I always slow down in the winter, partly from the lack of light but mostly because of the cold. I do not do well in the cold; my tendency is to curl up into a ball. This year I have felt an even greater desire than usual to be dormant. I didn’t want to do anything more than cook and eat and read and maybe do a little knitting. But now I can feel my sap rising, creative juices beginning to flow.
In the past I would have labeled this laziness or procrastination or some other pejorative. Now I am feeling much easier about life. I feel good about allowing myself to flow with the cycles of nature. There is no real timetable and all things that we do are part of the wonder of living. I have also been reminded recently that the people we share our days with are the most important, the most wonderful part of life. Any task can be enjoyable if shared with congenial company.
At the New Year I did not make any resolutions. I did choose a word for the year or perhaps it chose me. The word is delight and I have made it a practice to ask myself during the day, what will make this more delightful? I highly recommend this practice because it causes you to focus on pleasure and joy rather than on all the things that make your eye twitch.
Today I chose to create delight by baking this bread and making this ricotta. I also mixed some thyme into honey where it will infuse its heady flavor. Tomorrow I will combine all three things and that too will be delightful.
rootleafandflower 