New Years Eve 2015

Strawberries at a French marketplace!

Happy New Year to my blogging friends around the world!

 May 2016 bring you joy and happiness, experiences that leave you with special memories, and may you be happy.

At this time of year, I am reflective - someone who likes to look back on the achievements, struggles, challenges, and hopes of the past, and then use the lessons learnt to think about what's next for me. I like to set  my goals, and work towards them. I love that sense of completing something I want to do. I love ticking the list. I haven't done too bad this past year.

One of my goals this past year was to improve the productivity of my garden. With help from a blogging friend, I changed a few gardening habits this year, and I can proudly say I've made some success. I now have at least 7 productive rhubarb plants, well on their way to supplying this happy householder with regular yummy desserts. I also have some pretty awesome eggplant bushes, producing almost all year round. Among other successes, these two were on my wish list and are signs that the garden is producing things we like.

 

Another of 2015's great successes was the Paris in July event, hosted here at Thyme-for-Tea. It was a big year with some fabulous participants and some great variety of contributions. Thank you all for playing with us this year. Lets see what 2016 brings? 

One of my major disappointments from 2015 was not getting to India to visit the school and girls hostel I love. I made the most of the difficult situation with a wonderful trip to Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos and enjoyed spending time with a close friend, and meeting new friends.

Now I'm about to embark on some major study, so I'm conscious not to set too may high and lofty goals for 2016 - but one I'm sure I have support for - is to keep Thyme-for-Tea alive as a spot for me to return to when the going gets tough. This is a space for me to remember those elements of life that sustain - connection to community, reflection on simplicity and generosity, and a reminder that reading opens the mind to other worlds and other experiences. Now with that in mind, I will be trying to post some more book and movie reviews in the new year. Coming soon - some Japanese Lit Challenge reviews.