Freshness

“Freshness is essential. That makes all the difference.”

Julia Child

We have lots of fresh produce here in Ontario right now. Farmers are everywhere selling their harvest: Blueberries, strawberries, peaches, nectarines, cherries, rhubarb …

Hubby got strawberries and blueberries yesterday. The kitchen smelled freshness as soon as he opened the shopping bag.

Sadly this freshness doesn’t last long. By the end of August, we have to go back to the supermarket and buy fruits and vegetables imported from other countries. These fruits come by ship, so weeks traveling before reaching here. They have almost no taste and zero smell.

Each season has its own offers, so I’m enjoying the freshness of summer!

Hugs,

Gardening

“The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature.

To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul.”

Voltaire

I’ve to confess that this year I didn’t dirty my hands with soil. Hubby did all the work of adding new soil and seeding the gardens in our backyard.

Now, I’m doing my part. I touch and talk to the plants. I’m nurturing them and at the same time, they are nurturing me. I can’t forget to tell you I’m a tree hugger too!

Have a great Saturday!

Love,

June moments

Can you believe today is the last day of June and the half-year is gone by?

Being at home has proportioned me with tiny pleasures that before were reserved only for the weekends.

ENJOYING – I’m spending lots of time in my backyard. I enjoy looking at the flowers and the insects that visit them, like butterflies and dragonflies. Lots of birds visiting my yard as well. We have a birdbath and I love watching them playing in the water.

CREATING – My creativity is low right now, I’m not sure what is going on, but I don’t have any enthusiasm to be in my art room. I managed to make a notebook and few art cards this month.

BAKING – I’m testing new recipes for both baking and cooking. Up to know they have been a success, like this apple cake.

READING – I’m reading a lot, all kinds of books. The library in my city has a great collection of books: old and new. I like to read 2 books at the same time, one fiction and another one non-fiction or poetry.

FOCUSING – On tiny things. Observing details that generally we are too busy to see and be grateful that I have the opportunity to be a witness of the magical nature around me.

Wishing you a lovely July!

“Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.” Buddha

Nurturing Thursday # 15

“No need to hurry. No need to sparkle. No need to be anybody but oneself.”

Virginia Woolf

Sharing, with Nurturing Thursday, another page of my #365project, a quote/a thought per day.

Nurturing Thursday # 14

“For your beautiful vows to flourish, it’s necessary to silence that critical voice”

Soul Vows – Janet Conner

I’m using my Hobonichi Techo for quotes. Before I was writing them in pieces of paper and of course they disappeared after a while, now I’m being more organized and mindful when writing them, like for this one I painted flowers using watercolor pencils.

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Nurturing Thursday # 13

“Nourishing yourself in a way that helps you blossom in the direction

you want to go is attainable, and you are worth the effort. “

Deborah Day

It’s cold around here, I’m glad I don’t have to go to work this week. This means I can be cozy indoors without the hush to go out early morning.

Few things I’m doing to nourish myself this week:

Sleeping and sleeping
Lots of art journal pages
Eating warm and health food
Going out in the afternoon to take photos, it’s cold but it’s pretty out there
Knitting a scarf for myself
Reading and writing
Drinking lots of tea
Watching movies with hubby and kids in the evenings

And you? how are you nourishing yourself this week?

Happy New Year!

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Nurturing Thursday # 11

“Shut the door not that it lets in the cold

but that it lets out the coziness”

Mark Twain

It’s a wonderland around here, we had a snow storm last night, 8 inches of snow! It was a madness to come back home, generally, it takes 1/2 hr for me to get back from work, yesterday I spent almost 2 hrs.

School buses have been canceled, so the kids are sleeping in and I’m debating if I should go or stay in the coziness of my home. Well for while I have a cup of coffee in my hands and enjoying the moment.

Have a great day and stay safe!

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Nurturing Thursday # 10

“Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves

that we would give to others. “

Christopher Germer

I’m learning to take a better care of myself and to respect my space. I’ve neglected my well being for many years. Enought is enough!. I know it’s not easy but little by little I get there.

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December vision board

hello my dear friends from all over the world. we have a lovely sunshine morning here in my part of the world, and the news is that we will have a white christmas.

i make a vison board for every month (of course, if you follow me for long you know it), this is my december one that I made yesterday. november wasn’t an easy month for me, lots of up and downs, and i almost lost my true-self a long the way. i’m in a process of recovering mind and body. somethings are clear now in spite of all the darkness that had laid on me. more than ever i’m grateful for each moment, for being here and now.

few things for december:

practice gratitude daily
enjoy the beauty of the holidays
cook/bake lots of good stuff and savor each bite of them
keep (or better, rescue) my focus on simplicity and minimalism
and the most important of all: enjoy my family and enjoy myself

wishing a wonderful december to you.

hugs and love,

Nurturing Thursday # 9

“Give your stress wings, and let it fly away. ”

Terri Guillemets

November hasn’t been an easy month for me, thanks goodness, today is the last day of it. Looking forward for a great December with lots of mindful work and grounding. Hoping to return to the gym for spin classes and resuming my morning yoga and meditation. Little things that really make a difference, they make a better person to me, and to others around me as well.

Hope you have a great day and a wonderful new month ahead.

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