2025 Q3

 I haven't worried much about monthly blogging this year. But when I eventually got around to backing up my photos I remembered that it is a really good practice to look at them every month and reflect. At this point in the year I am feeling pretty satisfied with my goals for the year. They weren't hard goals I had written down, but I guess healthy ambitions that I was keen to practice!

One was to learn a bit about chalk pastels and this is my own original cloudscape. Goal achieved!

Took my annual holiday with my sister and we did a massive bunch of walking at Carnarvon Gorge. This is "the amphitheatre", on one of the side trails, we came in through that sliver of light which gives you an idea of the size of this space.

Another stop on the road trip was Lightening Ridge, and in the spirit of adventure we all sang at an open mic night under the stars. That wasn't on my bucket list but I feel it is a notable experience!

Did pottery in term 3. I took in the vases I made at home, this is 2 of them glazed and fired. I'm pretty pleased, they have been good to use now I have poppies! 

Another goal I achieved was growing poppies from seed. I have cracked that code. Germinate on paper towel, transfer to potting mix, then plant in the garden when established. The challenge is the late autumn, I want to get them started early but they hate the heat.

I did quite a lot of throwing practice, to work on larger lumps of clay and getting height. I got a lot out of it. I won't go back in term 4 because I've probably made enough progress to satisfy my goals for now, I need to set a new goal or stop making so many things, and also the extra driving and such is kind of tiring. I've been going to work in the afternoon because work has been busy, so it's not like when I was working 4 days and could rest after class. So that is that for now. 

I'm building out a gallery wall of stored frames and stored art. This is part of the decluttering. Little sketches and little frames, marrying them up and cutting glass to fit. 

I'm still chipping away at decluttering. Keeping my eyes open and finding sneaky pockets of clutter here and there. I took a small box to the op shop today. I also threw out a vintage plate from granny that has a crack. Building the "let go" muscle. 

My annual house improvement has been done - a skylight in the kitchen. It's actually an LED light with a solar panel so it is a fake skylight, it mimics real light. It's quite good. The kitchen is a lot less gloomy now. I think my 2nd hand leather couch is due to be replaced next. 

I've been fairly consistent with my discplines of morning quiet time and evening walks. My steps are a lot higher than last year, which was my very achievable goal. 

Morning music practice has fallen off, lost that battle. But I did learn 2 pieces in the meantime so I feel that if I refocus on it I can consolidate them and finish the year with some small but solid gains.

I used an app for much of the year to consolidate my calendar and reminders into one pretty list, to help me set up housework and other habits through the week leaving me more free time on the weekend. This actually has been successful and I no longer use the app because some of these habit have now glued in and I'm reaping the benefit! Music practice sadly isn't one of them, but I now feel like getting a bit of housework done before work gives me a win before work, as well as clearing my free time on the weekend to achieve chunkier things. And I can come home on Friday and things are clean and fresh for the weekend instead of all a to do list for the next day. 

Overall I am grateful for this year so far and the little wins. I haven't seen my family enough, so that's something I am keen to prioritise more, and I have a plan, so we shall see. I am planning to use my flex days to do 9 day fortnights through term 4. I collected work stress in my back as per usual and I have now actually booked an appointment with a remedial massager that hopefully I can get some regular maintenance from to stop my annual back issues from getting in the way. That has been on my to do list for years! I hope she's good. 

I've been journalling most evenings, I think I want to do something different next year again, but it's been good. Maybe something visual to incorporate more creativity, but it needs to be manageable, I don't have a lot of creativity after work. I like this idea I saw at a bookshop, one colour a day. I will be doing the calendar cut up on the wall thing again.