Transition Time!

Ok, YOU’VE GOT THIS! Just a little longer to get us into the warmer weather. Honest! When you can get outside without bundling up but there isn’t that certain chill to it, you know the one I mean.

It is the perfect time of year for planning and getting inspired. If things are stressful, chaotic, and looking totally helpless at the time, then just stop for a few minutes. Get to a quiet spot, whether it be your backyard, forest, or even anywhere in your house if that’s what it takes to get a time out. Take a few deep belly breaths (not the ones from the shoulders) and block out everything. Just be. Take your time and focus on your breathing. When you are ready, make a list of things that need doing. Prioritize what is important for you at the moment and write it down. Even if you have a long list, writing it down gets its out of your head, and once that task is done then you can scratch it off. Once that first task is completed go to the next important one on the list. This visual helps to give you a sense of accomplishment. When you are swamped emotionally, spiritually or physically you are pretty much helpless to both yourself and others. If you need help, there are a lot of resources out there. For a lot of people, asking for help is one of the most difficult things to do.

SOCK THERAPY Getting out for exercise and fresh air to ground, re-set and centre ourselves, and clear our heads. It calms and de-stresses as well. And this is the perfect time of year to do some forest hikes. You can layer up as much as you need to, get a good pair of hiking boots or shoes (sturdy ones so that if there is ice, you don’t go zinging down a hill or twist an ankle on the ice crusted boot imprints in the snow). Another important item is socks. I have found the perfect socks from Solebration that I highly recommend. They are a wool blend (no, NOT itchy), that I have been buying for quite a few years now.

They are great if you have a problem with sweating feet after those long hikes. Mine have worked with me on 8+ hour shifts on my feet, have hiked over the rugged, barren inlands of Newfoundland and other vast areas out east. No sweating feet and no indent lines because there is no elastic in them, and they stay up and don’t shift around! Check them out at solebration.com

FEED YOUR SOUL Of course you must also nourish your body this time of year, seeing as it is still chilly, so healthy breakfast is necessary. For a weekday, here is a good morning starter.

SPRING THING GRANOLA

1-1/2 cups oats

1/2 cup chopped almonds

1/4 cup cashew pieces

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup dried chopped mangoes

1/4 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup good quality (preferably local) honey (I used blueberry wild honey)

a light drizzle of good quality (preferably local) pure maple syrup

1 tsp each of: sumac powder, ground cinnamon, olive oil

1/2 tsp each of: ground ginger, nutmeg

2 Tbsp each of: flax seed, puffed quinoa

Preheat oven to 275* F Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine all ingredients and mix well with a spoon. Spread mixture onto parchment and put in oven. Fluffle mixture every 5 minutes or so with a wooden spoon. You will feel the mixture starting to dry out. Bake for about 20 minutes or so or until mixture is golden and dried. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Store in a sealed glass jar.

This is great to pair with your favourite yoghurt.

If you get a cold snap during the week, here is a perfect filling start to the day that you can make the night before.

GINGERBREAD HOT SMOOTHIE

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/3 cup rolled oats

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 Tbsp nut or seed butter

1 to 2 Tbsp fancy molasses or honey

1/2 tsp each of: ground cinnamon and ground ginger

The night before, mix all the ingredients in a bowl and let sit in the fridge overnight to soften the oatmeal. In the morning, use an immersion blender to puree it. Pour into a saucepan and heat on medium until hot, but not boiling, stirring frequently. Pour into a mug, sprinkle with more cinnamon and enjoy!

WEEKEND BLISS

Ahh, the weekend is here. Time to unwind after a hectic week! This time cannot be overlooked for de-stressing. Especially if the weather is unfavourable. I like to start my weekend with a short trip to Red Eye Cafe and Donuts for one of their fresh in-house made gourmet apple fritters and a piping hot specialty tea.

Of course at this time we still can’t eat in, but the cafe’s set up is smooth for ordering and social distancing. Check them out at redeyecafe.ca

So back home we go, as we start reading the morning paper with background music ‘Soft Rock Drive – 100 Uplifting Songs’ on Spotify. Eating still warm fritters and tea, doing our daily puzzles, reading the comics, the morning slowly turns to afternoon. Writing and planning, checking on the seedlings that were planted not too long ago (they are coming up nicely), and just puttering around the house. Getting out for another walk is definitely on the bill, to soothe our souls and smooth out some of the troubles of the times.