Sharon Wray's Blog, page 38

The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Poinsettia Cocktail

In one of my most recent releases, Home for the Honeymoon (found in the Let’s Get Naughty Limited Edition Romance Anthology), my hero and heroine (Jacob and Clara Mosby) have a Christmas Eve wedding… in the middle of a snowstorm. So this month I’m sharing recipes from the wedding reception that occurred in the tiny town of Kingsmill, Virginia, deep in the Shenandoah Mountains, during the worst blizzard in twenty years.

Today we’re serving Poinsettia Cocktails! This Champagne cocktail is easy to make and turns any party into a celebration!

I hope you’re all enjoying the holiday season, and I can’t wait to spend time with you in the New Year.

Sharon Wray

Yields 1 Cocktail

The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Poinsettia Cocktail

This recipe, which came from a friend of mine in Charleston, SC, makes one cocktail at a time. It's a beautiful drink that is perfect for the holidays, especially New Years!

4 minPrep Time

4 minTotal Time

Save Recipe Print Recipe var print_b = document.getElementById('mpp_print_button'); var save_b = document.getElementById('mpp_saverecipe_button'); print_b.onclick = function(){ zlrPrint( "mpprecipe-container-247", "https://sharonwray.com/wp-content/plu...", "mpprecipe-design18", "1", "#" ) }; save_b.onclick = function(){ window.open('https://sharonwray.mealplannerpro.com...' + window.location.href); return false; }; My Recipes My Lists My Calendar

Ingredients

3/4 oz CointreauChampagneSplash cranberry juice (not diet juice!)Fresh rasberries for garnish

Instructions

In 1 Champagne flute, pour in the Cointreau.Carefully, add enough Champagne to the flute to fill up 3/4 of the way.Add a splash of cranberry juice and fresh raspberries.Serve immediately.7.8.1.2247https://sharonwray.com/the-hungry-writer/the-hungry-romance-writer-poinsettia-cocktail/ { "@context": "http://schema.org/", "url": [ "https:\/\/sharonwray.com\/the-hungry-writer\/the-hungry-romance-writer-poinsettia-cocktail\/" ],"name" : "The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Poinsettia Cocktail","description" : "This recipe, which came from a friend of mine in Charleston, SC, makes one cocktail at a time. It's a beautiful drink that is perfect for the holidays, especially New Years!","prepTime" : "PT4M","recipeYield" : "1 Cocktail","datePublished" : "2022-11-29 07:00:09","recipeInstructions":[ { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "In 1 Champagne flute, pour in the Cointreau." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Carefully, add enough Champagne to the flute to fill up 3\/4 of the way." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Add a splash of cranberry juice and fresh raspberries." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Serve immediately." }],"keywords" : "The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Poinsettia Cocktail","recipeIngredient" : ["3\/4 oz Cointreau","Champagne","Splash cranberry juice (not diet juice!)","Fresh rasberries for garnish"], "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https:\/\/sharonwray.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/3-5.jpg" }, "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sharon Wray" }, "nutrition": { "@type": "NutritionInformation", "servingsize": "1 serving"},"@type": "Recipe"} Subscribe

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A Christmas for Virginia

An edited repost from the archives.

Many years ago, I worked as an archivist for the Newspaper Association of America. Basically, it’s the national association for all newspaper publishers/owners. One of the great things about working at NAA’s library was the fabulous special collection of original newspapers and other documents that dated back to the 18th century and were once personally owned by publishers like Joseph Pulitzer.

But this time of year, our reference desk was inundated with information about one of the most famous editorial letters ever written–the response to an eight-year-old girl’s question about whether or not Santa Claus exists. Our special collection had one of the last remaining original copies of this letter which ran in the New York’s Sun newspaper, and every year we sent out copies to whoever requested one.

The letter, reprinted below (it’s now in the public domain), was published on September 21, 1897 by veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church and has become the most reprinted newspaper editorial of all time. It has been translated into dozens of languages, has appeared in books, movies, posters and even stamps. This sweet-yet-profound letter has transformed even the most Scrooge-like hearts and never fails to make me smile. I hope you all enjoy it!

{Letter from Francis Pharcellus Church to Virigina O’Hanlon in New York’s Sun newspaper on September 21, 1897 currently in the public domain.}

DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.
Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
Papa says, ‘If you see it in THE SUN it’s so.’
Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

VIRGINIA O’HANLON.
115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET.

VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You may tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

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The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Chutney & Cream Cheese Appetizer

In one of my most recent releases, Home for the Honeymoon (found in the Let’s Get Naughty Limited Edition Romance Anthology), my hero and heroine (Jacob and Clara Mosby) have a Christmas Eve wedding… in the middle of a snowstorm. So this month I’m sharing recipes from the wedding reception that occurred in the tiny town of Kingsmill, Virginia, deep in the Shenandoah Mountains, during the worst blizzard in twenty years.

Today we’re serving a chutney & cream cheese appetizer. This recipe, which comes from my mother, combines cream cheese and your favorite chutney. It’s a flexible recipe that can be served in a bowl or as a cheese ball. I like to offer this appetizer with crackers or slices of French bread. And if you don’t want to add the nuts, you can leave them out. This app is super easy to make and can be made at the last minute. I hope you enjoy it!

PrintThe Hungry {Romance} Writer: Chutney DipCourse AppetizerPrep Time 5 minutesCook Time 5 minutesServings 10Ingredients8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)1/4 cup Major Grey’s Mango Chutney1/2 teaspoon curry powder1/4 cup dried apricots diced into 1/4 inch pieces1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, or almonds)InstructionsIn a small bowl, stir the softened cream cheese with a fork to make sure it is soft and spreadable and has no lumps.Stir in the mango chutney and the curry powder. Mix until well blended.Stir in the dried apricots until blended.Serve in a small bowl and top with the chopped nuts. Or form into a round ball and roll the ball in the chopped nuts. Serve on a platter with crackers or baguette slices. Sometimes I will cover the round ball with roasted almond slices, but it depends if there are any nut allergies among my guests.Cover with plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve. I like to let this sit out at least 20 minutes before serving so it's soft enough to spread.Subscribe

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Christmas Vacation

I don’t normally take a blogging hiatus around the holidays, but this year I’ve decided to step away from my blog and spend time with my family. I have a few blog posts coming up that are already scheduled, but I won’t return to writing my daily posts until mid-January. This has been a busier than normal year and I have multiple writing deadlines coming up. But I’m already looking forward to writing daily in this space again in the new year.

In the meantime, I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and a safe and happy new year! I can’t wait for 2023!!!

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Sweater Weather is Here!

This is an edited repost from the archives.

Because I’ve had so many people email me about this post about how to care for sweaters, I’ve updated the original article and am reposting it here today. Since the colder weather has officially arrived, I’m pulling our family’s sweaters out of storage. We’ve had many of our wool and cotton sweaters for years, and a lot of them were rescued from thrift shops. One of the things I learned about during my clothing design internship in Paris, and when I was a student at FIT, was about how to care for sweaters. Although my specialty was wedding gown design, I still had to suffer through long lectures on the care of woolens and knits. Now that I’m older, I appreciate all the wisdom I acquired in those classes. But just in case you never learned how, here’s a quick primer on how to care for sweaters. Many of these steps should be done before they’re put away for the summer, but sometimes the cleaning comes when you need them again. And that’s okay too.

TIPS FOR LONGTERM SWEATER CARE1. Remove Pills Immediately

I hate seeing pills on my sweaters but they happen all the time. They’re caused by the threads rubbing against each other or other objects, and you tend to find them around the elbows, under the arms, and along the waistlines and sleeves. Regardless of where they are, they need to be removed immediately or the threads will begin to snag and the situation worsens from there. 

To remove pills, lay the sweater flat and, with one hand holding a straight razor or pill remover, gently slice off the pills one at at time. Do not pull them. Things will get only worse if you do. 

2. Fix Noticeable Snags 

Snags, those little loops of thread when a stitch is unwoven, are dangerous. If the snag gets caught on something, the sweater will begin to unravel and form an unsightly hole. While snags can’t always be fixed, they can be ameliorated. Turn the sweater inside out. Then place a small crochet hook into the same stitch as the snag, and pull the loose thread through to the inside. A safety pin, or even a turkey skewer, will work in an emergency. The snag won’t be as noticeable and it won’t get caught on anything and make the hole bigger. If it’s a large loop of thread, I may use a fine hand needle and cotton thread in the same/close color to sew the loop together and attach it to another nearby thread. This takes practice, but if you do it right it’s hard to tell from the right side and will prevent any further damage. 

3. Remove Dandruff, Hair, and Lint

Knitted or woven sweaters are usually made of soft wool, cotton, or cashmere but those natural fibers attract dust, lint, dog hairs (!!!), dandruff, and stray hairs that make sweaters, especially darker colors, look worn and used. To remove the debris, use a tape roller or a lint brush or a small, soft tooth brush. Make sure to brush along the fibers in one direction, very gently, to prevent damaging the fibers and cause pilling. If you brush in one direction, any damage will be less noticeable. Lint brushes have arrows on them so you know which way to brush. A good way to keep sweaters looking fresh is to do a quick, gentle brush every time you take them off and before you put them away. 

4. How & When to Wash 

Washing your sweaters shouldn’t be scary! First of all, check the label to see if it should be dry cleaned. While not everything in your closet needs to be dry cleaned, certain things do depending on the fibers, weave, and any ornamentation. If there are fancy buttons or fur colors, or sequins, etc, the sweaters must go to a professional cleaners. But most everyday sweaters can be hand washed to get the longest life out of them. To hand wash, fill a sink or tub with cool water and mix in a few drops of a gentle laundry detergent. While the tub/sink fills, make a note of any particular stains on the sweater that need to be worked on. 

Gently submerge the sweater into the water and let it soak for 30 minutes. Then, with a soft washcloth or a small, very soft toothbrush, very gently rub at the stain until it is gone. Do not rub too hard. Some stains fade enough you can’t see them, but if you damage the fibers that will be even more noticeable. When you are done, gently rinse in cool water. To dry, gently squeeze out the water (do not wring!!) and lay the wet sweater on a towel. Then roll the towel up like a sleeping bag to remove the extra water. Unroll and lay the sweater flat on a clean, dry towel or on a drying rack. 

Note about stains: Even if a sweater can be hand washed, some stains (markers, pen ink, and oil/grease) need to be handled by a professional. Also, if you have a dark stain like coffee on a light-colored/white/cream sweater, that may need to go to the cleaners as well to make sure the edges of the stain are removed. The darkest part of a stain is always around the edges where the contaminant pools. And if the sweater smells like smoke (cigarettes, bonfires, etc), then consider it stained. You may not see the smoke particles but they are there and they weaken the fibers. 

Note about fibers: Cotton and cashmere need the most attention and should be washed after every three wearings (unless they get stained, dirty, etc). Wool and polyester can usually handle five-six wearing. ALWAYS follow the directions on the label. And, if possible, spot clean small stains in between washings but please don’t wash more often than necessary. And dry clean only labels are serious–DRY CLEAN ONLY!

5. Wear a T-shirt 

One way to cut down on washing sweaters is to wear a T-shirt beneath it. The T-shirt works as a barrier between sweater and skin and will soak up sweat, deodorant, and body oils. Wearing a T-shirt can extend the life of you sweaters because it eliminates the need for more frequent washings–as long as you don’t dump your coffee all over the front! 

6. Save an Itchy Sweater

Sometimes, after many washings, the fibers of a sweater loosen or break and make a soft, cozy sweater super itchy. One way to save an itchy sweater is to fill a sink or tub with cold water and add a cap-full of liquid fabric softener (find one without any dyes or fragrance, if possible). If you don’t have fabric softener, you can use a 1/2 cup of hair conditioner (without fragrance or dyes). Do not use a shampoo/conditioner combination or a heavy super-conditioner as they have too many thickening ingredients that can damage the fibers. Let the sweater sit in the water for 30 minutes and then rinse with cold water and dry the sweater according to the directions above. You may need to do this a few times before the sweater feels soft and cozy again.

7. Save a Stretched Sweater

To save a stretched out sweater, fill a tube or sink with cold water and submerge the water. Gently roll out the extra water (like described above) and put it into the dryer on a sweater/sneaker shelf if you dryer has that feature. (if it doesn’t just toss it into the dryer). Set the temperature to High Heat and let the dryer run until it is dry. This will shrink the sweater. I you only need a bit of shrinkage, take the sweater out of the dryer early and let air dry. 

Note on shrinking: The amount of water in the sweater will determine the amount of shrinkage. The wetter the sweater is, the more it will shrink. If you just need a bit of adjustment, mist it the sweater with a water bottle until just damp and throw it into the dryer. Also, not all fibers will work well with this shrinkage technique. Cashmere and silk blends may shrink way too much while polyester hardly shrinks at all. But if you can no longer wear the sweater, then you have nothing to lose by trying to shrink it the best you can. 

8. Folding Sweaters

Never, ever, ever hang sweaters! Hanging sweaters will cause them to stretch out and will add “peaks” to the shoulders. The best way to store sweaters–once they are clean–is to fold them or roll them and store them in drawers or on shelves. To fold properly, lay them face-down on a bed or a flat surface. Fold each arm from the sleeve seam diagonally across the back and crisscrossing the sleeves. Fold the sweater either horizontally or vertically in half from the bottom hem to the collar. Fold again, if necessary, to fit in a drawer or a shelf. If storing sweaters on top of each other, place a piece of white tissue paper or squares of an old, clean white sheet you’ve cut up between the sweaters. Do not use colored tissue paper as, over time, the dye can leach into the sweaters. Add a few cedar blocks or chips or lavender sachets to the shelves and drawers to keep away any critters like moths, etc. 

If you have to hang a sweater, fold it over a hanger with a piece of white tissue paper between the hangar and the sweater to prevent creases. And never, ever, ever store sweaters in dry cleaning bags/plastic bags. Natural fibers need to breathe and they need circulating air to keep away critters and prevent mildew. 

9. Packing Away Sweaters

When sweater season is over (sob!!), don’t just toss them into drawers. First, make sure they are cleaned and dried, either by hand or at the cleaners. Then fold them (directions above) and place them in a drawer or shelf. If you need to put them in boxes, use only canvas or cotton bins. Add in lavender or cedar sachets/bricks, and store in a a cool, dry closet. DO NOT store in plastic bags as it can trap moisture and cause yellowing or mildew. DO NOT store sweater bins in attics. DO NOT store sweater bins in basements unless they are climate-controlled. 

Bugs hate the scents of cedar and lavender so you can’t have too much of either stored with your sweaters. This might be a lot of work, but when you pull out your sweaters next year, you’ll thank me. 

10. Saving Sweater Decorations

If the sweater has decorative elements like fur collars or fancy buttons, or sequins, etc., make sure to use a piece of muslin or cut-up cotton sheet in between the sweaters when storing them on a shelf, drawer, or bin. Fancy buttons and sequins can cause pilling and snags on the sweater stored on top. If a fur collar is removable, do so in between wearings and before storing and gently lay the collar on top of the sweater. This will prevent the button holes that hold the collar onto the sweater from stretching and will prevent creases in the fur. And if fancy buttons are heavy, check to make sure they are still attached to the sweater securely. With heavy buttons, you may have to re-sew the buttons on with heavy button thread to make sure you don’t lose them. Standard buttons can be replaced, but fancy decorative buttons are hard to find and replace and you’ll be sorry to lose them.

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The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Spinach and Feta Appetizers

In one of my most recent releases, Home for the Honeymoon (found in the Let’s Get Naughty Limited Edition Romance Anthology), my hero and heroine (Jacob and Clara Mosby) have a Christmas Eve wedding… in the middle of a snowstorm. So this month I’m sharing recipes from the wedding reception that occurred in the tiny town of Kingsmill, Virginia, deep in the Shenandoah Mountains, during the worst blizzard in twenty years.

Today we’re serving a variation on Spanakopita, a savory Greek spinach pie. This recipe uses a combination of onions and some mint to update the flavors. It’s not hard to make if you use premade frozen puff pastry (which I always do!) and frozen chopped spinach. Just make sure to really, really drain the spinach well in a colander and then wrap it in paper towels to get out all the extra moisture. Otherwise your appetizer will be too gooey. I hope you enjoy this recipe! It’s perfect for this time of year and can even be served as a side dish.

Sharon Wray

Yields Serves 12-16

The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Spinach and Feta Appetizers

When my husband was in the army, I had a wonderful friend who was another army wife. Her parents were born in Greece and she shared her traditional recipe for Spanakopita, a Greek Spinach Pie. Over the years, I've tried other recipes and made lots of adaptions to my friend's recipe. This is the result of years of experimentation. The combination of different types of onions and the addition of mint give this dish a more modern feel. It's one of my go-to recipes for cocktail parties as it's a bit heavier than other apps.

40 minPrep Time

50 minCook Time

1 hr, 30 Total Time

Save Recipe Print Recipe var print_b = document.getElementById('mpp_print_button'); var save_b = document.getElementById('mpp_saverecipe_button'); print_b.onclick = function(){ zlrPrint( "mpprecipe-container-249", "https://sharonwray.com/wp-content/plu...", "mpprecipe-design18", "1", "#" ) }; save_b.onclick = function(){ window.open('https://sharonwray.mealplannerpro.com...' + window.location.href); return false; }; My Recipes My Lists My Calendar

Ingredients

1 package (17.3 oz) puff pastry sheets16 oz frozen chopped spinach, defrosted, drained, and patted dry2 medium sweet onions, chopped1 1/4 cups fresh leeks, chopped3-4 Tablespoons grapeseed oil1 cup feta cheese, crumbled3 eggs, lightly beaten1 bunch dill, chopped1 bunch mint leaves, chopped1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon pepper1 egg lightly beaten for brushing the pastry

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.Defrost the puff pasty according to the box directions.In a cast iron skillet, heat the oil. Add the chopped leeks and sweet onions and sauce for about 5 minutes, until they look translucent.Stir in the drained and patted dry spinach. Stir in the salt and pepper. Mix the seasoning, spinach, and onions until well combined and soft.Remove the skillet from the heat allow to cool a bit.Stir the dill and mint into the spinach mixture. Once the mixture is cooled for about 10 minutes, mix in the beaten eggs and feta cheese. Make sure all the ingredients are combined evenly.In the bottom of a 9x13 " pan, lay out on puff pastry sheet. Spread the spinach mixture over the sheet, making sure it's evenly distributed.Cover the spinch/cheese filling with the second puff pastry sheet.Brush the top of the pastry with the lightly beaten egg and use a fork to poke some holes in the pastry to allow steam to escape.Bake in the oven for 50 minutes or until nicely browned.Cool for five minutes. Then slice into squares and serve.This appetizer can be served warm or cold.7.8.1.2249https://sharonwray.com/the-hungry-writer/the-hungry-romance-writer-spinach-and-feta-appetizers/ { "@context": "http://schema.org/", "url": [ "https:\/\/sharonwray.com\/the-hungry-writer\/the-hungry-romance-writer-spinach-and-feta-appetizers\/" ],"name" : "The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Spinach and Feta Appetizers","description" : "When my husband was in the army, I had a wonderful friend who was another army wife. Her parents were born in Greece and she shared her traditional recipe for Spanakopita, a Greek Spinach Pie. Over the years, I've tried other recipes and made lots of adaptions to my friend's recipe. This is the result of years of experimentation. The combination of different types of onions and the addition of mint give this dish a more modern feel. It's one of my go-to recipes for cocktail parties as it's a bit heavier than other apps.","prepTime" : "PT40M","cookTime" : "PT50M","recipeYield" : "Serves 12-16","datePublished" : "2022-12-03 11:03:42","recipeInstructions":[ { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Defrost the puff pasty according to the box directions." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "In a cast iron skillet, heat the oil. Add the chopped leeks and sweet onions and sauce for about 5 minutes, until they look translucent." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Stir in the drained and patted dry spinach. Stir in the salt and pepper. Mix the seasoning, spinach, and onions until well combined and soft." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Remove the skillet from the heat allow to cool a bit." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Stir the dill and mint into the spinach mixture. Once the mixture is cooled for about 10 minutes, mix in the beaten eggs and feta cheese. Make sure all the ingredients are combined evenly." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "In the bottom of a 9x13 \" pan, lay out on puff pastry sheet. Spread the spinach mixture over the sheet, making sure it's evenly distributed. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Cover the spinch\/cheese filling with the second puff pastry sheet. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Brush the top of the pastry with the lightly beaten egg and use a fork to poke some holes in the pastry to allow steam to escape." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Bake in the oven for 50 minutes or until nicely browned. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Cool for five minutes. Then slice into squares and serve. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "This appetizer can be served warm or cold." }],"keywords" : "The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Spinach and Feta Appetizers","recipeIngredient" : ["1 package (17.3 oz) puff pastry sheets","16 oz frozen chopped spinach, defrosted, drained, and patted dry","2 medium sweet onions, chopped","1 1\/4 cups fresh leeks, chopped","3-4 Tablespoons grapeseed oil","1 cup feta cheese, crumbled","3 eggs, lightly beaten","1 bunch dill, chopped","1 bunch mint leaves, chopped","1\/2 teaspoon salt","1\/2 teaspoon pepper","1 egg lightly beaten for brushing the pastry"], "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https:\/\/sharonwray.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/4.jpg" }, "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sharon Wray" }, "nutrition": { "@type": "NutritionInformation", "servingsize": "1 serving"},"@type": "Recipe"} Subscribe

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To Plan A Year

Like I’ve mentioned before on this blog, I am a quiet end-of-the-year kind of woman. I don’t love huge New Year’s celebrations because I’m tired from Christmas (all the cooking, cleaning, traveling, and company). While I love seeing my family, I prefer to spend New Year’s Eve and Day at home either in Virginia or Charleston. It’s a time for me to set up my planners and journals for the next year and to redo my vision board.

One of the things I’ve done the past few years is a more in-depth review of my year. Not just business stuff, but some personal stuff as well. The problem is that I often run out of time. So a few years ago I began doing my End of Year Review in mid-December. That way it’s done and out of the way before the holidays. And now that I have an LLC, I am supposed to have an annual meeting with notes to reflect on my entrepreneurial businesses and plan for the next year. So I do both at the same time. 

This year, because I have so many deadlines before the end of the year, I’m doing something a bit different. I’m taking an entire day and am going someplace with one of my best friends and critique partners. This year, we’re hiding out at my house where I’ll have the food (breakfast, lunch, snacks, coffee/tea/waters, etc) ready-made so we don’t have to worry about cooking or dishes. We’re going to spend the morning working around the fire pit (weather permitting) and then the afternoon working in my dining room where I have a huge table. The room is also decorated with a Christmas tree and my Dickens Christmas village. But, honestly, it doesn’t matter where you do this or for how long. It’s the act of reviewing your year and choosing your future goals that helps to clear your mind, put the past to rest, and reset yourself for the upcoming year. 

So what do I mean by End of the Year Ritual? It’s essentially a time set aside where you can think deeply and honestly about things. For some people, they need lots of noise and music to help them focus. They even go on a retreat with friends. Other people need complete solitude. Some others need an in-between space like working on their own in a crowded cafe. Then, once you’re settled in a comfortable space, you begin to ask yourself questions. (see below) They can be answered in a journal (my preference), or spoken aloud into a recorder, or not captured at all. Maybe you just want to think through your answers and will remember them as you plan for next year. 

The primary point of this exercise is three-fold. First, to celebrate all you got done last year. Second, to put to rest those goals that didn’t get finished. Set them aside and forgive yourself, if necessary. It’s okay. You’re right where you need to be. Third, it’s to choose your goals and projects for next year. Maybe even the next five or ten years. So let’s get started:

END OF YEAR REVIEW CHECKLISTSet the mood

Decide where you’re going to review your goals. If you stay home, you could light your favorite candle and drink your favorite tea. You could check into a small inn and work in the sitting room. Or you could take a hike and journal along the way. It doesn’t matter. Do what works best for you. 

Reflect on the last year

This can be as simple as mentally reviewing your memories. Or you could journal about the year. Whichever you do, make sure to include the things you accomplished as well as those you didn’t. We have a tendency to focus on our failures instead of our successes, but in this exercise we want to focus on both. For work, review your business income, sales, and other specific goals. For personal, think about your relationships and other situations you worked on or are concerned about. This is a time to tie up loose ends, reflect on what went well, and feel good without putting pressure on yourself. One of the keys to success with this exercise is to tamp down the inner critic. Sometimes I bribe her (me) with a treat after the ritual is done like lunch with a friend or going to my favorite thrift shop.

Here are some questions to get you started:

What went well this year in business and in life?What moments in my life do I want to remember from this year?What lessons did I learn this year that I can carry into next year?What do I want to see change in the next year?What do I want to keep from the last year?What am I grateful for right now? What will I be grateful for this time next year?What were some of the highlights of the past year?What were some of the challenges from the past year?What things did I have no control over? (I’m looking at you, pandemic!)Write a future letter to yourself

I used to think this was a silly idea… until I started doing it. Now I realize it’s a powerful tool for positive self-reflection. If you wrote a letter to yourself last year, now is the time to read and reflect on it. Then write yourself a letter for next year. In this letter, I like to write down my dreams and hopes and visions for the year ahead. I also write down my intentions, as if I’m writing them into future existence. I end my letter with gratitude, usually a list of all I’m grateful for. Then I seal it in an envelope and put it away until next year’s ritual day. 

Set intentions

Instead of resolutions, I prefer to set intentions. Intentions are purposeful. Intentions are about alignment with my future vision and goals as well as about discipline. I spend time in prayer and meditation in order to intuit the intentions I set for the next year. They are very personal and yours will look nothing like anyone else’s. In fact, I suggest you not share them with others. Keep them in your journal so you can review them throughout the year. I like to set one intention for each area of my life, and I write them in my journal. These are the areas I tend to focus on, but you can add your own and change mine. I like to have at least one intention per area, but sometimes I’ll have more in an area I need to work on.

Here is a list I use, in no particular order, to set my intentions. 

Career/BusinessLove Life/MarriageFinances/WealthFamilyFriendsPhysical EnvironmentFun/RecreationHealth & FitnessPersonal DevelopmentSpiritual DevelopmentTravelVision Board

I love working on my vision board throughout the year, but I especially love rebuilding it at the end of each year. While my bigger dreams still seem so far away, I’m always amazed at what smaller dreams did come true. Even those that came true in a different way than I expected. I used to build my vision board on poster board with magazine cutouts and tons of glue sticks, but now I choose and edit my photos on Canva and build myself a vision board presentation with PowerPoint. That way I can have different slides, one for each area of my life listed above. Working with a vision board helps align your intentions. And don’t be surprised if you change your intentions after doing vision board work. Sometime what you think you want or need is different than what you truly want or need. (I hope that makes sense!) When I sit down to do this, the first thing I do is review the past year’s board and journal about it. Then I build the next year’s board, also journaling about my choices. That way, as the years pass, I can read about and remember my previous intentions, and hopes, and dreams. It’s a great exercise in being flexible. While so many things on my boards have happened, many have not–and that’s okay. Building a vision board helps you visualize your future but also helps you let go of the things in your past that weren’t working for you. And it’s all okay! 

Goal Setting Planners

I use two goal setting planners/sheets to help me decide what I should focus on for the next year. The first is the HB90 Goal Setting Planner. Sarra Cannon, the owner of HeartBreathings who designs these planners, uses these planners in conjunction with her HB90 Goal Setting Course. But the pages are easy to use without taking the course (although I highly recommend it!) and she also has some free videos on her YouTube channel to help you work through the pages. These pages will give you a high-level view of the dreams in your heart to help you choose your goals.

Hilary Rushford’s Elegant Excellence Journal also offers high-level goal planning but in a way that helps you break down the projects into weekly tasks. HB90 does this as well, but there’s a portrait section in Hilary’s journal that asks different questions and forces you to look at your goals with a different perspective.

I use both of these goal planners in tandem, and I can’t imagine planning my year without them both. And I will give photos of how I use my journals in a post later this month.

Daily/Weekly Planners

This year I’m simplifying my planner choices. I use an A5 Rings binder for my daily work with the HB90 Undated Planner. It’s holds everything I need to run my business and helps me keep track of everything from expenses to word sprints and daily word counts. I prefer the undated pages because my schedule can be erratic and I hate to throw away dated pages.

I’m also using a Hobonichi Weeks Sneaker Mega Planner for my everyday carry planner. This is a smaller planner/calendar that fits directly into my wallet so I can keep track of expenses and take notes on those few days when I leave the house and enter the world.

I also use a daily Emily Ley Simplified Planner that sits on my kitchen counter and keeps track of everything the family has to do from doctor appointments to bills due to haircuts and birthdays. I also have a lot of this data in a family google calendar, but sometimes it’s easier to grab this journal on the counter and check who is doing what and when.

This year I’m also using a Sterling Ink Common Journal as my everyday diary, and I am still using my Five-Year Hobonichi journal for my nighttime before-bed musings and memories.

Clean the House & Contact Loved Ones

My grandmother used to say that how you end the old year and begin a new year sets the tone for all the months in between. (Maybe it stems from the ancient Scottish New Year’s tradition of Hogmanay and First Footing. In Scotland, on New Year’s Day, people clean their houses to ward off bad luck. At midnight, people stand outside their homes in a circle, holding hands, and sing Auld Lang Syne. Then, after midnight, they invite neighbors to enter their clean home. The First Footer is the person who enters the home first on New Years Day who is supposed to be harbinger of good fortune.)

Anyway, one of the things I was taught is to clean your house around the New Year. I know it’s hard with all the holidays (decorations, company, cooking, etc) but I love to spend the days between Christmas and New Year’s Eve cleaning up as much as I can (although I leave my Christmas decorations up until the Epiphany). Then, come New Year’s Day, I feel like I’m starting the year with clean house and clearer head.

Once the house is clean, I light a candle and say a blessing over our home. The other thing I include in this section is making sure I connect with those I love. This is a good time of year to revise your contact lists birthday calendars and, if you send cards out, to buy them in advance. In January, I will set aside a day to purchase and address cards I know I’m going to send out all year long. Then, a week before the event, I’ll write out the card and mail it. (Yes, I still love to mail and receive cards!). I may also make a note in my planner of when I’m going to call certain people, or make lunch dates with my friends. If it’s on my calendar, I’m much more likely to remember.

End of the Year Rituals set you up for success. 

They give you permission to set aside time to help you reflect on the past, offer gratitude for the present, and dream about the future. And I don’t know of any better way to both end one year and begin a new one. But the most important thing to remember is that your ritual is private and personal and you can make it all your own. The above suggestions are just that–ideas to help you build your own rituals so you can meet your own goals and fulfill your own, beautiful dreams. I wish you all a healthy and happy New Year.

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Sarah Munro’s Hawthorn Berry Syrup

Apple Cider reductions have been around for centuries. For some, the reductions were turned into alcohol. For others, they used the reductions as vinegars. This time of year, apple cider vinegars are used in all sorts of homemade remedies. But when you cook down the apple cider yourself, and add dried or fresh berries, you have the option of making a syrup that is perfect for cold morning pancakes or for adding to your favorite herbal teas.

Dried Hawthorn berries, blueberries, and bilberries (which you can find online) offer an extra immune boost. Dark colored berries contain anthocyanin, antioxidants, and Vitamin C which support both the immune and cardiovascular systems. Just remember to use sweet apple cider not hard cider. They are two very different things! Because homemade vinegars and syrups were made by the early American colonists, Sarah Munro, (my PhD historian and heroine in book 2 of the Deadly Force series, ONE DARK WISH), has added Hawthorn Berry Syrup to her collection of DIY herbal recipes. 

Sarah Munro’s Hawthorn Berry SyrupIngredients:1 lb. organic dried hawthorn berries1/2 lb. organic dried bilberries or 1 lb. fresh or frozen blueberries1 gallon organic apple cider (sweet cider, not hard cider)Directions:

In a heavy saucepan, stir together all of the berries and the apple cider. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.

Lower the heat to a simmer and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Stir occasionally as the liquid cooks down.

Place a strainer over a glass measuring cup. Once the liquid is cooked down, strain the liquid to strain out the berries.

Return the strained liquid to the saucepan. Bring the heat to medium-low while stirring constantly. Once it simmers, lower the heat and reduce the liquid by half again. Stir occasionally and watch the liquid, making sure it thickens but doesn’t burn.

If you want a thicker syrup, you can reduce it even more. Set the saucepan on a towel on the counter to cool down. Once the liquid is cooled, pour it into a quart-sized glass jar with a two-piece tight-fitting lid. Label the jar with the ingredients and the date. This will keep in the refrigerator for up to three months.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER ABOUT WILD PLANTS, FORAGING , AND MAKING HERBAL REMEDIES:

I am not a medical professional and nothing written on this blog is medical advice. None of my statements have been evaluated by the FDA (I am legally required to give you this disclaimer).

It is important to do your due diligence before foraging, harvesting, and/or consuming any type of medicinal plant.

If you are taking any medications, talk to your doctor about any potential drug interactions.If you are allergic to anything, make sure whatever you are foraging is not in the same family. Example: While dandelions are typically considered safe, those who are allergic to ragweed, latex, daisies, or any other plants in the same or similar families, may not be able to consume dandelion.

Always research potential side effects, dosage recommendations, and how to properly prepare and consume each medicinal plant.

Always make sure you are foraging what you believe to be. Fully prepare and study the anatomy before harvesting wild plants.

Always make sure your kitchen/work area is clean and that all materials are sterilized.

Do not forage plants from areas that have been sprayed within the past 2 years at the very least.

I am not legally or morally responsible for the health of any of my readers. Please do your own research!

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Prep & Plan: Updated Holiday Planners

Yes, I know it’s already December. But although life gets away from us all sometimes, there’s still time to catch up. And just like last year, supply chain issues are causing troubles for many of our plans for the upcoming holidays and winter months. So today’s post is a quick one to give you two free printables. The first is a Holiday Planning Schedule that you can adapt and use however you wish for whatever holiday(s) you celebrate. I’m also including my Holiday Dinner Portion Planner printable. It will work for any large meal, just keep in mind that the portions for turkey work well for all poultry, meat, and fish. If you are a super-perfectionist, reduce the portions by 2 ounces for beef and increase the portion size by 2 ounces for fish. But, honestly, the turkey portion size is a good average for all meat, poultry, and fish servings. 

And a huge thanks to my grandmother’s vintage Good Housekeeping cookbooks for helping me figure out the portions. I truly believe that my grandmother did, indeed, know best! 

FREE HOLIDAY PRINTABLESHoliday Planning ScheduleHoliday Dinner Portion PlannerSubscribe

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A Book for Advent

Every year I choose books to read during the season of Advent. Usually they’re meditations or reflections based on the season. But this year, due to my deadlines and crazy schedule, I’m only reading and studying one book: The Reed of God by Caryll Houselander.

This book was first published in 1944, in the midst of WWII, by an English woman named Caryll Houselander. According to her professional biography, Caryll “…was a survivor of two world wars, an art school bohemian, and a member of the same community of London writers that produced the likes of G.K. Chesterton. Houselander experienced a world fractured by war and ideological conflicts and sought to understand its roots in individual human emotions and choices. These concerns are evident in The Reed of God. The Mary that Houselander presents for our contemplation is at home in our world just as she was in Houselander’s own.”

I read this book years ago and am looking forward to immersing myself again in Caryll Houselander’s lyrical language and powerful stories about the little known life of Mary. In a world that seems plagued with bad news and rumors of escalating war, this book offers a powerful and hopeful look at the salvation of mankind and what it means to wait in suffering for unending peace and joy.

Thank you to Amazon for the edited blurb and links:

First published in 1944… The Reed of God contains meditations on the humanity of Mary, Mother of God. British Catholic writer and artist Caryll Houselander lovingly explores Mary’s intimately human side, depicting Our Lady as a musical instrument who makes divine love known to the world. This refreshed edition is rich and rewarding reading for all Christians who wonder what Mary was really like.

Confronting the static, surreal “Madonna of the Christmas card,” Houselander provides instead an intuitive, warmly human, and approachable image of the Mother of God. Through the central image of a reed that is played for music, Houselander demonstrates how Mary chose to make herself an instrument for the divine plan, giving her inmost being to the proclamation of God’s greatness. In sharing her distinctive vision of Mary, Houselander offers the Mother of God as a model for all people seeking to be instruments of the Divine.

The essays and poems in The Reed of God also reflect on the mysteries of Mary’s life and her impact on salvation history. In the book’s four parts, Houselander explores key events of Mary’s life, including her fiat, finding Jesus in the Temple, and the Assumption, as well as the themes of fruitful emptiness and the eternal search for union with God.

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