Sylvia's Simple Life: summer

summer

August has a magic of its own... the last full month of summer – the most-awaited, full of hope and plans, and the fastest one of all that slips through time and space like sand through fingers.

Like a sweet dream, you don't want to end, August brings forgotten wishes, alluring destinations, open doors and hearts exposed to ease, sea waves, hot nights, lemonade and love...

But August's eternity only lasts 31 days and is just one more reason to celebrate the season instead of wondering where the summer went.

There's still time for

lying on a beach and reading poetry,

camping on the lake and having a bonfire,

hosting a backyard barbecue,

climbing mountains,

picnicking,

travelling to places you always wanted to see,

taking a road trip,

gardening,

drinking coffee on the porch,

heading to an outdoor concert,

meeting with a dear friend you haven't seen for years...

There are herbs to be grown and jams to be cooked.

There are sunrises to be seen and shooting star wishes to be made.

There are raspberries to be picked, a lemonade to be made and a teacake to be shared.

I am sitting here at the table in my late grandparents' garden enjoying this memorable summer day and thinking that if August had a colour, it would be the hue of an apricot.

If it had a taste, it would be the sweetness of a ripe peach.

If August was a feeling, it would be nostalgia.
But above all, August for me right now is everything I ever wanted and everything I ever lost, wrapped together in a perfect bundle by my deep sense of gratitude.

How do you celebrate August?

Tell me about it in the comments below for a chance to win a copy of Field Guide To Everyday Magic, a sister publication of Bella Grace Magazine filled entirely with worksheet-style prompts, inspirational photographs, and quotes. The contest giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. International participants will be eligible to receive the free digital edition of Bella Grace! Leave your comment below by September 10th for a chance to win!

Please, check the wonderful articles of all the invited writers who are part of the exciting Bella Grace Blog Hop

THE GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED!

Congratulations to ROSE COUEY from Secondhand Girl for winning a copy of this beautiful publication.
Thank you very much to everyone for writing such thoughtful and heartfelt comments. I hope your August was splendid!

August 21, 2017
summer

Celebrating August

August has a magic of its own... the last full month of summer – the most-awaited, full of hope and plans, and the fastest one of all that slips through time and space like sand through fingers.

Like a sweet dream, you don't want to end, August brings forgotten wishes, alluring destinations, open doors and hearts exposed to ease, sea waves, hot nights, lemonade and love...

But August's eternity only lasts 31 days and is just one more reason to celebrate the season instead of wondering where the summer went.

There's still time for

lying on a beach and reading poetry,

camping on the lake and having a bonfire,

hosting a backyard barbecue,

climbing mountains,

picnicking,

travelling to places you always wanted to see,

taking a road trip,

gardening,

drinking coffee on the porch,

heading to an outdoor concert,

meeting with a dear friend you haven't seen for years...

There are herbs to be grown and jams to be cooked.

There are sunrises to be seen and shooting star wishes to be made.

There are raspberries to be picked, a lemonade to be made and a teacake to be shared.

I am sitting here at the table in my late grandparents' garden enjoying this memorable summer day and thinking that if August had a colour, it would be the hue of an apricot.

If it had a taste, it would be the sweetness of a ripe peach.

This summer has been a strange one so far – disappointments and unexpected turns have been jumping over celebrations and good moments. Bad news and joyous vibes have been competing for the Olympic title of my life... Due to an unexpected turn of events, our plans for traveling to Europe are being put on hold for an undefined period of time. The unknown is what has been occupying these summer months... and frankly, it has all been mind-numbing. I had felt the discomfort of the unknown many times before, but I thought I had worked really hard to eliminate it and to stay open to uncertainty. Obviously, not hard enough. Somehow, it has hung over me and darkened my thoughts. My mental space has been stocked with worries, yet hopes and prayers for the universe to guide me find wisdom and insights. I've known deep down within me that everything will resolve the way it is supposed to, but the wait! The wait is what has been draining my energy, my focus and my otherwise optimistic, patient self. I wanted for a time to hurry and to go fast and yet when I celebrated my precious son's 18th birthday, I wished for time to stop and wait and go slow...
I was brimming with all that confusion and fragility when in one moment, it just clicked. A great hardship is never desirable, but that doesn't mean that we can't make use of it; it can provide an extraordinary lesson capable of making us aware of the shallowness of our daily concerns, of the overwhelming pressure of the crazy world we are living in, and above all, of what truly matters in our human progression towards individual inner freedom. At this moment, I promised myself to manage my attention, not my time. To trust the path, to learn from it and to put my faith in action as I tune into what makes me happy, what completely absorbs me and puts me back in my creative center – photography and writing.
Next, I was browsed in a favorite bookshop of mine, the place of comfort and escape in need of a lift. A little orange book quietly caught my attention. I always trust my instincts when it comes to picking books. As I began to flip through the pages, I read:

"Welcome

You have now become an official member of the Wander Society.

...Society wants us to live a planned existence, following paths that have been traveled by others. Tried and true. The known, the expected, the controlled, the safe.

The path of the wanderer is not this!

The path of the wanderer is an experiment with the unknown. To be idle, to play, to daydream.

...Wandering is not about a specific place or destination, getting from one place to another, or movement as a means to an end.

Instead, it's about letting the soul and mind roam.

...The wanderer can observe, be present, pay attention, and be open to the unknown – all while remaining still. Entering into a wandering mindset involves partaking in the wandering rituals, turning off technology, breathing deeply, using the senses, tuning in.

...Life is an experiment. To wander is to seek the unexpected.

Does the act of doing something without purpose challenge you a little?

Good."

A wave of excitement went through my body. A current of happiness rushed from my heart. I knew the universe conspired to help me go through the suffering of my mind and be myself again. All I needed to do was to be aware that this precious life will not last forever and that it is essential to make the best possible use of it. I needed one more time to sincerely examine what counts in life for me and simplify my activities, my inner voice and my expectations.

I read the book in a day and found myself on my daily walk (wandering) with Charlie, this time unplanned, letting him lead me.
Re-charged with curiosity. Exhaling deeply. With ready eyes. Grateful to feel alive.
I made an amazing discovery that day – the streets were blanketed with blooming linden trees and the world was smelling like one. I came home with arms full of branches. I picked the flowers and made myself a tea. I baked a lemon cake glazed with the tea. The aroma filled the air around me. With every sip of the soothing infusion, I felt the presence of my grandma serving me the tea every time I had a fever as a child. I remember her telling me about the magical effect this flower has on healing our bodies. In almost every major hospital in Europe, there were long lines leading to the entrance doors, planted to supply the hospital with linen flowers for infusion that was given to sick patients and soldiers waiting for medical care. I realized, once again, that everything in life is a source of information, that everything in the natural world can be healing, once you stop taking it for granted and let it reveal its magic to you. The only honest way for me to survive this strange summer is to do what my soul thrives on, to participate with my mind in the direct experience of everyday life and to look at the ordinary in a whole new light. I have everything I need "to create a bond with the unknown wilderness I am about to enter into even though it might scare me a little."
I have become a wanderer.
I have arrived.

The Wanderers are everywhere.

Thank you, dear friends, for reading. I hope you are having a nice and simple summer. My heart is heavy with the world right now, but despite the unbearable pain, I refuse to be afraid. I still believe in the goodness of humanity and that people are fundamentally loving and good.

July 15, 2016
being YOU

Linden Tree

"Welcome

You have now become an official member of the Wander Society.

...Society wants us to live a planned existence, following paths that have been traveled by others. Tried and true. The known, the expected, the controlled, the safe.

The path of the wanderer is not this!

The path of the wanderer is an experiment with the unknown. To be idle, to play, to daydream.

...Wandering is not about a specific place or destination, getting from one place to another, or movement as a means to an end.

Instead, it's about letting the soul and mind roam.

...Life is an experiment. To wander is to seek the unexpected.

Does the act of doing something without purpose challenge you a little?

Good."

The Wanderers are everywhere.

This wide world is rich with beautiful minor miracles. I am a dweller of this world that is so wonderful and simple. My life is full of beautiful sights and there is nothing in this fine day that is too much for me. My heart is a waterfall. My mind is still water. When I come across all the lessons of Nature, all the solitude and goodness on a grand scale – boundaries melt away and I feel like a significant tiny part of a wholeness – beautiful, resilient and ready. I love to be a student in her classroom, to listen to the silence that whispers with every movement of a leaf and every splash of a water droplet. I love when my being is just about to burst with love and gratitude - for such a fine day when the closeness of my little family wrapped together with all the beautiful minor miracles of the world. When unexpected joys give fertile ground to the hope that there is still so much good to come...

These photos are taken at Elora Gorge, one of the most beautiful natural areas in the Grand River valley, when we spent the last day of the Labor Day weekend, just before my son's last academic year in high school began.

I hope you are enjoying all that the changing season has to offer.

Sharing with Home Sweet Home

September 15, 2015
life and family

One Fine Day

I hope you are enjoying all that the changing season has to offer.

Sharing with Home Sweet Home

One late summer, while I was getting ready for my return flight to Canada, my eighty-something years young grandmother wanted me to take with me, in my luggage, a bouquet from her garden of my beloved culinary herb, basil. After my attempt to explain that this is inconvenient to carry a fresh plant in a suitcase during an almost 8-hour flight and that I can buy basil in Toronto, she concluded "yes, but it is not going to be like mine." Then, I promised to her and mostly to myself that I will plant, take good care and grow my own basil. This summer I finally had the time to grow my own herbs since we haven't traveled outside of Canada. In May, I planted a big pot with sweet genovese basil. Having placed it in a sunny spot, watering it almost every morning, I was gifted with an abundance of a rich green, luscious, saturated in strong sweet aroma and delicate white flowers herb. I've been using the leaves almost in every salad, eggs and sandwiches I've made so far, but this weekend I took my scissors and made really good use of the plant. I put the basil in a food processor with pine nuts, garlic, a pinch of salt and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Slowly added extra-virgin olive oil in a steady small stream. I transferred the mixture into a small mason jar and held it to my nose, breathing in. It smelled of summer and green hills and blue skies and old sticky hands and a garden with a patch of basil. I devoured a spoon in my mouth and realized the truth - when life gives you basil, make pesto.
And when you have pesto, it feels like a pasta night...

Basil Pesto Ravioli with Chicken and Sun-dried Tomatoes

Ingredients:

1 pack of cheese ravioli
1 chicken breast, cubed
1/3 onion, diced
1 garlic clove, sliced
3 tablespoons basil pesto
sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil
red pepper flakes (optional)
salt and black pepper

Directions:

Cook ravioli according to package directions. Drain well and set aside.
Combine olive oil, onion, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté gently until soften but not turning brown, about 3-4 minutes. Add the cubed chicken breast and cook until cooked through, about 7-10 minutes. Take 3 tablespoons from the pesto jar and add each separately as you stir constantly. Turn heat down to medium low. Make the mixture thin with 1/4 cup water. Add the cooked ravioli and toss until all ingredients are coated in the pesto. Add more water if needed. Stir until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with shredded parmesan.

Enjoy!

Sharing at Sundays at Home / Wow Us Wednesdays / Home Sweet Home

August 22, 2015
food

Basil

August came with the shades of green and blue, with the quietness of Oak Lake and the simplicity of the rented cottage. Mornings that start with a glistering light over the water, early canoers, a swimming dog and a cup of dripping hot coffee in your hand. Days that are devoted to fishing and reading and evenings around the fire that celebrate the last gold and purple flecks of the sun's fading rays over the peaceful water's surface. Moments of solitude, harmony with nature and the pure joy of disconnect from ticking clocks, busyness, schedules and deadlines. Countless humbling reminders of man's place in the greater scheme of things. Passages of life when one easily gets lost in the rhythm of the natural world and the slowness of time. Life doesn't pass you so quickly rather it drifts along lazily with the current. Worry thoughts do not hunt the mind because you rejoice in the honesty of a simple world and going back to yourself. Minutes and hours do not slip through your grasp rather linger like the haunting beautiful wail of the loon adding more time and present days to life. Only to help you learn once again "what is obvious to a child. That life is simply a collection of little lives, each lived one day at a time. That each day should be spent finding beauty in flowers and poetry and talking to animals. That a day spent with dreaming and sunsets and refreshing breezes cannot be better." (Nicholas Sparks).
That being completely absorbed by the enjoyment of simple pleasures with loved ones is where the meaning of life lies in.