This morning I woke up thinking about my last post. The sky was cloudy, it was going to be another cold, possibly rainy day. But somehow, I felt so happy inside, it almost scared me. And it got me thinking about the essence of this blog, about the real box of inspiration. There actually is a real box of inspiration, made of cardboard and covered in pictures and newspaper cuttings, filled with dreams, ideas. And brimming with my own happiness.
So I spent the morning finding more quotes to put on that box, filling it with more inspiration. And smiling the whole time. It's strange how a single day can sometimes change everything in the way you look at the world. It doesn't really matter what happens to you, it only matters how you look at what has happened. And even if everything goes wrong, if your heart gets broken, you open your own box of inspiration or just look into your happiest memories, and tears will spring to your eyes as you realise how truly lucky you are. There will always be people who love you and care about you.
No matter what happens, that box of inspiraion will stay untouched, because no one can take away the happiness that I once felt and the dreams that I have. And re-reading my last, rather gloomy post, I realised that the end of something is equally the beginning of something new. And whatever happens, good or bad, it makes me who I am. But it takes only a look inside my box of inspiration to see who I am again, and that I am made of more than just pain. Love. Friendship. And - despite all the tears - laughter.
Which brings me to my list of three great things about yesterday:
1. Laughing with complete strangers on the train.
2. Laughing and crying while watching New Year's Eve (very cute movie by the way!)
3. Weirdly enough, trying on jumpers at Tommy Hilfiger (which was so much fun, especially the way the shop assistants were very helpful AND cute)
Enjoy your day!
Love, x
Wednesday, 28 December 2011
Monday, 26 December 2011
The last days of a year
For many people, the last days of a year are a time of reflection, resolution and absolution. It's one of those in-between times, long, cold nights spent pondering the very depths of your existence. To me, these last few days before New Year's Eve, after the buzz and excitement of Christmas is wearing off, seem like the last days of real relaxation to enjoy before a long stretch of hard work. With graduation approaching, a million future-related fears on my mind, it's difficult to enjoy the here and now. Somehow, by July next year, I will have reached the end. At least, that's what it feels like. Two years of hard work and a final grade in my hand and it's all over.
Then again, this looming black line on the horizon that feels like an expiration date is also the mark of freedom. Between July and October, there will be a space, a gap, a time of transition between my life now and the future. And then the next chapter, that common metaphor, will unfold before my eyes. And like my favourite authors, it will manage to scare me, exhaust me and yet always exhilarate me.
But the questions that sneaks up behind your back while you are working so hard on a goal is: What is the point? What is the greater purpose?
And each time it is shocking how answerless I feel. It seems as though, all our life, we are working hard to work even harder in the future. So that sneaky question really has a point, doesn't it?
I recently read an article about downshifting, slowing down your life and finding meaning in small things. It's a goal that seems to have taken a hold of many people in recent times. With the world shrinking and spinning faster and faster, we are slowly losing contol of it all. We are all losing the real meaning of why we are here, te meaning of our lives.
Some people seem to seek freedom and inspiration on travels, by delving into foreign cultures and communities. Others close their eyes and plod blindly on through their daily lives, trying hard not to hear the sneaky question that is always a few steps behind them.
A person very dear to me once said that one shouldn't ponder "deep, philosophical questions" when it's dark. So this is me stopping. Or at least finishing the deep, philosophical thought with a happy once.
Personally, I feel lucky to have this box of inspiration. It reminds me everyday of what I'm working for, of why I love my life and the people in it. Seeing and recording the beauties of your day to day life is a great reminder of the meaning of life. No need for journies abroad for the present. They can wait for that In-between time.
One way to remind yourself daily of the little beauties is writing down three of them. Here I go, off the top of my head:
1. Taking a brisk walk in stormy weather.
2. Making a ham-and-cheese-bake with my mum.
3. Having milk and warm bread for dinner.
(two of todays beauties are food-related! Proof of a what a food-addict and lover I am! ;) )
Enjoy post-Christmas laziness!
Love, x
Then again, this looming black line on the horizon that feels like an expiration date is also the mark of freedom. Between July and October, there will be a space, a gap, a time of transition between my life now and the future. And then the next chapter, that common metaphor, will unfold before my eyes. And like my favourite authors, it will manage to scare me, exhaust me and yet always exhilarate me.
But the questions that sneaks up behind your back while you are working so hard on a goal is: What is the point? What is the greater purpose?
And each time it is shocking how answerless I feel. It seems as though, all our life, we are working hard to work even harder in the future. So that sneaky question really has a point, doesn't it?
I recently read an article about downshifting, slowing down your life and finding meaning in small things. It's a goal that seems to have taken a hold of many people in recent times. With the world shrinking and spinning faster and faster, we are slowly losing contol of it all. We are all losing the real meaning of why we are here, te meaning of our lives.
Some people seem to seek freedom and inspiration on travels, by delving into foreign cultures and communities. Others close their eyes and plod blindly on through their daily lives, trying hard not to hear the sneaky question that is always a few steps behind them.
A person very dear to me once said that one shouldn't ponder "deep, philosophical questions" when it's dark. So this is me stopping. Or at least finishing the deep, philosophical thought with a happy once.
Personally, I feel lucky to have this box of inspiration. It reminds me everyday of what I'm working for, of why I love my life and the people in it. Seeing and recording the beauties of your day to day life is a great reminder of the meaning of life. No need for journies abroad for the present. They can wait for that In-between time.
One way to remind yourself daily of the little beauties is writing down three of them. Here I go, off the top of my head:
1. Taking a brisk walk in stormy weather.
2. Making a ham-and-cheese-bake with my mum.
3. Having milk and warm bread for dinner.
(two of todays beauties are food-related! Proof of a what a food-addict and lover I am! ;) )
Enjoy post-Christmas laziness!
Love, x
Wednesday, 21 December 2011
The most wonderful time of the year
One of my favourite Christmas songs starts out with the words "It's the most wonderful time of the year". Well, I couldn't agree more. To me, Christmas time is a time of family, friends, of giving gifts and enjoying the splendours of life. At the end of the year, everyone is a little and Christmas just perks everyone up in time for the New Year to start. Apart from being the most wonderful time of year, it is also my favourite time of year.
Christmas is a time of year that gives me the chance to give thanks for all the love and success I was given throughout the year. Weeks are spent baking, preparing Christmas presents and writing cards. Around Christmas, we get the chance to tell the people we love just how much we love them. This is the reason I will be walking through the crisp cold air tomorrow morning with two bags bursting with gifts swinging at my side. It is simply something I enjoy to do. Sitting at my desk, thinking of the millions of little ways I can surprise a person ... such as making Christmas cards myself!
It's only a few days to Christmas now, time to put up the Christmas tree and wrap the last presents. There will be Christmas music in the background and the smell of German "Honigkuchen", cinnamon stars and hot chocolate in the air. Christmas is one of those times of year that are really all about enjoyment. The only thing missing around here is snow. But I hope that part will come in eventually.
And then it's only another week to New Year's Eve ... I couldn't be more excited to take this blog into the new year. It has truly inspired me to write more and to be creative!
Finally, I want to share a "not so Christmassy" song with you. It's a medley of "Viva la Vida" by Coldplay and "Love Story" by Taylor Swift, by two amazing musicians. Check out their channels for more amazing classic-meets-pop videos! This medley truly brings a smile to my face and perfectly captures my mounting sense of excitement as Christmas approaches.
Back to wrapping gifts then,
Love x
Christmas is a time of year that gives me the chance to give thanks for all the love and success I was given throughout the year. Weeks are spent baking, preparing Christmas presents and writing cards. Around Christmas, we get the chance to tell the people we love just how much we love them. This is the reason I will be walking through the crisp cold air tomorrow morning with two bags bursting with gifts swinging at my side. It is simply something I enjoy to do. Sitting at my desk, thinking of the millions of little ways I can surprise a person ... such as making Christmas cards myself!
It's only a few days to Christmas now, time to put up the Christmas tree and wrap the last presents. There will be Christmas music in the background and the smell of German "Honigkuchen", cinnamon stars and hot chocolate in the air. Christmas is one of those times of year that are really all about enjoyment. The only thing missing around here is snow. But I hope that part will come in eventually.
And then it's only another week to New Year's Eve ... I couldn't be more excited to take this blog into the new year. It has truly inspired me to write more and to be creative!
Finally, I want to share a "not so Christmassy" song with you. It's a medley of "Viva la Vida" by Coldplay and "Love Story" by Taylor Swift, by two amazing musicians. Check out their channels for more amazing classic-meets-pop videos! This medley truly brings a smile to my face and perfectly captures my mounting sense of excitement as Christmas approaches.
Back to wrapping gifts then,
Love x
Tuesday, 29 November 2011
Tuesday, 15 November 2011
Lucky leaves
Somebody once told me that for every leave you catch in autumn, you get a lucky month in the new year. A few days ago, I remembered this conversation with a jolt. The ground was covered in frost and the trees were almost bare. For weeks, I'd been going for long, crunchy autumn walks under trees laden down with leaves, completely forgetting about the luck I might be able to catch. How could I have gone for my entire childhood without ever hearing about the lucky leaves?
Last year, after said conversation - I now remember it quite vividly - I spent an entire afternoon under the bows of the old oak trees in our village, no doubt oberserved by amused neighbours. It must have looked ridiculous - leaping to and fro, frantically trying to snatch the twirling leaves out of the sky. I didn't manage 12 leaves, I gave up at 7. Somehow, catching all 12 months of good luck seemed overkill to me.
Now here I am, more than a year later, looking back. I don't even remember where I put those lucky leaves. You're supposed to keep them somewhere safe or you won't get your luck after all. I wonder if you could describe the past year as lucky. Then again, what is luck anyway?
The dictionary defines luck as 'The chance happening of fortunate or adverse events' or 'prosperity, success'. Now that I've typed it out, I realise I wasn't really looking for the dictionary's answer to my question, but rather a more philosophical approach. Every person I've met so far in my life defines luck a little differently. Most link luck directly to happiness. I am no exception.
So, in retrospect, I must say that the past year has been lucky in many ways. I know this is not really the best time to reflect, with the New Year still more than two months away, but it's never too early to start, right?
My year has been lucky in so many ways: discovering true friendship, having some of the best times over the summer and of course realising that all this will always stay a part of me in my box of inspiration. So writing this blog is part of that too.
And I must say that catching luck no longer appeals to me now. If you really think about it, luck is only exciting if it happens by chance, something you didn't expect. Just like happiness. Trying to catch luck is an amusing game, exciting for children, and trying to convince yourself you can control it.
There are always ways in which we surprise ourselves, discover there are things to say that we never thought about before. It means that I can walk under the trees in autumn, under all those snowing leaves, without reaching for those spinning brown spirits of luck. But if one of them should happen to land gently on my shoulder, I wouldn't brush it away.
Love, x
Last year, after said conversation - I now remember it quite vividly - I spent an entire afternoon under the bows of the old oak trees in our village, no doubt oberserved by amused neighbours. It must have looked ridiculous - leaping to and fro, frantically trying to snatch the twirling leaves out of the sky. I didn't manage 12 leaves, I gave up at 7. Somehow, catching all 12 months of good luck seemed overkill to me.
Now here I am, more than a year later, looking back. I don't even remember where I put those lucky leaves. You're supposed to keep them somewhere safe or you won't get your luck after all. I wonder if you could describe the past year as lucky. Then again, what is luck anyway?
The dictionary defines luck as 'The chance happening of fortunate or adverse events' or 'prosperity, success'. Now that I've typed it out, I realise I wasn't really looking for the dictionary's answer to my question, but rather a more philosophical approach. Every person I've met so far in my life defines luck a little differently. Most link luck directly to happiness. I am no exception.
So, in retrospect, I must say that the past year has been lucky in many ways. I know this is not really the best time to reflect, with the New Year still more than two months away, but it's never too early to start, right?
My year has been lucky in so many ways: discovering true friendship, having some of the best times over the summer and of course realising that all this will always stay a part of me in my box of inspiration. So writing this blog is part of that too.
And I must say that catching luck no longer appeals to me now. If you really think about it, luck is only exciting if it happens by chance, something you didn't expect. Just like happiness. Trying to catch luck is an amusing game, exciting for children, and trying to convince yourself you can control it.
There are always ways in which we surprise ourselves, discover there are things to say that we never thought about before. It means that I can walk under the trees in autumn, under all those snowing leaves, without reaching for those spinning brown spirits of luck. But if one of them should happen to land gently on my shoulder, I wouldn't brush it away.
Love, x
Saturday, 5 November 2011
That Picture callled Life
This is a poem I wrote about happiness and about belonging. All the things that belong in a box of inspiration.
A thick knitted sweater, splashing through puddles,
riding my bike between morning and night,
when the streets are empty, just me and the moon.
Cookies and milk, old children's books,
autumn leaves, that snow from the trees.
And saying goodybe, but I'll be seeing you soon.
All the colours of joy, in that picture called life,
I wish I could hold them in the palm of my hand.
Crying and laughing, all at once,
making a wish on New Year's Eve,
with the promise of new things, but never quite sure.
A purring cat, and birthday surprises,
and smelling your favourie meal at the door,
being hugged goodnight, and feeling secure.
All the happiness and love, all the truth in the world,
and a box of inspiration that I find in my heart.
Love, x
A thick knitted sweater, splashing through puddles,
riding my bike between morning and night,
when the streets are empty, just me and the moon.
Cookies and milk, old children's books,
autumn leaves, that snow from the trees.
And saying goodybe, but I'll be seeing you soon.
All the colours of joy, in that picture called life,
I wish I could hold them in the palm of my hand.
Crying and laughing, all at once,
making a wish on New Year's Eve,
with the promise of new things, but never quite sure.
A purring cat, and birthday surprises,
and smelling your favourie meal at the door,
being hugged goodnight, and feeling secure.
All the happiness and love, all the truth in the world,
and a box of inspiration that I find in my heart.
Love, x
Wednesday, 2 November 2011
Oatmeal Apple Cookies
I can't believe it's already November! Halloween came around so quickly, with pumpkins and sweets piling up in the kitchen from one moment to the next and ghosts and witches knocking on our door. And then, suddenly, I open my eyes to a crisp blue November sky. Quite shocking to think that Christmas is less than two months away and many important birthdays are coming up (inlcuding my own)! November just sounds so much more wintry than 'October' and I felt my sweet tooh nagging me for something nice and chewy ... so after a wonderfully cold November 1st walk, I decided to make myself a bit of a treat for dinner: Oatmeal Apple Cookies!
I only made 8 cookies, though they were about the size of my hand, since this was a new recipe I had found on the internet. The original uses raisins, but I was in the mood for something fruitier, so I used one of our delicious Braeburn apples instead.
Unfortunately they were so delicious, I forgot to take a picture! But this is what you should imagine them to look like:
(my cookies were a little spongier than these, with little bits of apple sticking out)
Here's the recipe:
3/4 cup all purpose flour (1 used 1/2 cup white and 1/4 wholewheat flour for more texture)
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp. white sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup peeled, cored and diced apples
2 tbsp. apple sauce
First, combine the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients in seperate bowls. Preheat your oven to 180°C. Mix the two, adding a little milk or apple juice if the batter is too dry. Now, make little mounds of dough on your baking sheet, making them higher than they are wide. Make sure to leave plenty of space between your cookies, or they will stick together! Bake them for 12 - 14 minutes or until they are golden brown. Make sure you don't have them in the oven for too long, or they will get too crispy!
These oatmeal cookies were easy, fluffy and just sweet enough to satisfy my cravings. You can exchange 1/2 cup rolled oats for sunflower seeds if you want more crunch, I will definitely try that next time! The apples gave these cookies just the right edge of tanginess and the rolled oats made them wonderfully chewy. 3 cookies straight out of the oven with some milk while reading Rudyard Kipling "Jungle Book" made my evening highly cosy.
Since we are, so to speak, right on winter's doorsteph, I have started to compile a list of winter must-have clothes. I don't know about you, but every season has a special colour for me. Autumn is definitely green and red and lovely dark plum colours as well as some soft beige tones and earthy browns. Some of the items are already in my closet, but many I still have to find!
Here's the list:
Dark red cardigan (check)
Dark green bulky cardigan (check, it's wonderfully warm, I'm wearing it as I type)
Red scarf
Beige mittens
thick red socks
Dark red or plum-coloured cosy sweater
plum-coloured lipstick
a dark brown skirt
colourful or interestingly patterned tights
Love, x
I only made 8 cookies, though they were about the size of my hand, since this was a new recipe I had found on the internet. The original uses raisins, but I was in the mood for something fruitier, so I used one of our delicious Braeburn apples instead.
Unfortunately they were so delicious, I forgot to take a picture! But this is what you should imagine them to look like:
Here's the recipe:
3/4 cup all purpose flour (1 used 1/2 cup white and 1/4 wholewheat flour for more texture)
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp. white sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup peeled, cored and diced apples
2 tbsp. apple sauce
First, combine the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients in seperate bowls. Preheat your oven to 180°C. Mix the two, adding a little milk or apple juice if the batter is too dry. Now, make little mounds of dough on your baking sheet, making them higher than they are wide. Make sure to leave plenty of space between your cookies, or they will stick together! Bake them for 12 - 14 minutes or until they are golden brown. Make sure you don't have them in the oven for too long, or they will get too crispy!
These oatmeal cookies were easy, fluffy and just sweet enough to satisfy my cravings. You can exchange 1/2 cup rolled oats for sunflower seeds if you want more crunch, I will definitely try that next time! The apples gave these cookies just the right edge of tanginess and the rolled oats made them wonderfully chewy. 3 cookies straight out of the oven with some milk while reading Rudyard Kipling "Jungle Book" made my evening highly cosy.
Since we are, so to speak, right on winter's doorsteph, I have started to compile a list of winter must-have clothes. I don't know about you, but every season has a special colour for me. Autumn is definitely green and red and lovely dark plum colours as well as some soft beige tones and earthy browns. Some of the items are already in my closet, but many I still have to find!
Here's the list:
Dark red cardigan (check)
Dark green bulky cardigan (check, it's wonderfully warm, I'm wearing it as I type)
Red scarf
Beige mittens
thick red socks
Dark red or plum-coloured cosy sweater
plum-coloured lipstick
a dark brown skirt
colourful or interestingly patterned tights
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)