Morven Farm

Yesterday, I attended a mindfulness retreat up at Morven Farm here in Charlottesville. We practiced seated meditation, yoga, body scans, and mindful eating and walking. I went home feeling as if I'd been at a spa all day.

My favorite take away was a response to the question, why do we meditate? To hear what's there.

New Music Fridays

Thanks to our community radio station, WNRN, for the Israel Nash find! As of yesterday, I'm officially obsessed. His new album, Silver Season, came out towards the end of 2015. It's flawless from start to finish.

Food for Thought

via here

What if I all I want is a small, slow, simple life? What if I am most happy in the space of in between. Where calm lives. What if I am mediocre and choose to be at peace with that?

I simply could not wait to share this. Cheers to mediocrity!

Snow Storm Jonas

Like most of the mid-Atlantic, we were snowed in this weekend. Brett got out for some cross country skiing while I did some online yoga classes and caught up on phone calls and podcasts. It was relaxing and peaceful. Just what we needed!

Suppose we did our work like the snow, quietly, quietly, leaving nothing out. -Wendell Berry

Bookmarked (Snow Day Prep)

via here

+ For a good laugh

+ A Manifesto of a Doer (loved #12)

+ 26 tiny things to start

+ Episode 1 of In Defense of Food

+ Adding this one to my reading list

+ New fav show to watch while cooking

+ Speaking of cooking, give me all the casseroles!

Current Mentality

New Music Fridays

I don't know much about this band, Woods. Funky beat though, right?

Books + Blogs

I was recently introduced to this blog, Modern Mrs. Darcy. Talk about falling down a rabbit hole! Her posts on organization, goals, and recipes soothe my Type A soul.

Some friends and I have decided to take a stab at her reading challenge. Neat idea, right? The first category I'm tackling is a book chosen for you by a BFF, so I'm currently reading Defending Jacob. If you plan to join in on the fun, please do share your reads!

2016

And suddenly you know: It’s time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.

― Meister Eckhart

Hope your new year is off to a great start! It's my most favorite time for reflection and change. I especially liked the quote above as I begin surrendering to this next chapter. Here we go, 2016!

We Could Be Heroes

Just for one day.

Christmas Vacation

We bopped around this holiday, spending Christmas in Richmond and the following week in New England. (I think I'll live up there in my next life!)

It was so wonderful seeing friends and family in their homes and communities. It doesn't get much cuter than those rural mountain towns in Vermont and Western Massachusetts!

While we weren't able to ski, we were (thankfully!) able to get out for a few snowy hikes. Pizza, cookies, wine, oh my!

Now it's back to the grind in 2016. I'm finding my groove again with work and day to day things. As always, I am thrilled for a fresh start. My resolutions always seem to be the same - patience, less technology, more reading, etc.

Happy New Year!

In A Rut? Try These Simple Pleasures!