Slow down and take another look....

Every so often I face one of those "hang on a second" moments in life.  This particular one occurred during the busiest time of my year- and that of course is play season.  It is a perfect storm of painting, practice, long, LONG performance days, the end of the third quarter, imminent art shows and frequently, Easter for good measure.  I, like the silly thing I am, thought nothing of adding in a full livingroom renovation as well.  You throw in day to day life and it's challenges and joys, and you have someone who set herself up for a set back and that would be back to back viruses in my case.  

I got to lay on my bed, highly uncomfortable and sleeping fitfully- without a TV for noise or company, I might add- for an entire day while my kids went on stage without me.  It was an instructive moment in time, no one (not even me) is irreplaceable.  It made me still my mind, slow down my body and gave me a chance to sort of pull my self together, as I was not really together at all.  I have rethought some things that I have going on and have noticed a shift in my priorities and some of my ways of thinking.  

Not a week later, I found myself coming down with a rhinorvirus and I was ticked.  I had had an enjoyable break, but it was far from relaxing.  And to find myself getting sick with a cold on the Friday before Easter was deflating.  No wonder I was not feeling the ambition to clean up the house after The Builder finished it on Wednesday.  Again, I had no choice but to cut my exercise back and get done only what I absolutely needed to, and let the Mad Middle son and his lovely wife Sarah Jane take over the food on Saturday while I sat from my sniffling throne, half heartedly offering suggestions and basically not caring what was going on.  We got part of the livingroom stuff hung on the walls, and that was a job well done.

I was barely functioning this past week, though I felt better each day, I still had little energy to get through my workouts and certainly did not do nearly as much as usual.  But again, I found some hidden silver linings to this; I got to hang out in my beautiful livingroom and really rest and relax.  I was able to turn my attention to a few things that I hadn't had time to for a while.  And I again had time to rethink a few things that I have going on and am adjusting my reactions to them.  

So I was apparently primed for looking at things from a different angle again, and I spotted an opportunity during my sunny Thursday walk to the Stone House.  I had wanted to get over there for a few days, we had I think 4 days of sunny all strung together in a row, and I had planned to get there every day, but finally GOT there on Thursday.  It was sunny but COLD out, my hands did not warm up for 2 miles. 

Along the way...

In a swamp

I was searching for a different point of view, but that is difficult as I was not willing to walk up the bank in knee deep snow.  I had my tennies on and did not feel the need to get my feet wet with a 35 minute walk home. 

BUT an idea occurred to me - I noticed the snowmobile trail that crosses the road just North of the corner of Hwy E and B.  Even though I pass by that trail all the time, it came to me that I could and should walk on that trail.  It was the perfect time to do it- still frozen and snowy, but not deep and not too slushy.  AND it would lead straight up to that other old house that is across from the Stone House. And I did not quite anticipate the awesome change of the familiar that I was about to see!  I love this viewpoint- the hill that leads up to this old place is fairly steep and makes for an interesting shot, I think at least!

Notice the stone house and this one in the same shot!  

All these shots just demanded a little moody editing.

The snowmobile trail was a little jaunt off my usual path, and one that was welcome and instructive.  I solidified some thoughts that I had been pondering, allowed me to see things again from another side. I tend to get caught up in the whirlwind that is the MadArtTeacher and forget to stop and enjoy the view!  And then take pictures of it!

Even the ducks are standing around waiting for the snow to melt on their resident pond

Spring melt- looking down

And then I noticed this reflection in my camera's view screen and turned my lens up!

I am hoping the weather clears up this afternoon so I can take my camera and go looking for my joy.  I need it.  I have to find it.  And I am sure spring is coming.

Daffodil watch 2013- a slight bit of progress

Well we all knew winter wouldn't REALLY stay forever.  It thinks it wants to, but it is getting slowly nudged out by our buddy spring.  She is gently yawning, handing him his coat and hat and herding him toward the door like a guest who over stayed his welcome.  Really, Winter, you need to go home and go to bed so Spring can organize herself and get ready to PARTY!!!  As I look outside this morning, I see that Winter had to have one last drink and told Spring far too much about himself, (it snowed a little- again) and he is going to be deeply embarrassed next fall when he wakes up and realizes what a doofus he made of himself.  Let's hope he stays sleeping now for a while.

Poster from Greatist.com - one of my favorite health and fitness websites ever!!

Well enough of that crazy analogy- this is what happens when I get plenty of exercise, sleep and I can hear again!  Hehehe.

Oh, back to daffodil watch- Thursday night I went for a fabulous little walk and it was sunny and warm sunny and it felt good to be outside, though I about froze my little patty paws off.  As I was leaving the driveway for the open road, I noticed the daffodil waiting area is seriously losing it's snow!  I mean of course there is still a huge snowbank in front of it, but the open grass area seems to be encroaching.  You KNOW I will be kicking the snow banks once they are of a manageable size!  Take that!!!  Oh Winter!!!!! You appear to have left some of your possessions laying around, next time take it ALL with you!!!  Thanks!

So, as of this moment, before I can see outside and observe how much actual frozen precipitation we have actually received, I am feeling very optimistic!  And that is a JOYFUL thing to be on a Saturday morning!!

Friday morning observations

I find I can sleep SOOOOO well on Friday morning- so well in fact I usually get up an hour or more after I plan to.  And as you know, no amount of exercise, relaxation, planning or praying can get you to sleep that well on Saturday morning! This is something that drives me crazy.  It would be so amazing on a Saturday morning to wake up at 5 am, look at the clock, smile and think, I think I'll just turn over and lay here for a moment and then have it be 7 am.  No.  Just No.  That won't be happening, when I do that (only it will be closer to 4), I will turn over, think about laying there for a bit longer, and then be wide awake within 30 minutes.

Also, why is it when I feel sickish, the sun is out for days on end- DAYS!! And now when it appears I am on the mend and tomorrow is SATURDAY- we are supposed to get 3 - 5 inches of snow???  NOT FAIR PEOPLE!!!

Ok, I am done whining now!  :)

I did manage to go for a good walk yesterday, it wasn't super fast, but I got almost 5 miles in.  I walked over to the stone house and took a few pictures, but that will be a different post.  I have a bunch of photo editing to do from that yet.

I started another blog, it is merely a way for me to keep track of my elementary art lessons and at what point the kids left off- it is one I haven't told people about, or even given anyone a link for it, and yet I already have many page views- I find this weird.  How do people even find something like that??  Oh well.  It is not narrative at this point, it is merely a way for me to use pictures as a reminder.  I can walk into my elementary art room and seriously have no idea what I did with the kids the previous week - and for that matter what I did with a different set of kids the day before!  Schedules, days off, subs, concerts, early dismissals, unexpected interruptions all work together to totally throw off any possible syncing of art lessons for the elementary school. I am already happy with this method!  I have been able to add a few notes to the photos, but I can see on an insane day that just posting the pictures is going to give me a reminder.  And for any one who is judging me and saying that I should just put it on a calendar and write it in- I say- you have no IDEA what my day is like and how my brain works, so stop it.  So there, I feel better now.

On a REALLY positive note- I am coming up on a weekend where I have no obligations to deal with! No play, no company, no painting of any sort (er, um, well, I do plan to paint the arch) and I can try to reorganize my house, wash a LOT of clothes, clean a few more seriously dusty areas I have discovered and generally pull myself together!  AND I plan to do a little goofing off and I need to pick up my book club book, as I have some serious reading that I need to do- it has been TOO LONG!!

And yes, I AM enjoying my livingroom- a LOT!!  I love the color, I love the ceiling fan and the LIGHT!  I love the floor!!  It gives me joy!

Until next time, be a JOY giver!!  and a whole lot of joy will come back to you, too!

And where is spring???? Daffodil "watch" 2013

More like- Daffodil- PLEASE snow please go away, PLEASE!!!! watch.  2013.  The year winter would not quit.

Daffodils?

Ok kids, I just realized something over the weekend- spring is truly behind this year.  Now, many of you are going to say, oh DUH!!! ~ put down the paint brushes, you've been sniffing too many fumes these days~ but in my defense, I was trying to be positive with myself.  I recently emerged from a cocoon of "busy" and I got a chance to actually look around and see what has been going on.  This may seem like an exaggerated over-dramatization of things, but it really is true.

Any sign of spring?

This past weekend, it became April, thankfully, and I have one big thing change in April (aside from the imminent arrival of Baby Girl) - and that is that tax season gets FINISHED- and you-know-who is going to be hanging about the house again.  This is usually not an issue at all, as he will ordinarily come home, doff his work clothes, don his "play clothes" and go "frolic in the woods" as so many of us know is the MO of the said M-A. He does not allow a lot of grass growing under the proverbial feet- he gets outside and puts tax season out of his mind, quickly!!  WELL- holy crap.  I realized as I was reassuring him that April is indeed almost upon us, that he will most likely NOT be able to go outside and rake the crud off the lawn in the late afternoon of April 15, as I am pretty sure the snow will NOT be gone!  THIS is a problem!!!  THIS has only happened a few times in the years we have been up here- like only 2 or 3 and the last time has not been for at LEAST 10 years.  So hence and therefore, spring is ACTUALLY slow to arrive this year, it is not me just assuming that we are not having a scary warm spring like last year- but it is SERIOUSLY COLDER!!!  UGH.  And now I am seeing that there is a forecast of 3 plus inches of more snow this Saturday.  REAL CUTE MOTHER NATURE, REAL CUTE!!!  and there are not super warm temps forecast for the next 10 days either.  Sigh.  **sob**

I'm not sensing imminent yellow flowers anytime soon

He will find plenty to do out there, regardless of the snow, so that isn't a real big deal, but what is to me is the fact that I am going to be waiting a long freaking time for my flowers and for me to be able to garden..... which is such a bummer.

There might still be ice on the lakes here for the opening of fishing season, too, in just 4 weeks!  That hasn't happened for a long time either!  All I want to do is go for a walk without my long underwear on and my hood up- is this too much to ask for in April????  Hmmmm????

I guess I will have to keep doing cardio at the gym, hit the weights, attend classes and then come home to sit like a slug, er, um, a Princess in my new livingroom instead of walking outside until the precipitation decides to turn to rain. Which will be totally fine with me!  And heaven knows I still have a lot of cleaning and putting away to do in the rest of the house- as it is in a bit of disarray from that reno project.  I can't find ANYTHING!!!  Who ever knows where I put it.

Speaking of weird- I had the strangest dream last night, it involved me going swimming, my uncle Bob was letting me ride his BMW motorcycle, my dad was there in some fashion and then someone stole my purse!  WHAT is going on in my brain??  I woke up a billion times with a seriously dry mouth and stuffy nose, so it probably had something to do with that.  Oy.

So I better get on with my day, I do enjoy a Wednesday, so this shall be a nice thing to look forward to.  I am obviously still feeling a little out of sorts for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to all the things listed above, plus the fact that I feel like I need to do something challenging in terms of my exercise or diet and I am not finding success in pinpointing it.  But I am working on it, so stay tuned.  It does involve dropping a bit more weight, but that is also unclear at this point.

On a REALLY FANTASTIC POSITIVE NOTE:
*I have maintained my weight now since January at 147- with few fluctuations.  AND I don't feel the need to weigh myself obsessively a million times a day.  WIN!

Pretty, but....

*I have made good strides forward in my strength, as measured by a 135# bench press a few weeks ago!  YAY!

*I have a canoe in my garden shed!!!

*I have plans to organize and set up my garden shed and to finish up a few mosaic/concrete projects as SOON as it bothers to warm up.

*I have had quite a few people mentioning how they are trying that banana chocolate ice cream thing!  It is seriously good!!  And it is a hoot to have people want to try it!

Favorite tree waiting stoically for yet another season of growth

*AND I am feeling way better as far as the sickness I acquired a week ago, so that is the best thing of all.

So daffodil watch has turned into yet another random post of odd ball things, but that is how I roll!

And it is part of how I find my joy

Chocolate "Ice Cream" - Raw and Clean!!

I am a chocolate fiend.  It is something that I crave and something that comforts me~ and ice cream?  Well, yeah, I can do ice cream.  I DON'T do ice cream very often, but that doesn't mean it is out of the question.  So- what can you have that is very much like ice cream, but without all the unnecessary "stuff"? 

Why, some banana chocolate ice cream!!  Before you pooh pooh this, you need to try it!  It is SO good!!  I got this recipe from Tanya at The Sunday Baker- if I hadn't gotten sick, I would have made it the day she posted, but I just couldn't.  I'm glad I did later, though, because it is GREAT.  You will find her post way prettier!  I was photographing my rendition under duress- construction duress!  

Banana, peanut butter, cinnamon, vanilla and cocoa- that's IT!  YUM!!!!  If you get natural peanut butter, it is raw and clean.

The ingredients are very simple, the only thing you need to do is slice up 2 bananas and put them in the freezer!  Takes an hour or so for them to freeze solidly.

Process the bananas for a while- until they get all smooth and creamy...

Add in the other ingredients- peanut butter, cinnamon, cocoa and vanilla.  If you don't want chocolate, you can just put in the vanilla, or you could switch to almond butter or cashew butter, or maybe add in a few mini chocolate chips when it is done being processed..... oh the possibilities are endless!

If you don't stop all the time to take pix, you can do this really fast and have a frosty, frozen, very ice creamy treat!

If you eat the whole thing- it is approximately 300 calories, depending on the size of the bananas- if you split it with someone, though the word "why?" springs to mind, it would be less than that!  :)

Creamy Banana Chocolate "Ice Cream"

2 frozen sliced bananas

1 Tablespoon natural peanut butter

1 Tablespoon cocoa

1/2 - 1 tsp vanilla

1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon

Process bananas in food processor until smooth and creamy- this takes a few minutes.  Keep scraping down the bowl.

Add PB, cocoa, cinnamon and vanilla.  Process a little more, until combined.

Eat it and enjoy or return to freezer for a while, though you won't be able to stop yourself.....

And it will give you a lot of JOY!

Living room wrap up but not with a bow!

Yeah, well I am not totally done with the living room, I had another virus step in the way- good grief.  So, I again did not accomplish what I planned to Thursday and Friday.  Good heavens, amazing how things go sometimes.

Today I had an unpleasant-ish day at school, it wasn't horrific, but it wasn't great.  Temper tantrums were imminent, but I managed to contain myself.  Yay for me, I guess, maturity managed to win over petulance.

Anyway, I am here at home resting, which I think was the right thing to do.  I feel very yucky, but oh well, I can tell I am on the mend.  I am sure that I will feel better tomorrow.  I need to.  I HAVE TO!

So, as long as I am sitting here like a slug, I thought I'd like to put up a series of pix from one view point - Just for kicks and giggles and because the Mad-middle son thought it would be entertaining to see the progress.  I know it is too bad it couldn't have been a true progression through the day series, but that's ok- this will be cool.

Here is the kitchen view:

Tonight's view

I still want to get a small antique desk for the corner and I have to put art up yet, but at least it is coming together!  YAY!

AND here is another view:

A little desk is def in order and certainly a bigger TV,  meow!  

Well this was entertaining to see!  I love it!!  It was so awesome to come home to this today, I  was feeling warmer and happier just being in here.


And I certainly found some joy!