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Winter Bucket List

Though it's already mid-February, we still can make use of the many ideas from this list, especially those of us living in snowy areas ❄️

...or anyway, none of these activities is a one-time thing, so we can easily refer to this list every winter season and make the most out of it!

...I don't know whether the uploader and the author of this lovely creation is one and the same person, but it's from here - Lake Life State of Mind ™️ on pinterest

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Listen/purchase: Nothing But Whispers And White Horizons by Winter Isle

Through a Winter Window...

Why is it always like that? Summer flies by so unfairly fast, whereas winter seems to never end. For those like me, no fan of winter, there are still many ways to make the most out of the inevitable cold season, among which, music - our all-time saving grace! 

And it is probably such↑ kind of music to listen to while spending time in observation of the white stillness behind the window. When only the monotonous swirling of snow, like you’ve just shaked up a glass snowdome, might serve as a little consoling reminder that this silent winter scenery in front of your eyes is not just a view randomly destined to be forever hopelessly captured in time... While nature’s having her beauty sleep, it’s also our opportunity for deep rest (not a reason to feel depressed :) before we can burst into bloom again!⋆˚✿˖°

Which one of these windows could be your today’s story? I like all of them actually, but number 3 and 4, speak to me the most somehow... :)

1. ...artist: Igor Pugach (1963)   .via pinterest

2. ... artist: Р.Иванова. Скоро весна!   .via levkonoe.livejournal.com 

3. ...artist unknown:/   .via pinterest

4. ...artist unknown:/   .via pinterest 

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my fashion set: travel.diaries✈ - Split . Croatia

...This is my recent set I created on Fashmates the other day. Strangely enough, the site isn't working for a couple of days already, it just won't open! :[ - just a blank page with a symbol of a broken image... I'm starting to have a slight panicky feeling (remember that epic dissapearance of Polyvore?). Yet, I do hope it's just some maintainance works and the site will be back soon!

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It's been a long, long time since I made fashion or interior sets, maybe more than a year or so. As I really missed this activity, I decided to come back on track with this new holiday BEARy set. Only, it feels like I've lost some skills a bit... Anyway, as always, practice makes perfect :)

Coffee color 𝗌𝗅𝖾𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗅𝖾𝗌𝗌 𝖼𝗈𝖺𝗍 • cream 𝗌𝗐𝖾𝖺𝗍𝖾𝗋 + 𝗌𝗈𝖿𝗍 𝗉𝖺𝗇𝗍𝗌 • 𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗋𝗅𝖾𝗌 & 𝖪𝖾𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗁𝖺𝗇𝖽𝖻𝖺𝗀 • TOUS 𝗉𝖾𝗋𝖿𝗎𝗆𝖾

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...and this album is very special, my new Christmas gem!  I was just browsing through bandcamp the other day for any new Christmas songs to add into my ever-growing personal collection, and I’m so happy to have discovered this one! 

I really couldn’t imagine that Christmas classics might be remastered in such an unusually beautiful way! A truly unique rendering and the peculiar voice of the soloist immerse you in the atmosphere of sweet melancholy;  it’s not about those bright, gleeful celebrations, but rather a quiet time with yourself, a deep inner travel when you’re feeling safe, moved and inspired, all at once...

The whole album is so relaxing as if you are being dandled in the arms of the universe itself! ..........ℎ𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑝𝑖𝑒𝑐𝑒 𝑏𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑗𝑜𝑦 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟  ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑑𝑎𝑦𝑠!............𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝟨 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮 (𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦, 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭!)⸝ 𝘴𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘢𝘭𝘭 ♥｡ ₊°༺❤︎༻°₊ ｡♥

ᴬʳᵗⁱˢᵗ ⁻ ᴺᵃᵗᵃˢʰᵃ ᴾʳᵉ́ᵛᵒˢᵗ .ᵛᶦᵃ ᵖᶦⁿᵗᵉʳᵉˢᵗ 

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𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐬𝐧❜𝐭 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧. 𝐈𝐭❜𝐬 𝐚 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠. - ᴱᵈⁿᵃ ᶠᵉʳᵇᵉʳ ⁽¹⁸⁸⁵ ⁻ ¹⁹⁶⁸⁾, ᵃⁿ ᴬᵐᵉʳᶦᶜᵃⁿ ⁿᵒᵛᵉˡᶦˢᵗ ᵃⁿᵈ ˢʰᵒʳᵗ⁻ˢᵗᵒʳʸ ʷʳᶦᵗᵉʳ 

Christmas Tree ᶜ. ¹⁹³⁸ by Stephen Bone (1904-1958), British

Did you know?

[...The tradition of decorating fir trees at Christmas time was first introduced by German royalty.

“In  1800 Queen Charlotte, the German wife of George III, decorated the  first known English Christmas tree in Queen's Lodge, Windsor. Christmas trees were only seen in homes of the aristocracy until Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, imported spruce trees from Germany in 1840.” ] - ᶠʳᵒᵐ ᵇᵇᶜ.ᶜᵒ.ᵘᵏ

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Source: jlmproductionss.bandcamp.com

I wanted to make this post a couple of weeks ago, but that wasn’t possible due to multiple have-to-does piling upon me these days. Really, time keeps speeding up, have you noticed? Now it feels like there’re only, say, 5 hours in a day where I still need to fit all my usual activities! Wahnsinn! So, I’ve made this moodboard hastily, in one evening, with a few lovely images transmitting a bit of the holiday vibes. But not only this... ;)

ᶠᶦʳˢᵗ ᶦᵐᵃᵍᵉ ᶦˢ ᵇʸ ᴷᵃʳᵒˡᶦⁿᵃ | @ᵇˡᵒˢˢᵒᵐˢˢ.ˢˢ & ᵗʰᵉ ᵒⁿᵉ ⁿᵉˣᵗ ᵗᵒ ᶦᵗ ᶦˢ ᵇʸ ᴷᵃʳᵃ ᴿᵒˢᵉⁿˡᵘⁿᵈ ᵛᶦᵃ ˢᵃᵇᵒⁿʰᵒᵐᵉᵇˡᵒᵍ.ᵗᵘᵐᵇˡʳ.ᶜᵒᵐ.  ᴬˡˡ ᵒᵗʰᵉʳ ᶦᵐᵃᵍᵉˢ ᶠᵒᵘⁿᵈ ᵒⁿ ᴾᶦⁿᵗᵉʳᵉˢᵗ ⁽ᵘⁿᶜʳᵉᵈᶦᵗᵉᵈ⁾, ᵉˣᶜᵉᵖᵗ ᵗʰᵉ ᶦᵐᵃᵍᵉ ʷᶦᵗʰ ᵃ ᶜʰʳᶦˢᵗᵐᵃˢ ᶠˡᵒʳᵃˡ ᵗᵃᵇˡᵉ ᶜᵉⁿᵗᵉʳᵖᶦᵉᶜᵉ ʷʰᶦᶜʰ ᶦˢ ᵇʸ ᵇˡᵒᵒᵐˢ.ᵈᵉ. Yᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴ ғᴏʟʟᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪɴᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ғɪɴᴅ ɪɴsᴛʀᴜᴄᴛɪᴏɴs ᴏɴ ʜᴏᴡ ᴛᴏ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛᴇ ᴛʜɪs ʟᴏᴠᴇʟɪɴᴇss ʏᴏᴜʀsᴇʟғ. Aᴅᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ sɪᴛᴇ, sᴏ ᴍᴀɴʏ ɪɴᴄʀᴇᴅɪʙʟʏ ʙᴇᴀᴜᴛɪғᴜʟ ɪᴅᴇᴀs ᴛᴏ ɢᴇᴛ ɪɴsᴘɪʀᴇᴅ!

And now I want to share a list of my most favorite Christmas movies (mostly by Hallmark). Hope it’s not too late though it’s almost Christmas Eve. You can watch some of them during these holidays and save the rest for the next season. Or, if you live in a snowy country, it’s really wonderful to continue watching such atmospheric pictures while it’s still white outside. Hope you’ll love my selection!

A Biltmore Christmas • 2023 (incredible film with an unusual scenario and an unexpected, breathtaking happy-ending.) 

Hotel for the Holidays • 2022 starring my favorite actress, Madelaine Petsch

A Castle for Christmas • 2021 (My recent find from a few days ago; still under the impression! I could keep watching it further and further :)) Brooke Shields and Cary Elwes♡ in the lead roles.

Tis the Season to be Irish • 2024

Christmas She Wrote • 2020 with Dylan Neal♡

Good Morning Christmas! • 2020

Krampus • 2015  horror comedy

How The Grinch Stole Christmas with Jim Carrey • 2000

The Christmas Chronicles (part 1, part 2) • 2018  starring Kurt Russel and Goldie Hawn

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory • 2005 with Johnny Depp (not a specifically Christmas movie, yet perfect for a holiday movie night)

All I Want for Christmas: The Magic Time Machine • 2022 A Danish film starring Thomas Bo Larsen♡ as Von Ravn

Royally Wrapped for Christmas • 2021

A Timeless Christmas • 2020

A Cape Cod Christmas • 2021

One Royal Holiday • 2020

Christmas Detour • 2015

Christmas by Starlight • 2020

Dear Christmas • 2020

Christmas Love Letter • 2019

Christmas on the Menu • 2020

A Very Merry Mix-Up • 2013

Snowed-Inn Christmas • 2017

My Norwegian Holiday • 2023

A Novel Noel • 2024

Home Sweet Christmas 2024

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on my reading list: The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice

I've been wanting to read something about vampires for a very long time already. And finally I could get 9 books at once from the famous Vampire Chronicles series (1976 - 2018) by an american writer, Anne Rice. I don't know yet what to expect from these readings, except that for sure it's a horror series (which is usually not to my liking), yet I do hope for dark Gothic atmosphere, a lot of mystery, maybe alchemy, ornate descriptions of vampire chic style, and a captivating romance, what it is like without it:). Let's see; I will write back when I finish. Meanwhile, it seems like I've stocked up on a fascinating reading, I believe, for the whole winter! :D

And here's my little collection of handsome vampires from pinterest. It was really tough to choose among so many incredibly beautiful art works. ........Blond or black, which type is yours?

all images via pinterest ... 1 - 2 - 3 - 4

I wonder if it's still anime art, anyway I really like the drawing style here♡ ... x - x

And finally, I created a collage with all the books from the series in chronological order.

Interview with the Vampire (1976)

The Vampire Lestat (1985)

The Queen of the Damned (1988)

The Tale of the Body Thief (1992)

Memnoch the Devil (1995)

The Vampire Armand (1998)

Merrick (2000)

Blood and Gold (2001)

Blackwood Farm (2002)

Blood Canticle (2003)

Prince Lestat (2014)

Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis (2016)

Blood Communion: A Tale of Prince Lestat (2018)

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a lesson Rain taught me...

It's been raining cats and dogs zebras and hyenas for the whole past day and night. I don't like rain, at all; neither its quiet tapping behind the window, much less when it's thrashing down which always feels kind of depressing. Rain and strong winds is the type of weather that's been always beyond my tolerance. Yet autumn is back in town, and yesterday night I got it all. .....There was no way for me to wriggle out of going outside, so I called up all my sisu (no, I'm not finnish, but, I think, I have a pretty good deal of this invaluable quality in me 8), pushed the door open and went out into the street ready to fight the disaster...

.via pinterest

but ...strangely enough, I realized quite soon that I was taking such shameful weather calmly. It worked! The thing was I had decided to conduct an experiment and just try to not give that nasty meteorological event my attention! Because... well, because I really don't want to feel miserable every time bad weather happens. .....The very moment I spotted a budding sense of irritation rising inside of me, I reminded myself that I always have a choice to choose the way I feel myself. And I can choose my thoughts (feelings follow) instead of letting them happen with me. I don't want to keep primitively reacting to either unpleasant weather conditions or any other displeasing circumstances whatever they might appear in life. "Happiness is a choice that requires effort at times,” said Aeschylus; and was so right!

Rain On A City Street by Katharina Valeeva (Germany) .via icanvas.com

With all this in mind, I did all my outdoor chores, and though I got drenched to the skin, I felt peaceful and inspired because I was all in my happy thoughts. So, now I can tell it by first-hand experience, it's definitely the focus of our attention that defines the way we feel and, subsequently, the reality we live in.

I came across this nice quote somewhere, - "𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗜𝘁 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹…"

Here I use weather as an example - it's obviously the simplest thing to start practicing with, but actually it's applicable to absolutely any kind of bothering situations - from daily trivial something to really challenging circumstances that might be full of stress and that is when one should be skilled enough in maintaining the right attitude to safely navigate turbulent waters...

Of course, there may be things in life that might call for cardinal changes other than just altering one's approach. Otherwise, "what you tolerate is what you end up with." But that's another story 8]

.via pinterest

It's true, negative reactions to undesirable situations make one feel even worse than the actual amount of bother one might get from a negative event itself. And it has a snowball effect - "what you focus on grows", more and more things to be irritated about start getting attracted without us even noticing.

Well, imagine an unpleasant situation was... a person that really drives you nuts. You grab them by the lapels, and start shaking them furiously, you go on and on, and you cannot stop. A never ending circle, only because you're holding it so tight - with your thoughts and emotions. But in fact, annoying experience dissapears when and only when you give it your ignorance.

.via pinterest

Well, successfully having passed the test, and here's how I came to the idea of this post - sharing my little story accompanied by paintings of rain... :), I was walking down the street, when, just out of the blue, a subtle scent of gouache paint suddenly drifted into my nose. There was no reasonable explanation where this smell could come from, only maybe from a stationary shop I was passing by, and it lasted for a few seconds only. But all at once I was transported back to my elementary school days when I used to walk by a room where painting classes were held. And it smelled exactly like that every time I slightly opened the door and breathlessly observed children painting. It's not that I had an irresistible desire to paint, but certainly it attracted me much more than the elective my parents signed me for... ;/

.via pinterest

Sure, there may be situations when blowing off steam would be a healthy choice, yet irritability is by and large an ill habit if it's happening on a regular basis and for no decent reason, even when it seems that we have all the rights to experience righteous anger. ........Moreover, annoyance makes us miserable both in and outside, no matter how powerful we might seem to ourselves at the very moment. Because all negative emotions = low vibrations are always a weakness that comes from the way of thinking that we are unable to get through the situation, or change anything, that we have no control over what's happening. ........Thus, by being irritated, you put outer circumstances above yourself, you agree that they are more powerful than you. But if you can keep your inner peace intact, and maintain focus on the reality you want to experience and the feelings it gives you, when you can keep being you in spite of the situations, now you are Big Boss and that's where the real power lies.

Telling the truth, I don't consider myself to be an irritable person, yet some certain situations might still be triggering. And that's why I decided to work on it.

Besides, what's the point of gaining knowledge if you don't use it? There's a fair statement - "Truth cannot be told, it can only be realized." Because really, nothing will ever change, even if we were given eons of years, until we make such conscious emotional alchemy a regular, natural practice.

I'm well aware of the fact that changing attitudes is not always easy, sometimes extremely challenging or even almost impossible, but that's how the universe works. And that's the skill we should master, for our own wellbeing. It's not a one-time thing, but the way of life, actually a never-ending journey. ........I like to think about the process of transmuting negative energies as weaving new wonderful realities with the invisible threads of Light from the fabric of the Universe itself. I'm in a poetic mood today :)) Really, it's a fancy work if you will, which starts in the invisible realm of energies and then, little by little, takes shape in the physical world.

I decided to have fun with it -- "what if I try to behave like that and let´s see what happens," -- small steps for profound changes and with fun, isn't that great?

.found at snipstock.com

I know, tons of books are written on this very topic and me, funny girl, trying to fit it all into one small post. But I just wanted to share the basics, some key shortcuts I always rely on when needed. So now, to sum up - 1. Every time you notice that you start getting annoyed about anything, just take a few long deep breaths from your diaphragm - that's important, because such type of breathing will gradually get you into a relaxed state and help you ground in the present moment.

2. Keep ignoring the negativity of a given circumstance by consciously focusing on your inner world - just think about something that fills your heart with joy, peace or inspiration. "Nurture your mind with great thoughts, for you will never go any higher than you think." - Benjamin Disraeli. You will soon realize that your emotions follow the new thought pattern, as emotions never come just by themselves, certain thoughts always precede.

Instead of automatically reacting to outer irritants we may choose the way we respond to what's happening, and that's what is always under our control.

There now, stormy weather doesn't bother me anymore, yay!, though cold was always my weak spot, physically and thus mentally too. It was definitely a nice lesson to learn, especially because I could see immediate results; and the knowledge may be expanded further as needed to other areas of life.

Now, you who are reading this, never forget to check daily your inner weather forecast and may it keep reporting - 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗲𝘀 & 𝘀𝘂𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲! ❥

p.s. While I'm typing this, another storm is raging behind the window. And as you might guess, I need to go outside. Well, I'm gonna go re-test my new ability ✌

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Night city streets - paintings by Timo Tolonen

".. Let city lights guide you home! .."

Topeliuksenkatu 3 , Helsinki street  -  Timo Tolonen (1977), finnish, b . 1977- Oil on canvas .via huariqueje

Sturenkatu 2, Helsinki street  -  Timo Tolonen (1977), finnish. Oil on canvas .via huariqueje

Timo Tolonen (1977), finnish. Oil on canvas .via pinterest

Huoltoasema 3, Helsinki street -  Timo Tolonen (1977), finnish. Oil on canvas .from artfacts.net

Haapaniemenkatu, Helsinki street -  Timo Tolonen (1977), finnish. Oil on canvas .from galleria-a2.fi

Mannerheimintie 8, Helsinki street -  Timo Tolonen (1977), finnish. Oil on canvas .from galleria-a2.fi

Sturenkatu 4, Helsinki street  -  Timo Tolonen (1977), finnish. Oil on canvas .via kuvataiteilijamatrikkeli.fi

Topeliuksenkatu, Helsinki street  -  Timo Tolonen (1977), finnish. Oil on canvas .from timotolonen.blogspot.com

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INTERIORS of the day: fresh and smart

It's been quite a while since my last post here. It's just that I had a lot on my plate this summer, and even still I can't finish it all. :)) Time keeps speeding up whether we like it or not, have you noticed? Oftentimes I have a feeling like there is only maybe five hours in a day which I still have to pack with all my usual and some other extra activities popping-up every once in a while. I tried my best, sincerely I did, but the moment it all started to get exhausting I gave up and chose to simply go with the flow. Things are getting done little by little and nerves saved. :)

Well, as I'm finally back again :), I'd like to share some modern interiors with character that recently caught my eye. One thing they all have in common is the feeling of freshness plus the presence of unique decor objects and art works as accent pieces.

Hubert Zandberg interior

Retro apartment in Madrid __estudio Atelier HR

...from isuwannee.com

...via Pinterest | poppykalas.dk (floral design studio) for Ferm Living

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Dreamy art + ♫

Youtube recommended me this lovely album the other day, and when I clicked, I was like "Wow... that sounds cool!" It's a rare thing when I really like female voices, but these three ladies, each one of them, have very sweet, tender yet powerful vocals, and listening to them is indeed a pleasure. So, here we are - SAY SHE SHE, an amazing female trio, plus some dreamy art for a relaxing Saturday evening!

"𝐷𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑠𝑜𝑢𝑙 𝑖𝑠 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 ��𝑜𝑢." - ᴹᵃʳˢʰᵃ ᴺᵒʳᵐᵃⁿ

↑ Claude Monet

↑ Enz River by Richard Mierniczak, Germany | Saatchi Art

↑ Nenuphars 5. painting by Richard Mierniczak, Germany | Saatchi Art "The water lilies in the pond, inspired by Claude Monet's famous painting, present an enchanting scene full of color variations and delicate reflections."

↑ [Water Lilies, 1914-17 by Claude Monet], here↑ is a 100% hand-painted oil painting reproduction on canvas painted by one of the professional artists at ipaintings.com

↑ .via happyheidi

↑ Lakeside View by Ruth McDonald, 2023 .via fravery

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today's art find: Albert Dürer Lucas (British, 1828-1918)

"𝑁𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑎 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑣𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑡, 𝑖𝑡 𝑖𝑠 ℎ𝑜𝑚𝑒." – Gary Snyder

"𝑀𝑦 𝑤𝑖𝑠ℎ 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑦 𝑎𝑙𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠, 𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑒𝑡𝑙𝑦 𝑖𝑛 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑛𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒." – Claude Monet

"𝐼𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑦, 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑠𝑒𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑔𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑒𝑛." – Frances Hodgson Burnett

"𝐸𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛 𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑠 𝑢𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑙𝑦 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑤𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒." – Gretel Ehrlich

"𝐴𝑑𝑜𝑝𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒. 𝐻𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑝𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒." – Ralph Waldo Emerson

[meadowpond-tearoom]

Beautiful illustrations by a russian artist, Boris N. Lapshín (1948)

"𝑊𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑗𝑜𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑤𝑒 𝑔𝑒𝑡 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒, 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑤𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑒𝑠. 𝑁𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑣𝑖𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑐ℎ, 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑠, 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑜𝑢𝑟 ℎ𝑢𝑚𝑎𝑛 𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑤𝑛. 𝑇𝑜 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑑." - M.Prischwin (1873–1954), a russian novelist and prose writer who wrote mostly about nature.

...I fell in love with these illustrations right away when I saw them in a thin paperback book (an issue of 1988) at my friend's house. As you might guess, the author of that book was Mihail Prischwin. And I just couldn't help but take pics of these amazing artworks to share 'em here for you to enjoy too!

Love this style of painting...! It's like the foggy outlines of whimsical creatures weaving into images of amazing flora species, and familiar forest dwellers emerge out of nowhere.

"𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑠, 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑏𝑢𝑔𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑎 ℎ𝑢𝑚𝑎𝑛, 𝑖𝑠 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒; 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠 – 𝑖𝑡’𝑠 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟: 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑡 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡ℎ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑛, 𝑎𝑠 𝑤𝑒 ℎ𝑢𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑠 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡ℎ𝑙𝑦 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒." - M.Prischwin (1873–1954)

"𝐿𝑢𝑐𝑘 – 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑓 ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑏𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑡ℎ, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑢𝑟𝑒 – 𝑎 𝑡𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟 ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑑𝑒𝑝𝑡ℎ. 𝐼𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑎𝑟𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟 ℎ𝑖𝑚𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑎 𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒 𝑎𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑑𝑎𝑦." - M.Prischwin (1873–1954)

"𝐵𝑒𝑎𝑢𝑡𝑦 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑠𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑 𝑖𝑓 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑑. 𝐵𝑢𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑑? 𝑁𝑜𝑡 𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑢𝑡𝑦 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑠𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑠. 𝐹𝑜𝑟 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑔𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑔𝑜𝑑𝑙𝑒𝑠�� 𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑢𝑡𝑦?" - M.Prischwin (1873–1954)

"𝐿𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑐𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑜𝑜𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑔𝑜 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑎 𝑐𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑛𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑙𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑦 𝑐𝑟𝑢𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑑." - M.Prischwin (1873–1954)

“𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑙 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤𝑠 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑠𝑎𝑦 𝑖𝑡. 𝑀𝑎𝑛 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑠𝑎𝑦 𝑎 𝑙𝑜𝑡, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔.” - M.Prischwin (1873–1954)

How many rabbits can you find here? And maybe someone else? :)

"𝐽𝑜𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑖𝑡𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓, 𝑎𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒, 𝑖𝑠 𝑝𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛. 𝐿𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑜𝑜𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒." - M.Prischwin (1873–1954)

"𝑃𝑒𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑛 𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡ℎ 𝑖𝑠 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑓 ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑝 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑠𝑜𝑢𝑙 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑑. 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑡𝑒𝑐ℎ𝑛𝑜𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑤𝑎𝑟." - M.Prischwin (1873–1954)

I've just checked it on google and it says that the works of this fantastic writer - he's famous for his picturesque, soulful nature descriptions - are translated into different languages. In my early youth, I used to skip the pages where they described nature because I thought it was boring. But now I have come to really enjoy it. So, I'm curious about his books, only afraid it wouldn't be easy to find them.

It was not easy either to find Prischwin's quotes on the internet. But, luckily, I came across an article at excellencereporter.com, where I got all the quotes you see here from.

[meadowpond-tearoom]

...I found this joyful blue-eyed company in a nearby town park :)

"𝐼'𝑑 𝑟𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑏𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑏𝑦 𝑚𝑦𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓, 𝑏𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑜𝑡 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑑 ℎ𝑎𝑖𝑟, 𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑏𝑒 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑓𝑖𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ ℎ𝑜𝑤 𝑝𝑒𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒." - found on Pinterest

[meadowpond-tearoom]

SPRING 2024 in pics and my way to embrace Slow Living 💕

...Today I would like to show you some photos of blooming trees captured during our spring walks. But it's not the only reason why I decided to make this post (I would share the pics anyway:). In short, I will talk about a lesson I learned on my journey to a more balanced and fulfilling life. ✿I've often noticed that some of the most interesting thoughts and solutions to problems I try to resolve with little success for quite some time come to me so naturally and effortlessly when I am at nature(!), as it was this time too when I was reflecting on the present topic. Usually, it's like sudden insights coming up in flashes, and the pieces of a puzzle are all at once put together into a beautiful and clear picture.

Then, when I start following "my own advices", my daily life does get so much easier and harmonious, and I can deal with my daily tasks as if they were a game of colourful blocks - it becomes not a task anymore, but a fun activity.

It's an absolute truth that Nature, whether we are out in the wild or among our favorite houseplants, makes us feel relaxed and at peace. And only in this state, when we are not in resistance, under the weight of negative emotions and thoughts, the access to necessary inner wisdom is getting unblocked. Truly, the hardest thing is not trying hard. :D

...Sincerely speaking, being present in that magical (no kidding:) state of the here and now has always been in my nature. I really hate being in a hurry and any fussing around does take the cake. Yet, in our demanding, high-speed society, we inevitably end up getting lost in a whirlpool of unceasing activities -- some really important and some we've been trained to think they are. And, without us even noticing it, we're no more in connection with our true essence. The only way to leave the hamster wheel, at least marking the first steps, literally sucking the very life out of you, is to take necessary time to sit still and think through any possible ways of keeping balance between your own pace at which you can comfortably act and the imposed external requirements.

My first suggestion here would be - if there's still currently no way to get off the carousel, there must be reward options added to compensate for the hectic schedule in one's free time. Even if it's only tiny bits of these little me-moments, they will be your lifebuoy keeping you afloat until you can essentially change your lifestyle. Otherwise, accepting, though involuntary, a destructive lifestyle will inevitably bring you to the moment when the organism finally runs out its resources to handle the constant pressure. Running on empty won't last for long, only you'll end up with lost years on the side, years you could have lived freely, with joy of the flow.

My inner perfectionist didn't make it any easier -- I often tried to pack my days with as much accomplished stuff as possible and, of course, with best results possible. I didn't even realize that my daily schedule looked like another person's week- or monthly plan. Even when I was occupied with things I loved, there was an invisible worm-hole pushing me faster and harder to get through my endless missions grinning sarcastically from the darkness of my subconscious.

It was like a fly in the ointment of my originally harmonious self which I was gradually moving away from with every new attempt to embrace the unembraceable.

"...just a little bit more and everything will be just right," I would often say to myself. I couldn't have been more wrong! No matter how much I did, I was focusing only on things still waiting to be done. It was beyond my comprehension why so many tasks were still pending no matter how much I loaded myself... It's not that I've now learned to easily measure by eye an appropriate amount of my daily tasks. It's really quite impossible to predict how everything would go. So, just with a preliminary sketch in mind of what I'm going to do, I calmly do what is planned, one thing at a time. And then, at the end of the day, I can see what my actual norm was. Now I feel grateful and satisfied with what I can do, even if it's only a quarter of what I initially intended.

Well, a little while back, I got another reminder to realize it's high time I finally mastered the art of Slow Living. And the reason was very banal - I just got so exhausted that I didn't have any forces to proceed even with trivial home routines. I didn't give a damn of whether I did something or not during the day. I just wanted to be in my own world, together with my senses. Just being and breathing. I began to do things which I could slowly and joyfully drown in, at my own pace, without checking the clock. I've been deliberately focusing on living that state every moment since then. And it started gently bringing me back to my true self.

...I've come across a funny but so true thought the other day - an american professor emeritus of medicine and the creator of the Stress Reduction Clinic and the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Jon Kabat-Zinn suggests an idea that we are the civilazation of human doings and now need to learn how to be human beings!

...STATE over action. It's not only about slowing down physically . Very important is to pay attention to how you feel inside. You may look and act calm, but if you have this fussiness inside, it ruins the whole thing. That hectic inner state I happened to experience in my late childhood and early youth caused a disfunction in my thyroid (now thankfully almost healed:). A clear evidence how mind and emotions influence the physical body.

One more extra chance to finally learn the lesson was when I once cought a cold. Imagine, when you are in bed with fever, cough and other typical common cold pleasures, you do nothing from your normal routine and the only prevailing thought is how to get better the fastest possible. Usually it takes you a week to recover, and guess what? Everything is fine! The Earth is still spinning and everything goes its normal course around you in spite of the fact that you've temporarily fallen out of the clip.

...Another paradoxical thing I noticed since I started learning to live in a constant state of mindfulness was that in a slow mode I can accomplish much, much more than I used to when I was really hard on myself.

“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” -- Lao Tzu

......I wish my past self could read all I have written here back then, thus I would have been saved from that stupid anxiety poisoning my reality for quite some time. And I am not a workaholic, you know. It's just that I have many interests, I love knowledge and always enjoy filling myself with new information and ideas that will feed my soul and that, ideally, I can practically implement. I just wanted to soak in and process as much necessary stuff as possible... And I didn't even notice how it became a strict duty rather than a natural joy of learning and creating. Hmm... I can't get enough of knowledge. Does it sound like I might be a philomath though? Is it still good...? :)

Also, there's always a reason behind any self-destructive behaviour. I happened to come through many turbulences in my childhood, though there definitely were a lot of precious moments thanks to which I could always feel connected to my true self no matter what, and that's apparently how I came to living the way where I subconsciously tried to compensate for all the lack of positive experiences during my girlhood.

...Now, a few simple steps I've taken on the way to a more happy, balanced and efficient self:) It may take some time to build a new mental attitude, but if you maintain a constant practice, quite soon it will become absolutely natural. For me, somehow, it works like instant magic. Because once you start doing something differently, even a little bit, the whole course is getting changed. So, if you are in a similar situation and ready to break the vicious circle, here's how:

First of all, something to consider -- we are not slaves to our have-to-dos. It's us who set out priorities and distribute tasks throughout a necessary time period (day, week, etc). ✿I also like to keep in mind two or three next things to do, just for reference. Thus I am not lost in the present moment not knowing what's gonna come next (as that would be another reason for anxiety:), but I have a comprehensive panorama of my upcoming activities. Even if time doesn't allow to proceed with other pre-planned things, I still like to know what's next on my plate, and I feel calm just because I can easily follow the route clearly marked on my mind map. ✿There's time when it feels right not to do anything at all and just drift with the flow. A full day (or more if needed) drift experience:) ✿If you "fail" to do something, that's okay as well, let it be so. "You can do it!" ...later. Let's not forget, our way is a 'no-pressure' way. The excitement and joy of learning and creating flow freely and it's not a race anymore.

Do everything quietly. When I notice that I start fussing around about something again, I slow myself down deliberately. Remember yourself as a child? There definitely were moments when you were so immersed into your favorite activity that you completely lost track of time. Our beloved Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." - Matthew 18:2-5

Okay, its easy to be lost in things you love. But what about doing something that's kinda bothersome? The principle is the same - no fuss. You just have to do something, and there's no way you can avoid it, so start doing it calm, cool and collected. And then comes my favorite part - reward yourself after you have done that annoying thing :). It can be absolutely anything that uplifts you - a visit to your fav place like wandering around at a shopping mall, stopping by at a cafe you've been looking forward to visiting, a walk in the park to get your dose of eco-therapy. At home, treat yourself with something yummy, cozy up with a magazine or watch some cartoon series. There're countless ways actually to gladden yourself! ⌛Some things may be painlessly postponed, and I see it also as a nice way of dealing with a tight schedule without spoiling the inner balance.

When I'm super tired or just don't feel like doing a certain activity which has to be done anyway, I keep doing it, only more slowly. Even if it looks like a scene from a slow motion movie, that's fine. That's fine for this particular moment that we should overcome.

Split the things to do into parts and do them by portions. For example, if I watch a youtube video that lasts, say, 30 minutes or more, I can watch it only for 5, 10 or 15 mintues. (I don't close a tab then, and continue watching later right from where I had stopped). You can implement the same to any other activities that can easily be split, like e.g., your house chores. If you can't do the whole thing in one sitting, split it into smaller tasks and proceed doing them one by one as time allows. Thus you'll be progressing no matter how small your steps are. You're not stuck 'cause you did at least something. You are still moving forward...

When I have several things on my plate to choose from, yet in hesitation which one to choose, I consciously take one thing or another saying to myself "Okay, now I'm doing ...this... ." You can say it outloud or in your mind, no matter. Like, "well, now I'm reading this magazine." And then the action itself - grab it and start leafing through. I read about this psychological trick years ago. It helps to get rid of any irrelevant thoughts about other stuff on the agenda, as I give my brain a command to be focused on the current activity only. It's so simple but works really great right from the moment you pronounce it. You make a clear decision, then you start acting accordingly and the hesitation related nervousness is dissipated. It is the power of choice in action :)

Do more of what you love. It's not about that poisoning "doing more", but about making time for your favorite activities every day. Even if it's just a few minutes only, do it anyway, and you will be rewarded with a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment. Because if you're constantly postponing doing things you love, you'll end up having to repeatedly accomplish undesirable stuff most of your time. If you don't start including "happy stuff" into your daily agenda, there'll always be something "more important" distracting you from doing what really makes you happy. ✔So many things might be getting piled up that we shifted for "some time later". So just start doing it little by little. Watch not a whole movie, but 5 or 10 mintues of it as time allows. Next time you will see the rest of it. “Slow progress is better than No Progress." - Jami Gold, {an Award-Winning Fiction Author, Developmental Editor, Workshop Presenter, and Blogger about the craft, business, and life of writing.}

Add a parallel task to your main activity if possible. E.g., I like to listen to my favorite music while doing house chores. I listen to educative and spiritual videos on youtube while doing some fancy work (crocheting or embroidering), or while having my 15 minute beauty time with a face mask on. Thus, I can kill two birds with one stone (ugh, that's kinda cruel! Anything more kind? .......yeah, I've just googled for a 'compassionate replacement' and it suggests this one - "Tie two loose ends at once.":)

And finally, to support your nervous system while you're learning to embrace a new lifestyle, it's very important to practice deep breathing and develop a feeling like "I am home in my body." I also love to rely on herbal teas with a calming effect - passiflora, chamomile, valerian, lavender and hops are very helpful.

Well, since I started to live this way, my daily life improved so much -- I calmly choose what to do and when I do it, and I can always relaxedly track my progress. (This is also thanks to a special daily schedule structure I had to develop myself by trial and error, because none of the existing examples worked well for me. This scheme simplified my life immensely. I can switch between activities easily knowing that nothing is forgotten. I would like to speak about this more in detail in one of my next posts:) So, with all this, no matter how much I did or how little, I always give myself a pat on my back for what's already been accomplished.

” …slow living is not about living your life in slow motion; it’s about doing everything at the right speed and pacing instead of rushing. By that same logic, slow living is not about losing time by going slowly; it’s about gaining time by doing the things that are most important to you.” - Kayleigh Dray, stylist

...thus, for me, living slow is not about doing less either (eventually, I can often accomplish more than I expect). It's about being gently present in every moment, knowing what to do and moving at my own pace. Quality over quantity approach, in everything.

Well, I don't even know if anyone would ever read this or not, but I just wanted to share my story, because I hope that someone could benefit from it and get out of the similar situation with ease. Also, commiting my thoughts into this digital paper here helps me a lot to organize my instrospection process. It's kinda win-win. :)

...And an absolutely amazing message! I've come upon it right now on youtube and it is just so on point!... ツ

[meadowpond-tearoom]

Now, one more little moodboard and a beautiful instrumental album from a New York-based band, Holy Hive - for a pleasant start of a new week♡

...I think it would be nice to spend one summer weekend in such style -- white flowy outfits with volumized textured prints, lots of fine ethnic style jewelry and rattan beach bag. Hmm... what else? ♾️A bouquet of white flowers wrapped in kraft paper next to a cup (or two:) of delicious latte with fluffy whipped cream flowing over the edges, ♾️and cashmere palantine on the shoulders to help you get warmed up by the cherished memories of the day passed - such a lovely way to spend a cool evening soulfully :)

row1: x-x row2: x-x (all images via Pinterest)