Where I’m at today

Folks, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?

Well, here I am in my usual little corner, learning to live slower; to take time to smell the roses and enjoy the journey.

Every day is a part of the journey. Where is your journey taking you?

Joy in the Kitchen

One of the blessings in disguise that came as a result of having to stay home for such a long time was that for the first time ever I got to really enjoy my home.

I started reading and studying on gardening, preserving, canning, jam making and this of course led me to wanting to be a “homesteader”.

It started off as a silly dream, but the more I think about it, the more I am convinced that this is what I really want for my life and for my future and the way I see myself in the next 5 years.

I’m talking about enjoying the simple life. I’m talking about the quality of life that matters not in the future but here and now.

I’m talking about berry bushes and tomato plants, fresh eggs, growing herbs and hanging them out to dry. I’m talking about letting the laundry air dry, and fixing our clothes instead of throwing it out. I’m talking about reclaiming our role as Earth keepers and investing in the future of the next generations.

I’m talking about community and growing roots. I’m talking about buying locally and being a good neighbor.

I’m talking about finding joy right where you are. Joy in the kitchen, joy at home.

These last two years

Folks, is it me or did if feel like the Covid Pandemic put our lives on hold for the last two years?

Some people managed to express their creativity in all sort of venues. Not me!

I have been trying to cope with mere surviving and raising Lorenzo.

It’s been tough and I feel we are not over the hill yet. These two years have been a rollercoaster and now that can see the light at the end of the tunnel I sense some change coming our way!

Let’s give ourselves a pat in the back for having braved this episode in our lives with honor.

We deserve a big group hug!

Love what you do

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “Choose a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.”

When you love what you do it doesn’t feel like work at all.

I think that should be one of the pursuits in life: finding your calling, your vocation, that thing you love to do.

So much so that you don’t feel you have to get away to find some rest. Your life becomes an eternal vacation.

I think it’s possible! I like to think I found my dream job! I really did!

 

Take the children outside

Last year on the last day of the year, it was around 5pm when I found out about the project/challenge to spend 150 hours in nature in the new year that a homeschooling mom had come up with.

I knew right away that’s what I wanted our challenge to be for the new year. I wanted to spend as much time as I could outside with Lorenzo.

To be honest we don’t go outside every day. I also prioritize; if there’s something I have to get done I don’t just leave it because we just have to go out. But I try to at least be out 15 minutes a day, and having hens and rabbits helps…you know we have to feed them and clean them and gather the eggs every day.

We spend a lot of time in our back yard and we prefer it to any other place so far. Last week we planted daffodil bulbs and made bird feeders.

There’s a whole lot of benefits from being out in nature, but for me I guess the most important one is to let Lorenzo grow up as slowly as he possibly can. Discovering himself in the seasons, in things that grow, in all sorts of weather, in wind and birds.

Humans of New York: The Rwanda Series

Do you follow Humans of New York?

I recommend you do, it’s one of the few pages you’ll find stories from people around the world. Sometimes Brandon puts together a series of stories and the Rwanda series is very powerful.

It’s scary and horrible and yet full of hope and forgiveness.

Humans of New York

This one girl mentions “Anne of Green Gables”. I liked that!

Slow Motherhood

I’ve been on a personal journey lately. I had to stop and reevaluate my whole life and rediscover myself as a woman, as a member of society and as a mom.

I found myself running thin, getting stressed out beyond what’s normally human. I wasn’t being the person I wanted to be.

That led me to look inside myself and pull out one by one all the “to-do’s” that had become ingrained in my life and ask myself if they were still important or not.

I realized I wasn’t the mom I wanted to be. That thought was scary enough to make me slow down, look for answers and take a U-turn.

I was a rushing like a mad person, rushing everyone along, making life so desperately complicated for my family and getting worn out every other minute of the day.

Enough!

That’s not what I want. I want slow, un-rushed, calm long and peaceful days!

I’m on a journey towards simple, slow motherhood. I want both my days and years to be long! Long and quiet!

Think Lovely Wonderful Thoughts

I have a quote taped on the door of my locker at work that I ripped from an old calendar:

Just think lovely wonderful thoughts and they lift you up in the air.

James Barrie

Lovely wonderful thoughts that keep you positive, that help you rise about the difficulties of the day to day life and not only at work.

It has become my motto…wonderful thoughts that lift you up!

 

Books Worth Reading: “The Happiness of Pursuit.”

I was still in Hungary when I first heard of Chris Guillebeau and something about his writing resonated with me. I have most of his books! This is the last one I read and it’s just WOW!

Read it!

Chris Guillebeau is from the States, he traveled to every single country in the world. He knows what he’s talking about!

Read it!

Walk the Walk #CivilMarchforAleppo

I’m sure some of you heard about the #CivilmarchforAleppo  but in case you didn’t, here’s what’s happening:

A group of people started off from Berlin and they are walking to Aleppo as a way to raise awareness for the people in Syria and the refugees who flee the war-torn zones.

People from all over the place are joining the march, some only for a few days. Everyone is welcomed to join.

Here’s what you can read on the site of why they embarked on this journey:

Syria is the biggest humanitarian crisis of our time. We cannot watch it unfolding much longer. We want to transform the feeling of helplessness into action

I’m doing my part by spreading the word. In my heart I’m walking right along them! I believe we can make a difference!

Go and check out their site and their Facebook page, and if you can why not join them too?

#CivilMarchforAleppo is a march for peace!