Slowing Down

I may have mentioned this before -- but I have been less busy in the past few months than I have been in the past several years.  With a wedding, craft fair and holidays over, and working only one job I find myself with an ample amount of free time.  This free time is easily filled with projects, but mostly projects that I am doing for myself (a quilt, a photo album) and activities that I am trying to do regularly (yoga, studying spanish).  Shedding the heavy coat of constant busy-ness is delightful and opens up so many possibilities.

When I was in college, and sometimes since then, it seemed like busy was the only way to be.  Partly to keep up with school work and stay on top of projects, but partly because everyone else seemed to be busy, overworked and over tired.  These days, I often encounter this seemingly unavoidable packed schedule, but I've realized that having unscheduled time, getting more sleep, and being able to enjoy life without rushing from one place to the next is truly worthwhile.

I was heartened to see that Good Magazine just published its "Slow Issue."  I picked up a copy and, though I haven't finished reading it yet, it features articles about slow money, movements to prevent urban sprawl, and of course, slow food.  Along with suggestions for slowing down your own life, there is a section on how to make some things that you might otherwise buy (like a toaster!) and an article about heirloom design.  These last topics really appealed to me -- of course I prefer to make things myself when I can and I really like the idea of creating or purchasing things that will last for, perhaps, generations.

In honor of all this slowing down and the way that winter sometimes forces me inside where I love to spend time in my cozy kitchen, I will be posting a "slow" recipe every week.  It might not actually take much time to make, but I want to celebrate and share the ways to make food that many people might think can only come from a package in the grocery store.  I'm sorry I don't have a recipe to share today, but instead, take some time to slow down!