of the year -- carefully putting away the old and making ready for the next adventure in this amazing life of ours.

A very Happy New Year to all of you! (I know you're out there, even when you comment rarely or not at all and I appreciate every follower or browser.)

May 2019 bring more kindness, more peace, more caring for Mother Earth and for all her children.


8 comments:

Thérèse said...

Happy New Year Vicki.
A lot of wisdom in your post.
At our home everything reminding Christmas decorations must be out of sight by the 6th of January.

Anvilcloud said...

Traditions are a very fine thing. Happy New Year.

Vicki Lane said...

The tree is out -- the other Christmaassy things will be put away by the 6th. Except for the lights. They will brighten the house till February.

Carol Crump Bryner said...

A very happy new year to you too, Vicki. Thanks for your presence on my screen every morning. Here's to another year of your wisdom and wit. Enjoy those black-eyed peas!
My husband was raised Russian Orthodox, so we always kept our tree up until after Russian Christmas. In our dark Alaska winter, that seemed a cheerful thing to do.

Nan Emanuel said...

Happy New Year to you Vicki, John, Josie and all the rest of the family! Don't get around to commenting too often, but always enjoy sharing your life with your posts. You and I agree on lots of things, here's hoping the new year brings a new lightness to the dark days we've experienced this last year. Best wishes for a great 2019!

Jime said...

Yes yes Vicki. Happy New Year. Prosper with out harm to Mother Earth.

Misty Barnes said...

We did the same meal at our house. I hate taking down the tree. It normally stays up until the first weekend in January.

katy gilmore said...

So we are with Carol - Alaska dark, and now Washington dark, means we leave tree up as long as possible (one year till Valentine's day when it had sprouted new growth on tips of branches). Lately I've paid attention to the Irish tradition of Women's Little Christmas on 6 January - men are supposed to take care of household things that day and women go out (after the tree down I suppose). I start picking up the extra decorations sooner - but this year I am aiming for the Boy Scout's tree recycle day on 12 January. Though I'll be sorry to see its lights gone in the early mornings and dark afternoons, I admit it begins to block the new daylight! Happy New Year Vicki - I'm optimistic about 2019, but probably shouldn't be. xo