Changing it up is good for the soul.
Breakfast like an Italian, about capacity, in the company of women, the power of community, love letters to the ravine, start your morning the creative way...
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Happy Sunday!
My eldest son has taken an interest in gardening this year. I’ve always wanted greenery inside, and he’s been the one to finally fulfill that wish.
It started with this very happy Begonia, (Begoniaceae).
The collection continued with a little pot plant of succulents, (which often co-stars in photos in Fiber Friday!) 😊
And this week, the newest addition is this enormous light green succulent.
(An op-shop find. I’d never realized they sell plants, and my eldest assures me they do, but it’s a rare find. I’m beginning to think his love of second-hand stores is how he satisfies his ‘hunter-gatherer’ instincts. 🤣)
He tells me some people name their plants, and that seems like a fun idea! Reply and let me know if you have any suggestions, or do the same thing.
In case you missed it.
What To Knit Next: Wrap yourself in love.
Yarnsiders’ Pet Of The Week: Milo The Cat
What To Crochet Next: Spring forth with these ideas.
Fiber Friday: The Sock Project
Here are last week’s top recommendations.
This beautiful piece by Julia Matusik transported me to Tasmania.
If you love desert, try this banana pudding recipe by Edd Kimber.
Even the abandoned place has a haunting beauty.
In this week’s issue.
Breakfast like an Italian does, changing it up is good for the soul, it’s about your capacity, and read in the company of women.
The trick is in the details, it’s a sword from outer space, the longer you live, the shorter it feels, and a heartwarming reminder of the power of community.
Find your way around, love letters to the ravine, colorful abodes in unexpected places, and almost all human creativity, mapped.
Plus, bring colorful cheer to your home, this is why we all say it, and start your morning the creative way.
(Disclosure: Any purchases made through links may earn me a commission.)
Breakfast like an Italian does.
Learn how to have breakfast in Italy like the locals do with the help of the Tuscan food writer
. So many options for coffee!Giulia runs cooking classes where participants can learn to make the local food and immerse themselves in Northern Italian culture. I loved this passage:
“While we sit at a side table, a choreographed dance of customers happens in front of our eyes. The clinking of espresso cups and teaspoons, the yelled orders—tre caffè, un macchiato, un cappuccino con poca schiuma—, and the hiss of the coffee machine are the soundtrack of our morning rituals.”
It reminds me when we visited friends who lived in a village south of Turin several years ago. The bar we went to one morning was super busy!
As Giulia explains:
“What we call a bar in Italy is the equivalent of a café. So don’t be surprised if an Italian friend asks to meet at the local bar at 8 a.m. for a drink—that means a coffee!”
As soon as we arrived, my friend’s partner was determined for me to try what he called ‘pure’ Italian coffee. Not the sweetened, milky coffee I occasionally had at the time (I wasn’t a huge fan back then), but an Espresso.
At the time, it was delicious, but far too strong. Now I always drink strong coffee every morning! I think he would be impressed, but not so much about the cream I add after brewing it in my French press. 😊
Changing it up is good for the soul.
has a wonderful prompt to maintain curious creativity.I resonated with this quote:
“The all-gray sky outside my window doesn’t feel particularly inspiring to get the day started. I decide there’s one thing that could pick this morning up: get out into it. This isn’t a matter of excitement or allure—it is after all much easier to stay inside. But winter upon winter in this part of the world has taught me that it’s easier to get through if I give in on occasion, instead of just resisting. To be physically in it, instead of just passing through.”
Though routine is a wonderful thing to have (it brings structure to our lives, gives us something to look forward to each day, helps with desicion fatigue), sometimes… it gets a little stale.
So why not try having your morning drink outside this time, as Anne suggests?
It’s about your capacity.
Read
’s insightful interview with for a different way at looking at mental wellbeing.I particularly loved this metaphor she mentioned:
“I know that I’m in a good place mentally when I have capacity. Capacity for others, for myself, for a friend in need, for my work. I can respond to a text, or take an unexpected call, or take an impromptu walk without feeling like something is being taken from me.
I like the word ‘capacity’, it makes me think of a wide airy space, an open sky, lungs breathing in fully, or a calendar with blank slots. When I have no capacity for a short walk, bath, journaling, or reading, and I start to feel panicky, I know that something has to change and this often means sacrificing something else.”
And as you’ll see in the comments, it resonated with many others too!
I enjoyed the format of the interview. Chris gives her thoughtful questions to answer, and she lists a few recommendations.
There’s even a little audio note from her.
(As a side note, I love the knitted sweater she’s wearing in one of the photos! A bright emerald green is one of my favorite shades.)
Read in the company of women.
has started an online book club celebrating women writers. What a wonderful idea!For the first book, she’s chosen Weathering by Ruth Allen. It looks like a fascinating read, and just look at that gorgeous cover.
The trick is in the details.
A look into how a master painter creates stunning backgrounds for Studio Ghibli, by the folks from
.Kazuo Oga is a Japanese artist who’s worked on countless anime films and tv shows. He directed the background art for My Neighbor Totoro.
I remember watching that film with a friend we were living with in Japan, and I was amazed at how beautiful and detailed the art was.
It’s also a wonderful film!
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