I’d never describe myself as a sparkly sort of girl. I can’t say I have a very bubbly personality. I’m not one to swirl or twirl or brew up fizzy energy. However, in the presence of those effervescent qualities, I can’t help but be affected.
Focus
I must admit, the past two months have been a little rough for me. Getting to the end of this school year was tough, but I made it. School is finally out and I find myself officially unemployed for the next eight weeks. With this abundance of time laid out before me, my mind begins the arduous task of sorting through the myriad of possibilities…How shall I spend this precious allowance of time? What to do, where to go, who to see? And so the making of the lists begins. There are the To-Do’s, the Should-Do’s, the Could-Do’s, the Would-Like-To’s, the Need-To’s, the Must-Do’s, the Absolutely-Have-To’s and, of course, the I-Would-Really-Love-To’s. There is something about the making of a list that lures you into a false sense of control, fools you into believing you are organized and misleads the mind into thinking you are on top of things. Unfortunately, the reality for me is a cloudy mess of confusion. I seem to be suffering from some sort of attention deficit issue lately and I am experiencing some difficulty in focusing my priorities. Focus…I bet there’s a tonic for that. Some sort of elixir, a natural remedy to cure this particular malady? Naturally, I chose to begin my tackling of the To-Do’s in the kitchen. Lesson #1: When you find yourself in such an unfocused state of mind, it is best to stay out of the kitchen.
Sharing the Adventure
Do you ever look with longing at someone else’s life and think, “I wish I could do that, too.”? I do. I often wonder how it would be to live a life of adventure, free of fear and full of courage. It’s true, I do. You might be surprised to find that I did not always think of myself as an adventurer and I have never really considered myself to be a courageous person. I recently had the privilege of sharing my thoughts and experience on this topic over at Conveying Awareness with Jessica David. Jessica is a certified health coach who advocates wholeheartedly for awareness and works passionately to provide resources and support for those seeking a path toward health and wellness. I was delighted when she asked me to write a guest post for her blog because I admire and share her passion for living a healthy and satisfying life. And you know how I feel about sharing the adventure of experience! So, pop on over to hear my thoughts about embracing The Spirit of Adventure :)
Cultured
Over the past year or so, my husband and I have been exploring this little realm in Foodie Land known as fermenting. Now, through many phases in history, all over the world, people have been fermenting their foods for a very long time. I, on the other hand, am just now discovering this beneficial bacteria-producing way of preserving vegetables and I am quite enjoying it. There is still much to learn, but adding this natural probiotic into my repertoire of plant-based know-how somehow makes me feel somewhat cultured in my culinary pursuits.
Equilibrium
Well, I have no idea how to start this post, but I find myself with a little injury-induced downtime and a perfect opportunity for catching up. But I must admit that I’m not really in the mood. My mind is in a cloud of melancholy and I don’t quite know what to say. Seeking solace in my digital memories, as I so often do, I remembered starting this post about our snowshoe outing a few weeks back. A few weeks…or six or seven…whatever. Oh, how I would love to find that secret hiding place, that mysterious abyss where all this missing Time gets tucked away! Anyway, my hubby is out for a snowshoe adventure today while I am stuck at home, pitifully longing for some snow play of my own. And wistfully yearning for a view.
Something’s Sprouting
Glancing at the calendar, as I occasionally do, I realized that an entire month has passed since I last posted. February has come and gone, as if it never existed at all. Dang. How did that happen? Life has been a little busy, I suppose. I recently received a little nudge from a dear friend of mine, who subtly steered me back to the blog. In doing so, she reminded me of the importance of granting yourself the time to do the things you love and love the things you do, even in the midst of an overwhelming set of To-Do’s. It got me thinking about things and pondering my priorities. When Life gets busy it is surprisingly easy to give in to the incessant demands, releasing your grip on your true priorities. However, once you realize the error of your ways it can be deceptively difficult to bring about the changes necessary to get them back in your grasp. Well, as spring sits lurking just around the corner, it seems a fine time to plant some tiny seeds of change and get them sprouting.
Cloud Illusions
If I could have my way, I would gladly spend my days wistfully watching the clouds. If I were allowed, I would simply sit in that hypnotic trance watching storm clouds dance in this great expanse of desert sky. I am constantly amazed. Hypnotized, mesmerized, drawn into that continuous cycle of formation and destruction. It is a meditation in motion, calming my emotions and exciting them all at the same time.
In the Kitchen
Yesterday was another gray and dreary Saturday. My husband had to work all weekend, so we had no outdoor play time on the agenda. With a million-and-one things to be done, I figured it would be a good opportunity to attend to some of those to-do’s still stubbornly lingering on my list. I really needed to tend to the veggies…those sadly neglected winter roots and greens cluttering up the countertop and causing chaos in the fridge. I got up early to keep the hubby company as he prepared for his workday Saturday and I was feeling a little badly about his working weekend predicament. We do look forward to our weekend wandering and it’s always a little disappointing when grown-up responsibilities interfere with outdoor adventure opportunities. But then again, he didn’t seem to mind, there was much to be done and I always find some sort of adventure in the kitchen.
Moving Day
Hey, there. I hope you didn’t have any trouble finding the new address. Seek a Little Solace has found a new place in cyberspace and we’re finally settling in. Welcome to our new digs! There are still a few kinks to work out, some broken links and funky formatting, but I think it’s coming along nicely and presentable enough for guests. Won’t you come in and join me for a little housewarming? Perhaps a cup of tea and a little something sweet to celebrate the occasion.
Growing Pains
2016. Imagine that. Another year come and gone, another journey around the sun, another day has slipped away and still so many aspirations sit idly unaccomplished. Not being an especially goal-oriented person, I learned long ago that a list of New Year’s resolutions is no solution for my lack of productivity. And while I firmly believe in the power of intention, I have also come to understand that some sort of purposeful action is required to bring those intentions to fruition. So, here I sit, stuck somewhere between the power of believing and the actuality of achieving. It has been a busy year, a very full year, a time of stretching the cozy confines of my comfort zone and breaking out of my box, so-to-speak. Change is good, but it can also be intimidating. It is both exciting and terrifying at the same time. Change is often required for growth and with that comes growing pains. It has been a year of significant change for me and though I am definitely experiencing those growing pains, some things remain ever the same…like the beauty in the adventure.
Seek a Little Solace 