Perfection Here & Now

“Every day was a perfect day and every night was peaceful.” E.B. White’s lovely words from Charlotte’s Web warmly emerge from my being, today and often during the summer.

Ever since my son Max began working through his summers, I have found it difficult to plan a family summer vacation, and I am not interested in traveling anywhere without my children, yet. The first two summers that he worked away from home and for a wage, he was able to leave work one week before school started. Unfortunately, we didn’t know that until then. We did take some last minute, very cool teen inspired eco trips, highlinging and ziplining, camping and always throwing in a stage production, or two. 

This morning, as every morning, and while enjoying my beyond fair trade, dark roast, full-bodied and richly aromatic Thai coffee, on the verandah, it occurred to me that my favourite summer resort is right here in our yard. With a well-used fire pit for evening relaxation and pleasure, surrounded by a variety of mature trees that Brent’s mom and dad established, a hot tub for cooler evenings underneath the stars, scattered and wild perennial beds that fill my life with mostly green, the colour with which I am so drawn to, an outside area where I can always find a spot free of the elements, Max’s zipline and Jillian’s basketball court and with my babies that are not so much babies anymore, coming and going…

 

My summer life is complete.

As Jillian and I spend time touring around to different Universities, and I am aware of the reality that she too will be gone from here soon, I find myself spilling over in gratefulness for the life that we have created. Do I want to keep creating this as my favourite summer resort? Maybe, but maybe not. What I do know is that it is perfect right here, right now.

I invite you to share with me, where it is that you find yourself during the summer? Where is your favourite summer resort?

~ Ellyn

A walk back to the hot tub where
perennials are on top of perennials
and softly clean soil meets green...

Love of Self...

There was a time when my life was all about me and I am grateful to have had that time. As a 50+-year-old parent of two teens who are actively involved in sport and music, I struggle with using family resources for myself and began to wonder if this is a challenge for many moms. Having a satisfying young adult life has helped me to put my wants to the side and provide for my children’s wants, and yet exercise, nutrition and soul care are important to me. In order to honour these priorities, I have had to create a way to incorporate self-care on a small budget. 

1.         Meditate: Meditation can be done anywhere and I utilize snippets of time to consciously breathe deeply and call for what I need, or let go of what it is that I need to release. Instead of a lovely, calming and quiet studio, sometimes this occurs at a basketball tournament in a public washroom stall.

2.         Exercise: I have been running for approximately nine years, and all I really require is a good pair of runners and socks. Over the years, my drywick and warm layers with reflectors on them have been gifted to me. Although my running watch is as old as my running years, my shoes have been replaced a few times and I just replaced some nine year old Thorlos®.

3.         Nutrition: This is actually our greatest challenge. Living on a farm, we are able to grow much of our own food but storing it is another problem.  Produce is expensive here and yet this is part of my families’ mandate; to have the majority of our food, be food that grows. A large amount of our families’ extra resources goes toward eating healthily and my heart cries out to those who are faced with buying inexpensive faux food.

4.         Entertainment: A couple of times a year, Brent and I head to the city for dinner and a movie and in the spring, we purchase a local golf club family membership and enjoy golfing with each other. Many years ago now, I had a little nest egg that allowed me to gift Brent a golf car. We utilize the library weekly, borrowing movies at a cost of $20/year. You may want to check into your local library and the resources it has, as some memberships are free.

5.         Massages, Pedicures, Chakra Balances, Energy Work, Fitness/Health Classes are extras that I have loved. Presently, I use our own fitness equipment, look for free classes online and practise other self-care treats with each other. 

All of this adds up to a whole lotta free…

To the follower who asked this question of me, I thank you, and invite others to share what it is that you do to honour self-care on a small budget.

Brent with the Golf Car I gifted him a few years ago.

~ Ellyn