“2012, isn’t this the year where the world’s going to end?” asked my husband. “Uh-huh” I answered not looking up from my magazine. Yes, 2012. The hype has already started and is being fueled by movies, ads, books, documentaries, internet forums, and people whose prophecies you can buy for the low, low price of $19.99. Good grief. People love a good apocalypse (and the money they can make off it). But despite all the hype you may have noticed the obvious… everyone who has predicted that the world was going to end has been wrong!!!
So why all the doom and gloom?
Maybe some of it is carrying over from the current attitude of doom and gloom. We seem to like to fantasize how things can get even worse. The reality is even the Mayan community has refuted the claims that the world is going to end Dec. 21, 2012. And while our economy could crumble, we’d still be better off than the millions who are lucky to see another day because of lack of food or clean water.
So what would make things better? What would make 2012 the best year ever? It all comes down to attitude.
Some in the homesteading community tend to retreat and go into survival mode. We want to build fortresses where we can live free and secure. And while I agree it is always wise to be physically prepared for a disaster, I’m not sure a life based on fear is any better. We’ll still get hurt. We’ll still feel pain. We’ll still feel alone. And fear does horrible things. It makes us bitter and take everything personally. It makes us want to hurt others and it makes us forget we have a God that loves and is pulling for us.
Your attitude will make all the difference in 2012. No matter the circumstances you face, your attitude will actually affect whether it’s a good year or a bad. Not prophecies, not elections, not family troubles, or finances. Everyone has a heavy load and there will always be someone worse off or better off than you.
I love this quote by author Joyce Meyer, “Happiness is not a feeling, it is a choice. To be happy, one must choose to be happy, not respond to a circumstance that now controls your happiness.” You may not be able to control your circumstances, but you are in control of your attitude (I know, easier said than done, but it’s still true). Being negative never led to having a positive life. And yes, stuff happens, but you can either let it paralyze you and make you miserable or you can keep going and believe that good things still happen. Because guess what, they still do. And good things will happen in 2012!
So don’t believe the hype (remember Y2K?). Instead use your energy to believe the best is yet to come. And on Dec. 22, 2012 you’ll be able to look back and say it really was a great year.
Happy New Year everyone!
Merry Christmas everyone!
It’s beginning to smell a lot like Christmas. Fresh cedar, pine or fir cuttings, cinnamon cutouts, citrus pomanders, and fresh baked cookies fill the home with an aroma like no other. If you’re looking to spice up your holiday just in time for guests and holiday events, here are some recipes.
Cinnamon cutouts: Oh my. These smell so good. Combine 1 cup cinnamon, 3/4 cup applesauce, 1 tablespoon of ground cloves, and one tablespoon of nutmeg. Some people also add about 2 tablespoons of white craft glue, but I prefer not to. Roll out and add more cinnamon if too wet, more applesauce if too dry. Use cookie cutters and cut out shapes. Now poke a hole in the top if you plan on hanging them later. You can also poke a hole in the very bottom if you want to put them on a skewer and add them to an arrangement. As far as drying you can either set them on some parchment somewhere for several days or speed dry them in a window that gets full sun. You can also put them in an oven set at 250° until they become firm.
On the stove: Get a small pot or old tea kettle, cut up an apple and an orange, throw in some cinnamon sticks, add a little pumpkin pie spice and fill the rest up with water. Set it on low and let it boil for an hour or two with the lid off. Pretty soon your home will smell amazing! Like cinnamon-apple goodness. Now, a few suggestions. If you purchase cinnamon sticks or ground cinnamon, get them in the ethnic foods aisle, not the spice aisle (trust me it will save you at least a couple dollars). And don’t forget you have this on the stove; I do not want to hear about any fires people (set a timer if you need to). The fruit you use doesn’t even have to look pretty. This is a great way to use those apples or oranges that have been sitting around a bit too long to eat. In the winter time you can keep this mixture and use it multiple days in a row. Just sprinkle some more cinnamon in there each day and add more water. Also feel free to deviate from the above “recipe”; add some vanilla extract or cloves.
Homemade room spray: I found these recipes from Best Green Home Tips.com. To make some holiday room spray combine 1 cup water, 1 cup vodka, pure essential oils – about 10 drops of clove, 15-20 drops of orange, and 12 drops of cinnamon into one empty refillable spray bottle. Mix all your ingredients in the spray bottle. Shake well before each use. Spray around your house. If you don’t want to buy all the essentials oils separately I will once again suggest PlantLife.net’s Holiday EO blend. It contains them all and smells so good.
Here are some more recipes:
Orange Pomander Balls
Christmas in a Jar
Balsam Sachets
Homemade Christmas gifts. Okay, some of you just pictured that sweater your aunt gave you when you were nine that had some kind of goat or horse on it with a bow (Yeah, I got one too). Or maybe you pictured that crocheted oven mitt you got when you were 11 and could have cared less about baking. Well, homemade gifts are not what they used to be. Thanks to craft stores, online outlets, YouTube videos, blogs and endless Google searches, it has never been easier to make amazing homemade gifts you know friends and family will love.
Okay, again I know what you’re saying, “Unless I can knit an ipad for my teenage son, I doubt he would want a homemade gift.” Or maybe you’re thinking that you lack the time to make a homemade gift since Christmas is now (as of Dec. 7) just 18 days away. Well stop with the nay-saying! Just try a few homemade gifts this year; maybe with coworkers or loved ones easily impressed with meager crafting skills. Make a list, check it twice, etc. Consider your skills, how much time you have and the interests of those receiving your creations. And be realistic; if you’ve never knitted before don’t plan to make all your coworkers scarves. That story never turns out well.
So, here are some easy homemade gift ideas some of which you’ve probably already thought of. Number one is food. From fudge to cookies, fancy cupcakes to homemade soup mixes who doesn’t love food gifts?! Just attempt to Google food gifts (Martha Stewart’s website alone is a goldmine). Now, what if you can’t boil water? Well then maybe visit some place like Hometown Emporium in Exeter and pickup a few dozen cookies or handmade candies. It’s not cheating; you don’t have to say you made them, but they will taste way better than the wax filled corn syrup stuff that has been sitting on store shelves since last Valentine’s Day. Or maybe give a basket of those lovely Valencia oranges from a tree in your backyard, infused Vodka, or a cute little bottle of homemade vanilla extract. Get creative.
Number two is non-food items (I know, this category is quite vast). Homemade aprons or stockings, a great holiday CD mix of tunes or combine pictures you’ve taken into a calendar for the year. Homemade gifts are simply those gifts that include a little extra thought and time than gift cards or something with a ‘Made in China’ sticker. A few years back I collected drawings my sister (who is quite the artist) completed when she was very young. I compiled them all in a scrapbook labeled Jen’s Masterpieces. Not only was it a one of a kind gift, it meant something to both the receiver and the giver. That is the power of a homemade gift.
So maybe travel to Hobby Lobby, pick up a few ingredients at Save Mart or Google some ideas. There’s at least one person on your list who would love and appreciate a homemade gift this year.
