Already.

Holiday:   

My Auntie Jobie’s birthday was yesterday!!! Happy birthday, Auntie Jobie! I hope you have the very best day yet!!!

And today it’s my lovely cousin Audrey’s birthday, so a very merry birthday today to you, Audrey!!!

Inspiration:

For about a month now I’ve been thinking about the direction of this new year, considering whether or not to choose a word for the year. For 2024-2025 I chose the words, “Leap,” and, “Journey.”  Bother were ambitious. Each evoked for me a feeling of bravery and possibility, the chance to explore and branch out. After facing a variety of unanticipated hardships this past year, several of which were completely out of my control, I wasn’t able to leap as far as I had hoped and the journey took many unexpected detours. This led to me feeling somehow disappointed in myself.

Thankfully I am subscribed to a couple of artist newsletters, and I recently read a message from Tara Leaver that helped me immensely. I tend to want to harangue myself about what I am NOT getting done. I pick on myself for only getting a limited amount done with the time I have. But she reminds her email recipients to alter their perspective from, “I only get in the studio a couple of times a week,” to “I already get in the studio a couple times a week.” The list goes  —from, “I only sell so much of my art,” to, “I already sell my art.” I’m finding this makes a world of difference for my mindset. I have to celebrate my micro-successes along the way which makes progress seem within reach.

SO my word for 2026 is ALREADY. This year I am going to weave together several different business ideas to better suit my neurospicy tendencies and to determine what I enjoy working on/what actually contributes to our family’s wellbeing. I already have one private Spanish student. I already paint and create in the studio for 3-5 hours each week. I already raise 100 chickens and 15-20 turkeys each summer. I already bake and prepare homemade food for my family. I already budget, garden, and can veggies and jams. I already write this blog and have 647 followers on my studio/homestead socials. I already am so amply blessed by the Lord, so I just need to be open to see where He may guide me next. And He sure is sending me oodles of ideas to try out in this season of my life.

On the homestead - Jaguey, Perú edition:

Papi Jorge has continued to supervise the ongoing work at the house in Jaguey. He drives the folks who are completing work out to Jaguey early each morning, makes sure they have lunch, and then picks them up. Mainly José who is down from Puno and works for papá Miguel and mamá Irma (for years now), has done the work for us with the occasional help of an additional peón (day laborer). They’ve applied sealant to the interior and exterior of the water cistern, so now it’s sky blue. And I believe they figured out a way to pipe water to the cistern from the well pump and from the cistern to gravity feed irrigation line, provide water for animals, or even water for the house if need be. Here are a few update photos for your enjoyment!

Here is José hard at work in Jaguey. The Panamerican highway is behind him.

From the corner of the wall to the cement water cistern with its new coat of blue sealant.

The pipes and whatnot are subterranean to protect from the elements and facilitate ingress/egress from the area that will be for livestock.

José has also been able to finish the last of the jardineras at the base of the steps.

And here you can see that part of the project. We still need to stucco and create some cement supports and finishing touches, but this was a big one that I’m happy to see completed.

In the studio:

In a fit of despondency while doom scrolling, I dragged myself out of bed and decided to just…do…something…to fight…the inertia. I got up, squeezed some paint onto my stay-wet palette, and I painted. I smeared some green paint on the background to get things moving again. Here are the results…I’m feeling pretty good about this progress, despite the long pause.

The background is a bit funky like my mood was, but it’s growing on me. I think it helps add depth to the gladiola.

What tiny step do you take to get up and get moving?

How do you get out of or keep yourself out of a funk? Asking for a friend…