Intentional living
-
A hyggelig time
There is a warm glow from the fireplace. The air smells of tangy Balsam fir. The soft lights on the Christmas tree twinkle. The dog is curled up on the sheepskin rug basking in the heat of the fire. On the mantle are homemade clay pots from our wedding filled with cedar clippings from the garden, and three little reindeers from my childhood. It’s cold outside. I am cozy in my wool socks, under a soft blanket on my couch, sipping warm cinnamon tea and eating a gingerbread cookie. My husband and daughter are sitting nearby quietly reading. Hygge (pronounced hoogaa). I have used the word hygge so many times…
-
Stopping to smell the leaves, hear the birds
The birds were chirping non-stop this spring. Chirp, chirp, tweet, tweet. Looking out my window, the birds were fluttering around like crazy. Playful black-capped chickadees, bright red cardinals, tiny sparrows, red crested robins, orange tanagers, swooping orioles. Back yard or front yard, it was the same. Where did they all come from? I asked a neighbour if there were more birds this year than normal. A sensed pity in her eyes when she responded. “They have always been there, Andrea. You have simply stopped to notice.” Duh. I had been rushing around, commuting, cleaning, packing lunch, organizing stuff, you get the idea. This spring was the first time I was…
-
Why did I start this blog?
I love to walk and explore new places, at home and abroad. That’s the short answer. Peripatetic me likes to walk about. But I need to carve out space in my life to make this happen: to explore local destinations and to meet some larger travel goals. When I read this article 8 ways to reclaim your life, I was hooked. A nice tidy list! For someone like me who likes structure, it is so appealing. In fact, I am already trying to work on many of the items, to varying degrees of success. What is this master list, you ask? It’s a nice quick read, I urge you to…
