Eating plants, making art, and a bit of life lately.

Hello blog friends. How are you? I hope you've stayed healthy and hopeful this week. I can't remember now why I didn't feel like blogging last week, but I just didn't.  I'm happy to be here today though! I don't think I picked my Nikon camera up all week, but I did get another roll of film mailed off.  We shall see the results. 

Anyway, let's jump right in. I've tried to have a daily habit or goal of drawing on the iPad but I really don't do well with achieving it. Instead, I'm finding that I'd rather sit down to draw on Procreate a few times a week and get all my creative energy out at once.  This is a look at some fun I've been having lately. 

My little growing collection.  Have you drawn on Procreate before?

I still have gobs and gobs to learn but I'm content to learn a little bit at a time. 

A couple weekends ago we went to one of my favorite places in the world, the Buffalo River.  The ground was packed with snow and ice and it was magical.  I took a lot more photos than this but am having trouble getting them loaded on the blog.  So these will do for now.  Doesn't this ice look cool? 

My adventurers! 

I love this place. This is the low water bridge at Ponca. I'm looking forward to warmer weather when we can swim!

Water sparkles always cheer me right up. 

We saw this baby elk just hanging out by itself. 

Beautiful sky captured through the dining room window.

Truth.

Beautiful! 

I got back to salads this week! I ate one every single day for lunch with a very vinegary dressing and two magic cookies (by the Plant over Processed lady on IG and FB) a day. Plus, around 100 ounces of water a day.

The girls made their own valentines and they were a huge success! So I guess there was an advantage to the stores being out. :) 

I made a citrus, turmeric, and ginger smoothie last week but it upset my stomach. Hmm...back to my blueberry, pineapple, and banana instead.

Probably the picture that sums up February the best.  Making valentines and an ongoing puzzle.

Red for Valentine's day. I'm still polishing my own nails once a week and it is one of my greatest joys in life. I prefer Essie or O.P.I. in combination with Dazzle Dry, although I'm sure the process would work just as well with a store brand. I do two base coats, two of color, and one top coat.  I do this while I read or blog or watch something.  The polish stays on easily, for an entire week or more! I'm struggling with my hands looking and feeling so dry though, with all the hand washing and sanitizer. 

Ok, I was totally sucked in on this brush hair dryer but oh my word! WOW! I LOVE this thing! I saw it on Shutterbean's blog and when I clicked over to Amazon it was like 60% off so I just went for it.  It is so time consuming to blow dry my hair, no matter what I'm using to dry it with.  But this makes it so much easier and faster.  I just blow dry two or three times a week by the way. I cannot imagine doing this every day!

No affiliate links ever here...but this is the blowdryer brush.

Valentine treats!

Another beautiful view from the window. I am loving the fact that it's staying lighter longer! I think I even heard the frogs return on the pond this week.

This is what dreams are made of! 

Another night, more plants. I ate this with hummus and jalapeños on top.

:) Still looking for those hearts! It's the small things, remember?

YUM.  I roasted these tonight and ate them with salsa, avocado, and roasted pumpkin seeds on top. It was so good! 

Now let me be honest about my health. Since Christmas I'd slowly started to eat sweets every now and then, dairy and gluten, and more processed stuff. Nothing major, but definitely not as plant focused as I had been and overall just not being as mindful.  I didn't think much of it and figured I could let up a little on how I'd been eating.  Turns out, it's just not the case.  I won't go into great detail here, but last week I really had some health consequences that were pretty frustrating and felt like a setback compared to the past 10 months or so.  The endometriosis flared up big time, sadly. So I got back to the formula and mindfulness I know works best. 

 For me that means wake up and have: hot lemon water, a cup of coffee, a smoothie with collagen for breakfast, 32 ounces of water, a salad and magic cookies (which are healthy) for lunch, another 32 ounces of water, a snack and coffee, another 32 ounces of water and dinner. Then a La Croix, Topo Chico, or hot tea before bed or sometimes for a treat, a sparkling grapefruit juice. 

I'm ending the week with way different (good) energy than I started. I am noticing the positive results in how I'm feeling already! Let's be honest though, the mindfulness thing was so hard for me when I had Covid and sinus stuff that lasted at least 3 weeks.   I think you can probably relate too.

Loving that morning smoothie! Brett and I started making these back in June for breakfast and haven't let up since. I truly feel great (and full) drinking these for breakfast.  We put oat milk, collagen, cinnamon, blueberries, pineapple, bananas, and ice in these.

Now for some outfits. I'm in a major jeans rut meaning I throw on a favorite pair of jeans and add a top I like and call it done.  I'm so looking forward to warmer temperatures so I can wear dresses and mix my outfits up a bit.  

This shirt from T. J. Maxx is so incredibly soft and comfortable. 

:) One of my students wanted to take my picture. Also, I wear this bright yellow/green tank top SO much! It is from Wal-Mart last year and I'm really crossing my fingers they will have similar ones this year so I can purchase more. 

Told ya they never get old! I don't know what it is about black and white polka dots but they make me happy. :) I'm also looking forward to wearing shoes other than my Docs again! I truly do love them but wear them at least 5 days a week right now. They're just so comfy and go with everything. 

Today. 

That's about all I'm up to over here. Making my health a priority, tending the needs of my family, being library lady at two schools, so enjoying the sun being out longer, and dreaming up what spring will be like. 

Also....carrying some hard and sad things too, as everyone is. I don't feel like blogging about it but I know you're thinking of things that feel this way for you too.  So from my side of the screen, I'm sending you hugs and grace, prayers and hope and light.  

How are you, really? Any blogs or books I should read? Movies or tv to watch?