I hope you had a wonderful Christmas with your loved ones, and a restful time during the (generally) quiet week between Christmas and New Year’s. My Christmas vacation, like many things in life, was a mixed bag. While I wasn’t sharing online, I still spent a lot of time working – planning for 2026, working at my easel for the next original art sale, reading, and writing. That was balanced with rest, though. We watched movies and TV series, ate leftovers, and lingered a little longer in bed most days. I recently learned the Scottish people call that time of lingering “hurkle-durkle,” and it’s my new favorite phrase. The kitties and I love hurkle-durkling.
Our Christmas Day was quiet and slow, thanks to a lot of prep work I did in advance and lessons learned from previous years of leaving too much for the day of. I also made some small changes to make Christmas brunch easier, like buying frozen yeast rolls instead of making them from scratch. The only hiccup was that I had to make the tart dough twice: the first batch was too crumbly and didn’t come together, but the second batch was a success.
I made two tarts – cherry and apple.
The cherry was the day’s overall winner. It was heavenly served with vanilla ice cream.
I’ll share some of the gifts I received in a separate post, but I was finally able to give my a painting I made of Rosa Jo for her gift. I’ve had to keep that off of social media and keep her out of my studio, so the surprise wasn’t ruined.
So, Christmas and the days leading up to it were about as good as they could be. We all commented how it was our favorite food year that we could remember, and, even though we scaled back a bit on the gifts (having two teenage boy drivers is really expensive), we were all delighted with our gifts.
Two days after Christmas, though, I received a text from my dad that my mom had slipped and fallen on the ice while walking Rosa Jo. She extended her arm to catch herself, and the result was a broken right wrist. Having broken my foot a few years ago when I walked out to the garage without paying attention, I knew how it felt to alter the course of the next few months with just one miscalculation. You wish life had a rewind button so you could watch that ill-fated step again.
So, we drove over to pick up Rosa Jo to take that responsibility off their hands. The positive thing is that we have been slowly introducing Rosa Jo to our home, family members, and cats. Christmas Day was the best Rosa Jo day yet! Violet, who is notoriously wary of strangers, hid whenever she came to visit, but she was brave on Christmas Day. It seems like the animals had decided to co-exist, and there was no growling, hissing, batting, or bloodshed. There was only curious sniffing and some sideways glances.
Having Rosa Jo was an adjustment, though. She is timid and skittish around men (we are pretty sure a man abused her), so we had to offer lots of treats and reassurance to get her comfortable around Jeff. She needed regular walks, trips outside to play in the yard, and attention, so that took up quite a bit of time. Also, Rosa Jo does not like hurkle-durkling. Not a fan. She wants to get up and greet the day the second she wakes up at 6:30 or 7:00. So, that meant I had to get up, too. We walked in the cold and ate breakfast when it was still dark, and I mourned the lost hurkle-durkle time.
We found our rhythm, though. She settled into being a good studio dog while I painted.
We also drove over to help my parents with various chores and tasks around the house, like taking down Christmas decorations and grocery shopping. Once things settled down a bit, my parents took Rosa Jo back home. Friends and neighbors have been walking her, and they put up a fence around their yard so my parents can easily let her out throughout the day. She brings them a lot of joy, so it’s been a bright spot having her back.
My mom is having surgery on her wrist this week, so I’ll go over to stay with my parents to help out.
Beyond all of the personal happenings and painting, I’ve been planning. Sometimes that looked like me sitting in my studio, feet propped up on the counter, just staring. Letting thoughts mingle and swirl. Capturing an idea and following it for a little bit until I either wrote something down or abandoned it. I’ll be sharing a lot more about my ponderings and plans over the next few weeks, but I will say this – times, they are a-changin’.
28 Responses
Thank you for your many years of regular blog posting- I have been a reader since you made an attempt to sell your PA house and buy a country house. Loooong time. Blogs have really shifted to other media platforms and I have appreciated all the topics you cover. You will always be an inspiration, no matter how you communicate with your followers. Thank you and have a wonderful 2026.
Thank you! I don’t have any plans to abandon my blog, but I do need to make some changes to keep it sustainable. I’ll share more in another post, but I really appreciate your encouragement and feedback. 🙂
I too am a religious reader of your blog and follower of your creative process and develpment as a true artist. Many bloggers burned out I suspect or lost inspiration after years …. but I am glad that you aare multidimensional enough to keep the keyboard tapping. Happy New Year Marian. I truly admire you.
Happy New Year Marion. First off,I was sorry to read that your Mom fell.I will be in prayer for your Mom. Like you I fell several years ago and broke my leg and ankle. You are correct that there are times when you want to press the rewind button. Fortunately, this to will pass. I must say Marion over the Christmas holiday I spent each day reading so many of your past posts. Your Stuff Series was especially meaningful to me, more than you will ever know. How you see and write about life is calming, reassuring, honest and kind. To say you are talented on so many levels is an understatement. Between your artwork, designing, writing, gardening, baking, photography, all your endeavors, I truly believe you were called to share your talent. Please know that from one military child to another, you have been such a bright light. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and talents with all of us. I wish you and yours all the best in 2026.
Well said!
Thank you. Wishing you and yours all the best in 2026.
Thank you! This comment made me want to pick up the phone to thank you “in person.” It brought a few tears to my eyes knowing that what I write matters to you. I really appreciate your words.
Call anytime. It would be a great honor and joy to talk to you. Keep us posted on your Mom. 🙏
I love the portrait of Rosa Jo. What a wonderful gift.
I love the term, hurkle-durkle. I want more of that and not my dog waking me up at 4:00 am because he wants to go back to sleep out in the living room. I also like how you described doing some planning by just sitting quietly with your thoughts to see what sticks. I want to try that and see what I can capture and use in 2026.
Between the sentence “my mom slipped”…and until I read “broke her wrist”, my heart was pounding. I am so glad it wasn’t much worse. It was a real visceral reaction for me, as your mom is so precious.
Nevertheless, I’m sorry for her pain and loss of that mobility for now.
I’m sorry for your loss of hurkle durkle. That is real!
Happy new year!
Happy New Year! Rosa Jo’s portrait is *the best* one that you have shared with us so far (and they are all excellent). Exceptional likeness! Your parents must have been so very pleased! And your tarts look wonderful! Are you considering posting the recipes? That would be lovely, as we’re always on the lookout for something new and tasty to try. I, too, will lift your mom in prayer for successful surgery and recovery. I did something to my left ankle at the gym, and it’s been painful and worrisome, so I can easily relate. Going back to the orthopedic specialist early tomorrow, but I rather be hurkle-durkling! Best to you!
I am so sorry to hear about your mom falling and breaking her wrist. In November, I fell when I got out of bed with a bad foot cramp and did just like she did, bracing myself to keep from clobbering my head on our hardwood floors, and broke my wrist. First broken bone for me in 62 years. It was my right hand, too, just like hers. I learned really quickly just how much a right-handed person uses their right hand. Suddenly, going to the bathroom was a challenge, writing and working at my job, where I use a computer heavily. I’m lucky, though, no surgery. I hope her surgery goes well.
I’ve broken both wrists (separate occasions) doing just what your Mom did, walking my dogs. Surgery is actually a good thing, because no cast after. My first break did not require surgery , just a cast, for weeks and weeks and that was hard. With surgery, I wore a brace a few days after surgery, needed a little PT cause my thumb wasn’t working right, but no cast. Got back to normal a lot faster.
Oh your poor mom. I am so sorry. I have broken my right (main hand) wrist twice – once in 6th grade and once again 10 years ago. The fact she needs surgery truly is insult to injury. She will be in my prayers. The rest of your post is filled with things that just are so awesome, Marian. You are a great daughter and pet lover and All Goodness. Hope your year is a great one. Take care and keep us informed about your mom. That is just awful news. It gets so much more difficult to heal when we’re older. Sigh.
Happy New Year Marian, and welcome back to posting! Reading your blog is one of life’s great joys, especially in the cozy indoor winter months. Wishing your mom a speedy recovery. Your portrait of Rosa Jo is beautifully colored and character rich!
Just wanted to tell you that I was browsing the Country Living magazine today and noticed one of your prints in a kitchen they featured! I believe it was one that was sold at Target (Studio McGee).
Oh, how cool! Which issue?
It’s the Feb/March 2026 issue…pages 14 & 17.
First of all;I am so sorry for your mom, please tell her so. I’m recovering from a broken arm/dislocated elbow that happened beginning of Sept. I literally feel her pain. It seem like it’s often our beloved 4leggers who unintentionally do us in. My dog got into the paddock under a fence, chaos ensued and a young goat bounced off of me and I went down.
All the animals were fine.
Your dog portraits are beyond beautiful. Perhaps someday I will be able to commission your skills!
So sorry to hear of your mom’s fracture, you likely have a smoothie recipe rich in calcium that she would like. You do an amazing job painting animals, again, I will suggest that you come here to Ft. Riley Army base where we have Calvary horses, and century old native limestone officer’s quarters. Would love to see you paint some of the horses and Calvary soldiers.
I think you should print a book of your top 50 blogs over the past several years for us to have and refer to easily:)
As someone else mentioned, your Mom may find it difficult to clean herself in the bathroom, so if they don’t already have a bidet, maybe that’s something you could have installed for her. I’ve seen many that look to be easy installation.
Dear Marian,
Welcome back!!! Ohhhh so sorry about mom. I am just getting back to being myself after a nasty fall end of June ’25. I was just getting ready for major gardening marathon when squirrels ran at me and I fell backwards. Rotator cuff, tendons and chipped elbow!!! Oh! How I kept thinking if I could turn back the clock….it just happened so fast!!! Many prayers going your mom’s way.
About Rosa being a bit afraid of men….we had a dog that was the same way. My son is a very tall fireman and when he came over with his big black work boots on, she freaked out skittishly and would try to attack his boots. Once we figured that out, he would take his boots off at the door. And get down lower to greet her. We guessed someone tall must of kicked her with boots on. They have become the best of buddies!!!
Your painting of Rosa is pure perfection!!! You have a real talent to catch all the animals you paint. Of course, you have a real talent for all you do.
You have been missed and Happy New Year 2026!!!
Dear Marian: I just wanted to echo what others are saying about how much we love your blog. I have read since the very, very beginning! Through the years I have stopped reading many others plus, as you know, many have disappeared. I continue to enjoy yours and anticipate what you will be up to next. Thank you so much for your hard, constant work in maintaining yours. May God bless you and your family in 2026 and many more years to come.
Thank you! Your kind words mean a lot.
So sorry to hear of your Mom falling. I hope that she has a smooth and speedy recovery. The portrait of Rosa Jo is so beautiful. I am sure your Mom was touched. I also want to echo what others have said about your blog. I have been reading for many years and love your style of writing. I appreciate the range of topics you cover and the transparency and kindness in your writing. I know that it is part of how you make a living and life involves constant change. Just wanted you to know that I appreciate all the knowledge and information you have shared over the years.
Yes, so very sorry to hear of your mom’s fall. So many people here thinking of her!!! Speaking of Christmas gifts, I ordered Miss Mustard Seed and Jane Austin items from your webpage. They were all a huge hit and so unique. I was a star. Thank you!
Sorry for your poor Mom… mending a fracture or a break is tedious, plus the added stress of having to lean on others, which sometimes causes more pain, albeit emotional, than the injury itself! My days of hurkle durkling ended over a year ago when we adopted a young doggo. (what were we thinking?!!) She’s not a fan of sleeping in either, and life as an old retiree has changed quite a bit since losing our equally quiet and elderly senior pups. But I missed having a dog and wanted one that no one else wanted… and Sadie Elizabeth Stinkerbelle Brown arrived, complete with high energy and a love of chewing. Hurkle durkle is a thing of the past. But she makes us laugh and I’m not as grumpy about the cold night and early morning walks as I thought I’d be. And I don’t miss the corners of my pillows… much (that might be a lie). Because soon I’ll be sweating the the sweltering 10 months of Florida heat. Ugh