Back to the Basics
Day jobs, ice cream and a wicked creative practice
ESSAY | Back to the Basics
I complicate things. It’s true, sometimes I make things harder than they need to be. Let me tell you though, I’ve come a loonnnng way and I’m aware of it. As most life lessons, there’s a learning curve and I keep a close eye on it. Every once in a while I simply need to reel it in. It’s a work in progress.
Anyway, I was in the kitchen the other night whipping something up — I’m 3 weeks into eating AIP (autoimmune protocol) so I’ve been in the kitchen cooking a lot. It was very basic. Simple ingredients, simple preparation. I’ve found the only challenge of eating AIP is my busy lifestyle. I really need to be home to cook so I’ve been doing the best I can, getting home for all my meals.
As I was cutting up veggies to make a bowl, I had this feeling of ease flash through my chest. For a brief moment, I felt elated. “Ease.”, I thought, “It doesn’t have to be so hard.” It launched me into this thought train about adding extra steps, extra research, extra feelings, extra ingredients. Here are a few ways I’m adding ease into my day.
Food. It really doesn’t need to be elaborate or overly complex. I tend to really overcomplicate the kitchen. Real, simple ingredients prepared in a basic way. Chopped, roasted, sautéed, warmed. Little bit of sea salt and olive oil. Good to go.
Exercise. For the last year, with inspiration from Alli Macleod, I’ve let a lot of grueling habits go when it comes to exercise and have gained so much… muscle! — see what I did there? Now, I truly just aim to move my body in a way that feels good. Sometimes it’s walking, sometimes it’s weights, sometimes it’s Yoga. All repeating basic movements. If I miss a day or two, no biggie, I trust myself to start again as soon as I can. Ease.
Art. I don’t need to be prolifically creating my best work on my best work day after day. Art can be fun. Art can experiment. Art can play. There is no box and no expectation. It can be, dare I say, easy? It really is just showing up and seeing what comes out, even if it’s only 5 minutes.
Is there any place in your life that you could invite more ease? Anywhere you need to go back to the basics? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
ART | Photography, Poetry, Collage, Music, Documentaries & more
I didn’t realize I was behind on one of my favorite podcasts, New Visionary Podcast with Victoria J. Fry, so I spent some time this week catching up. As soon as this episode started, I knew I needed to hear it. Maybe you do, too.
This year I went back to work. I had the privilege of staying home with my two boys when they were babies and as soon as my youngest went to kindergarten, I got a job as a paraprofessional at their school.
It was a big shift. I was nervous about my art practice. Will I be swallowed whole by the demands of life, never to make art again?
The opposite has been true! (Phew!) I’ve loved having a day job — being out in the world and connecting in the classroom. I’ve also never been so focused with my time. With less of it, I’ve had to be really strategic of what I do and when.
My little family always makes sure I get time to create (they know I’m better when I do) and I’m grateful for that.
If you listen, let me know if it resonates with you!
LIFESTYLE | Kitchen, Home, DIY & more
Ice cream is… my thing. It’s always been my thing. I love it in every way shape and form. It doesn’t always agree with me and I wondered how I was going to make it work while I’m on my health journey.
When I got an email from Martha Saunders of Aloha Healthy Eats sharing this “Nice Cream” recipe, I knew I had to at least try it. OMG!
I’ve been making it with my boys at least twice a week (we had it tonight!) and as the weather keeps warming up I can’t think of a better treat. Seconds, anyone?
With Martha’s permission, I’m sharing her recipe with you — thanks Martha!
Pipeline Nice Cream
1 can of full fat coconut milk
2 frozen bananas
3 cups of frozen berries (we love Wyman’s Mango Berry)
Blend and serve (or freeze)
MANA STUDIO | Updates From My Studio
It was another week of a wicked creative practice. I cut. I arranged. I pasted. I COLLAGED! I also busted out my watercolors and spent a lot of time drawing.
As you know, I’ve been getting back into my sketchbook slowly and it’s filling up. First with pencil, then some markers and paint pens. Before this last week, I hadn’t been able to collage since the first few days of Februllage. I want to say that I don’t know why, but I do know why. I was totally and completely burnt out. Burnt to a crispy.
I’m so glad that my creative practice ember never stopped burning. Right now I’m blowing on it a little bit each week and it’s been very exciting to watch it grow.
Nice cream, sketch of a weekend walk view, sketching with my oldest on a mine lookout, We Need Your Art by Amie McNee, COLLAGED over some sketches that didn’t turn out, Mother’s Day, Nate Bargatze’s kick off show in Duluth, MN, more sketching and more sketches!
Thank you for reading Norden Morning. This publication is created without artificial anything - it’s me, an artist/mother in my late 30s living life and sharing about it from my favorite little corner of the couch.
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That Mother’s Day card is absolutely the BEST ❤️❤️
Love this and love you 😘