Spring Collection

Kia ora koutou,

Our week in Aotearoa has taken quite a turn in recent days with a sudden lockdown. If this affects you, I hope you are well and finding ways to keep connected to others. I am feeling for those who are struggling in our world both close and far away. I appreciated reading a local pastor admitting his sense of anxiety in the waiting. It has been all too easy to forget how most of the world has been living while we have had incredible freedom.

I prepared this post pre-lockdown. This is a light hearted collection of some favourite things right now. None of them are sponsored but I’ve included details if you are interested in purchasing those that are in a store. Let’s start with an old song made new…

As we know a good curry can lift the mood (oh so welcome). I am ever grateful to my kind friend for showing me how to make her Indian base for her national dishes. She inspired this chana masala. I’ve grated a small beetroot and added it for colourful goodness.

The overthinking candle isn’t still available sorry, but you could designate one for that purpose. Years ago when I was unwell, I was given a technique to help with OCD thinking. It was to start the day setting aside time especially to worry for a few minutes. Funny thing was I found it hard to worry when put under pressure! It came much more naturally when free to interrupt my day! Sometimes just looking at this candle or lighting it makes me smile reminding me not to take myself so seriously. Being well now, I can get a bit more space between myself and those thoughts.

My friend Becks has introduced me to the roasted dandelion and chicory tea. If you are looking for a coffee-like, but caffeine-free hot drink, you may like this. It steeps looking dark and doesn’t taste like other herbal teas. I like it with a little sugar and a good pour of milk. These bags are full of flavour and steep for two drinks still going strong. A box of 32 tea bags for $13.50 can be found at Piko Wholefoods, Kilmore Street, in Christchurch. They also sell this tea loose $9.70 for 200gm which will be better value and nice to put in a teapot.

Here’s a cute notebook with thoughts for how to live more freely and pages to colour. This little book is designed to be a creative guide to living life less dependent on things digital. I like finding different ways to use books. I’ve starting using mine for a ‘proven wrong (& refreshingly right)’ notebook. In it I’ve noted events where untrue thoughts and feelings I’ve had were proven wrong. Perhaps I’ve discovered I haven’t offended someone I was sure I had, or that I did cope with a challenge I’d doubted myself to manage. I noted down the faulty assumption I began with and the corrected assumption I can take moving forward. The book can be found in most Typo stores, $9 each.

A elderly friend told me this week how she delights in small hand-pickings from a garden even more than store bought bouquets of flowers. I have also found increasing joy in small blooms. These daphne sprigs are from a semi-shaded part of my garden that have grown fast. Little flower cuttings make lovely offerings to give neighbours and friends. I’ve collected some tiny vases, mostly from second hand stores to house a sprig of this or that around the house. I feel like an old soul writing about such things, but maybe it takes many years to discover the joy of things petite.

I’ve enjoyed collecting up these things and plan to do it again. Please feel free to comment with small pleasures you are grateful for at this time.

Thanks for connecting with me on here!

Bronnie