Can we do this some more?

Wow. A blog post. I started this blog in November 2011 when there were definitely people doing it but not like they are now. It was exciting when I had the first 3 likes on a post and boy when someone left a comment… I smiled ear to ear. To be seen. a miracle.

I recently read there was a 40% drop in reading for pleasure. A study by the University of Florida and University College London “found that daily reading for pleasure in the United States has declined by more than 40% over the last 20 years — raising urgent questions about the cultural, educational and health consequences of a nation reading less.” I imagine they mean books but I think magazines and blogs could be included. In an ever increasing fast pace world, reading just takes time we don’t think we have. OR it’s not a priority OR we don’t have the attention span. A lot of distractions.

My point with this is it could make one less inclined to write. Who do we write for? Ourselves? our peers? the ones who aren’t reading anymore? How can we change that? Maybe we are overwhelmed by the amount of information there is to read and don’t know where to start or stop. How do we downsize our information load? We need filters, boundaries, and to ask ourselves why are we scrolling, clicking and going down the unconscious rabbit hole. I’ve been there. It usually has to do with health or gardens. I’m less distracted by food blogs these days.

If you’re still reading…. HELLO! I’d like to re-introduce myself. I’m Wendy and my husband is Oliver and we live on Orcas island located, about 90 minutes north of Seattle. I discovered the San Juan Islands in 1993 and it’s been my home base since with a couple forays living in Paris, France and Hamburg, Germany where Oliver is from. I probably need to revisit my intro page…

I’m reconsidering this platform because I love to write and share musings, inspirations and what I learn. I still love to cook (at home now). I spent many years in the food service industry leading to years of gaps in this space. But who cares really! I recently earned a Masters in integrative nutrition from my Alma Mater, Bastyr University. I love how food, mood, behavior, movement and lifestyle choices set the stage for our wellbeing or lack thereof. I love gardening, nature and her cycles. I would love for all people to become aware of their circadian rhythm and the fact all beings with DNA have them.

Have you gotten this far with no photos?

We love the land we tend on Orcas and want to share the happenings of our life here. So if you want to stand out from the crowd and take up reading again and learning the old fashioned way from a mentor, book, blog, I hope you’ll join me and see if I can figure out WordPress’ upgrades and actually do this!

Celebrating spring and mid life!

I want to share a little of my lovely 45th birthday and a little of our goings on…

I’ve always loved that I decided to push on through to this scene on April the Eighth. My life runs on even numbers with a real focus on the number eight. It’s a little bizarre at times… like I could sign up for some reality show about number freaks . Do they have that yet?

Here’s my new birthday boots…

Celebrating bday and more-10

 

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Rumblings, Frogs & Scones

Rumblings, Frogs & Scones

I know you are asking, “What the….?” Well, I’ll tell you. First off, it started this morning reading Joy the Baker. She wrote this week about rumblings and the desire to shake things up a bit in her world. Now here is a blogger who is doing quite well in my book. Popular writer, lives in a sunny place and has a new cookbook ready to order that’s getting good reviews and she has rumblings? And did I mention young? I know I’m simplifying, and we don’t know the complexities we all face in life. But I do wonder, do rumblings, stirrings, the need to shake things up a bit seem to permeate all people irrelevant of age, stage of life, success or gender? Or can it be pinned to a certain personality type? Are there people continuously satisfied with life? I’m not talking about happiness but satisfaction. Or do they go hand and hand?

Frogs came to the forefront today when I went out for a little nordic walking and saw these signs that are posted annually in March to protect the wee ones crossing the road. Is that sweet or what. They even put up an eight inch barrier and cover the manholes so the little guys don’t drop in.  This is a sign for me in Hamburg, that spring is on the way.

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Did somebody say Versatile Blogger?..(smiles).

Oh to be acknowledged. It’s like high school all over. I feel seen. I’ve been having a lot of fun with this blogging platform. Writing, cooking, reading great blogs and taking loads of pictures. And last night I got a little note in my mail from creativenoshing that she was nominating me for the Versatile Blogger Award. I was one happy camper going to sleep. After a great day with my fam, I looked so forward to sitting at the computer and writing this post. The meusli post can wait till tomorrow!

So Chloe says to me this morning as I darted from the table to my  kitchen window with the perfect natural light… with the last three mini croissants, butter,  my homemade kumquat jam and a little cheese knife… she says, “Boy, you are really into taking pictures of food lately. It’s getting kinda weird.”

I said, “Yeah, I’m a little obsessed,” as I carefully arranged my croissants, marmalade and cheese knife about sixteen different ways and stood on the heavy wooden stool that has become a permanent fixture in a place where I manage to to run into it several times a day thus maintaining a permanent bruise on my knee. “But I’m just having so much damn fun.” I replied. “And last night, I got an award.”

“That’s cool.” Chloe grinned, nodded her head a couple times and turned back to making chocolate chip pancakes with grated orange.

Now I just hope I can get this post done before our internet goes off at 11pm (it’s weekend and we get an extra two hours). Nope. I’m back the next morning…Where was I…oh yes…

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New paths at 40+ aka Late bloomers

I have been reading about ‘late bloomers’ for a little confidence booster. Here’s a few examples of what a few well-known people were doing at 30.

  1. Sylvester Stallone, deli counter attendant.
  2. Andrea Bocelli, lawyer.
  3. Martha Stewart, stockbroker.
  4. Julia Child, government spy.
  5. James Joyce, singing.
  6. Colonel Sanders, tons of blue-collar jobs.
  7. Michael Jordan, baseball player
  8. Rodney Dangerfield, aluminum siding salesman.
  9. Harrison Ford, carpenter

You can read more about these 30 yr olds in the wrong career here.   

And even more inspiring…Late Bloomers After 50

  1. Colonel Harland Sanders – started the first Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise at age 65.
  2. Grandma Moses – began painting at 76, after arthritis forced her to give up embroidery. She continued painting until 101.
  3. Julia Child – became a chef after many years as a secret intelligence officer. She was 49 when her first book was published, 51 when her TV program “The French Chef” first aired.
  4. Ray Kroc – went from being a salesman to opening the first McDonalds at age 52.
  5. Raymond Chandler – became a bookkeeper after an unsuccessful career in journalism. Published his first book, The Big Sleep, at the age of 51.
  6. Sister Marion Irvine – started running at age 47, when she was overweight and smoking 2 packs of cigarettes a day. Went on to qualify for the Olympic marathon trials at age 54.
  7. Marjorie Stoneman Douglas – began her environmental work when in her 60s. Started her long fight to protect the Everglades at age 78, which she continued until she was 100.
  8. Laura Ingalls Wilder – published the first book in the “Little House on the Prairie” series at 65.
  9. Wallace Stevens – changed his career from insurance salesman to poet in his 50s.
  10. Maya Angelou – was in her 60s when her poetry and books became popular.
  11. Alfred Hitchcock – directed his best films between the ages of 54 and 61.
  12. Susan Boyle – achieved worldwide recognition for her singing talent at age 48 (almost 50). **

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