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Savoring January

January 31, 2017 By Talya Tate Boerner 2 Comments

Savoring January 2017

Did you blink? Today is the last day of January! I’ve done my best throughout Januaryย to savor the moments. You may or may not know I chose SAVOR asย my One Little Word for 2017. And dangnabbitย I plan to do it, even amidย all the chaos surrounding us. The photoย above depicts my visual effort to savor the monthโ€”one picture taken each day in January.

Savorโ€”to taste, smell, relish, delight in. Doing something slowly.

Savoring FLAVOR…

I’ll start with food because that’s the first thing I imagine when I think of savoring something. In January, I cooked at home, a lot. And I came up with severalย new recipes including an easy cauliflower soup I’m pretty excited about. Let me know if you’re interested, and I’ll share the recipe on a later post. Simple and healthy, it has become my go-to sustenanceย for January. ย 

I also savored lotsย of flavor the last few days whileย in Colorado.ย I mean, seriously, have you ever in all your days seen a more vibrant salad? This is the Conscious Kale Salad from Zeal in Boulder. (Kale, roasted beet, pickled carrots & cucumbers, Brazil nuts, sprouted lentils, zeal vinaigrette.) I’m guessingย many of you will turn your nose up at this (because in general, beets are misunderstood), but this colorful saladย tasted wonderful. Afterward, my tongue was red like I’d been guzzling Kool-aid and everyone knows that’s a fun thing.

Conscious Kale Salad

I found a new ice cream flavor that I LOVEโ€” goat cheese byย Pure Joy made locally in Siloam Springs, Arkansas (available at Ozark Natural Foods). This particularย flavor is made with local honey and chรจvre goat cheese from White River Creamery. Tastes like cheesecake and that = pure joy for sure.

Pure Joy Ice Cream

Savoring FRIENDS AND FAMILY…

While I dedicated the month of January toย writing, I still managed to spend time with friends and family. John and I celebrated our eighteenth wedding anniversary! My best friend from home visited one weekend. And like I said, I traveled to Denver to see my son and visit with my friend, Jenny (and her adorable children). Theseย are the most important things, y’allโ€” savoring time spent withย people we know and love and the new friends we make along the way.

(Blurry picture coming your way, oh well.)

savoring in January...

Savoring FUN…

Oh, if I could sweep up all the fun I had in January and sprinkle it around like pixie dust, I would. I readย five books, sawย two movies (La La Land and Founder), and attended A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder at Walton Arts Center. ย And like I said, I traveled to Denver (via Dallas). Tripleย fun for that and several blogs to come.

Denver Museum of Art

Denver Museum of Art


Savoring FOCUS…

I focused on my writing and beganย attending Second Story Writer’s Workshopย taught by Lela Davidson. Yay.

I converted an unused closet into a creative space. This is something I’d been planning to do for months and finally focused enough to do it. You can read more about this project HERE.

During my daily walks with Lucy and Annabelle, I really tried to slow down and not rush our time outside. And we were fortunate to have lots of unseasonably warm afternoons. Perfect weather to watchย for signs of spring.

Savoring January - looking for spring

Savoring NEW FINDS and a bit of FLUFF…

I started my own version ofย bullet journaling which I believe is helping me accomplish more.

I found a line of office productsย from See Jane Work that puts a little oomph in what is typically white toast dull.

No, I don’t normally discuss beauty products on my blog, but finally, after thirty-eightย years, I found a hairspray worth recommendingโ€”Kenra Perfect Medium Spray 13. I can’t stand stiff heavy hold and this magical spray doesn’t feel like hairspray at all.

my favorite hairspray!

So there you have it, a smorgasbord of things I’ve been savoring in January.

Things not so savory…

There’s always an opposite side to every coinโ€”the not so savory things. Like the morning a squirrel took up residence in my kitchen. No bueno! And goodness knows there are unsavory things going on across the country that upset me to no end.

But here we go leaving January behind and heading into February. I’ll keep savoringย what I can, and hope you will too.

Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

P.S. Don’t forget to enter my giveaway going on now until Valentine’s Day. Click HERE and scroll to the bottom to enter.
P.P.S. Check my calendar for upcoming author events!

[tweetthis]How I savored #January @visitdenver @walton_arts #onelittleword #Zeal #winter[/tweetthis]

Musical Pairing:
Sam Cooke, Bring it on Home to Me

Filed Under: Life, Reviews, Simple Pleasures Tagged With: January, One Little Word, Savor, savoring 2017, Winter

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Comments

  1. Martha Orlando says

    February 1, 2017 at 7:20 am

    I love the word you chose for 2017, Talya, and it certainly looks like you are doing everything possible to live it out on a daily basis. Good for you!
    Continue to savor in this month of February!
    Blessings!

    Reply
  2. Dorothy Johnson says

    February 1, 2017 at 11:17 am

    You had a wonderful month in spite of all that stuff you alluded to at the end. I think that’s the challenge, but the point of a good day. To focus on the positive, even when we have to deal with some ugly negatives. Love your picture calendar and so glad you got to visit your boy and your friend in Denver. (I like beets and I’m trying to like kale. It’s a bit strong though.)

    Reply

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Hi! I'm Talya Tate Boerner. Writer, Reader, Arkansas Master Naturalist / Master Gardener, Author of

THE ACCIDENTAL SALVATION OF GRACIE LEE (2016)

GENE, EVERYWHERE: a life-changing visit from my father-in-law (2020)

BERNICE RUNS AWAY (Now Available!)

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