While I don’t relish beginning the 2025 newsletter with words about disaster, I would be remiss if I didn’t address the catastrophe that will require much healing, care, and support for thousands of displaced persons and animals in Los Angeles. Please consider making a donation to World Central Kitchen, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary (LA), or Project Hope. If you like music, on January 30th the FireAid concert will be held in Inglewood, CA with an astounding lineup including Billie Eilish and Finneas, Lady Gaga, Stevie Nicks, Joni Mitchell, Dave Matthews, and more. It will be streamed on multiple platforms with proceeds going toward short- and long-term assistance for communities destroyed by the fire. If you cannot donate, light a candle, say a prayer, hold space.
Living Well in the Seasons
In 2024, I wrote extensively about living well in concert with the seasons marked by solstices, equinoxes, and cross quarter holidays on the Celtic Wheel of life. It was such good practice for me to recall these eight special days through the written word, my reflections nudging me to reclaim ancestral roots and to honor earth’s many colors and expressions within each season. The winter holidays have now come and gone, and as is my practice, I find myself in the annual winter writer’s retreat and dreaming into the future. What themes, challenges, and celebrations will come forth this year? One of my dreams is to continue bringing Further Shore news in an uplifting and educational way. This year’s news will continue to offer reminders about how to live well within each season. Additionally, the news will include Soup and Service!
Early Spring Notes
February 1st (Imbolc), and Groundhog’s Day are rapidly approaching so, it’s time to plant the early seedlings for this new year. Grab your journal and your favorite hot cuppa to reflect on these late winter/early spring prompts.
- The days between Imbolc and the vernal equinox are still shorter than some of us would like. In colder regions, it may be difficult to get outside for exercise or enjoying leisure time in nature. Winter’s seasonal blues can linger, especially after the holiday hoopla has settled down. Are you getting enough Vitamin D and/or sunshine, exercise, and time with nature? If not, what might help to uplift your spirits?
- Contemplating a garden this year? If so, now is the time to plant seedlings to nurture indoors until it’s time to plant outside. Choose marigolds, snowdrops, nasturtiums, or other flowers, peppers, radishes, chives, rosemary, or other edibles. Gardening is both grounding and stress reducing! If gardening isn’t possible, caring for houseplants can produce feelings of calmness and well-being.
- Ontological seedlings include our ideas, dreams, goals, aspirations, visions, and wishes. What are some of yours for this year? What are you curious about? What do you want to learn? What places do you plan to explore? Are there unmet emotional needs requiring your attention? Is there someone you feel guided to reach out to, just to connect or check in?
The Seasonal Soup Kitchen
Why soup? Great question! This year one of my goals is to celebrate Wayne’s legacy. It has been twenty years since his passing, yet he lives on, larger than life, in my heart. Thinking about a way to honor him, one thing stood out – he loved food! He loved to create menus, shop for, cook, and eat delicious vegan food. Sharing a hearty bowl of soup, a crusty loaf of bread, and good conversation was Wayne’s way to make a snow day into a celebration. He believed that vegan food (and soup especially) is a delicious way to feed the body and soul. Making and sharing soup with others is an act of kindness, and while I can’t make soup for you all, I can share soup recipes from the Food Doctor and Friends cookbook. I have selected one soup for each season. The first one, for Imbolc, is Mung Bean Soup. I chose this one because it is full of aromatic, healing spices with immune supportive anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities that are much needed during the blustery days and chilly nights in February and March. Enjoy!
- 1½ cup mung beans
- 7½ cups water
- 3 T. honey
- 2½ T. lemon juice
- 1 T. Ginger
- 3 T. oil
- ½ tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. turmeric
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- 2 tsp. coriander
- 2 potatoes
- 2 carrots
- 2 yellow bell peppers
Place beans in a glass bowl, cover with water and soak overnight. When ready to make soup, discard water and rinse the beans. In a large kettle combine beans and water. Boil then simmer until beans are soft, about 30 minutes. Add potatoes and carrots to the beans. In a skillet heat all spices in oil. Add cubed peppers to oil and spices; sauté for a few minutes. Combine peppers and spices with the beans. Cook until veggies are tender. Add honey and lemon juice. Serve hot! Yield 4-6 servings.
To Serve or Not to Serve?
We all find ourselves in service to others at some point in life. Some more than others. While serving and caring for others comes very naturally to some of us, it is not always easy. Service can be fulfilling and full of grace, or taxing and exhausting. Professional and family caregivers are especially at risk of experiencing compassion fatigue and burnout. This section of the newsletter will invite you to reflect on the many surprising ways you live a life of service (whether you are aware of it or not). Grab your journal or sit down with a friend to talk about these prompts. This season’s topic is Service to the Self!
- Think of your “self” as a care recipient (your child, elderly parent, partner, companion animal, i.e. someone you provide care for). When YOU are the care recipient, can you give yourself the same care, options, grace, kindness, space, and nurturing you give to others? If not, why not?
- How do you meet your deepest needs for companionship, nourishment, and meaningful communication with others? If these needs are not met, how might they be?
- Do you feel guilty if you say “no” to others when trying to take care of yourself? If so, what can you do differently to replace the guilt with care and loving kindness?
- What are some healthy ways to nurture your body, mind, emotions, spirit?
- If you are not in service to yourself, who or what is getting your attention and energy?
Newsletter Sign Up ~ is now available on the website. Sign up for this free Mail Chimp service is open to anyone who wants to receive the Further Shore news via email. The news is generated 8 times a year with a focus on living well according to the seasons, tips for caregivers and more! Your data will not be shared or made public. Thanks for reading!
On the Blog: The Long Covid Series is my personal account of living with LC. Recent entries include: Radical Acceptance, Dysautonomia, and PCR vs. RATS. The ABC’s for Living Well now features “X” is for Xing (Crossing) Parts 1, 2, and 3. Past newsletters are also available on the blog.
Quote for Season: “You think winter will never end, and then, when you don’t expect it, when you have almost forgotten about it, warmth and a different light. ~ Wendell Berry, Poet and Author
May all beings be safe, well, happy, and content as we navigate winter’s retreat and the coming of spring.