Catching Up!

I didn't intend on not blogging for almost 2 weeks but you know, things happen. And in my case a bunch of things have happened. So let's catch up a bit. Damir left on the 9th (booooooooo, lame) and is currently at a very snowy high altitude training camp somewhere in the mountains of France. Since he left I've been doing my best to keep busy and distracted by studying and preparing for my physics class to start next month, working our garden - we really put a lot of effort in this year so I want to make sure I keep things growing and thriving, riding horses with my mom, paddle boarding on sunny weekends, watching documentaries, swimming on a masters team every morning, and hanging with my family. I'll say this: my plan to be so busy that I don't have time to miss Damir isn't really working. I still miss him like crazy. 2.5 months left...

Here are a few more updates!

We spent Mother's day exploring Point Reyes a bit. I fell even more in love with the California countryside. We ate at the Pinecone Diner and drove around. We hung out by the water and went to a small winery. It was pretty great.

I've been trying to train my body the last few months to wake up at 5am so that by the time med school and residency come around, I won't feel too sleep deprived. That and I just feel better starting the day early. Luckily, I joined a master's swim team and practice runs from 5:45 to 7:00 am every day and I love being back on a team with a coach. It's an element that's been missing in my life ever since I quit crew. But anyways - these wild early morning views that I've been able to witness are completely worth the trouble of waking up before the sun!!

We celebrated my mom's birthday by going to The Slanted Door (my first time!) in the Ferry Building. I have three words for you: Lychee Cotton Candy. This is my new favorite restaurant, I think. I also took my mom up to Petaluma to watch some cutting horses do their thing, I got her a giant box of gardenias, and I made her Ina's coconut cake (make this right away.)

BUT the most exciting development in my life is the addition of 4 new little cheeping sweethearts. That's right! I told you I was going to get chickens and I did it. I'm currently raising 4 biddies (2 cuckoo marans, 1 black star and 1 light brahma) in my living room. They're hilarious and awesome and it's weird to see how fast they grow and develop. We're getting 2 more chicks this week - 1 Americauna and 1 Welsummer - and I'm a little nervous to add them to the flock. I probably won't leave the house all weekend to keep an eye on them. Raising chicks is definitely a responsibility and I wish Damir was here to a.) help and b.) laugh with me at their antics, but it's one of the coolest things I've done in a long time. They've got a great coop and we're building a very large protected run for them to run around and play in without any risk of getting scooped up by a hawk or attacked by a neighborhood fox. Their names are Edith Piaf, Francesca (the blonde one in the photos), Colette, and Kiki de Montparnasse. The 2 new ones are tentatively named Justine and Kate Middleton (yeah, I'm naming my chicken after my idol). I'll be posting a LOT more about this adventure, obviously, and I'm excited to be able to share it with you and keep a record of it here.

A few other things:

*Happy belated birthdays to my sister-in-law, Diana, my mother, and my mother-in-law, Fazila! Lots of wonderful women to celebrate this month and I love you all so much!

*I'm all about the gardening this month on Houzz. Check out my picks! http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/users/camillaleila

*Did you watch Discovery Channel's new show, North America? I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!! Prairie dogs are my new favorite animal.

*A lot of my friends became mothers this past year or so and I just want to wish a belated Happy Mother's day to you all! I love seeing you grow and evolve and your babies are simply perfection. Write down all your advice for me - I'll come for it in a few years. 

Almost can't handle how excited I am for this!!!

Ok I couldn't help but share one of the promos for a new Discovery Channel show. I live for shit like this! I seriously can't wait for the premiere. I just love people who put the time and effort into projects like this and allow me to appreciate the awesome natural world. And that this show focuses on North America? I am so fired up.

Doesn't it give you goosebumps?!?!

Kiss the world. Do it.

One regret, dear world, 
That I am determined not to have 
When I am lying on my deathbed 
Is that 
I did not kiss you enough.
— Hafez

A few years ago I had just graduated from college, gained some weight, I was lost and confused and insecure. I remember thinking that I would rather stay in bed all day than face anyone or anything — it would be easier to feel sad alone than to feel sad around others. It was a dark, dismal time that I'm unbelievably grateful to be out of. It took time, patience, generosity with myself, and most importantly, real, focused effort. Once  I committed to breathing in and appreciating more of this precious time we have on this earth, I felt my senses engage in a way they never had before. It was a shocking awakening for me — that we're in control of our own experience here, for the most part. Life has its stresses and yes, they are certain to hit you hard once in a while, but that is a given. A necessary way to balance life. I've learned that in my own journey, it's my day to day habits and reactions and experiences that really determine how happy and confident I am. I thought maybe I would share some of my tricks that I've developed over the past few years to keep things feeling positive. And I mean, it doesn't hurt to have these things written down should I need them again in the future. That said, here are some of the ways that I like to "kiss the world".

  1. Create rituals that make you smile each time you perform them. For me the simple act of boiling water for tea and pouring it over a bag into my favorite mug is enough to make me smile and breathe easier. Lately I've adopted a few new rituals: wake up, make coffee or tea, water plants, prepare a pitcher of lemon water for the day to keep me hydrated and healthy. While there's nothing remarkable about it and it only takes 10 minutes or so, this simple morning routine keeps me calm and sets each day up the right way for me. My mood is instantly uplifted when I begin this way.
  2. Rise early with the sun. I've been attempting to train myself for a while now to wake up before the sun so I can begin my day earlier. That and, I figure, when I'm in medical school and residency, I'll have to learn to function off of very little sleep. After months of begrudgingly waking to an alarm and groggily starting the day, I now pop out of bed before the sun, excited to start my morning routine.
  3. Grow something. Whether you have room for a full fledged vegetable or flower garden or can only grow a few potted herbs on your windowsill, the act of caring for plants and watching them grow is one of the things that brings me the most joy in the world. Don't underestimate the power of a simple houseplant.
  4. Eat good food. I mean really good quality food. It doesn't have to be expensive - even though I maintain that good food is one of the few things really worth spending money on. Think about it: our entire life, everything that we do each day, is fueled by what we put into our bodies. Why on earth would we ever cut corners? Clothes, I mean ok, find bargains, but not on food. But that's just my opinion. Still, along with fueling our body, good food allows us to experience pleasure several times a day. Sex and eating: two of life essentials that also happen to be completely pleasurable. So let yourself feel that pleasure! Eat something delicious and nutritious. Cook a big, colorful dinner from scratch and reward yourself with some delicious, rich dark chocolate after. And don't feel guilty about it!
  5. Keep your mind sharp and evolving. I regularly watch documentaries to keep me engaged in and aware of the world around me. I get goosebumps from some of these films. In the mornings, while I get ready or eat breakfast, I play a TEDtalk on Netflix, which inspires and invigorates me, rather than listening to the depressing news (I figure if something major happens, I'll find out from social media). Along with learning, set aside time to reflect and think. I find that I need to find compartments for all of my crazy thoughts sometimes and I do that during quiet time dedicated to thinking.
  6. Feel your body move. I don't like the gym. I never have. Okay, sometimes I like lifting weights, but that's only if I'm in a badass mood. I do, however, love to feel my body move and I like to have fun while I do it. Walking and hiking are simple and remarkably fulfilling and you can get some gorgeous views out of it. Playing ping pong and tennis keep me smiling for hours and you can do it with a buddy. Paddle boarding, which I've learned as of late, is a great way to have quiet thinking time while keeping active. Surf, garden, swim, run, dance, whatever. Just make sure that you feel and appreciate the way your body moves and functions. 
  7. Have adventures... lots of them. I've always been the kind of person who is overly concerned with the dangers or pitfalls of a situation. Don't swim in the ocean because there are sharks and they will kill you. Don't hike too early or too late in the day because of mountain lions. Don't drive above the speed limit because you'll get pulled over. Don't get chickens because they will peck you. Don't get a dog because it's too much work. The list goes on and on. But I'm in the process of working on saying yes more. I think this comes more easily when you have more confidence in yourself and what you're capable of, so this is definitely a work in progress. Still, allow yourself the opportunity to feel alive... really alive. Stop questioning everything. Assess the situation, then go for it. Get your blood pumping and your heartbeat racing just a little bit by trying new and exciting things in your life. Sure there are dangers and pitfalls associated with just about anything fun, but then again, the act of trying new things and experiencing what life has to offer might actually be the thing that saves your life.

Picture: sweet clippings from around our garden and my parents' garden. Mint (which joined the lemons in my pitcher of water this morning), jasmine (currently making our bathroom smell divine), cecile brunner roses and jasmine (in a pretty little arrangement in our bedroom along with mint and jasmine), nasturtiums (which we enjoyed in our green salad last night - so good), and oregano (made an appearance in a baked dover sole dish last night). 

Fresh Eggs

We're still in the process of planning our chicken coop and preparing for this new adventure. But yesterday, our friend and backyard chicken raiser, Natalie, gave us a dozen eggs from her ladies to get us even more excited.

Not only are the eggs completely gorgeous (which is reason enough to have backyard chickens), but the taste is just incomparable to the store bought kind. They are creamy and rich and satisfying. I was kind of blown away. I never realized how much I actually like eggs until yesterday when we fried up a couple after Damir's practice. If I wasn't entirely certain about raising hens before, I am now.

So excited. Can't handle it. I've literally only talked about chickens for a week now.