Well, I am sorry to say I've got myself all wrapped up in my crazy chaos lately and I've been sadly neglecting this space. I have been missing you, it's true. I started on a new adventure a few months ago, bravely stepping outside my box to explore an opportunity that just happened along my path. It seems that in stepping outside the confines of my comfort zone, the Universe immediately sensed my vulnerability, my openness to possibility and slyly set in motion a series of events, challenging me to extend the boundaries of my box. Needless to say, things are in disarray around here and I find myself more grateful than ever for the tiniest little bits of inspiration.
I started out this school year teaching at a new school, in a different kind of classroom, with an all new kinder-crew and a completely foreign set of rules. I love it, I do. I am feeling very much at home and beginning to find my groove. But that precious time I love to spend seeking solace in my photographs and my paragraphs, has suddenly been allocated to professional obligations. My time is consumed by meetings and trainings, emails and newsletters, lesson plans and progress reports. And somewhere in between I manage to squeeze in the important task of teaching the wee ones their ABC's and 123's. My healthy habits and culinary creativity are on sebatical while I struggle to find my balance. My beloved organic produce box is on hold for who-knows-how-long and packing myself a healthy lunch is an absurd and unheard of luxury. And so I take the greatest delight in any tiny little bit of solace I might find. Those of you who know me understand that I always seek solace in the beauty of everyday things.
Like that one green smoothie I managed to blend before that all-day training with the graciously provided pizza lunch...
...and that particular morning I managed to get ready for work with a just enough time to spare to prepare myself a healthy lunch (not to mention the precious 15 minutes allotted to devouring it before my noontime yard duty began)...
...and the colorful carrots I randomly discovered in the organic section of the grocery store (a true delight, in the recent absence of my organic CSA box).
This is the extent of my seasonal cooking lately, not that it qualifies as such. But time is not the only thing keeping me from my healthy habits. Someone (I won't name names) suddenly decided that this would be an opportune time to upgrade our humble abode. So, with the dining table serving as my kitchen counter and a camp cooler for a fridge, I am more grateful than ever for these tiny little healthy bits.
When you step back and begin to see your home through someone else's eyes, it's amazing and quite overwhelming to realize how much you've neglected your living space. For many years we have made the outdoors our priority and suddenly we are discovering that our indoors have been very sadly neglected. It is a lot of grunt work, that's for sure, but there is a certain satisfaction in stepping back to appreciate the little things that make a house a home.
Like new flowers blooming on the patio...
...and a nice bench on which to sit and enjoy a little latte (okay, it's a rather big latte) in your favorite cup...
...with the sweet smell of newly planted jasmine flowers on the first cool morning of almost-autumn.
Yes...these are the little bits that make a house a home, are they not? We have some work ahead, some stress and some fret. But in the end it will be worth it, to have a beautiful place to call home. In the meantime, all things sacred to my solace seem to be on hold. Including my beloved outdoor adventuring. A few weeks back (or months it has been by now), I went out to enjoy an evening walk and a little climbing around. I stumbled and tumbled off a rather tall rock and injured myself a bit. Nothing major in the grand scheme of things, but it has grounded me for a while. No hiking, no walking, no rambling or scrambling. My poor pups haven't been out in months. I can't even pedal my bike and it will be a while before I'm back in that saddle again. Being on my feet all day, bending and twisting, kneeling and yanking, you can imagine recovery is going slow. So, I am missing my sunsets and cloudscapes, my moonrise and starfall. If I stop to think about it too long, I literally tear up at the thought of missing my early autumn moments on those Sierra trails. So, I don't stop for too long. But any chance to capture a sunset, any tiny little view, whether it be from the parking lot of the grocery store or driving by the hardware store...I'll take what I can get!
I would love to get lost in this space of mine right now, but I haven't got the time. For now, I am just happy to share with you my morning moments, my favorite cup, my loyal pup, my peaceful place to sit as that early light just begins to hit the patio on a refreshingly cool almost-autumn morning. I thank goodness for these little bits of peace and quiet amid my crazy chaos and I truly hope that you enjoy yours, too. Know that I am thinking of you.
Take the time, find delight, enjoy your little bits of peace and quiet :)
Labels: Cooking, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Nature, Organic, Photography, Smoothies, Vegan
