Do You Need New Year's Resolutions? (I Do)

Woke up this morning to a new year. Thought it was Sunday, so I posted my weekly "Sunday morning" photo to Instagram. Jack texted me to remind me that it was Saturday. How embarrassing!

But that's the problem I have been having of late. Because we are still hunkered down at Farm Dover, hiding from Covid, I lose track of the days. Church is no longer part of our Sunday mornings. Ed no longer goes to Rotary on Thursdays and I no longer can visit my Dad on those days (or, sadly, any day). Ed tapes any show we want to watch, so, if we like, we can watch CBS News Sunday Morning on Tuesday at noon.  

I've lost my daily structure. My lack of routine has made my internal clock go haywire. No wonder I'm confused. 

Four years ago I declared – with much confidence – that I no longer needed New Year's Resolutions. To quote myself: "I don't feel the need to dissect my life to that extent any more. I am who I am, and am mostly happy with that person and the life she leads." 

I take that declaration back. I'm finding that I do need some new routines with a defined schedule to anchor the days of my week. So I'll be working on resolutions that help me do that. 

In the meantime, I did stumble across a resolution that resounded with me: to grow/produce at least one food consumed each day throughout the year. I can do that, I thought. Easy peasy. A low-hanging fruit kind of a resolution. 

I probably already do it, without thinking. My freezer and pantry are well-stocked with Farm Dover products. From jams and jellies to pestos and soups, from elderberry gin to walnut wine, from gallon bags of frozen blackberries to jars of honey, from frozen squash and zucchini to pumpkin puree. Surely we can make it through the winter from this stock and then the meadows take over in early spring, offering up all kinds of foraged treasures. Asparagus and strawberries almost magically appear in late spring, followed by a multitude of garden summertime produce.

It did occur to me that if I made this a resolution, I might be more intentional about feeding us from our gardens and meadows -- and feel more gratitude for each of these gifts of nature. I'm even thinking of getting an old-fashioned calendar, hanging it in my pantry, and noting on it what we eat from Farm Dover every day. It would allow me to track my success with this resolution -- and confirm the day of the week as I write it down. Let's hope it works!

Wishing you and yours a happy and healthy new year. May you always know the day of the week!