sept '24 favorites
Small things that made my Sept just a little bit better.
exploring
Do you have a place where you store, collect, gather, shall I even say hoard things away? A warehouse for your future self. Recently I pulled out a box of oil paints from such a place. Hidden away for years because I felt too scared to use them. A little odd wouldn’t you say? Or maybe, what a waste? Either way with a bit of trepidation I forced myself to make a decision—use it or lose it. Once I started painting I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t scary at all. It was just paint. Watch the process here.
reading
Once in a while I go back and visit the classics. You know the books you may have been forced to read in high school or college and to this day feel like you can never recover those lost hours. That’s me. I love the rich language, the laborious details, and the deep portrayal of human nature. Give me all of it. Of course, I can’t dwell in that space continuously so I bounce back and forth between more contemporary authors. All I can say is that when I finished the Lord of the Rings trilogy (years ago) I felt like I was losing good friends. Whatever your genre—keep reading!
A classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say.
—Italo Calvino
inspiring
Even if you aren’t into creative endeavors, you will definitely admire the spunk, passion, and determination of artist Guy Warren, who is “busier than ever” at age 100. Watch here.
eating
This Curried Couscous is another recipe frequently on rotation in our kitchen. The combination of ingredients makes this a tasty side dish but also hearty enough to eat for lunch. This dish travels well and is best at room temperature making it the perfect companion for a picnic or as a side when delivering a meal to a friend.
It’s up to us to choose contentment and thankfulness now — and to stop imagining that we have to have everything perfect before we’ll be happy.
—Joanna Gaines
following
YouTube: Louise Fletcher has a profusion of instructive art videos on her channel. She is a very generous teacher who I have learned much from over the years.
Pinterest: Sally-Anne Ashley has appealing boards covering a wide range of creative topics.
Instagram: Sara Burch paints abstract portraits and figures. She inspires me to loosen up and paint more freely.
interesting
Do you agree with this list of the most beautiful places in the world? I have only visited a few of the locations mentioned (Ha Long Bay, Vietnam [photo at right] in 2018 being one of them) but it has renewed my desire to go to Machu Picchu….and Jordan….and Bali….and well, all of them actually.
The things that we love tell us what we are.
—Thomas Aquinas
growing
This is the first year we have successfully grown jalapenos. This photo depicts only one small section of the plant in which abundance seems like it’s middle name. This plant is prolific, currently flourishing (Sept 29) seemingly oblivious to the cooling temperature. Learn how to grow jalapenos here because I have no idea how we managed this.
exciting
I’ve enjoyed multiple concerts over the past few months (yes, that’s me at the Chicago/Earth Wind & Fire concert). The joy of live music cannot be overstated. I realize I have the luxury of living in the city and can be at a major venue in 15 minutes (but last week I drove an hour with my daughter to see her favorite performer). And if you don’t live in an urban area, there are generally plenty of good cover bands, community orchestras, and even high school music programs to be found. I don’t mean to belabor the point but music can be good for the soul.
Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.
—Anamika Mishra
I’m curious, what’s on your list of favorites?
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