Kilmartin Glen is an inspiring and soothing place to me.
In some magazines you can read about famous people’s “perfect weekend,” and I always love to see what they get up to. I love to see that for most of them, it is the quiet, understated, ordinary weekends which are preferred. Today I am happy to share about my way of enjoying soothing and refreshing weekends. My favourites are the simple ones where there is no agenda. I am totally in love with the mundane and the ordinary, and I usually prefer having lots of time to slow down and keep everything manageable.
Seed collecting: a beautiful way to honour the season
Spending Time Outside
Noticing small changes: this tiny garden mushroom took me by surprise!
If at all possible I want to spend some time in fresh air, smelling the breeze and noticing changes in the garden, the trees, the atmosphere. Embracing the seasons is something I love to do year-round. Being outside is not always possible but I find ways to stay connected. As I write this, the rain is battering the windows, the wind is howling—it is so soothing to me and I am in bed enjoying the quiet atmosphere of the house and the sounds of the storm.
Taking Photos
Taking the time to slow down is way more productive than we might assume.
With my love of spending time in fresh air and noticing changes around me, one thing I really love to do is taking portraits of flowers, trees and animals. This is such a great way to spend quality time with myself and nature. I never need to go very far, I am so lucky to live amongst a profusion of flowers, very friendly trees and endearing animals.
Sea Breeze
Shadow portrait love!
If I am lucky, there is the possibility of visiting my local beach. I love that place; it really clears the cobwebs! The sea breeze always makes me feel better and I love how inviting and interactive the shoreline is, at once peaceful, refreshing, soothing and stimulating.
Nutritious Food
The infamous Scottish sligs left some greens for us…
The weekend is a good time to try out new recipes. I love building my meals around lots of different vegetables that bring colours and nutritious goodness. Taking the time to lovingly and slowly prepare my food is very meaningful to me. I love enjoying home-grown food and keeping things very simple, cooking and eating at my own pace.
Plant Love
Plants enjoy tender love and care as much as we do.
Soothing and refreshing weekends often include some plant love. During the week I love to look at my plants and just be with them in all the rooms, but at the weekend they have their drinks and fertilisers, I remove the dead leaves and check if everyone is doing ok. It is a very lovely interaction for me which never fails to ground me and cheer me up.
Long Bath
Simple self-care… a top priority for me.
I love adding Epsom salts and lavendin essential oil to my baths. It eases pain and fatigue and helps me to fully relax for the rest of the day.
Snuggling Under a Blanket
Enjoying a lovely, quiet and inspiring time.
Yes, even on the hottest day of the year, you are almost certain to find me in bed with not one, but two hot water bottles and a blanket or two. This is the way I recharge and soak up some rest. If I am able to read, I will enjoy some inspiring magazines and books, most of the time about crafts, interior design, plants, gardens, history and cooking.
Tiny Tidy
A tidy painting space makes everything easier.
Before Monday comes rolling in, I try to make my tiny art studio welcoming and tidy so that picking up my brushes and colours is a tempting invitation, a happy space for me to ease into the week and enjoy more quality time alone.
Enjoying Soothing and Refreshing Weekends
Little treasures, such a joy to see them grow.
During weekends I always feel refreshed and soothed by a slow pace and a deliberately low level of purpose. To me, soothing and refreshing weekends are those where nothing much happens, where there is time to recharge the batteries, to take stock and to slowly ease into the rhythm of the new week to come.