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Happy Sunday!
My eldest son has taken an interest in gardening this year. Iāve always wanted greenery inside, and heās 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!) š
And this week, the newest addition is this enormous light green succulent.
(An op-shop find. Iād never realized they sell plants, and my eldest assures me they do, but itās a rare find. Iām beginning to think his love of second-hand stores is how he satisfies his āhunter-gathererā instincts. š¤£)
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.
Yarnsidersā Pet Of The Week: Milo The Cat
What To Crochet Next: Spring forth with these ideas.
Fiber Friday: The Sock Project
Here are last weekās 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 weekās issue.
Breakfast like an Italian does, changing it up is good for the soul, itās about your capacity, and read in the company of women.
The trick is in the details, itās 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 Giulia Scarpaleggia. 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:
āWhile 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 ordersātre caffĆØ, un macchiato, un cappuccino con poca schiumaā, and the hiss of the coffee machine are the soundtrack of our morning rituals.ā
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:
āWhat we call a bar in Italy is the equivalent of a cafĆ©. So donāt be surprised if an Italian friend asks to meet at the local bar at 8 a.m. for a drinkāthat means a coffee!ā
As soon as we arrived, my friendās partner was determined for me to try what he called āpureā Italian coffee. Not the sweetened, milky coffee I occasionally had at the time (I wasnāt 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. š
Changing it up is good for the soul.
Anna Brones has a wonderful prompt to maintain curious creativity.
I resonated with this quote:
āThe all-gray sky outside my window doesnāt feel particularly inspiring to get the day started. I decide thereās one thing that could pick this morning up: get out into it. This isnāt a matter of excitement or allureāit is after all much easier to stay inside. But winter upon winter in this part of the world has taught me that itās easier to get through if I give in on occasion, instead of just resisting. To be physically in it, instead of just passing through.ā
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), sometimesā¦ it gets a little stale.
So why not try having your morning drink outside this time, as Anne suggests?
Itās about your capacity.
Read Chris Guillebeauās insightful interview with Emma Gannon for a different way at looking at mental wellbeing.
I particularly loved this metaphor she mentioned:
āI know that Iām 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 ācapacityā, 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.ā
And as youāll 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.
Thereās even a little audio note from her.
(As a side note, I love the knitted sweater sheās wearing in one of the photos! A bright emerald green is one of my favorite shades.)
Read in the company of women.
Luisa Skinner has started an online book club celebrating women writers. What a wonderful idea!
For the first book, sheās 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 Animation Obsessive Staff.
Kazuo Oga is a Japanese artist whoās 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.
Itās also a wonderful film!
10 more hand-selected recommendations for paid members below!
