Lotus Mahal

I’m playing along again with August Street’s  “Just A Minute” theme for November.  I kind of like how it makes you stop, be present in the moment, and take note of what you’re doing.  Here’s this month’s:

Listening to “Peace, Love and Poetry” – a CD of Turkish psychedelic music.  Right now the song Sur Efem Atini by Mazhar Ve Faut is on.  Catchy!

Praising my puppers for being really good this weekend.  She’s really turned a corner in the past couple of weeks and is transforming into a good little puppy.  She’s about 10-1/2 months old, so it’s about time!

Watching old John Wayne movies.  It’s kind of a Thanksgiving tradition for me to watch super old John Wayne flicks.  So far this weekend I’ve watched The Spoilers from 1943, The Trail Beyond from 1934 and West of the Divide, also from 1934.

Reading the book The Eat Clean Diet.  I realize I need to make some serious changes in my eating habits, and I’m really enjoying this book.  It’s common sense.  (when you read the list of my Thanksgiving Dinner cooking, you’ll see the need for this philosophy!)

Cooking nothing more for the rest of the week!  I cooked a 14 pound turkey, two pies, sweet potatoes with marshmallows, mashed potatoes from the garden, broccoli, green bean casserole and biscuits.  All from scratch.  I’m done cooking for the time being!

Writing on my blogs, and starting my list of Christmas cards to get in the mail.

Sewing my lovely logger man’s new wool pants.  They were too long, so I took them up today.  Being too long is a real stretch since he’s 6-foot-5.  These must have been pants for a giant since I had to take about 4 inches off!

Loving life.  As always!  I live the “Life of Riley” and I know how good I have it.  I’m blessed, grateful and happy.

I found this neat little game over on a blog called Bits of Beauty.  And she found it over at the hostesses blog August Street…  It’s called Just a Minute.  It’s one of those things that brings your consciousness into the present – once a month.  Each month she lists some verbs and you respond to them.  For instance, Bits of Beauty responded to the list: Reading, Keeping, Baking, Watching, Trying, Making and Congratulating (the October prompts)

This month is apparently August Street’s two year anniversary of these particular posts.  This month she’s simply looking for:   “one recommendation of something you’ve enjoyed this year:- a book, a movie, music or a blog (or all four!).”

So here are my four submissions for things I’ve enjoyed this year:

A Book: Handmade Nation.  I can’t wait to see the movie that prompted the book!  I’ve read a ton of books this year, but this is the one I’ve enjoyed the most so far.

A Movie: I’m going to have a hard time with this one because I don’t own a TV, nor do I go to the movies.  But upon occassion I do watch a DVD on my laptop.  A movie I saw this year, that I haven’t seen in eons, is an old John Wayne movie called North to Alaska.  What a fun and fabulous movie!

Music: My lovely gentleman friend has a CD of logger music from a guy named Buzz Martin.  I was able to download the CD on iTunes, and it’s hilarious.  Definitely smiley, feel good music.  Maybe I enjoy it because a logger is the love of my life.  But even if not, the music is hilarious.

Blog: Holy crimanee.  There are so many!  But I really like a blog called A Fanciful Twist.  Vanessa – the blog’s hostess, is a very talented artist.  She fills her blog is sumptuous photography, fun little stories, and illuminates the entire thing with her amazing imagination.  She’s even been featured in a Somerset publication!  She’s pretty darn neat.

So there you have it.  My recommendations from this year.  I’ll have to take a jog back over to August Street to participate in her Just a Minute prompts in the future.  And also to see what she’s sewing up next!

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Just for fun, I’ll answer the October prompts too:

Reading: Handmade Nation (I’ll finish it up tonight), and also digging into Embroidered Effects by Jenny Hart.  (Jenny’s also featured in Handmade Nation!)

Keeping: My house a blissful disaster with new projects.

Sewing: A doggy coat for my little Bella Boo

Watching: The leaves fall from the trees and the larch turn the most magnificent gold.

Trying: Embroidery.  Sublime Stitching has got me hooked!

Making: The most amazing carmel infused brownies.  Made 100% from scratch.  Holy cow, I wish I had one right now!

Congratulating: My best friend on her first anniversary.  She and her long time love eloped on Halloween last year.