Happy New Year!
Wonderful, perhaps isn’t the best word to describe 2021, but I did find it a wonderful (if strange) year. I hope that you’re well and happy as we turn toward 2022.
I have been saying this for a decade now, but I really did expect to see jetpacks, now that we live in The Future. Alas. I suppose they wouldn’t be very good for the environment.
Finding wonder, no matter how small our worlds
I hope you found wonder in your 2021, however strange the year. As we go into 2022, I hope that we’ll be able to discover wonder, no matter the size of our worlds.
I’ll be honest: I thought that I’d have taken at least one big trip this year, and that I’d be looking forward to an adventure in Vietnam around now. I originally intended to write a travel blog, but circumstances being what they are, I’ve instead focused on that same curiosity about the world that makes me love travel.
Wonder & Sundry has become a very different project from what I’d originally envisioned, but it rhymes all the same.
Keeping wonder skills sharp
To my mind, if my observation skills aren’t sharp enough to something interesting when I go out for a walk around my neighborhood, how will I find it when I’m someplace utterly new? So, I focus every day on wringing wonderment from my world.
I hope that this blog has helped you in some way find more wonder in yours. Thank you for joining me thus far. Next year, we have even more to find (and hopefully on glorious trips)!
A look back—most read posts
A lot of solo Christmas dinners
The Merry Little Solo Christmas Dinner series, which saw a big spike in traffic last week (my travel plans clearly weren’t the only ones disrupted), by far topped the most-read list. While obviously this series has a theme, you can use it for any special occasion. I’m going to look a little more at solo dining this year in different circumstances, as I very much believe that a good meal, enjoyed on one’s own, is one of life’s missed pleasures.
Travel-themed eats
Julia Child’s Pork Chops, which included memories of my first trip to France, also topped the list of most-Googled for this blog. This post now includes my spin on this classic recipe.
Also right up there is the post with Voisilmäpulla (Finnish Butter-Eyed Buns) and memories of the baked goods I devoured in Helsinki. I made Nisu, or Finnish Coffee Braed, for this year’s Christmas morning with my sister, and was reminded once again of the utter delectability of Finnish baked goods. Speaking of Finland, my recipe for Spiced Blueberry Sorbet, based on mustikkakeitto,, or Finnish blueberry soup, also piqued your interest.
We’ll definitely have more food and travel in the New Year!
Travel-themed eats
Julia Child’s Pork Chops: A Back-Pocket Recipe
Voisilmäpulla (Finnish Butter-Eye Buns) and Memories of Helsinki
Spiced Blueberry Sorbet and the Return of Summer
Small-space living
Given that we’re spending a lot of time at home these days, we want to make those spaces as comfortable as possible. Personal friends on Facebook shared experiences with Marie Kondo (mostly positive). Using little used spots to create travel galleries also resonated.
Small Spaces
Organizing My Small Bedroom Made Me Feel Loved
Small Spaces: My Hallway Gallery
Finding balance
These are strange times. It’s tempting to just take to our couches and watch endless TV. While there’s a time and a place for that (personally, I rather love this Betwixtmas week for that reason), there’s still life to be had. It’s a new post, but 14 Things to Do When You’re Feeling Overwhelmed appears to be helpful to you.
Below are some other posts that may help to live a more balanced life, full of wonder, even when things are hard.
Finding balance
How I Remember To Do My Favorite Things: A Fun Game for Daily Rituals
Small-World Wonder: On Learning to Be Present and Notice
Seven Steps for Creating Morning Rituals that Stick
A little ghost story
The biggest one-day traffic spike this blog ever received was from this little ghost story from my time in Montana. It’s funny, because I almost didn’t post it here, as it was a little far afield from the overall theme. Still, it’s a story that I needed to write down, and I’m glad that it found you.
a litle ghost story
A Good Friday Story: Kalispell, Montana
Thank you!
Happy New Year, friends. Thanks again for reading. I’m excited for the New Year to come! Let me know what you’re most looking forward to in the comments.
