Happy new year! I’m long past the requisite greetings and annual well-wishing. But that’s okay with me. This year I’ve decided to be happy. To let go. To not get hung up about the little things that will always go wrong just to annoy you. Sometimes, life happens. Actually, that’s most of the time. If I spend time worrying about things not being perfect or just as I had hoped, then I’ll miss what is happening now and what’s about to happen next.
I’ve been enjoying hanging out with Walter, our new(ish) pup. Dogs live in the moment. Being with him makes me appreciate the moment more and worry less. I’ve decided this will be the year of being happy, of being present, of appreciating the good things and what is going right. Of less complaining and more thanking.
Too many conversations, thoughts and blog posts start out with a complaint: I should’ve, I could’ve, this happened, I’m sorry… you get the idea. This year I want to try to avoid that. What if, instead of thinking a negative thought or thinking about what transpired against you, you think about the positive? Think about why you’re fortunate. Remember what good things happened that day (even when it seems like you were swimming upstream and nothing went as planned). And if you do this on a regular enough basis, more good things will happen. Or at least, I think they should.
It’s like the idea that if you smile, it makes you happier. If you keep thinking about the good things and talking about them, the logical conclusion is that more good things will happen.
So instead of apologizing for my long absence, just know that I’ve been having fun. Of course, I do still want to share the excitement of life with you! But perhaps this year it will be in an unregulated and more haphazard manner. I hope you’ll still stick with me, because when I do check in, I hope to share impromptu wonderful things – like this side salad I whipped up to accompany dinner. Even in the dead of winter, you need a vegetable with your meal! This has been the mantra in my house ever since I was a little girl. My dad couldn’t eat a meal without a vegetable, salad, something, anything green. I’m glad I learned that from him.
Simple Dilly Cucumber Salad
serves 2
1/2 hothouse or english cucumber, quartered and sliced
2 handfuls cherry tomatoes, halved
3 generous sprigs fresh dill
1 -2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
1. Cut cucumbers and tomatoes
2. Chop fresh dill
3. Combine vegetables, dill, oil and seasonings in a bowl. Stir well.
4. Enjoy!
See, now wasn’t that easy?
NB: This pairs nicely with a crusty bread and soup. At least, that’s how we enjoyed it.
Thanks to Enterprise Farm, our CSA, for supplying such wonderfully fresh produce even in the freezing days of January!