Good morning, dear folks. It is so good to be back after a truly restorative break.
It has been a wonderful two weeks off the grid with gorgeous Autumn weather that is delicious for afternoon naps, long cuppas in the morning, and cozy evenings of popcorn and good movies.
I’ve been embracing my creative soul this holiday, indulging in painting, cooking, planting, preserving, designing, photography, sewing, and wood-burning.
It has been sheer bliss to lose myself in creating beautiful and delicious things for no other reason than they make me happy or enhance our life on the farm in some way.
I never cease to be amazed at how working with my hands allows my mind to wander freely, sorting things out at its leisure, working through all the kinks until the anxiety, fear, stress, and other negative feelings melt away. I love that.
Somehow with the urgency of work deadlines and health issues I’d let the priority of creative pursuit dwindle into near nothingness. I never want to do that again.
I’ve taken good, hard looks into my heart and schedule and goals and dreams and made changes that are already reaping benefits.
They’re not huge changes, just little investments in my own well-being that spill over into making me a better partner, friend, and co-worker.
Things like:
Exercising in some way each day: walks, hauling wood, sanding furniture, chasing animals, something that gets my heart rate up and breathing deeper and muscles working.
Drinking healing things: green tea with lemon and honey, coffee with cardamom, water with mint and lemon balm, fresh squeezed juices, and delectable things like coconut milk blended with fresh pineapple and pears. Bliss.
Resting: a ten minute nap in bed, laying in the hammock for 30 minutes, meditating quietly in the sunshine with eyes closed.
I love how these little things practiced over time make such a huge difference in the clarity of my thinking, the peacefulness of my heart, and the energy of my ol’ bones.
This morning we had breakfast on the back veranda as the sunshine filtered through the clouds and made everything soft and glowy. It was a bit chilly, but a pashmina wrapped around my shoulders made all the difference as we visited, sipped creamy cardamom coffee, and tucked into steaming bowls of cinnamon-spiced oatmeal with black currants, walnuts, honey, and milk. So nourishing and comforting.
What creative pursuits bring you the most happiness?
I love walking and seeing the world through my camera lense. This morning I forgot my camera and had to resort to my IPhone. No sooner had I turned it off than another shot would form in my mind and I would have to turn it on again. I considered leaving it on but thought the battery might die 🙂 I also love scrapbooking but that is so time consuming!
Ohhh, me too, @budgetjan:disqus 🙂 I often forget to charge my phone but I never forget to charge my camera. 🙂
I forgot to say how I love these photos. My fav is the red stalk and green/red berries. Don’t ever stop taking beautiful photos.:)
Thank you so much, dear @budgetjan:disqus 🙂 I’m so glad you like them. Bear thought I was crazy taking pictures of dead things in the gutter, but was delighted with the pics when he saw them and chuckled. 🙂
gee-orgeous pics and colors!!!!! sounds like a great couple of weeks! coffee w/ cardamom? mmm mmmm!
as for creative activities? i think you found out a little about mine today. yes, i’d like to see some of your own paper cutting! have a great week – xo
Yes!! I love your paper cutting, @9d73767d10227efff04c7307e331304c:disqus , and can’t wait to see more of it. 🙂
It brings me happiness to know that you’ve been focusing on practices that bring *you* peace. There’s a delicacy and beauty to these photos that could only be captured by someone who has taken the time to get quiet with themselves and the world around them. I really do love that! Happy autumn days, my friend. I’m thinking of you. X
Thank you, dear @Jacqueline_at_Bliss:disqus XO You always inspire me in this area with your frequent withdrawals to restore yourself. Thank you for that. XO
Gorgeous photos and ones that make me feel at peace just looking at them. I don’t take care of myself well enough, I know that. I hope I do that soon. 🙂
I’m so glad they are peaceful for you too, @OrgasmicChef:disqus 🙂 They really calm my heart as well. Wishing you restorative time soon. xo
I’m so pleased to read Krista that this little break has been a restorative time for you. You’ve got so many good ideas here to enable you to relax and also at times be productive. This Easter break has provided a similar time for me, although I wasn’t as productive as you. I’ve had a change in consciousness of where my priorities should lie. My favourite creative pursuits are taking photos and doing cross-stitch (which I haven’t made time for in ages).
I didn’t know you cross-stitched, @wanderingsheila:disqus ! I love that. 🙂 It would be so nice to see your work. 🙂 XO
Everybody needs a little break once in a while to pamper oneself, mentally and physically. You most certainly deserve that in spades after everything you went through. I call it a ‘reboot’ 🙂 Your photos are absolutely stunning – the colors are just gorgeous!! xo
A reboot describes it perfectly, @twitter-278132737:disqus 🙂 I feel so much better, so much stronger. XO
what beautiful pictures!
Thanks so much, @twitter-82747769:disqus 🙂 I loved taking them. 🙂
I love working with my hands too – so relaxing. Making soup is always a great comfort to me…
Oh, making soup is a lovely idea for relaxing, @inspiringtravellers:disqus
Eduardo’s sermon was exactly this… Be still (rested, made whole, restored, healed) and then we can (exalt God with our life…)
you are in a true place of healing … I take a deep breath and sigh… and feel your healing. I am glad for all your creating… love your bright and cheery chairs!
Thank you for sharing all the beauty of Autumn sliding into rest mode…such colours and flavours and joy !
We are slowly peeling back winter and my rest~ I am dancing with nine new goatlings and joyously awaiting warm earth so I can be intoxicated with it and all we begin planting~ my tomato plants are ready and eager, my seeds waiting… The sun is doing its slow and gentle work of taking the snow slowly so we don’t flood.
I am sitting with a hot steamy ginger root tea…homemade raisin grain bread toasted and topped with amazing fresh creamy goat cheese and juicy tomatoes.
Then off with my milk bucket to play in the sun! God is indeed good!
“rested, made whole, restored, healed” – how healing those words are, @62001814d9d7e41ffc94251e56fa448f:disqus I love them. 🙂 And your breakfast sounds absolutely fantastic!!! I need to make goat cheese one day. XO
Darling, it sounds like you’ve had an absolutely beautiful and much-needed holiday! I feel very rested after my two-week break too – and you know I know what it’s like to lose and then regain the creative spark – we’ll keep it alive for each other 🙂 xo
We shall indeed, dear @katyabroad:disqus ! I’m so glad you’re in my life to remind me to TREASURE it. 🙂
I feel happy reading this. =) I’m so glad you took this break and I’m SO glad to hear how you indulged your creative self. You inspire me. =) It is doing those little things that keep our souls alive. Here’s to more of that. XO
I will raise a glass with you, dear @facebook-100001665607063:disqus 🙂 How precious breaks are to me now. 🙂
Love those times when I am working with hands in the garden or in the kitchen. Love that morning cup of coffee too, when the house is still asleep.
I think it takes a certain amount of peace to get the creative juices flowing, and we can easily get caught up in our routines that diminish those creative opportunities. Glad to see that you are on the up and up. Enjoy that fall weather.
Velva
“when the house is still asleep” – I love the feeling that phrase gives, @4051406338aaef5dd8bf9775f8ab662d:disqus 🙂
Enjoy all of the beauty that comes with fall! You paint the most beautiful images with your words (your photos are also beautiful too!).
Thank you so much, dear @facebook-500212569:disqus XO Autumn does my heart good. 🙂
whenever I feel the need to rejuvenate the soul I always end up here with you Krista. x
I love how you’re making little changes that make all the difference. That’s one of my new goals too. Of course, now I want to work with my hands (in addition to working with them to write)…. and especially be in a place with this kind of autumn beauty – love the pictures!
There is nothing quite like taking a good photo to make me happy 🙂 Love the images of the fallen flowers – bougainvilla?? One of the plants I miss most living here in the UK 🙁