Monday, April 15, 2024

Hurkle-Durkle

Greetings all!

How is the weather in your city? It was raining pretty hard over the weekend in my area so on Sunday I decided to sleep in and just be lazy.

Little did I know but I was actually practicing hurkle-durkle! To hurkle-durkle is to linger awake in bed, wrapped in your best blanket well after you “should” have gotten up.

This wonderful and cute-sounding Scottish concept goes back to the 1800s and recently went viral on TikTok.  Hurkle means “to draw the body together,” but the origins of durkle and their combined use are less clear. 

Regardless of the origins, hurkle-durkle just sounds fun, no?! And I have to confess it felt lovely and indulgent and restorative to just lounge in bed instead of thinking of and tackling the next item on my to-do list.

So, if you can and when you can,  indulge in a little hurkle-durkle – and your body and mind will thank you!

Sources:

Monday, April 8, 2024

12 Astonishing Man-Made Structures Around the World

1. La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain

 [photo: NEOPHOTO/ISTOCK]

 2. Burj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE 

[photo: FEVREDREAM/ISTOCK]

 3. Wieliczka Salt Mine Chapel, Wieliczka, Poland
[photo: JOSSK/ISTOCK]

 4. Tiger’s Nest Monastery, Paro Valley, Bhutan 

[photo: ENRICO PESCANTINI/ISTOCK]

5. Great Pyramid of Giza, Al Haram, Egypt 

[photo: KAYIHAN BOLUKBASI/ISTOCK]

6. Great Wall of China 

[photo: ZHUDIFENG/ISTOCK]

7. Mont Saint-Michel, Normandy, France

[photo: CHICCODODIFC/ISTOCK]

 8. Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia

[photo: MIKEFUCHSLOCHER/ISTOCK]

9. The Colosseum, Rome, Italy

[photo: VENTDUSUD/ISTOCK]

 10. Taj Mahal, Agra, India

[photo: R.M. NUNES/ISTOCK]

 11. St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City

[photo: IAKOV KALININ/SHUTTERSTOCK]

 12. Chichen Itza, Yucatán, Mexico

[photo: ROMRODINKA/ISTOCK]

Source:  https://www.fodors.com/news/photos/the-most-impressive-man-made-structures-around-the-world

Monday, April 1, 2024

Active April-2024 Calendar

Greetings all!

I love it that the 1st of April fell on a Monday! No more excuses to stay lazy! Here are some great ideas how to get moving.

My favorite ideas were from April 13, 19, 21, 22, and 28. In fact, I decided to rehearse the April 22 idea today so I blasted my current favorite song and really went for it! Also, I think April 25 is will be a challenge! What about you?

April 1 – Commit to being more active this month, starting today.

April 2 – Spend as much time as possible outdoors today.

April 3 – Listen to your body and be grateful for it can do.

April 4 – Eat healthy and natural food today and rink lots of water.

April 5 – Turn a regular activity into a playful game today.

April 6 – Do a body-scan meditation and really notice how your body feels.

April 7 – Get natural light early in the day. Dim the lights in the evening.

April 8 – Give your body a boost by laughing or making someone laugh.

April 9 – Turn your housework or chores into a fun form of exercise.

April 10 – Have a day with less screen time and more movement.

April 11 – Set yourself an exercise goal or sign up to an activity challenge.

April 12 – Move as much as possible, even if you’re stuck inside.

April 13 – Make sleep a priority and go to bed at a good time.

April 14 – Relax your body and mind with yoga, tai chi or meditation.

April 15 – Get active by singing today (even if you think you can’t sing).

April 16 – Go exploring around your local area and notice new things.

April 17 – Be active outside. Plant some seeds and encourage growth.

April 18 – Try out a new exercise activity or a dance class.

April 19 – Spend less time sitting today. Get up and move more often.

April 20 – Focus on “eating a rainbow” of multi-colored vegetables today.

April 21 – Regularly pause to stretch and breathe during the day.

April 22 – Enjoy moving to your favorite music. Really go for it.

April 23 – Go out and do an errands for a loved one or neighbor.

April 24 – Get active in nature. Feed the birds or go wildlife-spotting.

April 25 – Have a “no screens” night and take time to recharge yourself.

April 26 – Take an extra break in your day and walk outside for 15 minutes.

April 27 – Find a fun exercise to do while waiting for the kettle to boil.

April 28 – Meet a friend outside for a walk and a chat.

April 29 – Become an activist for a cause you really believe in.

April 30 – Make time to run, swim, dance, cycle, or stretch today.


Have a great week and stay active and healthy! Drop me a line to let me know which ideas you love!

Source: https://actionforhappiness.org/sites/default/files/Apr%202024.pdf

Monday, March 25, 2024

Thought of the week – Stop Chain-Smoking Your Problems

 
 
“Some people get addicted to chain-smoking their problems. They spend all day going from sorrow to sorrow. It doesn’t have to be that way. You can live each day going from joy to joy—like a sunflower that turns to face the sun as it moves across the sky. It’s not about having a problem-free life, but about focusing on the light. Sunflowers still have shadows, but they are always behind them.”
 
~ as read on https://jamesclear.com/3-2-1/march-21-2024

Monday, March 18, 2024

London Fog Tea

Greetings all! 

This cute headline recently grabbed my attention - “When It's Too Late in the Day for Coffee, It's London Fog O'Clock.” 

Have you been seeing references to a London Fog tea recently? I have - and so, of course, I visited two of my local coffeehouses in the name of research. 

Image: Brent Hofacker / Getty Images 

One offers a “Misty Step” tea, which sounds mysterious, somewhat cozy, yet a little bit damp. The other had 2 options: pre-made tea from a carton (loaded with sugar) or custom-made. 

I grilled a friendly barista about the second option, and this drink is none other than Earl Grey tea with milk, and if you want to be a bit more fancy, you can add lavender or vanilla syrup. This is it!

  1. Steep the tea for 5 minutes
  2. Heat up milk and then froth it for 30 seconds
  3. Add frothed milk to tea
  4. Add syrup, if desired (or sugar, honey, any other sweeter of your choice)
  5. Curl up by the fire with a good book

Bon Appetit! Let me know how you like it!

Sources:

Monday, March 4, 2024