Summer Fun

The first day of summer has come and gone. The sun rose and set and I did not take a moment to enjoy either. I remember thinking how fun it would be to photograph the sunrise and the sunset on the longest day of the year. In the busyness of the days it can be difficult to remember to take time to have fun. There is a myriad of things to be done. Yet this is the season to refresh and renew and to play. How can I  play this summer. What will I do to make sure I enjoy the time with my family and friends? I will continue to welcome the Saturday sunrise...the good news is that it will be getting later in the day. I will play wiffle ball with my little one. I will take walks at the beach with my husband and I will make time to enjoy the company of my teenage girls. I know that play will refresh my energy and renew my spirit.

Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time.
-- John Lubbock

Nap Time

Last weekend I was tired, had napped and then went to my daughters room to visit. I picked up her book Inspiration Sandwich by SARK and open to this, "Perhaps something to read, and if you can manage, a shaft of sunlight. All at once, you sail away into a nap, where tangled nerves are untied, and where time stops. Guilt and expectations are not welcome in napland. You can always find a reason. Find more reasons to let naps take you!"

Those words were comforting as I had felt torn, wanting to accomplish my lengthy to do list and wanting to nap.  Napping feels like it interferes with getting things done. Yet they are restorative, help to alleviate stress, increase productivity and creativity and can improve memory.

Thanks to the wise words of wisdom I feel free to slip into napland, curling up on the couch under a cozy blanket and drifting off. Having napped today I feel re-energized and eager to tackle some creative projects. This being one of them.

Spring Renewal

Spring is upon us. We watch the flowers emerge from the ground as they blossom into beautiful signs of life. Slowly but surely the flowers push their way up through the dirt, shedding that which no longer serves them. As a  flower stretches up into the sunlight it transforms into something amazing.

 As humans we have the ability to do this as well. We spring clean, clear out closets, rearrange furniture. There are other ways that we can blossom into spring. Are there relationships that no longer serve you? Are there  habits that no longer serve you? Is there junk to be eliminated? As we make changes and clean out the clutter we too blossom. How will you choose to blossom this spring?

Tea and Toast

"Not very far from bread and water to tea and toast."  A friend of mine found this quote on a Susan Branch calendar while we were enjoying some quality girl time together.  This lead to an interesting observation by my dear friend Mary, "One is survival and one is living."  Our conversation flowed as we pondered the idea that much of life is impacted by how we look at things. Are we just trying to survive or can we turn little moments into celebrations or moments of living. Even in today's difficult times it is important that we take the time to enjoy those cups of tea and to savor life's little moments.