May 2, 2015

This Week

This teabag, this post on restoration by my friend Xan, and this "retreat" Creative Notebook by Crafting Connections (offered as a free download over on SouleMama) came together this week for a synchronistic kick in my butt. In a good way.
The lighten intention continues in my office / studio. I'm attacking the files and papers and ephemera with no mercy. So far I've eliminated three grocery bags of paper shreds (only overheated the poor shredder once!) and at least 20 pounds of non-sensitive papers, magazines, and catalogs. And freed up more than enough files and folders to hold all the papers that need to be saved.

While I had the niggling guilt-induced thoughts that I should reuse the stuff, or give it to someone who would use it for crafts, I dumped the 20 pounds of whole papers in the recycle bin. There will always be more paper - too much paper - to use for crafting. I need not collect (hoard) it until it buries my studio and makes the space unusable. This lesson has not yet cemented in my consciousness. But I am trying to relinquish a bit of my penchant for collecting (and the collections) to ensure the kind of calm, orderly surroundings I need to thrive. (When feeling self-doubt about this, return to paragraph one for reassurance.)

Shredded paper is not accepted at our local recycling collection spot. If my shreds were merely uncolored paper with vegetable based inks, I'd compost them or use them as garden mulch. Unfortunately, they are a mix of colored paper, carbons, heat paper, and who know what all. Using the Earth911 recycle search, I discovered the neighboring county's recycling program accepts shredded paper. There's that sorted.
Also this week, I committed to lightening our meals. I've found that I don't have the energy or patience come dinner time to make a healthful, tasty meal. And the old standby recipes are getting pretty tired. I've been searching for simple, fairly quick, yet delicious and satisfying recipes. And I'm retraining myself to incorporate food prep into moments other than right before a meal. Along with this strategy is preparing larger quantities of items that can be used to make a variety of meals throughout the week. I think of it as making it convenient to make healthy eating choices.
From top to bottom are breakfast tacos with crumbled tempeh, green and yellow split pea soup, chickpea with tahini dressing wrap, and linguini with shredded zucchini and Swiss chard. The only actual recipe I followed was for the wrap. It's from the Thug Kitchen cookbook. Their website is chock-full of delicious sounding vegan recipes. FAIR WARNING: Thug Kitchen is not for those who object to profanity.
One last thing from this week, a luna moth on a hickory tree in our front yard. Apparently, a rather rare sighting. Isn't it gorgeous?

3 comments:

  1. Welcome back from your Blogation, Laurie :) That luna moth is gorgeous! What an incredible photograph. All your images are stunning! I've been meaning to ask you for some time... what camera do you use? Only you could make manilla folders and file dividers look good :) Love the tea bag and the meal inspiration too. You and I are in sync... there is a lot of "lightening" going on around here too xo

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    1. Welcome back, to you too, Xan! I did think of you and your gorgeous cabinet drawers while culling my files. If only I could winnow my papers down to fit in a few shallow drawers... Alas, I am genetically programmed to save things.

      I use a Nikon D3200. I wrote a little about it here.: http://oddbirdstudio.blogspot.com/2012/08/candid-camera.html

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    2. Thanks for that link, Laurie. I've just managed to have a good read and I found the process towards your decision really interesting. I'm still getting use to my Canon 70D and after having loved my Nikon D80 for so long it's proving to be a bit of an adjustment. I'm very happy with it though and I've got a good many years to really get comfortable :)

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