Why is it when life gets too hectic and busy, it starts to feel like claustrophobia? Little shallow breaths, not enough oxygen, too many things to remember, not enough time in the day- it’s as if I’ve forgotten how to breathe. I decided to make a little mental list of some things that help me to feel calm in the midst of chaos. Everybody’s list is different, but here are some of mine: reading a good book, listening to music, working on a creative project (sewing, knitting, writing, etc), talking to my mom on the phone, laying outside in my lounge chair soaking in some vitamin D, having a cup…
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Summer Breakfast
In the past 6 months I have been trying to eat healthier and exercise more. In the past that would have meant hitting the gym hard and trying (for about 2 minutes) the latest diet advice: low-fat, carb-free, sugar-free, dairy-free, gluten-free (yeah right! None of those are ever going to happen!) I can’t stick to any of that advice because I enjoy food too much. I love a loaf of crusty sourdough, a hunk of tasty cheese or a slab of gorgeous chocolate cake. However, eating giant portions of them regularly is not exactly waistline friendly. Cutting back and making better food choices- that’s doable. Walking the dogs every night-…
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In the Garden
I love gardening. And plants. And growing things. The amazing moment when seeds sprout or when I can harvest a fresh tomato or appreciate the delicate beauty of a flower – all of these things give me a thrill. But I don’t love all the bugs and dirt. I feel inadequate and hopelessly disorganized when I think of all the things you are supposed to remember to do like fertilizing and pruning at the right times, weeding, amending the soil and getting rid of all the icky bugs (aphids make my skin crawl!) But there are some plants that are worth the effort. The pleasures I get from them make…
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The Lost Art of Dress ~ A Book Review
One of the hazard of my former job at the Library is that I can never keep up with my “to read” list. The latest book that I just finished and thoroughly enjoyed was called The Lost Art of Dress: The Women Who Once Made America Stylish by Linda Przybyszewski. It’s a fascinating mix of early 20th century history and an overview of the principles taught by the so called “Dress Doctors”. I learned quite a bit about everyday American fashion in the 20th century as well as the history of home economics courses and books that taught women about style and fashion. I also was inspired to dress a…
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Learning Contentment
Contentment… Ahhh… What an interesting word. Most of us know what it means at least in theory. And many of us might even say that we are content at least some of the time. But goodness! If I listen to myself complain on any given day, it’s pretty embarrassing. I have always considered myself a fairly optimistic person, but I’m ashamed to admit that I complain far more than a person who claims to be optimistic ought to do. So what is contentment? And how does one go about learning it? Dictionaries usually say contentment is a state of happiness or satisfaction, but my favorite definition included the idea of…
