How Many Topics Can I Fit Into One Blog Post?

I have a touch of ADD, so you will have to forgive me while I flit around completely unrelated topics.

My de-cluttering and purging of STUFF continues. I have a tall laundry hamper in my kitchen where I deposit items for donation. It's a bit ironic that my de-cluttering efforts have caused a big ole piece of clutter in the kitchen; but it's temporary so I am ignoring it.

I spent last weekend with some friends at their mountain getaway in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.  The beauty and peace of that corner of the world is amazing. Their home is bordered by the Appalachian Trail on one side with woods and a creek that literally bubbles as it flows over the rocks.

The trees are thick and beautiful all four seasons. Even in winter sunlight streams through the leafless tree branches and creates an incredible show of color and light and movement.

The ice and wind have brought down a lot of branches- huge branches. The locals call the "widow makers".

There was a little proof that spring is coming...

It was a great weekend with time for knitting, reading, napping and a painting lesson. We went out for an incredible dinner and slept late. It really doesn't get any better. 

A little knitting took place a few weeks ago.  I made a hat for the son of one of my friends. He's 7 and a Steelers fan. 

The hat was easy. Picking the cat hair out of it was a part time job! On the needles now is a pair of pink leg warmers for another young friend. She's 4 and all girl and must have a pair of hand knit leg warmers for her ballet class this fall. 

We painted at the mountains. My friend Sue is an amazing painter. She uses acrylics like watercolor. I love painting, but I've struggled a lot with it.  I think my biggest problem is I don't let the paint dry between layers. What a shock. Me. Impatient! We painted greeting cards. I don't expect Hallmark to recruit me any time soon, but it was fun! 

Next topic- meal planning. I am always in awe of people who can plan their week's menu of meals, thereby saving money on groceries and eating a healthy and balanced diet. For some reason, what comes so naturally to some is totally overwhelming to me. I've tried dozens of systems. I've over complicated the whole process every step of the way. I think I've hit on the answer. I found a planning calendar at Target that fits my thought process. It's a tablet with 52 sheets of a weekly schedule. On the right side there are several pads of sticky notes. The sticky notes fit onto the calendar. Brilliant. 

First, I've decided that I need to simplify my meal plan. Stop with the major recipes slated for every night. After working all day and playing bumper cars on the beltway the last thing I want to do is sear, chop or braise. Much better to plan something simple and quick. I write seven simple breakfasts, lunches and dinners on sticky notes. Then I arrange and re-arrange until it feels right. No more lists that get complicated, convoluted and ultimately, ignored. White stickies are breakfast, yellow are lunch and green are dinner. I haven't done snacks for the week yet. I love this system. Hopefully I'll love it enough to use it. 

And finally, Juli in her nightly meditation pose.  She got this toy for Christmas. Nightly she cuddles up to it staring at things that aren't there. She is in full Zen mode.