JOYFUL GRATITUDE #208 Recently storm Darcy swept across the Netherlands leaving a layer of snow over the city and immobilising public transport. The first couple of days the clouds hung heavy and the wind was blistering cold, but that didn’t deter anyone from going out. The streets and parks were full of people dressed in … Continue reading Snowy walk
It’s been a busy weekend here getting lots of writing done. So much so that even cleaning the bathroom felt like a welcome break from searching for the right word or coming up with logical plot evolutions. Scrubbing the shower walls and mopping the tiles felt wonderfully simple and grounding. Though having deadlines and self-chosen … Continue reading My snow globe brain
JOYFUL GRATITUDE #212 Lately I’ve found myself on Google maps, zooming in and out, looking for green spaces that are new-to-me. After a year of walks in most of the larger parks in Amsterdam, I’m trying to find new routes and the other day I found a strip of green that I had somehow overlooked … Continue reading Searching for green spaces
JOYFUL GRATITUDE #209 February has done its usual trick of flying by at incredible speed. It’s hard to believe that not so long ago there was all this snow lying on the ground and people skating on the canals. It’s even more mind-blowing that one short week later we were experiencing warm spring temperatures of … Continue reading Spring is on its way
JOYFUL GRATITUDE #173 Last weekend walking with a friend in the Amsterdamse Bos (with 1,5 meter safely between us!) we ended up in the cheery tree garden and found it was in full bloom! It was spectacular, but there were quite a few people around so I didn’t feel comfortable staying too long. However the … Continue reading Cheery blossoms
JOYFUL GRATITUDE #115 January has come and gone, with its short days and a bit of snow sprinkled here and there. It turned out to be a month for getting more grounded, with indoor activities like making mood boards, journaling, reading and writing. It feels like ‘maintenance’ on myself to recharge and set a good … Continue reading Inspiration is everywhere
The first snow has made its appearance in Amsterdam this weekend, and it is the perfect weather for cupping a warm cup of tea with two hands with a good book in my lap. It’s not quite time to review the statistics about all this year’s reading, so for now I’ll just share three recommendations … Continue reading Not-quite-end-of-year book recommendations
Dear Winter, Thank you for your request to prolong your contract. We regret to inform you that, although you have performed remakably, we already have a replacement lined up. For the last months, we were glad to use your cold days as an excuse to bundle up in blankets on the sofa to read for … Continue reading Time to move on
Woke up last Wednesday to find it was snowing! The streets were beautiful and so quiet, with the snow padding every sound. Instead of rushing to work like I normally do, I took my time and walked one stop further to catch the tram in order to have a peaceful moment before my busy day … Continue reading Finding peaceful moments in a busy day
Today in Amsterdam, the weather is a drab grey with a bitter wind that turns cycling into a real battle if you are unfortunate enough to need to pedal against it. So I’ve decided to reminisce about that day during our stay in Rome when decided to get out of the city and go on … Continue reading Hiking up Monte Autore
Cultivating joy 