[2022-12-10] Saturday Synopsis #21
Photo and story of the week: Fox
I took this week's photo at the end of my street, in the heart of suburban Kanata. As my daughter and I walked down Lombardo Drive, we spotted the fox on the other side of the road. He was still but alert—watching a dog on our side of the street. The dog was quiet, though curious—held tightly by his owner. We formed a triangle: Melanie and I just up the street from the man and his dog, the fox opposite us. The man realized that the fox wasn't likely to move until he did, so he continued up the street past us. Once the fox was confident that his path to safety was assured, he stood up and loped down the street. Melanie and I watched him go. The man later told us that the foxes used to live in Hazeldean Woods but had been chased out by the coyotes.
Video of the week: Little girl with furry friends
In keeping with the theme of animals, I share this adorable video of a little girl and her furry friends: a cat and a dog. They nap together, play together, and watch cartoons together.
Recipe of the week: Lentil salad with almonds and goat cheese
Among the dishes my daughter requested for her birthday this week was Lentil Salad with Almonds and Goat Cheese. This recipe creates an exquisite salad that is greater than the sum of its parts. The lentils create a perfect base for the dish; the green onions and parsley add freshness; the dressing provides zip; the almonds bring a satisfying crunch; and the goat cheese pulls everything together with its creamy texture and tangy flavour. The salad keeps well in the refrigerator for a few days and is delicious on its own or served with a few pita crackers.
Quotes of the week: Less reacting, more pausing
Three quotes came my way this week, all suggestive of the kind of serene life I want to live.
I feel like I should want more, but I don't. I want less. Less stuff. Less rushing. Less stress. Less noise. Less unnecessary baggage. I want simplicity and I don't know where to find that in this busy world. ~Brooke Hampton
Becoming less reactive is a huge part of growth and decreasing stress. If you let everything get you worked up, you're damaging your mind, body, and spirit. ~@_slimarela_ via Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life
Practice the pause. Pause before judging. Pause before assuming. Pause whenever you're about to react harshly, and you'll avoid doing and saying things you will later regret. ~Lori Deschene
In relation to the first quote, I do think it's possible to find simplicity in this busy world. Not necessarily every day, but many days. We can find it when we slow down, eat simple food, have a cup of tea, go for a walk, pet a dog, express gratitude, let someone merge in front of us, compliment a stranger, thank a service provider, do a puzzle, celebrate little victories, write a letter, read a book, and love ourselves.
Song and video of the week: Gratitude
This week's song is Gratitude by Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors. Released on November 18, 2022, the song showed up yesterday in my Release Radar, a collection of songs that Spotify curates for me each week. In an interview with The Bluegrass Situation, Holcomb explains the inspiration for the song:
I wrote this song a few days before Thanksgiving last year with my friend Ketch Secor. We were talking about all that was wrong with the world, the troubles everyone is facing, the political division, the unrest, all the post-pandemic blues, and yet in the midst of it, how much there is to be grateful for. I remember asking my grandfather many years ago near the end of his life, what was the best gift he had been given. Without hesitating, he said, ‘Well, life itself.’ That has stuck with me for all these years, despite the troubles and sorrows we all face, we have breath in our lungs, old memories to reflect on and new memories to make, people that we love and people that have loved us, smells and sounds that bring us peace, old friends, changing seasons, and so many other things to give us light in times of darkness. Seeing life through this lens is sometimes an act of courage, and one we needed to remind ourselves of on that day when we wrote this song.
The official lyric video for Gratitude is beautifully animated—definitely worth a listen and a view.
