nesting:: 11 November

There are 8 days left until my 33rd birthday .... have I really traveled around the sun that many times? I'm starting to feel the difference in age a bit physically. just pain that takes longer to recede and bruises that take longer to heal. I'm fine, energywise pretty good if I get enough sleep (still an 8-10 hour girl!) and feeling like I want to be active, active, active. (gym, hiking, yoga)

Last night, I started taking St. John's Wort again, I do this it seems like most years when daylight savings time ends and the clock turns back and the nights come on so quickly. I went to bed at 8 pm the other night! There has been a bit of a crying jag and some scary moodiness within me, so I am honoring myself and remembering to slow down. As an introvert, this is my time to withdraw into the shell, and create peace and comfort within the home. The herb appears to be working so far.

This weekend has been me getting back on track in the kitchen. I've been keeping up with the dishes, deep cleaning some neglected corners, organizing the fridge (I'm very OCD about the way things are laid out so things don't get forgotten and go bad). Here's what I've made::

homemade granola
basic baked tofu (double batch)
baked fruit with homemade nut cream and hemp seeds
veggie burgers from scratch (one to eat, the rest to freeze for quick weeknight dinners)
tuscan soup (spinach, chickpeas, tomatoes, and a TON of cumin and turmeric)
curried quinoa and veggies with tofu

I would love some quick bread recipes, if you have one could you pass it on? Thanks :-)

Crafting-wise, I am knitting two scarves, one for the American Red Cross' Sandy recovery efforts and one for my DF's mom for Christmas. They are coming along, slowly but surely. I'm making time for them.

I'm reading The Red Leather Diary, Education for a New World (Montessori), and The Hobbit. Flying through books always feels good.

John and I are taking this time to decide what we want for ourselves as a future. We are both looking for somewhere semi-permanent (finally!) that suits both our needs. I need to make a list of things that are important to me in a community! I need to remember what this time is for when I feel frustrated living in such a remote place.

The wedding planning I have set myself a "start planning" goal of Dec. 1. It feels tremendous but some organizing and coordinating with the very best bridesmaids on earth should help lessen the feeling of planning burden. In the end, we want it kept very simple (think rustic, seasonally-themed fall meal of soups/stews, crusty breads, oils, cheeses, wine, coffee ... mason jars filled with sunflowers and pumpkins on the tables).

I'm trying to save some money, I already have a few hundred dollars. I'm proud of this. It's amazing how quickly leftover bills from broken bigger ones add up, that and every coin i have in my wallet goes in there too! My first goal is $1,000. I am of meager means, but that doesn't mean I can't save some, too!

November is a tricky month, things can start to feel very busy but I am purposely keeping the pace slow. Nesting here in VA instead of traipsing home to CT (I would spent parts of four days traveling) for Thanksgiving. I'll stay home and make soup and maybe a sweet potato pie. Not shopping for Christmas until Dec. 1, and then just for parents, brother, John. I'm sure there will be holiday baking involved, but really, my words for this fall/winter season have always been::

relax.
breathe.
go easy (thanks grandpa).
slow down.

after all, we're only here such a short time. let's enjoy what we have without always turning outward for more.

blessings and light,

k.