“I’m going to make everything around me beautiful - that will be my life.” — Elsie de Wolfe

Monday 11 January 2010

My Top 5 Highlights of 2009

A few days ago my friend Barbara over at Seeking Serenity passed my new blog a 'meme' - as she herself says in her post "I wasn't too clear as to what a meme was but think I get it" - well that goes for me too. :-) - So I looked up 'meme' and came across Wikipedia's description - The term Internet meme is a phrase used to describe a catchphrase or concept that spreads quickly from person to person via the internet. Right, thanks wikipedia - I got it now!

So here is my part in the High 5 Meme and in no particular order here are . . .

My Top 5 Highlights of 2009.

EXPLORING - Well early last year, a project that my lovely man had been working on came to fruition, and after a lot of work, a tired old minibus was transformed into a lovely motorhome. We had loads of great days out throughout the summer and the cats came on some of the trips too! For those of you that haven't visited before we documented our days out in a blog called Journeys Close to Home. That really was a highlight of the year, it was great to explore in such comfort - I can't wait for Spring, so we can begin again!

BLOGGING - Although I had websites in the past, it was only at the beginning of last year that I began blogging. I loved it! To write regularly is a great way to keep in touch with yourself. I also find that as my other blogs are pretty subject specific it stretches me to be more creative in my writing. If for instance I see my poetry blog hasn't been updated for a while - I write something! it brings my attention to these things and makes me more productive, it makes writing easier, more natural.

WRITING - I used to write a long while ago but it faded into the background when I began to use images as a creative channel - painting and making things took over! Then I discovered making images digitally and I was hooked and rarely wrote anything! There were always those odd times when I would be going about my business and I would hear a line repeating in my head and I would quickly grab a pen and start to write - these poems came unbidden and were almost involuntary - I just had to write them down. My love affair with paint began to wane and though I mourned it and for a while did nothing creative. Eventually I started writing again! I am so glad I did - long may it continue.

FRIENDS - One great and unexpected bonus of blogging and using twitter is all the great people I have met. Really nice people from all over the world, some who have become good friends. I love the way that the internet destroys the barriers of distance and space. Just people connecting and communicating with others around the globe, from the comfort of their own homes. Now I think that is excellent!

FOCUSING - Another great thing that this last year has done, although probably only really appreciated in hindsight, is helped with focusing, with finding out what had energy for me. When the year started I bought forward all the things I used to do. By the end of the year I found that lots of things no longer had any energy for me, so I let them drop. I have so much more clarity now about what is important to me.

So that's it, my highlights of 2009. I am now supposed to pass this meme on to 5 others but as this blog is pretty new I doubt I will manage that many! So I shall suggest a few people to take up the baton if they would like to - no pressure but we would love to hear your 5 highlights.

Tamara over at Semicolonsmile - Though I really don't think that her Christmas pet sitting job will be one of her highlights! :-)

Jen Morrison at Realia - I would enjoy reading her 5 highlights as she shares her stories so well.

and finally Shelagh - I know you don't have a blog of your own but I do know that you read this one! So how about sharing your 5 highlights in the comment section - what do you reckon? I hope you will. :-)

If anyone else reading would like to play along, please leave your top 5 in the comments. I would love to hear them.

Photo: Sammy and Bina sitting in the cab enjoying the sunset.

10 comments:

Ann said...

Loved this new blog! I was given the task of the MeMe from Barbara and have yet to post my 5 highlights. Enjoyed yours and except for the conversion have to say ditto!

Susannah said...

Hello Ann and thanks very much for visiting!

I look forward to reading your 5 highlights over at your blog. :-)

tamara said...

I'm so glad you explained what a meme was in your post because I've heard the term before but never bothered to learn what it meant!

5 highlights of the past year, cool idea. And I love the picture of the cats!

Susannah said...

Hi Tamara :-)

Yeah, I had heard 'meme' before and had a vague idea what it meant from the context in which I'd seen it used but thought i'd better look it up if I was going to take part in one! ;-)

Glad you like the top 5 idea - and yes, it's a really good picture of the cats, shame it didn't have all three in it, as then it would have been perfect!

Barbara Scully said...

Loved reading your top 5.... particularly the focusing bit. Maybe that is something I will achieve in 2010

radioreview said...

Hi. Hope the new blog works out well for you!

Susannah said...

Thanks for passing the meme on to me Barbara!

About focus - I love the quote "there is no path - the path is made by walking."

I think that is what blogging and time passing does - it helps you to see and focus on the path you are creating.

Thanks for dropping in and for the comment, it is always good to hear from you. :-)

Susannah said...

Radioreview! - hey what a nice suprise, great to see you here, thanks for dropping in.

Hope all is well with you!
Much love to you - x

Shelagh said...

WINSTON
Winston came to join the Chihuahuas, Paco and Lily, on New Year’s Eve 2008, a feral, six week old, hungry and tired black ball of fur. He came to stay just until a permanent home could be found for him. Although he was feral, he settled in well and made himself at home in the guest bedroom where his favorite place was hiding between the pillows. My heart was stolen the first time he purred when I stroked him and of course he stayed. A year later, Winston is all grown up, a very big boy but still a Mummy’s boy too and he loves to snuggle.

NELL
In May, a neighbor rang my doorbell and handed me a tiny bundle of black and white fur, another feral kitten, barely 5 weeks old. I tried half-heartedly to find her a home but she’d already taken my heart with her pitiful cries over everything. She’s willful, defiant, complains about everything, and likes to push my buttons as much as she can. At almost 9 months Nell is half Winston’s size but that doesn’t matter. They play rough and chase one another, but they also curl up together and groom one another. Nell doesn’t like to be picked up and snuggled but she nearly always sleeps curled around my head at night.

GARDEN
I love my garden. I have a pond (dug myself) and lots of plants, a bird bath and a patio with a table and chairs. What I also had was bad grass, a worn path that flooded at the lightest rain, and poor drainage. This past fall, after many years of deliberation and stalling, I finally got a landscaper. A French drainage system has been put in, all the unused bedding space cleared and new soil put in, the patio has been done with flagstones in cement, the bad grass around the bird bath has been replaced with flagstones floating in granite gravel and the bird bath relocated and replaced with a lovely frog fountain, the pathway graveled and the side yard done with a dry creek bed of flagstones floating in river rocks, with planting beds either side. It’s wonderful and when I’ve planted everything I want to it will be a beautiful, relaxing place.

BLOGLAND
This year I found blogs and I’m really enjoying them, particularly Su’s blogs, which I read every day. I’ve also joined a forum where I’ve met some good “friends” although I’ll never meet them since they are all around the world. It’s interesting to see what other people are doing and I’m learning a lot.

CRAFTING
I’ve knitted since I was four years old and crocheted for many years. I used to sew a lot and made most of my clothes, and I embroidered and did crewel work. Although I’ve been in a knit/crochet group for several years making blankets for sick children, I hadn’t done much in the way of sewing or embroidery for years. Thanks to reading blogs, I’m back into the sewing mood and I’ve taken up embroidery again. I’ve done more in the last few weeks than I have in years and I can’t think why I ever gave it all up.

Now Su, you can stop the nagging!

Susannah said...

Shelagh, that's brilliant, thanks for joining in!

I remember urging you to keep Winston when he arrived, I am so glad you did! What a shame Nell doesn't like to be picked up! but at least you have a 'cat hat' when you sleep. :-)

You will really get the benefit of the garden when all the new planting is done and it starts to mature - I will expect photos!

Wow, knitting since you were four! I didn't realise you had started so early! I am glad you've got back into sewing and embroidery too.

Yes, blogland is fun and interesting. . . and you do know I will carry on periodically 'suggesting' (not nagging!) that you set up your own blog too, don't you! :-)

Thanks very much for your top five Shelagh. . . now how about setting up a blog! ;-)

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