Fun

Taking time to center in a frenzied world

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Breath. Fresh air. Green space. Movement. Center. Stretch. Appreciate. Inspire. Exhale. Absorb. Smile. Breathe.

How do you integrate these actions, objects and ideas into your life? Are they essential or forgotten?

Think about the days that you take a bit of time for yourself. Don’t you feel more energized, empowered and productive when you allow yourself time to move and breathe? Whether it’s a 5 minute walk at lunchtime, 10 deep breaths before a big meeting or a mid-day yoga class; I have found that self-care is essential to my effectiveness as a communicator, program director and person.

With the Tour Kick-off approaching, my life usually feels as though it is picking up pace at a practically exponential rate. Sometimes I don’t know how I can fit my entire to-do list into the day – and lots of times I simply can’t finish it all. However, I have noted with interest that as my schedule becomes increasingly more hectic, scheduling a few minutes of ‘Sara time’ becomes more of a priority. I am happier, more productive and have a more clear mind when I take time to center myself through breath, engage in physical activity or spend time near green space.

Some days I’m lucky. For example on Friday I managed to squeeze in a substantial afternoon mountain bike ride – my energy level was at rock-bottom but after spinning for a few hours I felt like it was the start of a brand-new day. Granted, I had to work late to make up for lost time, but I guarantee that the work that I produced in the evening was of much higher quality than if I been forced to drag myself through the afternoon.

Such are the perks of working for ones self, I know. However, self-care doesn’t have to be a full mid-day workout. Actions as simple as standing up, a walk around the block or a quick stretch can help your energy and mind tremendously. I won’t throw a bunch of science at you, but needless to say, research supports my statements. (You can read more about short bouts of physical activity and wellness in this review article.)

I realize that often even a walk outside isn’t possible. Long conference days, toting kids around from activity to activity and life in general get in the way. I would just like to remind you that regardless of your location, you can always take time to breathe.

New goodies

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Two things from Saturday:

1. I finally upgraded to an iPhone – expect more photos and real-time tweets from me.

2. Rogue Valley Farm to School in Ashland, Oregon sent me an awesome t-shirt!

Here, I use my new technology to snap a shot of their great  logo.

Thanks Tracy!!

Crowd favorite – Butternut Squash Risotto

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I don’t have a foodie photo so here is a pic of the Griz and I on our way home from Montana last week. The sunset in eastern Washington was amazing and this photo has not been edited at all. The color saturation was unreal!

I spent a lot of time in the kitchen while in Montana last week. I really enjoyed planning and preparing meals for my good friend recovering from surgery. Though all of our food was delish, the hands-down winner was butternut squash risotto. Here’s the recipe (amounts are estimated) in case anyone feels like expanding their palate!

Butternut Squash Risotto with Spinach and Portobellos

2C arborio rice

1/2 onion, diced

1/2C white wine

8 (or so…)C chicken/veggie stock

A bunch (3/4C maybe?) of parmesan or other hard cheese, shredded

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced

2 portobello mushrooms, stems removed

a few handfuls of spinach

Flat parsley, minced

Salt & pepper to taste

Roast the squash in some olive oil, salt and pepper in 375 oven until beginning to brown. Set aside. Also roast mushrooms until tender. Chop and set aside. Warm broth in small pot. For risotto, heat olive oil in large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add rice, stir and cook for a few minutes. White spots will start to form on the grains. Stir in white wine and cook until evaporated. Start to add broth 1/2C at a time, stirring fairly continuously and not adding more until the prior cup is absorbed. Rice will begin to get creamy. Keep adding broth and stirring (this is important!) until risotto is done and then remove from heat. Stir in desired amount of cheese and stir until melted. Then add spinach and mix until wilted. Finish by stirring in the squash, mushrooms, salt and pepper. Top with a bit more cheese and minced flat parsley.

This a delicious meal to share with a large group. I hope you enjoy!

Update: It turns out that a photo of our risotto was indeed snapped… YUM!