The Zen Of Being Joanne

I sometimes feel the need to re-invent myself.  A calmer, more centered self.  I was doing just fine the first four days of my unemployment.  Walking with G and Riley each morning--centering myself, enjoying the woods etc..  Then the snow happened.  G has snow shoes.  I do not.  And it's cold out there with a windchill of 19.  And the surface of the snow cracks with ice.

Today I folded washed clothing instead of walking.  Changed the tablecloth and napkins on the table.  Filled up the flour and sugar canisters (they had gotten low with all the "baking" of cookies this year) and I used up the last of the walnuts.  I'm baking loaves of Date Nut and Banana bread today.  The Date Nut takes 90 minutes to bake at 300.

G will go to the store at some point today and buy the things we need for chicken soup.  I also added a few things to the list so I can make French Cabbage Soup for myself.  It's very nice to eat soup on very cold days.

Nothing is really as good as a walk in the woods.

Back to the Zen.  Folding clothes.  Sorting art supplies.  Writing on smooth white pages with a new black thin line Sharpie.  Thinking about making another moss fairy garden. Wishing I had a shallow rectangular bonsai dish  for it.

My collection of orchids are showing signs of new flower spikes.  Caused by a cold snap (orchids need a chill to set flower spikes).  The largest Clivia has two flower stalks in bud.  The others are showing new leaves as I began watering them again on New Year's Eve and I can always hope there will be more flowers (?).  The paperwhites are getting taller.  My Lemon Lime Amaryllis has three out of four of it's blooms open.  It's a very pale green and quite petite.  A much larger one has two fat stems going but no flower buds as yet.  I am hoping it's the deep dark Red Pearl from last Christmas.  Three whopping huge stems of four last winter.  Glorious.  The third one that will possibly make flowers is a red and white stripe.  All the others are resting in their new pots, not even making leaves.

Flowers in Winter.  Such beauty and wonder on cold sunless days.  I am loving my terrarium with it's cheerful robin in the middle.  I found another bird (a grey dove) at Goodwill and, while not as cheerful as the robin, I think it will be a delight in another terrarium with different colored foliage. I was very lucky to have found the two of them.  About 4 to 5 inches tall with very pale coloring.  Peaceful.

G just brought in the mail.  A beautiful card from our friend in Germany, Marianne. Thank you dear friend!!

Well, there are things I need to do in the kitchen.  The Zen of chopping vegetables. (smile)