JOYFUL GRATITUDE #176
The days are blending into each other. It’s day 41 of confinement for me. Every morning when I sit down to write my Morning Pages I note down how many days its been, otherwise I would have no clue, time seems very elastic. 41 days is actually not much in the grand scheme of things but I had a bit of a melt-down last week, a combination of hormones, stress, sadness and probably remaining too isolated.
So I am super grateful to my friend Nina for inviting me this week to visit the grape vines that she and her husband rent in Amsterdam Noord, part of a communal project bearing the lovely name No Chateau. We went on a Wednesday afternoon so there were very few people around and we had the vineyard to ourselves. Keeping the security distance, we chatted as they pruned and tied the first vine branches to the wires and I had the pleasure of weeding. I knew very little about wine-making, so it was interesting to see the first stages of growth of a vine and hear about the process of growing grapes and making wine.
Being outdoors in the warm sunshine was such a welcome break from day-to-day confinement. I felt so grounded as I was digging away and hands in the soil, pulling out weeds is a flow activity for me with little space for thinking about much else. I felt like I was connecting to my body again. I came across some worms, smelled the manure of the nearby veggie plots, dug up some purple flowers to plant on my balcony… As I cycled home I felt completely relaxed and that night I fell into a deep, restorative sleep. Another reminder of Nature’s healing power.
Cultivating joy 
That’s so true! I have no idea how many days we’ve been in isolation! All I know it’s until the 5th of May. I’m glad you had a chance to clear your head by visiting the vineyards. We are exploring Sligo surroundings and are delighted to be outside. The sun is shining. The bees are buzzing. Life is good 😊
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Thanks for your message:-) Enjoy exploring the Sligo surroundings, that sounds lovely ❤ The sun has definitely made these tricky times easier and it's lovely to see to bees are back in action! Take good care!
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This sounds like such a restorative experience. So glad you were able to get out and enjoy the sun. Are you doing morning pages from The Artist’s Way? I just started the book last week and completed my first week of morning pages. Looking forward to continuing!
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Hi! Yes, I’m doing Morning Pages from the Artist’s Way. After attending a weekend workshop with Julia Cameron last year, I’ve been doing them for about 14 months, nearly daily and they’ve helped me a lot to process my thoughts, get unstuck and be more daring creatively:-) I hope you enjoy going through the chapters of the book. There is so much inspiration in those pages<3
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A vineyard in Amsterdam Noord, that’s quite mind-boggling! I can imagine how getting your hands into the earth, and breathing in fresh air made you feel. Nature’s restorative power is fantastic.
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Yes! It’s quite an unexpected place for a vineyard;-) Thanks for dropping by. Where are you based at the moment? Do you have a chance to be outdoors during this confinement period?
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Luckily we left Vietnam at exactly the right moment and are now in Arnhem. There are so many beautiful woods and trees so close by. We walk every day and are really blessed. Stay safe!
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Good timing! I love the region around Arnhem:-) Enjoy your walks in the woods and nature!! Take good care!
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