Letting Go of the Bay Leaf: Spotting scope

Do you ever struggle with a theme for a post? Do you even feel the need to have a theme?

My posts typically take the form of a monthly summary, a hike, a family visit, a special event. The theme is defined, or jumps out to me.

Today's post? Not so much. I had some pictures left from last month - they didn't fit the Deep Freeze theme - and I studied them, hoping for inspiration to come like the proverbial bolt of lightning.

A kernel of an idea started to sprout - pride in my accomplishments during the month. Such as:

I completed a prayer shawl that has been lingering in my project basket. (And in delivering the shawl to our ministry leader, it was a treat to chatter with her over a cup of coffee. We had not seen each other since June - a lot to discuss!)

I deployed one of my Christmas presents (the spotting scope attachment) to take pictures of the birds at our feeders.

I practiced my drawing.

I began tidying the utility room. A box of miscellaneous articles found its way to the charity shop, and two items are at the consignment store. I tackled our stock of gift bags and tissue paper, which had evolved into a rat's nest. To the left - a work-in-process picture, and to the right - the finished product.

The most significant challenge in the utility room, by far, are the photographs. Boxes of them. A few friends had recommended Legacybox.com as a potential solution. I investigated the service, and quickly dismissed it due to cost. The advertising implies that you can place an unlimited quantity of pictures and videos into a box - whatever you can get to fit - but in reality, the 'packages' specify a quantity, such as 3 tapes or 3 films or 3 sets of 25 pictures for $87.95. Yikes! I am still in the infancy stage of this project, but I believe I will use plastic sleeves in binders to preserve those photos we decide to keep. Stay tuned!

One-third of the way through the first box ...

And we had a little fun along the way, with a Super Bowl party and a breakfast date after Mass. And of course, snow shoeing in Glacier National Park was the only excuse we needed to stop for huckleberry pie at the Huckleberry Patch!

New table for lower level; gear actually raises/lowers it!

Blondies and ribs for Super Bowl

Writing this post couldn't be that easy, could it? No, of course not. I am the master of over-complicating a situation. Somewhere along the line, my brain over-ruled my heart. My initial draft of this post began "As I look back over the last six weeks, I am very satisfied. I have made very good progress on my New Year's resolutions and goals with other miscellaneous fun thrown in the mix."

Then my brain said "Let's structure this post using the February 2 edition about resolutions." And down that rabbit hole we went. Before I knew it, I was more than a little bit bummed. Some of my resolutions, such as drinking 64 ounces of fluid daily, have been a dismal failure. Is that what I want to write about? Quicker than you can say "jackrabbit", I went from pride in my achievements to a reluctance to even write this post.

Sun rising through morning mist over the back forty

At times like this, I find it helps to leave the computer and engage in a different activity. (I sorted more photos ...)

When I came back to the keyboard, I gave myself the advice we always delivered to the kids when sitting down to compose an essay: just write. Write whatever comes into your head.

So I did.