Mondays, Aging, Stitching & Baking

 

I woke early this morning, earlier than I have woken since November.  As I grow older I find (or perhaps finally realize) my body naturally moves with the earth's rhythm and this year, I listened to my body's wish demand for "wintering."  I use to force myself away from these natural rhythms, keeping the same schedule for work, life, eating, etc., all year round. However, one of the luxuries of growing older is the ability to listen to your body more...often out of necessity because, as you grow older, the refusal to listen to your body begins to have consequences. **Please excuse me for a moment, I must give my focaccia dough a stretch and fold/slap and shape**   Alright, my dough is now tucked into its proofing container for its bulk rise, on to today's post.... My mind and body are still working together, thank goodness, to let me know what is needed before everything goes awry. Those little hints and pushes have always occurred but when we are younger, we think we have forever to ignore them!  Now that I have reached an age where doing what is best for my overall health is no longer a luxury, I have started paying attention!!!    I go to bed when my body commands I do so, I eat healthier, lighter, and more seasonally, and I keep my body moving....  Eating seasonally has become an important thing for us...more on that in another post. I could go on forever but I actually did not have the intention of this post being about aging...insert eye roll here :) oh, well, I shall put it in the heading and proceed ;)

....I woke early this morning...to cold rain, a cozy fire burning (thank you husband) and the cold winds making the newly open leaves dance.    It may be necessary to burn the fire all day today, rather than simply lighting a morning fire to take the chill off! I also woke to my head swimming with creative ideas.  This always seems to happen during "gazette week"...is it my mind looking to distract me or the process of writing and creating the gazette that brings about new ideas?  I'm choosing it to be the latter. :)    Once the gazette has donned its traveling clothes (a first-class stamp) and is on its way to my subscribers (by the end of the day) I will be free to bring all of these creative ideas to life...but first, I must begin stitching my primitive stool topper, which is part of what set these bubbling creative ideas in motion! I am still playing around with penny placement but I will have that settled and be ready to stitch tomorrow.  

Before I go, I wanted to share a link to the wonderful focaccia recipe I am making.  Again, it is from my favorite sourdough book ~ Artisan Sourdough Made Simple by Emilie Raffa.  Emilie shares this recipe on her website and it is a FANTASTIC one. Here is the link;  Beginner's Guide to Sourdough Focaccia Bread - The Clever Carrot.  

What does this week hold for you, my friends?  

 Until next time, be well, be happy and...be creative :) Doreen