Month: January 2022

Slow Down

January 8, 2022 / Hughena MacDougall / 14 Comments

I’ve always had a problem pacing myself. I’ve felt guilty if I take an hour or two, and do nothing, or do things I enjoy. I usually only allow myself this freedom if I’ve accomplished several chores beforehand. I’ve decided it is time to allow some ‘me’ time and not feel guilty.

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Leading up to Christmas, I felt like the Energizer Bunny. I kept running and running and running, the batteries were growing weaker, but I kept running, and then the batteries died and I hit the wall running. It hurts. It really does. Suddenly you can’t run anymore. You’re energy is zapped. You can’t concentrate like you usually can. Every little thing becomes huge. Normal sounds become noise. This is not uncommon for someone in my situation. However the important thing is to recognize it, recharge the batteries, and continue on, putting one foot in front of the other.

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But how does one do this? There are many ways; a professional therapist for what I call a ‘mental message’ helps, slowing down and focusing on the little things that bring happiness, connecting with nature, or talking to a friend you can trust who may also have some experience in what is happening. Someone who can lend an ear and listen, advise, or just be there for you.

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Why does this happen? There are many reasons for that as well, but for me it was a trigger, that caused a memory, that escalated to an ‘episode’ that caused my thinking to go out of whack. I tried to keep going and going, while ignoring the memory, thinking I could outrun it, but the best thing I could have done was to just deal with it. There are exercises to dealing with triggers, and I should have recognized the situation, but in my mind I was too busy for that. However, on a positive note, I did finally recognize what was happening, and I did what I needed to do.

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What did I do? For starters I used the knowledge I had learned over the past two years and went back to using some of the exercises I had been taught. I also planned to go for a walk around the local golf course, to get out in the fresh air and see the sights from on top of the mountain. The views are tremendous from the highest holes, looking out over the beautiful Bras d’Or Lake. However when I woke up the morning I was going to go for a walk, which happened to be Christmas Eve, there was a 4-5” white blanket of fluffy snow down, that had fallen overnight. How incredible was that? New fallen snow for Christmas Eve. Everything looked like a postcard. And it just seemed so bright and perfect. Instead of walking the golf course, I went for a walk along the road and out to Ballam’s Head, where there are several summer homes, and no person, or creature, had made any tracks on the newly fallen snow.

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While on my Christmas Eve walk, I concentrated on the five senses. I was aware of the salty smell in the air, the sound of the waves rolling onto the shore, the patterns the snow made on the branches, the sight of the rose hips against the white background, and taste of the snow on my tongue, as it melted and trickled down my throat. I looked up and saw eagles perched in the trees, as the snow fell coating their feathers. I observed areas where the snow had not yet been disturbed by creatures great and small. I wanted to make a snow angel but I was afraid if I got down, I would not be able to get up. Instead I tramped out a heart in the snow with my boots. I took deep breaths, filling my lungs with cold air. I listened to the eagles calling to one another, and in my mind I imagined them wishing one another a Merry Christmas. I heard squirrels chattering and songbirds singing. I embraced everything I could, on the walk. As much as I dearly wished I was with my brother for the holidays, I was content being home, being as safe as I could be, and realizing how lucky I was to not be alone.

An otter track. It would have been fun to see it sliding through the snow.

The snow looked like cotton balls on the tree.

My path was not all that straight. I was too busy trying to see so much.

I also took the four days I was off from work, from December 23^rd to the 26^th, and did just ‘me’ things. Did I feel guilty? I suppose in some ways, but I knew that I needed to decompress and engage in things that made me happy. I had a few naps and made sure I got enough sleep. Sleep is a must for me. If I get overtired, or if I have a few nights of not sleeping well, I can feel it in my thought patterns. I also spent time knitting, reading, cooking, baking, walking outdoors, biking in the basement, playing tunes on the fiddle and concertina, working on jigsaw puzzles with Mom, and I watched as much sports as I could find over the holidays. I needed to restore and recharge. I just needed to rest.

Going forward I’m going to slow down and smell the coffee, and the flowers too, feel the fibres of wool as I knit, taste test more flavours and be aware of where they take me, listen to the wind, the birds, the wildlife, watch more sunrises and sunsets, look for rainbows, feel the rain on my face, splash in puddles, and listen to my body and mind, and recognize when, and what, I have to do and do it. And no more feeling guilty when I do ‘me’ things.

If anyone is reading this and can relate please know it is okay to not be okay. It is okay to ask for help. It is okay to make ‘me’ time and not feel guilty. You are not alone. Remember to breathe. And if you want to reach out, I’m here to listen.

All photos taken by Hughena MacDougall.

Pewter Tree & Sock Tree

January 3, 2022 / Hughena MacDougall / 0 Comments

The Pewter tree is the latest tree we have added. I think this is the fourth year. Once again we found ourselves acquiring a collection of likenesses. They seemed to be getting lost on the traditional tree, so we thought they needed a tree of their own to be properly displayed.

This tree is about 4′. Some years I put two sets of mini lights on it, but other years it remains unlit. The tree topper is a plain silver star.

Santa and two of his reindeer take up residence under the tree.

Santa and two reindeer under the pewter tree

There are Seagull, Amos and Piper pewter ornaments, as well as other silvery ornaments that aren’t pewter but blend nicely.

You will notice, in the above pictures, that I put ribbon with snowflakes on it, as garland on the tree.

There is a set of six ornaments depicting the nativity.

There are tiny ornaments that hang near the top.

Some have a bit of colour incorporated.

We like the idea of having a tree just for these ornaments, as we can enjoy their beauty on their own.

As an avid knitter and particularly a lover of knitting socks for myself, as well as others, a sock tree only makes sense. There are over 120 socks on this 3′ tree, which is pre-lit with white lights. This tree remains up year round and gets moved around to various locations.

The socks on the tree are all hand-knit by me. There is always a bit of yarn leftover from a pair of socks, so I knit a mini sock after each larger pair is completed.

At the top of the tree are three very special items. Two are socks and one is an angel. One sock is made using red yarn that had a slight sparkle in the wool. I made two mini’s from this yarn. I gifted one to my late, dear friend, Alayne, when she was battling leukemia. I keep the mate to hers at the top, so I can quickly find it and think of her and because she was ‘top’ notch. The other sock is multi-coloured and is from a larger pair I made for my late cousin Norma Billard. The third item is a handmade angel created by my dear friend Judy Guptill of New Hampshire. All three of these have special meaning and deserve to be at the top.

Alayne’s sock (l), Judy’s angel, Norma’s sock (r)

As you can see there are socks of all colours. Each mini sock reminds me of the pattern I used and who they were knit for, if I didn’t keep them myself.

The tree skirt was made by Mom and the material has stockings/socks on it.

Another tree skirt made by Mom. The material is perfect for the tree.

This tree is getting overloaded so I may need to find a larger tree in the near future. But what will I do with this smaller tree then? Oh, I have plans. 😉

That ends the tour of our trees. I hope you enjoyed reading about them, as much as we enjoy having them.

All photographs taken by me.

Sports Tree

January 2, 2022 / Hughena MacDougall / 3 Comments

As I mentioned in the Traditional Tree blog, we ended up with quite a collection of sports ornaments. Mom and I are avid sports fans and particularly follow the Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics, Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots. We have been lucky, as all four teams have combined to win numerous championships in the past two decades, and many more prior to that.

Boston Red Sox – 2018, 2013, 2007, 2004

Boston Bruins – 2011

Boston Celtics – 2008

New England Patriots – 2018, 2016, 2014, 2004, 2003, 2001

That’s 12 championships in 18 years. That’s a lot of parades for Boston. Not too shabby.

Our tree is funky and quirky. It is an artificial tree, approximately 6′ tall, that I purchased at an after Christmas sale for less than $20. Is is a pre-lit tree, but the lights don’t seem to be evenly distributed, thus having some dark areas. I thought it had coloured lights and this year I was going to add a couple of extra sets but when I plugged it in to check it, I realized the lights are white.

We purchased many of the ornaments on our yearly trips back to the U.S. Many others were given to me by my cousin Norma who was always looking out for unique ones to add to our collection.

Red Sox Mini Bat & Ball and Mini Bruins mug

Hand painted Fenway Park ball (compliments of Norma) and a Red Sox Snowman.

There are ornaments depicting championship.

2004 Boston Red Sox World Series Champs Keychain & Boston Celtics Candy Cane

This one is made by an Indigenous lady from Waycobah First Nation.

Incredible beadwork. One of my favourites

There are Celtics and Red Sox candy canes.

Celtics Candy Cane and Red Sox Ribbon Garland

You will notice in the above picture that I have Red Sox Ribbon as garland. I also have Bruins shoelaces as garland too.

Bruins Shoelace Garland, Bruins LED Ball and Patriots License Plate

This year’s tree topper is a Red Sox Batting Helmet and a Red Sox Bow

The Red Sox mascot, Wally, sits under the tree along, with an Erik Karlsson bobblehead, that we got when we went to an Ottawa Senators game four years ago and a hockey player nutcracker.