In summary: DO NOT!
Also, do not try to put your child on a deer to take a picture! And do not get out of your car to get closer to the adorable bear cubs eating dandelions by the road – their mama is around and is very protective.
"I thought of happiness, how it is woven... Out of the peace of hours..."
The Work of Happiness
I thought of happiness, how it is woven
Out of the silence in the empty house each day
And how it is not sudden and it is not given
But is creation itself like the growth of a tree.
No one has seen it happen, but inside the bark
Another circle is growing in the expanding ring.
No one has heard the root go deeper in the dark,
But the tree is lifted by this inward work
And its plumes shine, and its leaves are glittering.
So happiness is woven out of the peace
of hours
And strikes its roots deep in the house alone:
The old chest in the corner, cool waxed floors,
White curtains softly and continually blown
As the free air moves quietly about the room;
A shelf of books, a table, and the white-washed wall —
These are the dear familiar gods of home,
And here the work of faith can best be done,
The growing tree is green and musical.
For what is happiness but growth in
peace,
The timeless sense of time when furniture
Has stood a life’s span in a single place,
And as the air moves, so the old dreams stir
The shining leaves of present happiness?
No one has heard thought or listened to a mind,
But where people have lived in inwardness
The air is charged with blessing and does bless;
Windows look out on mountains and the walls
are kind.
~
By May Sarton
Source: https://www.themarginalian.org/2023/06/28/may-sarton-the-work-of-happiness/
Greetings all!
I just learned about an interesting new dish! How would you like a portion of stir-fried pebbles?
Recently, Chinese social media has been featuring suodiu, which translates to “suck and dispose” and consists of – wait for it!! – small river stones, stir-fried with chili oil, garlic sauce, and diced peppers. How about it?
It seems this dish originated in the eastern Chinese province of Hubei and dates back hundreds of years. While stranded in the middle of a river, boatmen cooked stones with other condiments when they ran out of food.
You are supposed to suck on the small rocks to enjoy the rich and spicy flavor of the dish and then dispose of the stones - or take them home as a souvenir!
I will not be surprised if river stones become available for purchase online. I wonder if they can be cleaned and reused for a few meals? I am actually thinking it might be a really good diet tool :)
What do you think? Is this a short-lived fad or a lasting delicacy? Drop me a line!
Sources:
Greetings all!
Have you visited the Butchard Gardens in Victoria, Canada? Everything is blooming there in June, and plenty of opportunities to slow down and smell the roses (and other flowers)!
It all started in 1904 with one woman’s vision, and now visitors from all over the world admire the 55-acre grounds!
Make sure to visit all the gardens: Sunken, Rose, Japanese, Italian, and Mediterranean! And don’t forget to take a spin on the carousel, have an afternoon tea, and enjoy a gelato!
Sources:
What did you think? Drop me a line!
Greetings all!
Here is another delicious summer recipe. I always make some extra of the cherry tomato mix – it goes fantastically on sourdough bread!
Ingredients
Instructions
Bon Appetit! Let me know how you like it!
Greetings
all!
Are you a hummingbird or a bear? Intrigued by the question? Read on! It’s all about how and when you sleep.
All of us know how important sleep is. How and when you sleep is determined by your chronotype, and it affects everything in your life – your appetite, creativity, productivity, and even your personality!
If you work with – not against - your body rhythms, you are happier, healthier, and more productive. Knowing your chronotype might also change your self-perception. Instead of labeling yourself “unproductive,” you might just need to tweak your schedule!
Interesting
facts:
OK, let’s dive deeper into the chronotypes:
Majority of us are actually hummingbirds, and not night owls or larks! These ornithological categories were expanded to 4 mammal types by Dr. Michael Brues, Clinical Psychologist & Sleep Medicine Expert, who also created a chronotype QUIZ (requires an email address):
Bear: Intermediate chronotype (~55% of the population). Their productivity power hours are 10 am - 2 pm. They follow the sun, do well with traditional office hours and a social life in the evenings but might experience social jetlag. They are go-with-the-flow types, social, and fun-loving, known for being extroverted, open-minded, and great team players. Most modern societies adopted bear time as the norm.
Lion: Their productivity power hours are 7 am - 12 pm, equivalent to the early bird. They wake up early, are most productive in the morning, and might have more trouble following a social schedule in the evenings. They are natural leaders, goal-oriented, disciplined, optimistic, and practical.
Wolf: Their productivity power hours are 4 pm - 6 pm, equivalent to the classic night owl. They are creative thinkers and risk-takers, who seek out new experiences and can be impulsive and emotionally intense.
Dolphin: Their productivity power hours are 3 pm - 9 pm. These insomniacs (the least common chronotype) are tired during the day and restless during the night. They are highly intelligent, cautious, detail-oriented, and can be perfectionists.
How to Work with Your Chronotype:
Which chronotype are you? Drop me a line!
Sources (include additional details and tips):
Greetings all!
Here are some funny pictures to make you laugh! Just ponder how clever children are and how uniquely they see the world and appreciate how sneaky and creative parents have to get!
“How to hold a baby brother"
“A banana taco”
“A big snack”
“How to Feed a Baby”
“Emergency confetti” – this one is my favorite!
“Tomorrow is an exam”
“I love you more than ice cream”
“Every family has that one kid”
"When you don't have orange juice - get a straw”
“Other people”
“This kingdom sucks”
“times almost up” [1st graders write letters to people in a nursing home]
“How to freeze time”
reddit.com
Which one was your favorite? Drop me a line!
Sources (and more pictures!):
