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Thank you all so much for your warm welcome back from the last post, it felt wonderful being back with my community. ❤

“The greatest law is: love yourself first”
― Bangambiki Habyarimana, The Great Pearl of Wisdom

Today’s Valentine’s day — a day the world celebrates love and everyone who celebrates does it in his or her own way. I don’t wait for Valentine’s day — as much as I enjoy it I try to show love to everyone in my tribe every day. And when I say everyone, I mean everyone — including myself. This week found me indulging in things that nourish my soul and having a wonderful time of it.

I spent some time with my favourite redhead … Anne (with an E), second name Shirley and it was an absolute delight to visit Green Gables/Avonlea after so many years.

Anne Shirley

I was also “persuaded” to spend some time reading Persuasion from my favourite author.

Jane Austen

I also spent time doing crafty things I love aka picking out the first lot of fibers for my breed study — a Bond sheep and Corriedale mix I got at a small craft fair in Brooklyn last October. This spin is going to have it’s own post though … by the end of the month, I’ll give you an update. Bond/Corriedale mix

I’ve finally gotten back to feeding myself well and made some homemade vegetarian pizza to start this Valentine Day weekend off right 😀

Homemade vegetarian pizza

Then to top all this love off, I got unexpected gifts from a friend. My West Coast “sister” came to visit and she made me a lace cowl and some granola. I made her a sugar scrub that she absolutely adores; that makes me happy since giving fills me with more love than receiving.

Denise

I’m hoping you all had a wonderful week and your Valentine’s Day is as loving as you need it to be — whether you celebrate solo or with your tribe. Talk to me in the comments, let me know how you’re celebrating your love day. ❤

I’d read about the concept of hygge [pronounced hYOOgah or hooga] a few years ago and thought it interesting. It’s a Danish cultural expression that roughly translates to the English word “cosiness”. Loosely described, it’s embracing of home, friends, family, togetherness really in a “go big or go home” kind of way. But you can also hygge solo. So it’s not so much a thing you do but it’s a way you live and think. Although they really embrace hygee in the winter when people spend so much time indoors, it’s a yearlong cultural practice. With Denmark (despite the long, cold winters) being known as one of the happiest places on earth, I figure the Danes must be on to something with this concept.

With the hustle and bustle of a new job and commute, days becoming shorter, nights longer, plus the cold and barrenness of winter that’s making it’s way to the East coast, I’ve decided to embrace hygge this Fall/Winter. With my family scattered all over the globe and not having my dearest close to me, it’s important for me to do what I can to embrace intentional living and cosiness this Fall/Winter. Kinda like a preemptive strike to beat the winter blues which can come although I love the winter season most. I like the way one author on the subject describes it —

Hygge was never meant to be translated – it was meant to be felt ~ ToveMaren Stakkestad

so embrace and feel I will!

My last knitting F.O has started the ball rolling. I finished the blocking of the Leafy Washcloth and it’s been in use from the day I took it off my blocking board. It’s a small thing, not the largest F.O. I’ve made, but adding it to my decor has already given me and my home some hygge and it’s really been wonderful.