These brand new days of the year feel like blank pages that I’m eager to fill.
So yesterday I took to the ocean to find inspiration and to take a little break from days that feel way too hectic.
The air was crisp and cold, the ground covered with a bit of frosting and ferries crossed back and forth across the fjord.
With some delicious italian biscotti and lavender and cardamum steamer, I sat on a rock and dipped my hunter boots in the ice cold water.
Waves gently played with my boots and my mind wandered.
Beautiful Ann wrote yesterday about finding that one wild word to guide her steps through this new year.
My word that will color my steps this year is adventure.
These past years I’ve been naming the year. In Chinese tradition years have a name, however, since I was born in the year of the goat, I felt the need to spruce things up a bit. Hence the year of adventure.
Years passed have been the year where dreams come true, or the year of opportunity, but as the months pealed off and I was left with December 2011, adventure was the word that seemed written in stone for the upcoming year.
Recent years I’ve perhaps had a more passive approach to the theme of the year. This year I’ve already planned some adventurous things, strecthed my imagination and stretched what I expect of me.
And then of course since it is the year of adventure, I’m very excited for some magic dust;)
Now expectations can be a bit dangerous, but if we do our part I think it’s ok to leave a bit up to the weather gods, non?
Besides hope with a dash of faith mixed in can soften our white knuckled desire for control, and before you know it you’re being swept away by a bit of adventure;)
Magical, non?
However, this year I’ll allow myself a bit of greediness and choose both peace and andventure.
You may suggest they do not go hand in hand….but I think they can…
As I strive for finding more peace in my life, I believe wholeheartedly it will make me better fit for adventure, for accepting the unknown and being ready to be swept away both by my own lofty dreams and by the magic of things that are out of my hands.
Doesn’t this make you just a wee bit excited!
Excited for all the things that we cannot control and for where they’ll take us.
It’s like softly giving in to magic, the kind of magic that will take us; “second to the right, and straight on till morning.”
What are your words or theme for 2012?
I’m trying to be bolder about writing little notes to bloggers I admire, especially when they write a post I really relate to. I love this post – I understand it so well, but I also love your photographs and general writing style. Seeing your latest post in Google Reader always makes me smile because I can’t wait to see your pictures. Thank you! And Good luck on your adventures this year!
nice to see peaceful place in your photo.
enjoy your weekend.
p.s. found your site through “a butterfly in my hair”
My goodness – your photos are *so* beautiful. They do good things to my heart
My wish for this year would be to become more and more myself rather than trying to fit myself to the expectations of others. We’ll see 
By the way, can I use French lavender for the lavender drink and do I need to use goat’s milk or can I use cow’s? Thanks
I definitely think peace and adventure can co-exist. I like to think my days are full of both. For me, this is the year of now. Of being present. Embracing simplicity without goals and expectations. I look forward to sharing your journey. Happy new year.
@KtMac: Thank you for taking the time to comment! It makes me happy my photos put a smile on your face. I appreciate your readership;)
@ Emily: How kind of you to say that:) Yes, you may very well use cow milk and French lavender is what I used as well;) I love your wish for this year:)
inspirerende
og
vakkert innlegg (som alltid) her hos deg!: )
tema for meg i år:
HER og NÅ, less planning/thinking more living : )
og kreativitet.
vibeke
Thanks Marte Marie. I’ll go and pick some lavender now
Thank you for the lovely, lovely pictures! So relaxing colors and theme.
I have been following your blog for a couple of months now and am really enjoying your photography and views of home.
I have had to think about this word for 2012 – and I think for me it is brave. Fear has stopped me from so much – and so this year I want to be brave.
Oooooh, I read Ann’s post too and I love this idea. More specifically I love your word….makes me so excited! I hope that I get to be a small part of the adventures you experience this year. I consider you to be a very adventurous person so I can’t wait to see what you’ve got up your sleeve.
I’ve been listening to lots of music, as always, but this one line keeps sticking in my head from the Kaki King song, Yellowcake.
Open your yourself and become the light you seek.
I haven’t settled on a word yet but I think it will have something to do with this idea. All the searching, all the beauty, all the pain, all the adventure….everything comes back to you and what you put out there into the universe. Give nothing, get nothing. Give all you’ve got and eventually you’ll have everything you need. I believe that what you really need has a way of finding you if you are truly putting your little heart out there on the line.
Here’s to all of us and what’s in store for 2012. I’m on pins and needles.
xo