Missus Bounty Basket

The garden. My plot is steadily taking shape hopefully in time for the greenhouse . Not much effort is needed to pull out the weeds yet it's a challenge to level the soil. I wanted to get this miniature level to make sure of that. Solution. I have finally found out my hens' problem and now, will be able to apply the proper solution for them. It will be a long process but that's how it is. Clutter . Father and daughter team clearing the attic. A part of it, nonetheless what's important is they have started. Agenda. My spring notebook is almost full not only with my to-do list but with book titles, quotes as well as recipes. There are times when not everything is accomplished yet seeing my daily written plan works for me and I function better with it. Packed lunch. Cooked chicken curry for Erin's lunch and she's not convinced that it was a curry dish. 😄 Nanay's pretend chicken curry 5 pcs chicken thigh a can of coconut milk 2 spoonfuls of Panang curry past...

  We had a very early morning. Dropped one daughter off at the tram station , left the other while she was getting ready for school, and drove to Plateau de Glières to forage some bolet and chanterelles . It's an hour or so from Lancy . We were not the first ones to arrive and hoped to find a lot of mushrooms .  5 things TODAY. Silence. We were together in silence amidst the forest. Coffee. It was a bit cold while walking in the forest and we thought of having some coffee once we were in the village but due to time constraints went to do the grocery first and headed home in time for lunch. Next time we plan to be coffee-ready even stay longer and have the day only for gathering mushrooms Kindness. We all need that today.  Patience. Foraging mushrooms is synonymous with patience. We walk towards that goal of finding the chanterelle yet if and when there's none, it's alright. Next season again.  Being grateful. Of our time together, of the lone chanterelle and the...

  Thrilled to celebrate my first month of 5 ThingsTODAY posting, I let myself slip away and wasted my time waiting to recenter and get back to the flow. But rather than starting slowly and then betting back, I slipped further away and felt that I needed to take a day off and did not post anything. I felt guilty at first yet did not curse the world because that was my decision and no one was trampled on.  I thought of writing something else than my 5 things just to shake things up. Maybe I should document my plan to sort out my things. Maybe...maybe. Yet here I am again. 5 things TODAY. My truth. The most important thing that matters. The past. Should stay where it is.  Staying in awe (once again). Be it seeing an enormous walnut tree for the first time or that bird that landed on our table.  Côté Jardin . It has been a while since I listened to this garden program in TSR. Canton Vaud . Went to Aubonne , not in Ikea , mind you but to the Arboretum . Took home two pot...

 A month ago, three days after my birthday, I decided to write  5 things as a blog post. A very short one, less than 5 min. read.  My goal was to create something and answer the whisper of the Universe that I have been ignoring for as long as I can remember. Then I  asked? What am I supposed to write? What if nobody reads it. Then I remembered that my main goal is to create and let my life unfold without asking or waiting for other people's validation. Of course, I still check how many visit my page. But it is not the most important thing that motivates me to write and answer the whisper that's getting louder and louder. The most important thing is that after the busyness of the day, I can put Bach and let the magic begin. It does not make any sense but it's a way of getting to know myself, which  I  have long forgotten and abandoned to be able to follow the path dictated to me.  In writing my 5 things for the day, I am reconnecting to my soul and waki...

  Today: Conversation. Nothing compares to talking to a friend and inspiring each other for future projects. Happiness - it's finding hazelnuts on the sidewalk while biking on my way home. And I just can't leave them there, trampled on or gathered by the machine to be thrown out and forgotten.  Kitchen . To clean up before going to bed, whatever state I'm in.  Shops. Boucherie Dussauge and Thu Hang . Two of the few places I like to go to while doing my errand in Geneva. Mairie . Went there to buy tickets for next week's day tour with Mama. 

  Grey heron - Saw one while brisk walking this morning near La Gavotte . The bird was near the river.  I stopped and admired its graceful posture, and then it flew away. Look ahead - I tend to look down at the ground while walking, something I have learned to do growing up. My grandfather would tell me to look down coz I might missed a coin in front of me. He might be right at that time, I just thought that now as an adult, I can choose to look ahead and see what's going on in front of me.   Landi - Got me some tulip and onion bulbs. Getting ready for fall planting. Low tunnel . Cleaned up a plot, and planted lots of salad greens and mache. Squatting .  Light Watkins an author and a meditation teacher has posted something about squatting . The same position I have been doing for as long as I can remember but then forgotten. Now that my body is healing, I am integrating this into almost everything I do.  Love, Myra

Today, I have embraced the call to be a plantita . Yet for me being outside and tending my garden is more gratifying, houseplants are not really my cup of tea. For me, it's another task.  Don't get me wrong, I am fine having less than 5 pots of plants and orchids, and yet plants started coming my way, and along with them - frustration. And as  I feel more dismayed, house plants show up somehow reminding me of some kind of unfinished business. Therefore, I have decided to answer the call, there's no turning back (not yet).  There are a dozen or so potted plants at home and I would really like to keep that number and not be overwhelmed. This way, my plants can have all the love and attention they need. Along with my three citrus plants and my low tunnel garden plot.  5 things TODAY. Cosmos . These beauties are flourishing and having them makes walking around the garden more special.  Made some bean salad with the garden greens and one Albenga unripe chili pe...

 I was a Little Prince for a night and approached a lot of people during the party .  It felt awkward yet I tread where my fear was. For I had a mission, to acquire as many drawings of sheep as possible. 5 things TODAY Verveine & laughter . Went to see two of my friends and had some drinks with them. Being organized or something like that.  Walking . As I altered my pace and the distance slightly, I could feel that my endurance had increased. A glass of wine with the husband. Geneva . Will be forever in awe of this beautiful city.

  It was a quiet day, everyone's at school and I had the whole house for myself. Being bored was not on the agenda. Yet this would mean eating alone, talking to the hens, gardening , and keeping our home organized .  I am decluttering . Slowly... As I let my life unfold and learn to be more gentle and loving towards myself, projects don't look as daunting as before. Something is shifting inside of me and being aware of that is just gloriously amazing. 5 things TODAY:  Gratitude Trust the process.  Just when I thought that this beautiful zucchini plant called  trombetta  would not grow, it suddenly gave three fruits. And as with life, I am trusting the process.  River . Calms the soul. Being kind to myself. Choosing to be quiet.

That wonderful feeling of accomplishing something, that overflowing joy of just looking at the garden, and the gratitude that goes with it.  I was thinking of using despite but refrained from doing so. Whatever I write has also an impact on me and the realization that this has to change has thrilled me in no end. I am now carefully choosing my words and thoughts.  5 things TODAY: The rain. It rained and the garden looked vibrant. Everything's growing and at the same time coming to its final phase.  I left an overripe tomato on the ground and the husband saw a slug on it.  Vermicelli salad . I am getting good at it. Rest. For me, it's the synonym of listening to your body. Chores at home are endless nonetheless I have to own up to the fact that I'm not in my 30s.  Family. I am elated to see my daughters and their cousins growing up so fast. There are times when I miss when they were small yet I am grateful that they are discovering life on their own. Being. This...

  Actually, it was yesterday. This is just to keep a record that yes, I was able to make it to my third week. 5 things TODAY  may not make sense to anybody but me, nonetheless it's okay. Writing my 5 things every day is a way to remind me that in my present situation, there's love, creativity, and energy that I can share with the Universe without asking for validation from anybody. There was a time when it was disheartening to find out that it was not reaching out to even half a dozen people. Then I would remind myself why I have started. And the fact that  4 or so people might be passing by to check on what I did was already something in itself. I am simply putting out what was initially a simple thought and giving it a life.  It was like what Elizabeth Gilbert had said about creativity and grasping it and making it happen. Otherwise, if the person rejects it or didn't take notice of it, that very energy would still be floating by until another person is brave eno...

  My strength. What could it be? This is a direct question to my being. I will sleep on it and will have the answer by tomorrow. Treatment. Every two weeks I am self-administering my treatment for RA and today is that day.  In the beginning, I thought that diet change would alleviate the body pain but that was not the case. I do hope that eventually, I will be able to live without it. Lokum . The husband brought a box from Sofia . I do like them and in a way remind me of the sweets I used to eat back home . Bird and sunflower. There's this joy in looking at nature's wonder and the simplicity of life. Drying clothes under the sun. The simple gesture of hanging them and then folding the crispy clothes gave me a sense of peace and lightness. 

 A new book. I went to Renfile in Espace Tourbillon and lo and behold, I found the one  recommended by the late  Dr.Wayne Dyer written by Anita Moorjani . Chewy cookies . Baked some with lots of nuts and I added a banana. These are gluten-free . Self-care. Walked to Onex and had coffee with Mama. Now that I can walk without pain in my ankle due to inflammation , I am celebrating my newfound strength by walking for at least half an hour.  Knitting . I am doing a scarf and am using the rest of the yarn from the fingerless glove  I did for my daughter a long time ago.  Letting life unfold. 

  Melon . My 2nd fruit is ready and harvested it today. Morning walk . A quiet one because there was not a soul on the main street saved from a few cars once in a while. It was a glorious morning. A day with Erin. We spent the day together in Les Grottes  for a yard sale . I like this kind of event. As the proverb goes: One man's trash is another man's treasure.  Though I did not find anything on my list, Erin found lots of pre-loved clothing, Manga books, posters, and a ring. We had lunch then around 14h, we went home. Tired but happy about our time together. Lye water . Finally, I found one in Mabuhay Asian store . I would like to make some kutsinta . Photo project. The idea of taking more garden pictures entered my mind. 

Yoga. This is the one that I did this morning. A 10-minute practice. And it started TODAY. Adobo .  The dish that I want to be better at.  Coffee with Mama. We met in a bakery/café in Onex. She was in a high spirit . Emmaus . In search of a green top and I managed to stay for an hour, goodness. Pity that their books were in disarray. I really thought of sorting them out but was in a hurry to do the rest of my errand. Coconut brush . For toilets. I want one just to eliminate the use of plastic and because I cannot find the right one for our toilet bowl. Word of advice: take a picture of the brush before throwing it out.

  Things to do. I am more organized when writing my to-do list on a spring notebook , instead of using a phone app. It felt good to be able to cross things out every time it's accomplished. I used to recycle old envelopes and A4 papers for my to-do list but it would be lost with my other papers to sort out, it was then that I opted for notebooks.  Dahlia . Tiny flowers are growing, hopefully, slugs won't see them and have a party. It's one of my favorite flowers to grow because of my aunt. She used to grow dahlias of different colors in front of her house. The day before the town fiesta, we'd be going to her place by foot and once we saw the tall dahlias, it was a sign of relief that finally we arrived. Hazelnuts. The tree which is called noisetier in french is mightily growing by the path near the Satigny train station. This time I am ready with an old Zalando sachet, and half-filled it with hazelnuts. Ah! the joy of foraging. Fruit trees.  Really happy that a lot of...

  Sweet potato brownies . Third day and tasted better than yesterday. Baked without buckwheat this time.  Library . It's in the top 5 of my fave places here in Geneva and where I meet Albom , Coben , Mankell , Murakami , Nesbo even Gilbert and Patchett .  Mobility . I am learning and getting the hang of it. Making some progress. Thank you.  Italian. Been wanting to learn italian for a long, long time. It started years ago when we camped  in Tarquinia for a week. Then other things happened and learning another language took a back seat. Nonetheless, it's never too late to learn anything. That's why,  I read 5-10 pages of an italian book .  I do not understand everything nonetheless familiarizing myself with vocabularies and phrases will help me a great deal, I know.  Silence. I usually turn the radio on while cooking or cleaning up in the kitchen. Nonetheless, I have been without any radio or music for some days now. I'd like the calm and se...

Castres Compostage de Chatillon .  This afternoon we went to get some soil. 110 kg and we paid chf3.30. Seriously, one of the places I like. The smell of the earth brings joy to my whole being and I get so giddy and hopeful for my garden.  Dentist . An inevitable visit today. Mine is in Plans-les-Ouates , not so far from our neighborhood . Garden. On my way to my dentist, I saw a garden with so many blossoming flowers. Evidently, I stopped and admired everything.  Champex-Lac . Time to open the calendar for the winter season . It is going to be our first winter renting the chalet.  Smile . She was with her mother and then she saw me walking towards her and with the toy she lovingly held in her hand, she stopped and smiled at me. She must be 3 years old. I smiled back and went my way. It's a beautiful morning.  

  Early bird . Maybe it comes with age, yet waking up before 6h means getting things done early.  Aperol spritz . Minus a slice of orange but it feels like an afternoon in Italy . Costume. We are preparing for a family gathering in a week. I was thinking of being this character , or maybe someone from Hemingway's work .  Spotify . Won't be having the premium anytime soon but I like listening to the music and podcast . Barefoot . I am taking advantage of glorious and dry days to walk in the garden. Filling my body with the positive energy it needs.  And so Monday is almost over nonetheless a great one.

  Sardinia not so long ago. Three days after my birthday, I decided to write a short blog post about 5 things that added joy and meaning to my day, I then created reels out of them. It's something I need to do to find out what is essential, which direction to take, and to be more productive while in-between jobs.  Two weeks into this little project I realized that writing, researching, and taking pictures and videos have added awe to my day. What's also important is that by creating this habit of blogging every day, I am learning a lot of things. Learning more about myself. This project of mine will run till December 2023. So, my 5 things TODAY. Foraged. I was in Satigny this morning with my sister-in-law and on our way to a café we passed by a hazelnut tree in front of the Catholic church . I was overjoyed to pick them up as if it was my first time to see nuts on the ground. But what a blessing! Old Adidas . It feels good to walk in them and though the right shoe has a hole ...

  Wayne Dyer . It was after watching   Sara Blakely that I decided to revisit Wayne Dyer 's  videos. I need inspiration to refuel and boost my mind. To be more creative and be a more effective human being.  Boeuf croustillant . Cooking one dish for tonight's dinner with family. Talked to Itay. He has been planting cassava and making suman . There was a surplus, he said. I suggested that he grow something that is not being planted by everyone.  Lettuce & spinach . Sown some seeds this morning. They will fill up the spaces left by beans and melons. Being Nanay and having a productive Saturday. 

  Bach . I think he's my favorite today.  Chicken satay . The husband cooked lunch.  Neighbour. It's very important to have a good relationship with one's neighbour and to look out for each other. Excel . I am getting better at my budgeting and have sheets of every kind in my computer. From my accounting exercises to our chalet's monthly expenses. I am befriending numbers because Math is not my forte. It's still a long way to go but we understand each other.  Conversation. I listen with all my heart and mind. I am present ... not only ALL EARS rather I am here in front, mindful of your presence.  Enjoy your day.