Books and Bakes …
HI there, how was your week?
“Winter - a time for surrender and stillness” - Earthways.
To that I would like to add, a time for hygge, hibernation, books, baking, jigsaws, Jazz FM, winter walks, staying safe - Island living in Lockdown3.
So, nearly two weeks into Lockdown3 and another week of hearing all the news that is currently engulfing our NHS and country. I have pledged to myself to keep this a positive space and I have now decided to refer to this blog, as my online Gratitude Journal. As you will soon see, once we start to count our blessings, they really do start to add up.
The main gratitudes in my life are that I have so many resources both on-line and off and that I’m still able to stay in cyber touch with friends and I’m still able to practise yoga via Zoom, which is wonderful because I’m part of such a lovely group and it provides some much needed inner peace and calm.
Our daily walks continue, it is definitely what keeps us physically and mentally energised, a daily dose of fresh air and an intake of new skies and weather. The skies, although a definite wintery shade of grey, are getting significantly brighter. We are now walking more and more off the beaten track, from a safety (social distancing) point of view, most walks are spent up to our ankles in mud, but spring is just around the corner. Only this morning I saw the first glimpse of some budding daffodils.
Our walks have proved very interesting!
This week, we have seen a whole array of animals, from kestrels and red squirrels to a domesticated rabbit that was allowed to run free- range around its unfenced garden. This did worry me slightly, although I was reassured he knew his way home and to safety!!!! Another interesting walk involves a local peacock, who parks himself on the patio, in the garden of a local house and stares through the window at the owners. I think you have to be there to appreciate it! We also saw some farmers busy at work, cutting and packing cabbages, little did I know when I took the photo below, that I had a beautiful fox behind me. A walk and a fascinating outcome, always.
Probably like the rest of the nation I am spending a lot of my spare time reading, as I am mainly reading wellbeing books I’m enjoying continued learning from them which keeps me uplifted. On Lockdown 1 my podcast intake was phenomenal, however this has now been replaced with my own online journal. It was also good to hear that Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall has launched a Reading Room Book Club on Instagram and that the first book she reviewed was The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse. One of my first reviews.
On the baking front, we have now discovered Nigella’s “Mine all mine - chocolate cookies” which are possibly the most awesome cookies I have ever tasted and the absolute best thing about them is, the recipe is for just 2 large cookies, which means they are just perfect to give you a hit of chocolate without going overboard. That was a very happy mindful moment too. Do look that recipe up online.
In my bid to stay away from social media and the news I actually had one night, where I binge watched Come Dine With Me, which was brilliant because by the end of it, I actually felt like I had thrown, been to a dinner party - all good psychology. I’m more than aware that I need to be realistic and know what’s going on in the world, but I do also want to be kind to my mind.
This week I listened to an Instagram Live podcast: Julia Samuel in conversation with Jo Ellison of the Financial Times. It was great to hear an honest and realistic conversation between two successful females, definitely worth a listen.
Until next time.
Stay safe.
Jules xx
I can also be found on instagram elementsofhappinessIOW
