It Begins

The story behind the blog.

Family Tree

Mother Earth

Plant-Based Beauty

Spiritual Exploration

Liberated Traveler

Reflections

  • Bowing to Life’s Gifts

    This time of year always brings about reflection and an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Not only is Thanksgiving one of my favorite holidays, but it is almost time for me to celebrate another journey around the sun which naturally brings about reflection on my past year.

    This year has been so interesting. I’ve taken self-care to a new level and it has been a year I needed it. I want to take a moment to do a little free-association gratitude list to take in all this year has brought. These items are in no particular order other than how my brain has summoned them. I’m sure I’m also forgetting many things.

    • Feeling surrounded by love when a big love of my life moved on
    • 4:30am wake-ups
    • The opening of a new Monstera leaf that is just perfect
    • The fox that visits in our backyard
    • Books that have taken me to places and transformed me
    • Audiobooks and the ancient feeling of storytelling
    • Soft blankets
    • Warm home
    • A husband that makes life more enjoyable and not lonely
    • A son that is life
    • Plant-based foods that fuel my body and soul
    • A dad who is my rock and my biggest fan
    • A mom who is with me now more than ever
    • Meditation practice each day for almost 200 days and has truly changed my brain and the way I see challenges
    • The ability to go for hikes and appreciate them
    • Music that brings emotion
    • Struggle and the growth it can encourage
    • Friends that are family
    • My sweet dog who is always by my side
    • Mother Earth and all she gives
    • Indigenous wisdom and a refreshing way of looking at our lives
    • Morning meditation books that start my day in a thought-provoking way
    • Peanut butter toast with cinnamon, banana, and three different types of seeds to give me the energy I need to get started
    • Coffee with its aroma and sharp taste
    • Tea and its ability to hug me from the inside
    • Podcasts and the knowledge they give
    • Writing through journaling and poetry and the gift of creative expression
    • A beautiful sky
    • Sunlight on my face
    • The power of sleep and its restorative qualities
    • The feeling that things will always be better in the morning
    • Researching something and finding exactly what I needed
    • Putting together a project that will benefit others
    • Having hope that the world can be a better place
    • When someone finds a purpose for me and the gifts I can offer
    • Supportive colleagues
    • Seedlings
    • Messages sent through the wind
    • Feeling more connected with nature
    • The sight of a mourning dove
    • A good find at the thrift store
    • A life without alcohol
    • Finding healthy ways to process my stress and worries
    • Someone saying they love me without me prompting it first-the fact that at that moment they felt love for me and wanted me to know it
    • Emotions and feeling them
    • The sound of raindrops on leaves
    • A good, rolling, thunder
    • A friend who is actually a sister and has helped me more than she can know
    • The way morning light enters our home
    • Good health

    I know there is so much more, but this is a start. I am so incredibly grateful for this life I have been given.

  • Simply Sustainable: Reusable Paper Towels

    Over the past year or so, I’ve tried to create less waste. It has been a slow process, but there are certain habits I’ve been able to modify, and I have found great joy in these new practices.

    One that I started this summer is exchanging reusable paper towels in place of typical paper towels. Basically, I have 12 rectangular shaped cotton flannel towels that are layered and then rolled onto a tube. I use these towels for cleaning counters, soaking up spills, wiping hands, and almost anything else I’d use a paper towel for. The only thing I still need to replace for paper towel usage is for taking care of my runny nose. Time to get out my granddad’s old hankies ;).

    Although these towels are so simple and not super special, I find great joy in laying them each out and rolling them into a bright, sunny roll. This was actually something I first did the morning of the day my mom passed away. It may seem silly, but I think of her when I look over at the corner of kitchen and see the lemons.

    Besides bringing a smile to my face, by using these towels, I am cutting back on deforestation, helping reduce waste in our landfills, reducing my carbon footprint, and reducing the amount of chemicals I’m exposed to as most paper towels are bleached.

    In the end, I can’t change the world, but I can do my part and share what I do in hopes someone else will want to take less from Mother Earth too.

  • Developing a Meditative Practice

    It has been 20 days since I started my 70 day meditation challenge. So far, I have had no issues making time for meditation and it has become something I greatly look forward to. These 70 days are about exploration of meditative styles as well as experimenting with the time of day, length, location and other variables. My hope is that by the end of my challenge I will have developed a meditative practice that works best for me and is sustainable.

    I’ve been doing what I love most which is researching and learning about types of meditative practices and their origins. I took an online class this week through the Science of Spirituality center that was a great overview and practice. I think I’d like to take an in-person class as well to gain that experience.

    Something I’ve learned is that there are various types of meditation. Meditations can focus on breath, a mantra, the body, passing thoughts, and so much more. You can sit, lay, walk, read, and many other activities to be in a meditative state. So far, I’ve enjoyed insight or Vipassana mediation. I’ve noticed this type of meditation feels really good in the morning and it really opens up my creative mind. I try to meditate for at least 15 minutes as I have noticed that it feels more beneficial to sit for at least this long. I have found that sitting on a couch or chair with ottoman with my legs outstretched to be most comfortable.

    Sometimes I feel that I am not completely sure what is supposed to happen during meditation. I think that is okay though. I’ve experienced a handful of experiences so far and I value each of them:

    • Mind wandering to strange and random places
    • Visions
    • Creative ideas
    • A deep breath that feels grounding
    • An extreme peace – almost blacking out, but in a good way (kind of like sleep, but I wasn’t asleep)
    • Letting go
    • Realization of things I want to pursue

    I look forward to my next 50 days and exploring more types of practice. I have read Sharon Salzberg’s book, Real Happiness: A 28-Day Program to Realize the Power of Mediation, but I have not actually done the meditations in the book. I think I may follow it in July to have that experience. If you are looking to learn more, I’d recommend her book and the following resources:

  • Accessing Our Ancestors

    As a child, I grew up going to the library and archives with my dad in search of genealogical history. I’ve huddled over old letters and stood at copiers capturing documentation about our roots. I enjoyed doing these activities as a kid, but the light bulb never really clicked as to what we were doing. I saw names and dates, but over time I’ve come to realize those names and dates represent lives that are the links to my past.

    One of my goals in life is to learn how to add to my genealogical record as well as learn the stories of my ancestors. It feels overwhelming right now, but I have a great teacher (my dad) and so many resources available to me. I was thinking about taking a Great Course on the topic to help me get a foundation.

    When I look at my AncestryDNA results, I can’t help but feel that it makes sense. The places you see on the map below are very special to me and they call to me. My first trip abroad to Europe was to Ireland and that is the trip that opened up my eyes to travel. On my honeymoon, we visited Scandinavia and we felt such a strong connection to nature, the people, and their way of life. A few years later, we visited Iceland and that was a trip that left us in awe. My next dream trip is to Scotland. I hope to make that Edwin’s first trip abroad.

    When I think about my interests, so much of it stems from these cultures; music, history, nature, politics, way of viewing life, even TV shows. I loved The Last Kingdom and am currently obsessed with Outlander.

    The purpose of this post is for me to realize this is important to me and to document that I want to work at this.

  • Doable Vegan: Hummus Bowls

    Hummus is a newer taste I’ve acquired. That has been the case for a lot of the foods I eat now. My brain had been so wired for the ultra-processed, that it has taken time away from them to readjust my palate. I share this with you in case you feel like this post is not an option for you because you don’t like hummus. Maybe you don’t like hummus…yet. Or maybe you need to make your own. Let’s explore the super simple concept of hummus bowls to help make going vegan more doable.

    This type of dish has Mediterranean roots and you will notice that in its flavors. It is very fresh while also very filling. The basic idea is you spread hummus on the bottom of your plate and then top it with roasted vegetables and serve with a hearty bread (I typically choose sourdough for its health benefits) or pita. The dish I made today was inspired by Gaz Oakley and was a roasted radish with butter bean hummus. I modified his recipe to include the roasted leaves as well and I didn’t have pistachio butter, so I used tahini instead.

    Hummus is often made with chickpeas, but can be made from other ingredients as well. If you don’t like chickpeas yet, you may want to try having a different base. My recipe used butter beans, but you could also use edamame, white beans, cauliflower, and more. Here is a link where you can see some other options.

    When roasting the vegetables, you want to make sure they are coated in a marinade. Miso helps give a nice umami, salty flavor. Agave or maple syrup can add some sweetness. Lemon juice and zest can add the little bit of acid your dish needs. You can also choose to have a more fresh topping with a tomato salad like this option.

    So, we’ve got our hummus base, veggies on top, and now it is time to add a garnish. Adding something with a crunch like nuts or seeds can help provide more texture to make this a more satisfying meal. Grains can also help achieve this.

    This meal can come together quickly, but you can make it even more efficient by having a batch of hummus pre-made and ready to go. Also, having frozen veggies on hand can make this a meal you pull together any night and can have that time to do what you need while the veggies roast in all their flavors.

    Here are a couple of other recipes you may like to try if the hummus bowl intrigues you:

Subscribe To My Newsletter

Subscribe for new content.