I can hardly believe that December and this year are almost done! In some ways, this year feels like it has flown by; in others, it was ten years long. December was a quiet month on the homestead, where we relished the time with family and the stillness of winter as it began to set in.
I took most of the month off to get some much-needed dental work done and to have oral surgery. That was an adventure I am still recovering from, and I am very thankful it is over. First, I had to have my wisdom teeth removed, and then my husband is having his removed at the end of the month. So, it’s been several weeks of recovery for me and soon to be for him.
Due to my surgery, our Yule was much simpler and quiet this year than in years previous. We could not do our Yule dinner and baked goods due to the limited diet I have been on. However, we were so thankful for all the warm and cozy soups during the Siberian blast of winter weather. Our Yule dinner is still planned at our kids’ request for next month after we are all healed. We still did our Yule ritual with our online community (more on that later) and opened presents with the kids.
If you have been to the shop here on the website, you would know I am a landscape artist like my father, but in the past few months, I took a bit of a sabbatical from making art. Well, I am back at it! I had forgotten how much I loved creating the art, especially on live streams on Twitch! I am hoping to do at least one art live stream a month. So, follow me on social media and Twitch for those updates. Here is my newest creation, but this one will not be in the shop. More new pieces will be coming to the shop in the new year!
As I mentioned before, I run an online witchy and homesteading community in Discord, and our little group is fantastic! Each Wednesday, we host a Witchy Wednesday gathering and a monthly ritual. Coming in 2023, we will also be hosting homestead nights, discussing homesteading, and doing projects together. So, if this sounds like something you are interested in, join our community!
December is when my inner garden gremlin starts to get restless and is itching to grow things. Usually, I would have a winter garden, but this year I decided to do an over-winter soil mend for my garden beds and planters. I topped them with grass clippings, leaves, and some composts, and I am letting them sit until it is time to start planting in February. December is the time when I start planning what I want to grow this year. It is also when I review what I grew the year before and find what worked and what didn’t. I also check my seeds and see if I need to order or purchase any for the coming season. If you want to start your garden plans, check out my downloadable garden planner!
Thank you for joining us on our journey this year! We can’t wait to see what all next year brings us! Happy New Year, friends!
