Wisdom from My Kitchen Windowsill

Posted by Barbara Techel

Wisdom from My Kitchen Windowsill

Every season I enjoy changing out the decorations on my kitchen windowsill. I must admit that Fall is my favorite season to do this. There’s just something so cozy and comforting about it this time of year, don’t you think?

For months now I’ve been wanting to paint a quote I like from Tasha Tudor on a piece of wood and place it above my stove. But it just never seemed to happen. Then on Sunday morning a friend came over- Rachel, a young woman I’ve known for quite some time, but would like to get to know better. She is just one of those people who has an old soul and I thoroughly enjoy talking with her. Our discussions are deep and meaningful which I really appreciate. She and I are working on offering some future workshops together which I’m really excited about. But I digress…

But it was because of her sharing with me how her favorite spot in her house is her kitchen and looking out her window that I knew my Tasha quote would finally make its way to my kitchen. Her view out her kitchen window is spectacular from some photos she showed me, surrounded by woods and her horses, where she also gets to see deer and other wild animals too. But she told me about a quote she keeps on her windowsill that reminds her to be in the present moment.

And that’s when I knew that I would find a photo of one of my favorite authors, Tasha Tudor (who passed in 2008 – oh, how I wished I could have met her!) and I’d include my favorite quote on it from her – ” I don’t believe in hurry.”  It is perfect sitting on my windowsill where I now see it several times a day.

And it’s a reminder to s-l-o-w down when I find myself trying to rush through life- but a practice of being more in the present and believing that everything will get done and will happen as it is supposed to, that I find this quote helps remind me of that. Every time I read it I immediately feel calm and at peace.

Thank you to Rachel for the idea it inspired and thank you to Tasha Tudor for the quote that I find much comfort in.

fall-photo-and-quote

This quote from another favorite author, now gone, Gladys Taber — as seen in Susan Branch’s (yet another favorite author of mine – and still with us!) book, Autumn from the Heart of the Home.

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Practicing Yoga with a Jackhammer. There’s a Lesson in This.

Posted by Barbara Techel

Practicing Yoga with a Jackhammer. There's a Lesson in This.

For the past three weeks I’ve been taking part in a yoga class every Wednesday morning. While I’ve practiced yoga at home for quite a few years now, I wanted to brush up on the poses to make sure I’m doing them correctly and learn some new breathing techniques.

The class is small which is nice and the teacher is someone I’ve gotten to know over the past year. I enjoy her calming presence and energy. The class is held on the first floor of a building that has been vacant for quite a few years. I’m not sure what is upstairs, but next door is a bar. Interesting balance, huh?

Last week while we were getting ourselves into tree pose, some using the wall to steady themselves, me right into the pose without help as it’s my favorite one, it was then we heard what sounded like a jackhammer coming from upstairs. Talk about distraction! Alex, the instructor who had her back to us turned to look at us, with her mouth formed in a big O, while at the same time a small smile behind her surprised expression.

The noise and Alex’s funny expression knocked me right out of tree pose. At first the thought ran through my mind that didn’t they know we were having a yoga session downstairs? Couldn’t they wait to start up the jackhammer until the class ended?

But I was reminded of what yoga teaches us and that it is about being present and calm while on the mat, but also taking that same philosophy off the mat… and even when a jackhammer is drowning out the instructions from the yoga instructor.

I immediately dismissed my frustrated thoughts and followed along with Alex who was doing the same. There was another burst of jackhammer as we moved into another pose and I realized this may last the duration of the class. It would be a practice of learning to stay present despite the commotion above us.

But how interesting in accepting this may be the case, that we were gifted with no more jackhammer intrusions after the second outburst. And how this is a practice to bring into our daily lives when the day isn’t going as planned or you encounter anger – to practice staying in the present, keep calm, and know it will pass soon enough.

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Encouraging Kids to Read

Posted by Barbara Techel

Encouraging Kids to Read

Last year I visited Fair Park Elementary school and talked with the students about empathy, compassion, writing and reading. The students were so enthusiastic to have me there, and the teachers were wonderful and supportive.

Renee, one of the teachers who I worked with last year planning the visit, contacted me last week asking if I’d do a short video for their students – to remind them about how important reading is, to encourage them to visit their library, and how important empathy and compassion is.

Of course, I was more than happy to do this for the school and I hope my thoughts will encourage the kids once again.  And this time I enlisted the help of Miss Gidget who appears on the video with me which I hope the kids will get a kick out of. I think they will as Gidget looked pretty spiffy (don’t you just love that word spiffy? I sure do!) in her pink sparking hat, and was giving me lots of kisses while I tried to record the video.  🙂

I took this photo of Gidget also with copies of my children’s books as a visual reminder for the kids the importance of reading. It really is a wonderful thing when schools find creative ways in which to continue to encourage kids to read and write – and I was tickled to help in this small way and it sure was a great way to kick off my week.

Hope the start of your week is a good one too!

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