Ahhh, it was nice. almost a full two weeks off from work. No computers. No emails. No meetings. My husband and I intentionally enjoyed a quite holiday. We stayed at home during Christmas and went to bed early on New Years. We used our time to tackle some home projects as well as reflect on 2014. New Years is often filled with resolutions and good intentions. My husband and I like to set goals as well, but we also take a moment to reflect on the year before. Last year was perhaps one of our busiest and one we believe will prove pivotal as we move forward towards our goal of moving to a farm and further simplifying our lives.

During the holidays, we also see an increase in one of my favorite garden visitors; hummingbirds. We have two nesting pairs in our yard and starting in December the competition to establish top bird begins. Currently, we have three males battling it out. The goal: defend the hummingbird feeder! The tiny birds dart, loop, hover, buzz and perform other acrobatic feats as they do battle. The feeder is located under the eaves of the house on the patio. We use this area to saw lumber for our projects and often we become the target for the agitated birds. It’s hard not to laugh though, and I often find myself standing for 5 minutes or more at a time watching the antics of these little birds and enjoying the shrill chattering and beeping as they perform loops and zip by my head. One of my goals is to spend more time enjoying the small stuff nature offers and this is perhaps one of my favorite spectacles.

So before you set out to tackle your New Year’s resolutions, consider last years accomplishments and how your past hard work will be the groundwork for this year’s accomplishments.