Writer's Workshop: First Day of Fall!

My sister, Mom, and I decided to go to an apple orchard on the first day of fall.  First we had lunch, where I saw these lovelies turning.  Yay autumn!

An apple I tried to pick decided to fall on my head.  I was not amused.

So we went to a little orchard not far from where we live.  Unfortunately... so did everybody else.  Parking was a bit obnoxious but luckily most of them were there for hayrides and cider.  I dutifully lead my troops (hey, my idea, I get to be the leader) to the apple picking.  We decided to get a whole bushel, one bag for my sister and I and one for the Momo. (which turned out to be a good idea.)

My sister is a weirdo.  Momo always has a smile.

 There were quite a few types to choose from.  We got a little of everything.  Instead of sticking to the paths, of course we had to walk through the brush between the trees.  My sister and I are born country-girls, so what do you expect?  There was the occasional bee though luckily no one was stung.  We made it a point to make it to the end of the orchard before turning back with our haul.  Momo's bag was full long before ours was, so she helped us fill it to the brim.  We made a point to give a prayer of thanks to the earth and trees before leaving the area.

We took the scenic route home (yay no freeway!)  There were a lot of nice houses and cows!  Ooh and a pumpkin patch!  Anywho, once we got home and I rested for a bit, I made a delicious roast chicken dinner to celebrate the equinox.  A very lovely day indeed.

Our haul.  Both the basket and those on the towel, minus the one that are applesaucing right now.

101 Goals in 1001 Days

So last month I mentioned I was going to participate in this project.  Here's how it works.

You have 1001 days, which is about 2 years and 9 months, to complete 101 goals.  Pretty simple right?  Sort of.  It's a bit difficult coming up with so many goals... so dig deep and expand over all areas of your life.  Be specific as specific as possible.  This will help you achieve your goals easier.  

I would suggest not setting a goal that is in the hands of another person or nature, such as getting 'x' amount of followers.  An alternative could be to get yourself out there more via social media sites or finding new way to promote yourself.  You can't force people to follow you, but you can control how much people see you.

I also suggest keeping your list visible.  Somewhere you can see it everyday in passing.  Note the little things you can do to further yourself in your long-term goals, or the little goals you can cross off completely!  It's okay if you don't complete the list.  The whole point of this project is to move forward at all.  Anywho... on to my list!

Milestones
1. Get a job
2. Start college
3. Get driver's license
4. Volunteer
5. Get passport
6. Ask for help 10 times
7. Go on a road trip (Massachusetts?)
8. Make an etsy account
   Jewelry
9. Sell jewelry at an art show or in a store
10. Get published in a jewelry magazine
11. Post a piece of jewelry on the jewelry making journal
12. Create a new piece of jewelry every month
13. Get/make a gecko piece of jewelry
14. Take a jewelry making class
15. Order something from an online bead store
16. Participate in bead soup
17. Make a jewelry tutorial
18. Give plastic beads away
19. Use my ball pein hammer to make piece of jewelry
20. Figure out and use the findings my oldest sister gave me
    Food
21. Roast a duck
22. Can something (pickles, applesauce, jam)
23. Eat 5 new fruits or vegetables
24. Make Croquembouche
25. Participate in Meatless Monday for 12 weeks
26. Make a recipe from a Wiccan cookbook
27. Make English toffee
28. Make southwestern eggrolls
29. Make angel food cake/chiffon cake from scratch
30. Learn how to grill
31. Plant a vegetable garden
    Spirituality
32. Complete exercises in Brighid's Healing book
33. Make a Brighid altar
34. Make and dress candles for sabbats/esbats
35. Complete rituals on all 8 sabbats
36. Recognize all 13 esbats
37. Learn how to read tea leaves
38. Start herbal grimoire
39. Make a Brighid's Cross with plant material
40. Go to a metaphysical class
41. Complete 30 days of Kitchen Witchery
42. Make a dream pillow/charm bag
43. Make Kitchen Witch burned spoon-wands
44. Become a certified crystal healer
    Crafts
45. Dye something naturally
46. Complete one of the three Wreck this Journal books
47. Make a rag rug out of old linens
48. Sew up pillow
49. Make a tincture
50. Make massage oil
51. Make four seasonal wreaths
52. Make a nice binder for recipes
53. Use calligraphy set
54. Make Frankenstein candle
55. Make mosaic
56. Learn to knit/crochet a hat
57. Refinish dry sink
58. Finish a latch hook
59. Make a baby blanket for my oldest sister (in green with a high quality yarn)
    Money
60. Save $100
61. Save $500
62. Buy a digital camera
63. Buy new linens
64. Buy a flash drive
65. Sell FFX, FFX-2, and Xenosaga
66. Buy an e-course from someone whose blog I enjoy
67. Pare down and sell manga
68. Check credit history
    Writing
69. Write 25 chapters for story or have it complete
70. Have 200 blog posts
71. Journal every day for a month straight
72. Write in a public place
73. Write blog post about being a late bloomer
74. Start Team Krimmy blog
    Health
75. Ride bike for five miles straight
76. Lose 50 pounds
77. Drink tea every morning for 3 weeks
78. Take Roxy for a walk for 6 months
79. Complete beginners yoga dvd
80. Do sun salutations every morning for 3 weeks
81. Hike up a trail without dying
82. Develop a skincare regimen
83. Get teeth fixed
84. Visit a spa
    People
85. Spend an afternoon with my oldest sister doing something fun (crafting, go carts, putt-putt)
86. Buy Momo something expensive
87. Introduce myself to the neighbors (after we've moved)
88. Share something I've baked with the neighbors
89. See Cheza
90. See Janelle
91. See B
92. Visit Dad and Jackie
93. Visit Grandma Elsie's grave
94. Surprise Twinny with something nice
    Misc.
95. Learn how to put my hair into a bun
96. Organize craft desk drawer
97. Finish FFXII
98. Get computer fixed or get a new one
99. Take dance lessons
    100. Start learning Spanish
    101. Have Hobbit/LOTR marathon (after the last 2 Hobbit movies come out)

The end date for my goal list is June 19th (MY BIRTHDAY!) 2016.  So wish me luck!  I keep you all posted on my progress.  Let me know if any of you start as well.

Gratitude Where it's Due

So given that it's almost the equinox, or the Witches' Thanksgiving, I figure I need to be thanking the lovely ladies over at Kitchen Witches for their prize package that I *won*.  Well, that, and I wanted to get pictures of my spoils.  Click here to go to their blog.  They have a lot of tasty recipes.

Among my prizes was the tea light decoration up there ^^.  It's my first Samhain decoration, so I'm really excited to have received it.

I also got a whole bunch of kitchen stuff!  Yay kitchen stuff!  I received two spatulas (at least what I call spatulas) of the flipping kind and the whipping/frosting kind.  I also got a whisk and some tongs!  The tongs actually lock and unlock so they fit in a drawer divider properly, which I think is neat.  The tea sample is brewing right now and there was a mulled cider mix that will be used on Samhain.  All of this was sent in the orange tote which is now holding socks for a rag rug XD.  Thank you again ladies.

Career Choices

The prompt I chose this week was 'Something you wanted to be when you grew up.'  Now, I'm not quite there yet to be honest.  I'm finally secure in what I want to do, barring any unforeseen circumstances *knock on wood*

When I was little I wanted to be a ballerina.  Let it be known that I never actually finished ballet lessons.  I think it may have been the pink outfits... and the shoes.  Perhaps the creativity.  

When I got a little older, though till in the single digits, I wanted to be an astronomer.  I LOVED space.  I still do, but all that math that's involved... not to mention that NASA has gone to crap.  I suppose that it's a good thing that I've limited myself to stargazing and lunar calendars.

 Eventually I evolved more... realistic career goals?  Is that terribly pessimistic of me?  Seriously.  I wanted to be a dentist.  Or dental hygienist.  Yeah.  Blech.  Both very important jobs, yes.  I actually liked going to the dentist.  Until I got my first cavity.  That was the beginning of the end for my medical ambitions.

Then I wanted to be a chef.  I love cooking and baking.  I cook dinner for my family (nearly) every night.  I bake for fun.  It's enjoyable for me.  But after having this dream for awhile, I began thinking.  How stressful is working in a kitchen for 8+ hours?  I get irritable sharing the kitchen with my sister, let alone several other people.  I wouldn't want to own my own restaurant, but I think the heat of the kitchen would have adverse effects on my passion for cooking.

So I've settled on massage therapy.  It's soothing for both myself and those I work on.  It's cooling and relieving as opposed to hot and stifling like cooking can be.  Not to mention there is immense room for growth in other areas I love, such as aromatherapy and herbalism.

Being New is Never Fun

So!  Doing something new!  I'm starting this writing prompt thing that comes out every week.  There are 5 prompts released on Monday and a blog hop every Thursday.  If you want to join, click on the link over -> that way.

This week's prompt that I'm doing is 'First day of school!'  I have no kids to post about, so I'll share with you one of my many experiences on the subject.  I suppose I shouldn't say being new is never fun...but it's anxiety provoking at best, let alone when you do it *counts on fingers* seven times.  And that isn't counting high school, for which I was home schooled.

One of the more memorable would be sixth grade.  Not only was my first day in the middle of the year (we moved at an inopportune time for me) but my Mom came in with me.  She insisted on talking to the teachers and be all mom-like.  I was so nervous that I was really quiet, as I always was.  I had friends at my own school.  I rode my bike to my old school for the last week before break, why couldn't I do it the rest of the year?  *shakes fist at the institution*  

Once my mom finally left (thank goodness) and people quit looking at me funny, we actually got the day started.  I was good at the school part.  I loved Math (I don't have the foggiest clue as to why) and was a well-behaved kid.  I was just crap at the socializing part.  Luckily for me, I didn't have to try so hard.  A group of girls came over to me and were really quite friendly.  I was surprised that it was so easy, but I didn't question it.  I even got one of their phone numbers!  Score!  I was set.  I was (and still am) a person who didn't need everybody to like me.  Just a few people being pleasant to me on a regular basis was all I needed.  I went home that day feeling absolutely fabulous.