Monthly Archives: January 2012
my basket
Our food coop opened! It’s been super exciting in regards to building and being a part of community. Even though it’s currently only open on Wednesdays and Saturdays, I feel like I have an entirely new resource of fresh, organic food accessible to me. I did my second shift this past weekend. Check out this picture of my basket of delicious food. I made Barefoot Contessa’s tomato basil soup with these goodies.
I’ve been reading an amazing book – An Everlasting Meal by Tamar Adler. She approaches food as something you want to be around. She writes about things like eggs and vegetables in a simple and loving way. These last few weeks I have been really trying to practice self care. I’ve been taking long walks, cooking and eating well, and relaxing. It’s been incredible to really pay attention to how my actions support my well-being. I can even tell the effects at work when I get overwhelmed by my workload. I drink water and try to focus on the task I’m working on. I watched a TED talk last night about how doing something for 30 days can make a habit stick. I wonder if my self care is just a short phase. I’m really hoping that instead it continues to grow and deepen.
Song of the day – Crossroads by Tracy Chapman
happy creating
I’ve always loved Marisa’s art and creations. A while ago, she started selling embroidery kits. I had never embroidered before so of course I had to get it. It took me a while to start because I had to buy the string and needle, but once I had all of my supplies and did a tutorial on youtube, I went for it. I really loved it!
Embroidery – done.
baking and imperfection
When I was little and my aunt would cook or bake, it was typically a disaster. I remember going over to their house for brunch or dinner and we would end up laughing at a burnt quiche or bland dish. My mom, on the other hand, is an amazing cook and an even better baker. It makes perfect sense. My mom is a perfectionist. She likes things just so. And therefore, enjoys leveling off a cup of flour or making sure that the thermometer reads correctly before she puts the baking pan in the oven. My aunt, on the other hand, is the exact opposite. She’s more carefree, enjoys improvising, and over time has become a good cook.
I’m more like my aunt. I do have issues with wanting to be perfect, but ultimately would rather be imperfect. I made cheddar-dill scones tonight for the first time. Here are the things that I didn’t do right:
- use an electric mixer (I used a hand mixer)
- didn’t let the butter cool on it’s own (used the microwave)
- forgot the egg wash
- didn’t level off the flour, salt, or baking powder
- didn’t measure the dill
Luckily for me, there’s enough butter, cheese and cream to disguise any missteps. And believe me, they’re delicious.
my word
My word for 2012 is trust. Trust is huge. It comes with a past, present and future. It’s a lens to see the world. I’ve often heard that there are two types of people – those who trust right away and those who are more wary. If I had to align myself with one, it would be trusting right away, but with a healthy dose of curiosity and cynicism. However, what I’m talking about is bigger. It’s an understanding of the universe. It sounds trite, but life is such a mixture of positive and negative experiences. Trust, for me, is that all will be well. It means that I have the tools to figure things out and that I’ll approach life with a positive outlook. I’m going into this new year with the trust that life will support me with all of its complexity and richness.
I hope that my blogger friend Elizabeth doesn’t mind, but I’m going to borrow one of her great ideas. This past year, she posted pictures that represented trust to her. I love the idea of not having to search for trust. That it’s naturally all around and that I just need to keep a mindfulness about it. I noticed these flowers last night on my walk home. They are a mixture of fragility and strength in the middle of winter.
Song of the day: All Will Be Well by the Gabe Dixon Band
Just a note on last year’s word. The year did indeed insist and I met it with a full heart.
