Welcome March 2023 …

9:45 AM: My day begins sitting in Honda dealership, waiting for a nail to be removed from a tire … it is probably a good thing that there is a sensor that detects such “incidents’ and alerts – thereby allowing me to avoid a possible accident. It is however, a wrinkle in my day’s plans and unfortunately, I’ve had too many of these messages that were “false alarms.” Most precipitated by extreme drops in the temperature – which was, coincidental – so it seems – the same circumstance this time.

Last Thursday, February 23, we had temperatures in the low 60s. Spring had arrived. Everyone was out. That next day, the sensor message came on: “ low tire pressure…” Since I’d experienced this same message too many times – all false – before, I was skeptical but of course, I needed to know, and thus, my raison d’etre for being here today. And as luck would have it: not a “wolf cry!”

So, as I wait, I write, journal, as my time – MSQT (morning solitude and quiet time) was shortened this morning. Knowing that I was probably going to be here a while, I brought my morning journaling tools: iPad/iPhone; paper journal and pens; settled in the lounge, fixed myself a cuppa caramel latte – ready to read and write…

In my email: an article from Mindful.org. Aimed at newbies, the article lists seven “expert-recommended” writing tips to help newbies (and even oldies, such as me) “find ourselves on the page.” Good prompts as well as a useful tool for looking at my own journaling habit…so, as I read, I thought: “this is great for today’s blog post!” You can find/read the article at https://www.mindful.org/7-exercises-to-help-you-journal-your-way-to-mindfulness/?

Here are the 7 tips:

1. Write your personal story: I began in 2009, I suppose with this blog and in 2014, started a project that I’ve dubbed my AmaZe project, initially scrapbooking stories of my life. Last March, 2022, I decided to digitize all my handwritten notes, using the app DayONE. To date, I’ve entered nearly 600 stories to this digital notebook. I’m currently taking one more pass through the alphabet and- fingers crossed- hope to finish before the end of this month!

2. Break down bigger goals: My usual approach is to create a mind map; I also have a bad habit of jotting random thoughts on any ol’ available piece of paper. Not a good technique so I’m working on at least using the paper and dedicated tech solutions: DayONE and Apple Notes to corral them into some semblance of order…

3. Keep a gratitude journal: My goal is to create a “Ten.10.X” daily entry, listing the events, activities, etc of the day. This I generally hand write in my journal and I aim for the evening – before I fall asleep. I need to work on this…evening might not always be the best time of the day for I’m likely to fall asleep…

4. Try my hand at ‘artistic journaling’: This can and does take many forms, from stitching to collaging to drawing to snapping photos from my walks or gatherings with friends or catching the sunrise, sunset, seasons, the sky, etc… I get to know my own creativity – what appeals to me, what I can and will do … I like this aspect of journaling – a lot!

5. Untangle thoughts/feelings thru journaling prompts: Most days I begin writing by hand in my journal. This is a habit I’ve had for two dozen plus years. I’m more awake in the morning than the evening, so if I need to think through an idea, insight, new piece of information, inspiration, etc, I’m likely to do so mornings…

6. Go inward with reflective writing: Areas of concern, interest, books I read, questions aroused, ideas generated and plans made or to be made fall into this area…I probably describe this as “thinking out loud” with pen and paper.

7. Release stressful emotions with a “word dump”: Tho’ I seldom use this technique, I sometimes take a deeper look using the convention of “plus delta” – what are the pluses and what changes could be made? And then I write.

I hope that this look at how I engage in “mindful journaling “ offers some ideas and tips that you might try. Enjoy! Write on!

Cheers~

TGIF | 7.19.19 …

…’cause the thermometer’s scheduled to reach at least 98 degrees today and 100 degrees tomorrow …

Listening to Educated by Tara Westover – my new walking companion. Very interesting and I like the narrator’s voice …

Observing rush hour traffic, birds foraging …

Eating a mixed berry jam oat bar, tasty …

Feeling a cool breeze! Refreshing, if only momentary …

Home again:

Thinking about this afternoon’s agenda: Journal Club; hair appt; buy ink for printer; maybe a stop at the shopping mall across the street? …

Grateful for air conditioning, the ice maker and a shower ….

Inspired by this quote: “You don’t have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step.” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

Fun looking forward to Sunday Friendstitching gathering; seems as though we’ve not met for months …

Wishing you the best weekend, ever… hoping it is cool!

Cheers~

sometimes mondays | 5.6.19 …

awake @ 5 am

finish putting laundry away; straighten workspace in craft room; empty dishwasher; make tea, light candle…

sit @ 6am

relax, take first sip o’ tea, a deep breath, think …

“I’ve done a day’s work, already! in an hour” …

the sky is grey; rush hour traffic is still light. It is quiet. the tea soothes, feels good as it travels down my throat, warms my insides, enough so I think a long sip o’ iced H2O is in order…Ahhh!

catch a whiff of the candle’s lavender scent – hmmm, heavenly. I remind myself how.very.much I love the smell of lavender. grow a bit? for sure, buy some dried. remember I have some!

fix another cup o’ tea; walk a bit in the kitchen; think about today’s agenda; update May calendar; plan this week’s blog posts, create today’s and hit publish!

7:45 am

time to get a move on … the sun just broke through! Have a great day!

Cheers ~

sometimes mondays | 4.15.19…

…are days of rest

It’s been a quiet, delightfully so, morning and so far, afternoon! today, I did not have any.place.to.be other than to sit here at the table, all morning long, taking it easy, easy, easy!

Yesterday, I clocked more than 12K steps: the Selfie Queen – niece Chris – and I went to the annual White House Garden Spring Tour…we were among the hundreds. We enjoyed the tour and as Chris said: the flowers know no party. Despite the day’s being overcast, the Smithsonian Mall and museums were busy, busy.

From the gardens, we walked to the National Gallery of Art’s Sculpture Garden and Restaurant – where we ate lunch and rested…and then, Chris called Uber to take each of us home.

I was wiped out by the time I arrived home – as I pen this post, am still. But that’s been quite OK ’cause I have no place to go today or anything due!

~this tree this morning @ 7:04 am~

Today I’ve been sitting here at the table, since early this morning, watching Mother Nature blow the clouds in and out, the sun come and go.

sometimes mondays are days of rest …

sometimes mondays | 3.25.19…

“Coffee, Tea and Me…

I started drinking coffee when I was 17 and pretty much did so until 2005 – when I switched to tea. Mainly because the addition was being built – and we were without a kitchen and stove, just the microwave. Heating water for tea was was easy and I do not like instant coffee. Besides, microwave cooking has been a staple with me since 1985! All in all, it just made plain sense.

Fast forward to today: The microwave died over the weekend. To heat water, I use the electric stove. Earlier this year I opined that I might buy an electric tea kettle; suffice it to say, I have not, yet.

  • News Flash! I just remembered: I do, however, have a brand-spanking-new -still-in-the-box, electric coffee maker! I can use it for boiling water until I decide to:
    • resume morning coffee drinking or
    • buy an electric tea kettle and
    • replace the microwave – which, quiet as it’s kept, will be #3 – since we replaced the first one, bought in 2005, in 2014.

    Today’s sunrise was lovely and I’ve a lot to do this morning before I leave for my Monday Morning quilt meeting. And no doubt, shopping for a new microwave oven!

    Wishing you a great day!

    Cheers~

    sometimes mondays | 3.4.19…

    …are off …to a much slower start… than usual…. slept later… not up til 6am… puttered. wasted time… slow down…BREATHE… catch my breath… inhale… exhale… s-l-o-w-l-y. again… cloudy now – sun’s breaking through… tea mug is warm in my hand…tea, tasty in my mouth… blend of ginger peach and peach…yum… running through my mind ~ today’s agenda, this week’s, this month’s … this moment’s…BREATHE…

    (Thanks to Michelle GD for today’s take on Sometimes Mondays…)

    currently …

     

    IMG_6071 (1)

    4:00 pm  | saturday | 11. 24.2018

    seeing: few leaves hanging on the trees; most are bare …

    hearing:  rain, beating on the windows, hard …

    wondering: how the rain has impacted early holiday shopping …

    eating: an oatmeal cookie and three grapes …

    drinking: hot peach tea – warms my soul …

    feeling: warm and cozy …

    counting: 32 days til Christmas!

    listening to :  Michelle Obama’s Becoming

    loving :  every word …

    thinking: how grateful I am for this  cozy warm house on a cold, rainy, saturday afternoon!

    Cheers~

    on this tuesday …

    IMG_5988

    4:30 am. Morning. Wide awake. Way too early to be up and about! What does a person do?  Why read, of course. And that I did! On my nightstand, Circe by Madeline Miller. Read for about an hour… Back to sleep.

    7:30 am. Awoke; certainly a more reasonable hour. Later than usual morning solitude and quiet time. Forecast: Cold, windy, today. Possible snow on Thursday. Noooo!

    12 noon. Met friend Margaret for lunch – delicious pizza.

    2 pm. Artists’ consignment shop we wanted to browse ~ closed on Tues! A new coffee shop/roastery open – we didn’t like the music. Decided to call it a day; we each left for our individual drive home.

    2:45 pm. Arrive home. Cold and windy still. Quick, brisk walk!

    3:30 pm. Afternoon. Sleepy. Can’t keep my eyes open. What does a person do? Why take a nap, of course!

    4:30 pm. Awake. Refreshed. Write blog post. Grateful for a day spent with a longtime good friend, good food, a warm house and a revitalizing nap!