five for friday
Narcissus Bulbs
Total confession here: I stole this blog post idea from the author Sarah Dessen. I have been a fan for years (allll her books---the most heartfelt, swoony YA; if you aren’t familiar please stop everything to check her out), and I loved how every Friday she would blog and offer five little tidbits of whatever was on her mind. (So yes, Sarah, stealing your idea, but hope you forgive me! I am a total list girlie so I had to use. And imitation is indeed the best form of flattery, am I right?)
Anyway, here goes. My five Friday thoughts.
1. I used to hate January as a kid. The letdown of the holidays being over, the cold foggy days as I walked home from school. But I love January now. I have come to relish the newness of January like a blank page, the promise of new adventures for the upcoming year. I see it now as such a portal of hope, and promise. Like all those dormant seeds in the ground, in the dark, waiting for the sun to come back and the roots to grow. I always buy narcissus bulbs in January and force them to bloom inside. It is such a beautiful reminder that spring will eventually come back. But perhaps now, it is still okay to rest. Lean into the season, stay cozy. Go to bed early, drink some tea.
2. My house was full for the holidays, with all five kids being home. We had such a good time. Lots of meals, laughter, friends over, parties, presents, groceries. (Oh, and cups…everywhere. Do your adult/teen kids do that? Or is it just me?) My sophomore in college returns to school on Sunday, leaving the high school senior here and my engaged daughter who is currently living and working at home. It is bittersweet with the house growing quieter again, but I am reminded that change is inevitable, and life is always in flux. To embrace whatever is showing up in your life as what is supposed to happen. Accepting change with grace is not easy, a practice and a lesson, always.
3. For anyone out there who is, ahem, a little more on the middle-aged side of life and is having trouble sleeping, I discovered something amazing—taking magnesium! Where has this been all my life? For me it worked way better than melatonin and side bonus--you don’t wake up with that groggy feeling in the morning. Magnesium glycinate (not citrate, that will make you go to the bathroom). It made an almost overnight difference for me; see if it works for you.
4. I am so excited that PBS’s All Creatures Great and Small returns for its 5th season this Sunday! It is one of my and my husband’s most favorite shows, based on James Herriot’s wonderful book series of the same title. The show follows the life of James Herriot as a country veterinarian in a small village in Yorkshire in the 40s and 50s, and it is warm, funny, poignant, romantic, and addictive. Like curling up with your favorite blanket and eating a warm chocolate cookie by the fire. If you are looking for a good, family-friendly show, give it a try.
5. I would be remiss in not mentioning how heartbroken we all are here in California to watch the complete and utter devastation of the Los Angeles fires. It is stunning and terrifying to see the level of ruin, and I have many friends and family members who have evacuated their homes. I lived in Long Beach during graduate school and have experienced the Santa Ana winds, but to hear about 80–100-mile winds is unimaginable. My heart, thoughts and prayers go out to each and every person affected in this horrible tragedy and hoping it ends soon.
Love, Kara
