Peaceful Thoughts and Affirmations, Whimsical Watercolors, Wonder and Whimsy

Peaceful Thoughts for Rough Days

Here are some peaceful thoughts to remember the next time you are having a rough day, whether that day is today or in the future. We all have rough days in which we feel sad, disappointed, or insecure about ourselves. Experiencing such days can make us feel bad about ourselves. For example, we might feel… Continue reading Peaceful Thoughts for Rough Days

Relationships and Love, Wonder and Whimsy

Lessons I Learned from My Kitty Leo

My husband and I had to say goodbye to our kitty Leo last week. We are heartbroken, but it was Leo's time to go. He had lived a long life--we think about 15 years--and his health had been declining recently. Last week we realized that keeping him here with us any longer wasn't doing him… Continue reading Lessons I Learned from My Kitty Leo

Contemplative Practice, Self-compassion, Whimsical Watercolors, Wonder and Whimsy

Coloring: A Contemplative Practice

It may seem odd to suggest that coloring is a contemplative practice. After all, the phrase contemplative practice sounds very grown-up, serious, and even mysterious. Coloring, on the other hand, is child's play, lighthearted, and easy as a walk in the park on a sunny day. Can coloring really be contemplative? Contemplative practices are activities… Continue reading Coloring: A Contemplative Practice

Body Love and Body Kindness, Whimsical Watercolors, Wonder and Whimsy

Two Cardinals: A Whimsical Watercolor

I love cardinals. In the morning this summer, I have been sitting out on my back porch and looking at the trees and listening to the birds sing. I love watching the animals that visit our yard in the morning. We have had a bunny who regularly visits both our front and back yard, as… Continue reading Two Cardinals: A Whimsical Watercolor

Contemplative Practice, Spirituality and Love, Wonder and Whimsy

Creating Nature Mandalas: A Contemplative Practice

Lately I have been creating nature mandalas as a contemplative practice. Circles Everywhere Mandalas are a type of circle art. Humans have been fascinated with circles all throughout history. Circles are everywhere in nature, both in the nature around us (like flowers and forests) and the nature above us (like planets and galaxies). Because of… Continue reading Creating Nature Mandalas: A Contemplative Practice

Body Love and Body Kindness, Practices for Cultivating Love, Wonder and Whimsy

Month Two of Monkey Bar Hanging

Last month, I started practicing monkey bar hanging for my daily practice for this year. (Last year I practiced deep breathing. You can read about that here.)* To be honest, the first part of the month was a wash. In the first month of my practice (May), I gained a lot of strength very quickly.… Continue reading Month Two of Monkey Bar Hanging

Wonder and Whimsy

Our Backyard Has Become a Nature Sanctuary

Recently, our backyard has become a nature sanctuary. My husband and I live in the suburbs, close to downtown. There are some things about my neighborhood that aren't always ideal. For instance, sometimes our neighborhood can be a little noisy and wild. But one thing I love about my house is that we have a… Continue reading Our Backyard Has Become a Nature Sanctuary

Body Love and Body Kindness, Practices for Cultivating Love, Wonder and Whimsy

A New Practice and a New Adventure: Month One of Monkey Bar Hanging

Last year, I learned how to breathe. Okay, of course I knew how to breathe before last year. But last year in May, I adopted a specific breathing practice to address some wacky breathing issues I was experiencing. The first month I did my practice, it brought so many benefits to my life that I… Continue reading A New Practice and a New Adventure: Month One of Monkey Bar Hanging

Wonder and Whimsy

How One Woman is Reviving the Lost Art of Letter Writing

Do you have some friends who bring more magic and whimsy into your life? My friend AnneMarie is like that. AnneMarie and I grew up in the same circles, but we didn’t really become friends until we worked as counselors together at a camp in Oregon during college. I always loved AnneMarie’s style. She had… Continue reading How One Woman is Reviving the Lost Art of Letter Writing

Wonder and Whimsy

About Baking Bread and Changing the World

I baked bread this weekend, and I changed the world. Even if only a little bit. Bread is amazing because the end of the process is radically different from the beginning. For instance, when I made bread this weekend, I started off with a mess of yeast and oats a water that looked like this:… Continue reading About Baking Bread and Changing the World