Tag Archives: Appreciation

It’s Cocktail Hour! G&T anyone?

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This week I appreciate the simple things…and see my vibration move up a notch or two!

Yellow tulips – I adore the shape, and how can one not feel happy around this lutescent loveliness?!  They don’t cost much and they look magnificent anywhere in the house.  A pleasure to look at – they make me smile and appreciate the availability of such beautiful blooms.

Orange nails – I sense a colour-theme going on here!  And why not?!  When the sky is grey or my entire running outfit is a mélange of white and grey (!) that POP of orange can do wonders for the outfit and the mood!  I dunno, it just makes me feel super snazzy when I take my post-run sweaty self, complete with tied up bed-hair, out for my morning fuel :)

Kitchen Skincare – I am on the experimenting train again!  I know, I can’t help myself – just can’t sit still! hahaha.  I was recently reading an article about the simplicity and goodness of natural skincare, and was so happy my train veered onto this track! I had been thinking about this (again!), so it turned out to be a well-timed catalyst!  It’s lovely to know wise women who also love to share their knowledge – I am super grateful for the Sarah Wilsons and Maria Hannafords of the world – you gals rock!

Reading – my love of reading stems from another very wise woman aka my mom!  When I was little, she read out loud to me – with much inflexion and facial expression to boot!  And  I guess it all started there!  I love to read out loud too, and with feeling (actress!! lol)  But most of all I love to read…pretty much EVERYTHING, and pretty much ANYWHERE too.  I cannot go anywhere without a wee something onto which I can cast my eyes and mind, should a reading opp’ arise!  Language is marvellous, & the knowledge even more so…well, for me anyway!

My work – It has been hard yakka, but it has also been immensely satisfying.  As you too may attest, b.u.s.i.n.e.s.s is not for the faint-hearted!  There have been times (many!) when my “faint” wanted to get.it.on, but my “heart” point-blank refused!  I love my heart – she’s a wise cookie.  Because it is precisely those moments, days, months….years(!) – when you seriously want to throw in that big ole wet towel – that steel you, teach you and allow you to soar.  Thank you Share Your Victory™ - you continue to teach me as only a great teacher can!

Sunrisin’ - watching the sun come up every day this week – and last – has been nothing short of life-affirming.  It’s like a huuuge hit of VitaminG  (that’s Goodness y’all!) for the soul.  It’s magical, available and free!

Les petites choses…

┃Fresh ciabatta – still hot from the oven! ┃Coffee at the right temperature – for those of us who like to sip slowly!┃Early morning runs on soft sand┃Sticking to a schedule┃Being completely focussed – so much so, that I am longing for my bed at around 19:40 these days!┃Hitting up with morning fuel every morning post-run. Just a happy ritual┃Watching the sunrise every morning, and being “surprised” by it every day┃Running-gear-anticipation┃New green smoothie recipes – necessity is indeed the mother of invention or creation as I like to call it ┃Sardines-on-fresh-ciabatta for breakfast┃Being close to the beach┃Comfortable chairs!┃Movie nights┃Going to the cinema, the old-school kind ┃Road trips┃Impromptu belly dancing for a restaurant audience!┃Winter swims┃Clearing the air┃Shedding old skin, continually!┃My glasses┃Being organised┃Fresh organic green juices with a twist┃Beautiful veggies┃Parcel excitement┃Almonds and good olive oil!┃Okay, so I know I’ve been giving sugar a bad rap (and rightly so!) but I’ve been wanting to keep company with her a bit of late, soooo…givin’ it up in appreciation for my li’l corner of candy this week!!┃Being reminded – of stuff…the good stuff!

Here’s to a sweet concoction and a full tumbler at your HappyHourHoedown!

It’s Cocktail Hour! G&T anyone?

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Ciao bella!

It’s July.  It’s Winter.  We’re on the cusp of a weekend…winner!

Feeling the Joy-tune?  Yes?!  No?!  Either way, here’s what we’re gonna do — we’re gonna whisk up some joyFULLappreciation with a sparkling G&T!  Ready…set…go!

✸5am & the peepers fly open✸

For me, this week has been all about the mornings…the EARLY mornings!  I have always been a night owl.  There is just something magical about being up late-early and creating up a storm!  It’s like, in the still and dark of the night, my creative cavern doors fly open, and proffer all sorts of goodness.  It’s been my way for the longest time.  But…what has been on my mind for…oh the last 6 months or so (!) is entertaining the idea of being a morning maven!  It’s only taken me this long – hahaha – but oh my there is equal magic in mornings!  Who knew?! hahaha

I am loathe to give up my nights, but these 5am starts are allowing me to, more easily, relinquish and it’s not s’bad! Getting up super early and slamming straight into some mooooovement is double-dose-goodness!  I’m finding my stillness at the other end of the dark spectrum, and it is hitting my sweet spot.  I am awake, filled with energy, enthusiasm, and my focus is getting sharper!  It’s amazing that you can know something for years, and when you finally engage, it’s like this wonderful “surprise”! hahaha  - two words:  human beings!

Best bit?  Everything! hahaha…but here’s naming a few:

✸watching the sunrise every morning!  The universal act is pretty much the same everyday, but the experience is just completely awe-inducing each.sweet.time!  And hello, Pantone eat your heart out!

✸another delicious morning ritual – sipping good coffee at various hole-in-the-wall beachside establishments.

✸watching the sun come up and streaming into my kitchen while I am cooking my morning oats!  It’s by far the little things right?!

✸being the first café customers of the day – appreciating the sleepy-eyed barista, the crisp newspapers neatly arranged, the first coffee!  And the ensuing quiet and orange friend climbing the horizon, ever so slowly and yet, oh so quickly too!

✸Monday morning’s 5:20 moon!  Yes, the moon, standing its luminous ground in the stretch of inky sky;  The windchill factor was high, but I was stopped in my tracks to just look at her – wow!

Annnnnd….

Running again-it sure feels good to mooooove over soft sand, and effortfully indulge in affirming head-conversations with myself┃SundayShenanigans┃late-Sunday-afternoon grocery shops – the best time to go┃my car – vroom vroom! ┃early-morning-NO-traffic!┃taking photographs of everything!┃discovering new phone & web apps and actually using them┃learning new things everyday┃shopping online┃getting clear┃re-visiting my personal mission statement and vision book!!┃real hot chocolate, with accompanying ocean views┃serendipity – she’s a sweeeet soul-sista┃life-affirming moments┃there are no mistakes – every decision is an experience, your experience – and a welcomed one┃divine discoveries – been thinking about doing this again, so this was sweet timing indeed┃green juice┃going for night-time drives┃impromptu dinners out avec le mari┃rainbows!┃adopting The Pomodoro Technique – it really helps, and works!┃Eating less and less sugar – yay!┃home-made soups┃keeping warm with layers – so lush!┃DIY-scheming – I get such a kick out of “fiddling”┃Article ideas – they’re coming fast and furiously – now just to keep up and get them out!!┃SisterSledge correspondence┃my intense desire to learn, to be open to everything, for knowledge, and to prosper┃creating – it’s one of the most satisfying things one can do┃dreaming!  ┃believing – it takes a lot of hard work, but it’s worth it┃fresh flowers – this week, purple tulips on my desk and magenta orchids in my bathrooms & outdoors┃reading: books, e-books, mags, blogs, newspapers, cereal boxes…all of it is a pleasure┃And last but not least – Allowing – it.is.the.key that’s for sure!

What’s stopping you in your tracks, & invoking appreciation?! Where and how do you do your G&T? Does it work for you?

Passion has Red Lips indeed….colour your life with exuberance!

Crank up the comment-dial below, and whip up some weekend majeeeeek!!

I’m off to Newcastle – cannot wait!!

Winter contrasts…

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Where would we be without the Light&Dark of life, and its myriad of in between shades?  In pretty-bland-land I would imagine!  So while the weather gods are taunting us & confusing the natural flow of our flora,  we are on the flip side, getting some pretty unique contrasts in one hit…welcome to Winter contrasts!

We are still in Winter, albeit the tail end.  But how exciting to have a little Spring starter to whet our appetite for the impending bloom of warmth?!

I was out on a walk recently, and on my way home, delighted my senses when I spotted Spring!  Of course I was compelled to stop and smell the flowers – hahaha – so fragrant, so inviting;  A little reminder of the promise ahead of warm days, new beginnings, lighter steps et al.

I love Winter & I never lament her presence;  I enjoy it just as much as the more-favoured Summer sister.  I was just struck by the wonders of nature, & equally a little shocked that our fiddling with the wonders of nature can cause such sweet mayhem!

We do our best to be gracious about our earthly input – we also do our best to see the good in destruction.  This is the nature of Light&Dark, this is the nature of contrasts.  And our nature is to ride the tide of murky waters – it’s just that, natural – but let’s not fall in step with doom-and-gloom.  Let’s do something deliciously UNnatural, instead, & be buoyed by it all – the expected & unpredictable;  sweet satiety & the sometimes-shambles in our head;  the disappointment & the joy;  the irreversible & the hope-in-small-increments.  YES, let’s, let’s, let’s…just get all messy hands as we fix what we can, and relish what we have!