Getting ready...
Fireside:
For the past 22+ years I have done the majority of my exercising in a gym. I am finding lately that I MUCH prefer being outside and away from crowds and annoying grunters and machine-sweat-coverers. Getting my nature fix first thing in the morning is almost meditative for me too. I have loved greeting my days this way!
Some early morning scenes:
A mama turkey and two babies on the bike trail:
I am in the process of getting organized for summer and, as a part of this giant undertaking, I have been trying to make meal planning a little bit easier for myself. I am not really all that control-freaky about it now, but I would like to be a bit more organized with my sources of inspiration (cookbooks, websites, emails from friends' recipe exchanges...)
Today I sorted through an old email folder labeled "recipes" that contained a ridiculously huge number of recipes that I've never attempted. Big deal, right? Well, some of the emails were dated all the way back to 2007. Either those recipes didn't sound good enough to get my attention over the course of FIVE YEARS (!) or I am just too scattered to remember to look in that folder in the first place.So, for my own sanity (and so that you can benefit from my hoarding too!), I have pinned as many of those as I could find online to my Pinterest "Food" folder, here. I am still a recipe hoarder, but at least I have more of them in one place!
(PS- I also have many Get Natured recipes, with photos, pinned here).
Wow, it has been awhile since I have written a blog post! There isn't an unusual reason for my disappearance. I've simply been swallowed up in the routine of my life at the moment. I have very little time alone to focus on anything creative (or to do any one of about 500 items on a list of things that require any amount of concentration or aloneness...including writing this post, which took three days...)
Days blend together. I drive the same roads. I follow the same schedule. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of comfort to be found in this rhythm. Predictable is manageable and repeatable. On the other hand, though, not venturing out into new things tends to make everything stale. I have no new surfaces off of which to bounce ideas. No new inspiration. Nothing new to reflect on or mull in my mind with the wide-eyed excitement that comes with novel thoughts. Summer is here just in time to mix things up and to send me out to play and explore.
I had an amazing dream the other night. I was in a desert with my husband and our kids and the light was a perfect pinky-gold. It looked like we were walking around inside of an Instagram filter! Each of us had a huge bunch of colorful balloons and we were running over the dry and cracked ground with our bundles and laughing. As we let the balloons go and watched them rise slowly into the sky, I felt more carefree and happy than I have in a long time. The only thing on my mind was that moment- the laughing and the sweet light and the balloons. Nothing was inching its way into the "what is next on my list" slot in my brain. Simplicity.
Days blend together. I drive the same roads. I follow the same schedule. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of comfort to be found in this rhythm. Predictable is manageable and repeatable. On the other hand, though, not venturing out into new things tends to make everything stale. I have no new surfaces off of which to bounce ideas. No new inspiration. Nothing new to reflect on or mull in my mind with the wide-eyed excitement that comes with novel thoughts. Summer is here just in time to mix things up and to send me out to play and explore.
I had an amazing dream the other night. I was in a desert with my husband and our kids and the light was a perfect pinky-gold. It looked like we were walking around inside of an Instagram filter! Each of us had a huge bunch of colorful balloons and we were running over the dry and cracked ground with our bundles and laughing. As we let the balloons go and watched them rise slowly into the sky, I felt more carefree and happy than I have in a long time. The only thing on my mind was that moment- the laughing and the sweet light and the balloons. Nothing was inching its way into the "what is next on my list" slot in my brain. Simplicity.
So, what am I doing now? I am planning ahead for summer. Fun stuff, projects, camping trips. I also have what some might call a "summer bucket list" but I don't really care for that name as it implies that I will be "kicking the bucket" at the end of the summer. No, I like to think of this more of a manifesto of sorts. Or, at the very least, just a list of things that I want to do this summer.
My summer manifesto:
I loved this book: Mile Markers: The 26.2 Most Important Reasons Why Women Run by Kristin Armstrong
This quote from the book captures a little piece of what spoke so loudly to me from its pages. I love the shift in my thoughts about running that this simple paragraph gave me:
"There is a restless place inside me, and if I don't intentionally access and relieve it, it groans at me, distracting me. There are too many thoughts in my head, too many feelings in my heart, too many things I want to do and say- and if I'm not careful, I can get overwhelmed with myself. Running restores my equilibrium, quiets the noise within, reprioritizes my list, repairs my state of gratitude, and returns me to myself, but a better version, nice and roomy in my own skin."
I will be swimming, biking, and running this summer too. So far I have one 5k run and one sprint distance triathlon on my race calendar and there are a couple more races that I'm considering. This is how I access and relieve my restlessness too!
A little bit of my summer reading list:
A little bit of my summer reading list:
- The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley
- Imagine: How Creativity Works by Jonah Lehrer
- Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
- Charlotte Au Chocolat: Memories of a Restaurant Girlhood by Charlotte Silver
I use a private Amazon wish list to keep track of what I want to read in the summer. I do tend to lean heavily into fiction this time of year- it feels so fitting for afternoons at the beach or on the patio.
Do you keep a summer reading list? What are you planning to read this year?
Summer Vacation
While I'm in summertime mode, while I'm reading fiction and dipping my toes in the ocean, I will likely be blogging less. I will share highlights and memorable moments here and there but I'll be taking the pressure off of myself to write for the sake of frequency. I will check in on Twitter and Facebook a little more often and goodness knows that I'll be pinning things on Pinterest!
This is a summer vacation of sorts for me and this kind of unplugging is something that I don't do well or often. I need to focus on my kids and their summer without the sound of my voice saying, "just a minute. Hold on a second. Give me five minutes, please." I need to thin the chatter in my brain that constantly urges me to have good ideas. I need to exist, moment to moment, in my world in this season of downtime. I need time to read and daydream and garden; time to watch honeybees at work with my boys; time to sip cold water with strawberries and mint; time to draw crazy pictures with brightly colored markers that make my kids giggle; and time to gather with friends and talk about good juicy things until it is way too late to still be awake.
Happy summer!
Do you keep a summer reading list? What are you planning to read this year?
Summer Vacation
While I'm in summertime mode, while I'm reading fiction and dipping my toes in the ocean, I will likely be blogging less. I will share highlights and memorable moments here and there but I'll be taking the pressure off of myself to write for the sake of frequency. I will check in on Twitter and Facebook a little more often and goodness knows that I'll be pinning things on Pinterest!
This is a summer vacation of sorts for me and this kind of unplugging is something that I don't do well or often. I need to focus on my kids and their summer without the sound of my voice saying, "just a minute. Hold on a second. Give me five minutes, please." I need to thin the chatter in my brain that constantly urges me to have good ideas. I need to exist, moment to moment, in my world in this season of downtime. I need time to read and daydream and garden; time to watch honeybees at work with my boys; time to sip cold water with strawberries and mint; time to draw crazy pictures with brightly colored markers that make my kids giggle; and time to gather with friends and talk about good juicy things until it is way too late to still be awake.
Happy summer!
"Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Last week was spring break for us and we were on a week-long RV trip along the coast of Northern California and inland in Southern Oregon. Despite cold temperatures and a couple of rainy days, we managed to see several beautiful places and even take a couple of small hikes in the majestic redwoods near Jedediah Smith State Park.
Headed west through greener-than-green rolling hills:
Fort Bragg:
Headed west through greener-than-green rolling hills:
Speaking of healthy eating on-the-go, that is the topic of my latest article in Freeplay magazine. You can read the entire issue, including my article on page 14, here. <Link outdated, removed>
I have not always been able to cook well. When I first moved out on my own I was completely lost in the kitchen. I would frequently wrap white rice and cheese in a tortilla and microwave it for dinner. Sometimes my roommate and I would make tater tots. Sometimes we would make a weird noodle and lettuce combo that we called "pasta salad". Eek.
A few years later, my mom sent me a gift subscription to Cooking Light Magazine. The magazine was exactly what I needed to get me on the road to cooking real food. I was a little intimidated by the recipes at first, but I followed them exactly and started to have some success with things that seemed fancy to tortilla-microwaving me. The first time that I made an actual meal with more than one thing on the plate, I felt like a culinary rockstar!
These days I cook a huge variety of foods and, even though I rarely follow recipes exactly as they are written, I adore cookbooks. I am also very comfortable with creating meals on the fly with whatever I have in the kitchen (and that happens a lot because I hate grocery shopping and try to put it off as long as I can)!
Among my favorite cookbooks are those written by Dreena Burton
. Dreena's recipes stand out to me not only because they are delicious but also because they tend to be much lower in fat and sugar than others. Being a mother of three small kids, she understands the constant pursuit for healthy things that our kids will eat. I can tell that she has given careful thought to adding protein, iron, and other healthy elements to her foods and that fits exactly with how I approach building a meal for my family. Many of Dreena's recipes have become staples in our house and her cookies and brownies are my go-to recipes for times when nothing but a cookie (or three...) will fix whatever is wrong!
Given my love of Dreena's first three books, I was honored and very excited to be given the chance to review her brand new book, Let Them Eat Vegan!: 200 Deliciously Satisfying Plant-Powered Recipes for the Whole Family!
A few years later, my mom sent me a gift subscription to Cooking Light Magazine. The magazine was exactly what I needed to get me on the road to cooking real food. I was a little intimidated by the recipes at first, but I followed them exactly and started to have some success with things that seemed fancy to tortilla-microwaving me. The first time that I made an actual meal with more than one thing on the plate, I felt like a culinary rockstar!
These days I cook a huge variety of foods and, even though I rarely follow recipes exactly as they are written, I adore cookbooks. I am also very comfortable with creating meals on the fly with whatever I have in the kitchen (and that happens a lot because I hate grocery shopping and try to put it off as long as I can)!
Among my favorite cookbooks are those written by Dreena Burton
. Dreena's recipes stand out to me not only because they are delicious but also because they tend to be much lower in fat and sugar than others. Being a mother of three small kids, she understands the constant pursuit for healthy things that our kids will eat. I can tell that she has given careful thought to adding protein, iron, and other healthy elements to her foods and that fits exactly with how I approach building a meal for my family. Many of Dreena's recipes have become staples in our house and her cookies and brownies are my go-to recipes for times when nothing but a cookie (or three...) will fix whatever is wrong!Given my love of Dreena's first three books, I was honored and very excited to be given the chance to review her brand new book, Let Them Eat Vegan!: 200 Deliciously Satisfying Plant-Powered Recipes for the Whole Family!
So far we have tried the Krispie Chip Cookies (of course I started with cookies- ha!)- they are great for all the reasons that I love chocolate chip cookies (who doesn't?!) and the rice cereal adds a really nice crunch.
I also made the French Lentil Soup with Smoked Paprika, which was the best soup that I have had in a long time! So, so good!
I know that I will be making many more of the recipes in this book and I will share more as I do. I can already say, though, that the book gets two thumbs up from me!
What are you thoughts on cookbooks? Do you have a favorite?
*Legal stuff: I received a free copy of this cookbook to review here. I was not compensated in any other way.
February was a bit of a rough month at our house. My kids were both sick with a cold and a cough and then I came down with bronchitis, a sinus infection, and an ear infection. I didn't even know that grown-ups could get ear infections! Just when I thought we were all getting back to normal, our family started falling on-by-one to the stomach flu. Somehow I escaped that part. It could have been all of the disinfecting that I was doing or maybe just luck. Either way I think we are all back to normal now, PHEW!
Even though March has been quite rainy here, I feel like I'm coming out of hibernation! The sunny days, when we have them, are warm. The birds are all over the place and tweeting like crazy, even on the cloudy days. The other day, after an all-day rain had stopped, I went out in our front yard. The sky was still cloudy but the air felt electric and warm. The grass, plants, and trees were glowing a bright spectrum of green and spring flowers, bright pinks and purples, were all around. Birds were flying and chirping all over the place and it felt heavenly. So middle-of-nowhere. Encompassing. I felt ensconced in my connection to it all and blessed that this was all happening right outside our front door.Lately when I daydream, which happens a lot, I am thinking about summer vacation and homemade berry jam. Spring is definitely here!
Have you seen the Keen campaign, "Recess is back"?
I love this concept as I am a firm believer that we all benefit from play time. Vacations provide an excellent opportunity to fortify our lives with connection and new experiences. How, though, do we implement "recess" in the context of our daily grind? Daily life is where we pass our time. So how do we bring more fun and playfulness into our ready-set-go schedules? I am passionate about this subject. I even have a Bachelor's Degree in Recreation and Leisure studies!
Since both of my kids will be out of school and home for the summer, I am planning ahead to make sure that we keep ourselves busy. Not so busy that we can't daydream and sip lemonade; but busy enough that we end our days with the tired smiles that come from all-day exploring, sprinkler dodging, tent pitching, and other summer goodness. I'll share more of my plans and our adventures here in the coming months.
For now, I challenge you to find a little "recess" time in your schedule! What is your favorite way to play outside?
I wanted to let you guys know that Jodi passed away on Saturday morning. Please keep her family in your thoughts and prayers and remember to be kind, be generous, and be wonderful. Love to you sweet Jodi! xoxo
I graduated from college in 1996. As my fellow graduates and I moved on and out into the world and our new lives, I think that we all wondered at least a little bit about how it would go for our peers. Where would they find work? Where would they settle?
What doesn't cross your mind in your invincible 20s is the possibility that your life may be impacted by things so much bigger than job interviews and new beginnings. What if, after you find your place in the world and build the life that you have always dreamed of, things are derailed by cancer?
One of my fellow graduates is showing the world her answer to that question. Jodi is fighting an inoperable cancer. What is so amazing about her story is that, in the process of this, she is also working hard to spread optimism and kindness. She and her family put together a "fun list" of things that they want to experience together. The list included serving free ice cream to people in her community on her birthday, shaking hands with (and getting a hug from) President Obama, and being a guest on the Ellen Degeneres Show. Because of the amazing people in Jodi's life, she has accomplished all three of these things!
Ellen gave Jodi and her family a check for $30,000 from the folks at Sara Lee to help put her children through college. Amazing kindness!
Thank you for your support!
What doesn't cross your mind in your invincible 20s is the possibility that your life may be impacted by things so much bigger than job interviews and new beginnings. What if, after you find your place in the world and build the life that you have always dreamed of, things are derailed by cancer?
Ellen gave Jodi and her family a check for $30,000 from the folks at Sara Lee to help put her children through college. Amazing kindness!
Thank you for your support!
xoxo
Updated 2018: media and other links removed as they were no longer valid.
A couple of weeks ago I promised to post a recipe for a veggie rice bowl. This recipe comes together fairly quickly and tastes great- the fresh ginger is a highlight. Enjoy!
Quick and Easy Veggie Rice Bowl
Makes 2-3 generous servings
Olive oil
1/2 package (8 ounces) firm tofu (not silken), cubed
Teriyaki sauce (I like Trader Joe's "Island Soyaki")
4 ounces shiitake mushrooms (about 10)
2 cloves of garlic, minces
1 cup of shredded carrots
1 inch of fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
6 green onions, chopped
4-6 cups chopped bok choy
1/2 teaspoon shichimi togarashi (or red chili flakes, adjust amount to your desired level of spice)
2 cups cooked brown rice
Quick and Easy Veggie Rice Bowl
Makes 2-3 generous servings
Olive oil
1/2 package (8 ounces) firm tofu (not silken), cubed
Teriyaki sauce (I like Trader Joe's "Island Soyaki")
4 ounces shiitake mushrooms (about 10)
2 cloves of garlic, minces
1 cup of shredded carrots
1 inch of fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
6 green onions, chopped
4-6 cups chopped bok choy
1/2 teaspoon shichimi togarashi (or red chili flakes, adjust amount to your desired level of spice)
2 cups cooked brown rice
- Heat a little olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute tofu until lightly browned. Reduce heat to medium-low and add enough teriyaki sauce to generously coat tofu and to have some sauce in the pan and cook a couple more minutes. Set aside.
- Heat a little more olive oil over medium heat and add mushrooms, garlic, and carrots. Saute until veggies begin to soften a bit then add ginger, green onions, and bok choy. Cook just until bok choy is wilted and slightly soft then add tofu and teriyaki sauce and remove from heat. Serve over brown rice.
I am a regular contributor to Yogamint.com and have a couple of new recipes on the site to share with you. These are both delicious and comforting winter foods - enjoy!
Creamy Cauliflower Gratin
This creamy (and surprisingly vegan!) gratin is great as a main course or can be served as a side dish.
Tangerine Breakfast Cake
Despite being low in fat and sugar this cake is so yummy that kids will love it too. I used olive oil and almond meal (ground almonds) in the mix, so it has a really nice Italian-inspired flavor.
Creamy Cauliflower Gratin
This creamy (and surprisingly vegan!) gratin is great as a main course or can be served as a side dish.
Tangerine Breakfast Cake
Despite being low in fat and sugar this cake is so yummy that kids will love it too. I used olive oil and almond meal (ground almonds) in the mix, so it has a really nice Italian-inspired flavor.
We have been doing a lot of celebrating at our house. From the holidays straight into some family festivities, including an anniversary and a birthday. Much cake has been consumed. Like a lot of cake. I cannot resist cake. Can. Not.
At times like this I start to get a little antsy in the back of my mind. I start making lists titled "Back on Track" and "Goals for Next Week" just to gain some semblance of control and to steer us back to our healthy routine. The lists themselves get me nowhere, really, but the brainstorming process of this does bring focus to what I need to do to get it together.
Back on Track List
To me, living a healthy and balanced life is rooted in being well fed. By fed, though, I don't just mean with food. I've broken this list down into three areas that I feel I need to focus on to get back to where I need to be: eat, move, and breathe.
1. Eat
At times like this I start to get a little antsy in the back of my mind. I start making lists titled "Back on Track" and "Goals for Next Week" just to gain some semblance of control and to steer us back to our healthy routine. The lists themselves get me nowhere, really, but the brainstorming process of this does bring focus to what I need to do to get it together.
Back on Track List
To me, living a healthy and balanced life is rooted in being well fed. By fed, though, I don't just mean with food. I've broken this list down into three areas that I feel I need to focus on to get back to where I need to be: eat, move, and breathe.
1. Eat
Stop eating cake. Instead, focus on getting lots of protein, omega 3s (flax, hemp, and chia seeds), and nutrient-rich foods. Have a green juice or smoothie and a big salad every day. Prep and bag fruits and veggies for homemade juices. Plan all dinners for the week and stock up on healthy snacks. Try new recipes with inspiration from Pinterest. Drink more water and less coffee.
Recent and planned dinners at our house:
 |
| Fruits and veggies to be juiced this week. |
- Roasted delicata squash and kale salad (with Rancho Gordo beans and a grain of some kind on the side).
- Brown rice bowl with stir fried veggies and tofu (recipe coming soon- this is a great one!).
- Veggie burgers (try these) and sweet potato oven fries.
- Whole wheat spaghetti with garlic, lemon, parsley, shallots, and greens.
- Open-face veggie sandwiches (inspired by Pinterest) and Gardein "buffalo wings".
- Kale salad with apples, walnuts, and a light walnut oil dressing (recipe below).
Plan my workouts for the week so I know where I need to shuffle things to fit them in. Make sure to include as much yoga as possible. Soak up my favorite things about each activity- like the sunrise during my morning runs.
3. Breathe
Keep my journal close for emptying my brain when I need to. Get some sun. Find warmth and comfort with yoga, a massage, a hot bath, etc. Consult my "Bag of Tricks" to stay in balance.
Kale Salad with Roasted Walnut Dressing
Serves 3-4
Kale Salad with Roasted Walnut Dressing
Serves 3-4
- 1 bunch of kale (curly or lacinato), washed and chopped with large stalks removed
- 1 apple, chopped
- 1/3 cup lightly toasted walnuts, chopped (Toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat. Please watch them closely, they burn quickly!)
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 2-3 tablespoons rice or apple cider vinegar
- 2-3 tablespoons roasted walnut oil
- 2 teaspoons honey or agave nectar
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Combine vinegar, walnut oil, honey (or agave), and salt and pepper in a small bowl and mix well.
- Combine kale, apples, walnuts, and raisins in a bowl. Pour dressing over the top, mix well, and serve.
My six year old loves to do art projects. He uses markers and scissors and glue to create custom "surprises" for family and friends. He would rather do this than just about anything else.
The other day he asked me, "Mommy, what do you like?" I told him that I like lots of things like hiking and flowers and the beach.
A little while later he brought me a tiny package, about the size of a kidney bean, and said, "this is a surprise for you! Open it!"
I carefully opened the wrapping paper that he made from white paper and glue. Inside I found this:
He said that it was the beach and he wanted to give it to me because he knew that I liked it. He gave me the beach! The beach!
Really, this is just a tiny piece of paper with a bit of marker doodle on it but, to me, it is so much more than that. I know the love that went into the idea and creation of it. I know that his giving me this gift was his way of giving me the feeling that he gets when he receives a "surprise" from us. Mommy tears. Love this kid!
The other day he asked me, "Mommy, what do you like?" I told him that I like lots of things like hiking and flowers and the beach.
A little while later he brought me a tiny package, about the size of a kidney bean, and said, "this is a surprise for you! Open it!"
I carefully opened the wrapping paper that he made from white paper and glue. Inside I found this:
He said that it was the beach and he wanted to give it to me because he knew that I liked it. He gave me the beach! The beach!
Really, this is just a tiny piece of paper with a bit of marker doodle on it but, to me, it is so much more than that. I know the love that went into the idea and creation of it. I know that his giving me this gift was his way of giving me the feeling that he gets when he receives a "surprise" from us. Mommy tears. Love this kid!
"Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Here are two recent sightings of Get Natured out in the wild!
Freeplay is a new local magazine for female endurance athletes in my city. I wrote the article entitled "Healthy Snacking 101" on page 10. You can read it here (flip to page 10 by using the right arrow)!
Also, my article "Running lessons" was featured on the Top 9 for the dailybuzz healthy LIVING site, here. Woohoo!
Freeplay is a new local magazine for female endurance athletes in my city. I wrote the article entitled "Healthy Snacking 101" on page 10. You can read it here (flip to page 10 by using the right arrow)!
Also, my article "Running lessons" was featured on the Top 9 for the dailybuzz healthy LIVING site, here. Woohoo!
My sinuses are irritated and my throat is scratchy. I'm not full-blown sick, just a little off of normal and feeling tired. I did get my run in this morning, though, and that takes care of half of the problem. The half that turns me inside out and upside down when the mornings are dark and the grass is frosted over. When I run, I get into my groove by the middle of the first song on my playlist and then I'm on my way to feeling a billion times better than when I woke up.
After lunch I took the kids out for a little exploring in our neighborhood. The weather has been amazing here, with temperatures in the 60s, and we've been outside a lot for January. While I'm walking I breathe in the warm air trying to sense every detail of its layers. Earth. Grass. Leaves. Wet mossy rocks. Skunk. Yes, skunk.
The comfort of a little sunshine and fresh air, splashes of rocks in the creek, and golden light highlighting moments framed by tree boughs helps a lot. Then a warm drink, a little quiet, and finally a soft blanket will help to ease the rest. Exploring, nourishing, and soaking in.
This little drink that I threw together is so warming and felt good on my scratchy throat. It is definitely a repeater!
Spiced Scratchy Throat Elixer
After lunch I took the kids out for a little exploring in our neighborhood. The weather has been amazing here, with temperatures in the 60s, and we've been outside a lot for January. While I'm walking I breathe in the warm air trying to sense every detail of its layers. Earth. Grass. Leaves. Wet mossy rocks. Skunk. Yes, skunk.
The comfort of a little sunshine and fresh air, splashes of rocks in the creek, and golden light highlighting moments framed by tree boughs helps a lot. Then a warm drink, a little quiet, and finally a soft blanket will help to ease the rest. Exploring, nourishing, and soaking in.
This little drink that I threw together is so warming and felt good on my scratchy throat. It is definitely a repeater!
Spiced Scratchy Throat Elixer
- Whole spices of choice (I used 1 cinnamon stick, 3 green cardamom pods, and 3 cloves)
- 1 1/2 cups of water
- Juice of 1/2 a lemon
- Dash of cayenne pepper
- Honey or agave nectar, to taste (about 1 tablespoon)
- Heat the water and the whole spices to a simmer in a small pot and cook for about 10 minutes. Note: You can also toast the spices a bit in a dry pan before adding the water, but it isn't necessary.
- Juice 1/2 of a lemon into a mug then add a dash of cayenne, and honey (or agave) to taste. Strain and pour the water into the mug and stir well.
In the crazy sneaky way that it does, the new year has arrived. The holiday rush is over and we are getting reorganized and settling back into a routine that requires alarm clocks and rushed breakfasts. I am optimistic about 2012, though. I can't resist the feeling of a fresh start and the temptation to plan. I used to wonder if there was a point to all of my planning but now I know that I get a lot more out of it than it would seem. All of the dreaming and scheming puts me into a helpful frame of mind. A place from which to launch expeditions fueled by the momentum of a new beginning.
Lately I have been pondering the direction of this blog. It started as a venture in healthy living. It has evolved much more in the direction of a food blog than I originally imagined. I love food, obviously, and I love sharing my ideas and recipes too. I don't really see myself as someone who writes cookbooks, though. I am more interested in exercising my creative (and writing) muscles in other ways.
I do have some thoughts on subject matter that I would like to share over the course of this year. The introduction of new topics, expanding on subjects that I've touched on already, and inspired food ideas. Mostly I want to EXPLORE, here and in my life. To have as many new experiences and adventures as possible. To learn continually, especially about things for which my interest takes me by surprise. I want to continue my pursuit of building a life of too-good-to-be-trues. I want to do what I love often. I want to follow my heart into new and exciting things and to live a good story. I want to share beauty, creativity, adventure, inspiration, and connection.
I was crazy-inspired to "live a better story" after reading Donald Miller's A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. This is a fantastic read!
These two books (The Rhythm of Family and The Creative Family both by Amanda Blake Soule) are on my nightstand now and I'm loving them both. The idea of home being a place of creativity is so great and I love the ideas that I'm finding here.
Like this "sun catcher" that the boys and I made out of ice using "interesting things" that we gathered on a neighborhood walk. Love.
What is your word for 2012?
Lately I have been pondering the direction of this blog. It started as a venture in healthy living. It has evolved much more in the direction of a food blog than I originally imagined. I love food, obviously, and I love sharing my ideas and recipes too. I don't really see myself as someone who writes cookbooks, though. I am more interested in exercising my creative (and writing) muscles in other ways.
I do have some thoughts on subject matter that I would like to share over the course of this year. The introduction of new topics, expanding on subjects that I've touched on already, and inspired food ideas. Mostly I want to EXPLORE, here and in my life. To have as many new experiences and adventures as possible. To learn continually, especially about things for which my interest takes me by surprise. I want to continue my pursuit of building a life of too-good-to-be-trues. I want to do what I love often. I want to follow my heart into new and exciting things and to live a good story. I want to share beauty, creativity, adventure, inspiration, and connection.
I was crazy-inspired to "live a better story" after reading Donald Miller's A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. This is a fantastic read!
These two books (The Rhythm of Family and The Creative Family both by Amanda Blake Soule) are on my nightstand now and I'm loving them both. The idea of home being a place of creativity is so great and I love the ideas that I'm finding here.
Like this "sun catcher" that the boys and I made out of ice using "interesting things" that we gathered on a neighborhood walk. Love.
What is your word for 2012?
