I was peddling my way to the pool this morning when I smelled... freshness, green, pine cones. I looked around, quickly, confused-- there are no trees on that leg of 16th street, going towards Mission Bay.... or any leg of 16th street, honestly. All I saw was a garbage truck.

And then I got it: this is the time of year, the one time of year garbage trucks smell good. Like freshly mulched christmas trees.


photo from SFBike

I hate the word resolution...or maybe I hate the concept. Resolved, Solution...these related words all make me think of problems, things to fix.

There are always problems, and things to fix, but I hate the idea of starting the New Year from such a negative/half empty point of view. I want to think about building up, going forward.

So, at the New Year, I thought about my life list, my goals, what I could accomplish this year towards my larger hopes and dreams and plans. NOT resolutions.

For example, improving my health, not reducing my weight. Actually, this was in part a practicality: I gained 2 lbs during the Bikram 30 day challenge, but lost a dress size: muscle weighs more than fat. And picking an arbitrary weight goal is kind of stupid. What it means is the important thing. Better fitting clothes, better health. More strength, endurance; less illness.

So: my goals, all of which have value and relevance to the larger and more general direction I hope my life is growing into.


to grow all of our (natively growable, i.e.no star anise) herbs
to finish 10 knitted objects(up from 5 this year)
to Knit Jasper a sweater
to Sew a garment
to Learn whole grain baking
to Do Bikram 100 times
to Improve my meditation practice
to consistently improve the organization& beauty of our home
to Paint my mantra tree
to Find a new/consistent Volunteer Opportunity

Plus one other that shall remain... private. For now!


Mostly these are not actionable, or tasks. I will need to figure those out, as the days come. Having these as goals, more principles-based reminds me of "why" I am doing the action, and allows for some flexibility in execution, as the seasons and circumstances change.

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We make family goals, too...which of course take us a month to agree on! We did about 90% of the list last year,which I think is pretty good. And having that list on the fridge reminded us of things to do, ideas we’d had for the year.

There will be 11 items on the list, 11 things for 2011.

My preliminary thoughts:
go on a new hike
walk across golden gate bridge
finish/re-do our bathroom
see 11 best oscar winners
speak spanish
bake 80% of all baked goods (cookies, bread, crackers, granola bars)
80% of our grocery $$ at local stores
reduce our garbage load by 20%
reduce our debt load by 20%

I’m curious what this list will look like on February 1, our “go” day.

Christmas is under way here. Which means damp air and soft, grayed greens. So different from the Christmases of my childhood, or those on the East Coast. Because this strange land is part of America, this place with 3 mild transitions has been stuck into a mold of 4 wildly swinging seasons, there is always something new to discover. Sometimes it is so hard to see, with the framework of the East, of most of America, overlaying here that each excavation offers something new. And there are always more layers to peel away. An endless voyage of discovery, available every morning by looking out the window.

I didn't think I'd write about the landscape, or how different the seasons are here, when I set out to write this post, but I suppose it is good background for how we celebrate our holidays just a little differently, specifically because we are here, and how it makes me think about decorating our house differently that I would if we lived somewhere else.

I confess: sage green is not my favorite color. But it is the color of Northern California, so I am always looking for ways to highlight it, or counterpoint it.






































Two years ago I bought the stockings: unbleached linen, combined with a light loden and red accents. Ever since I've been looking for an Advent calendar to go with it, something non-disposable, anti-plastic.






































On the East Coast, and when I first moved here, I used to string cranberries in a garland. But the reds are too obvious, for my taste, with the prevailing light. This year, while searching for a wreath, I found this acorn garland at the local nursery. I can't find a similar one online, but it should be easy enough to make at home. It only cost me $15... $15 that I don't neccessarily have in my Christmas budget, but since it is permanent and not disposable, I bought it. It will save me money for years.

























I didn't quite find the wreath I was looking for this year... last year I bought a succulent wreath, but really, it was too small for our window, and big ones cost and arm and a leg. I had fantasties of wooden branches, twisted together, but none were to be found. After 5 stores, I found this sweet thing, the perfect color, right down the street from me.


And of course the day after I bought our wreath I saw a driftwood wreath (permanent! non-disposable!).  Maybe next year.

Last year I wanted a permanent advent calendar, but left it too late. This year, I've been looking for weeks, but the closest I've come to the sort of thing I want is at Pottery Barn, online only. I'd rather buy something local, and I certainly want to see it first.

And then I couldn't find a paper one I liked, but on my way home I saw that Flax was having a huge sale. I bought an array of small bags, boxes and envelopes in various shades of red, pink, orange, purple. I punched holes in the envelopes and made slings for the boxes out of green raffia-- which
I also used to string the envelopes. A date is written on each "container" and a there is something to find inside of each. I strung them on a white jewelry tree I've had for years and never really used. So this is my half reusable, half discount-paper calendar:




It looks a little like the desert chaparral we saw so much of at my in-laws house. I don't necessarily think that's a good thing-- but I do love the combination of rosy hues.


There are stickers in one envelope, and there will be small ball in one of the boxes, but mostly these are "coupons" of things to do.




Some stuff is traditional, at least for us, but I struggled with coming up with other activities-- what is the meaning of Advent exactly? I don't like the idea of a "countdown"-- seems contradictory to being mindful and present. But I suppose we have this month to contemplate that.

Anyway, here's our list (partially inspired by this post... I read a LOT of Advent stuff the last few days):
J's favorite dinner
3 Special Playdates (i.e. dinner-- we do a lot of entertaining this time of year) with a special friends(give gift)
J's Winter Dance Recital
Collect pine cones and make wreathes
School Party
Get tree
Make Gingerbread Men
Santa Lucia-- candle lit dinner
See the Reindeer at the Academy of Sciences
Go Ice Skating
Make Christmas Cookies
Solstice-- longest night of the year-- new pj's for everyone... I might try to find a kids version of A Christmas Carol to read on another night
Dec 22: Halfway through the year:Family Art Night. Draw the year so far and intentions/wishes for the months to come
Christmas Pageant
Donate Toys & Clothes @ Homeless Prenatal (I resell every other time of the year)
Sing Christmas Carols
Hot Chocolate
Decorate the Tree
Visit our favorite nursery and get a wreath, narcissus
Go see the Tree at Union Square
Holiday Sing-a-long