Feeling Icky Today

Image by Me

Yesterday was a quiet day for me. I almost never get sick, and I have been fighting some ick for a few days. I decided that staying warm and quiet would do the trick. I baked a few things, which is always a comforting thing. I love the smell of baked goods in the house, and sitting with tea and freshly made pumpkin bread is soothing.

I found myself making a list of things in my head, areas in my life this week where things are not going smoothly. I counted over 5 facets of my life which are presenting problems this week. Most of these things are temporary, and I know that they will shift and move into better things. I have the foresight to see that. My opportunity is to try and see these things as calling cards of puzzle pieces which are not snapping together into the Big Picture well. I remain calm, and move the pieces around until things work better.

This sort of stress does tend to make me very introverted, though, seeking refuge in my quiet alone time and needing plenty of it. In order to keep my Inner House happy and clear I need the time to reflect and rest and be free of external influences. I long for a cabin in the woods.

What do you do when you get stressed out?

How about some cool things, eh?

Your Daily Dose of Cool Things:

Right Brain Terrain:Alternative Motivational Posters

Bubblegum Sequencer

Your Daily Dose of Wonderful Design:

Qbic Hotels

Your Daily Dose of Inspiring Words:

Endorphins (click here for an interesting article)

“Your health is bound to be affected, if day after day you say the opposite of what you feel, if you grovel before what you dislike and rejoice at what brings you nothing but misfortune. Our nervous system isn’t just a fiction, it’s part of our physical body, and our soul exists in space and is inside us, like the teeth in our mouth. It can’t be forever violated with impunity.” [Boris Pasternak]

Your Daily Dose of Wicked Good Food:

I am cheating today in giving you a recipe not original to Keen Things. Most of the recipes I give you are my own, unless otherwise noted. I did make this yesterday and it is yummy. I got this from Simply Recipes

Pumpkin Bread:

1 1/2 cups (210g) flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup (200 g) sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (1/4 L) pumpkin purée*
1/2 cup (1 dL) olive oil
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup (1 dL) chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Sift together the flour, salt, sugar, and baking soda.

2 Mix the pumpkin, oil, eggs, 1/4 cup of water, and spices together, then combine with the dry ingredients, but do not mix too thoroughly. Stir in the nuts.

3 Pour into a well-buttered 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Bake 50-60 minutes until a thin skewer poked in the very center of the loaf comes out clean. Turn out of the pan and let cool on a rack.

Makes one loaf. Can easily double the recipe.

Recipe adapted from the Fannie Farmer Cookbook.