Appreciating and feeling grateful for your home during a pandemic...or any other time!
When I was a little girl, my Mother made hot chocolate for us as a treat or reward, rather than giving us candy. When my children were young, I did the same for them. Now with my grandchildren, I continue the tradition.
This tradition has become more than just a treat or a reward. It has become a symbol of love, comfort, and family togetherness.
Holidays and get together's at my house always have everyone clamoring for hot chocolate, in any season, and I'm more than happy to oblige.
Sometimes, though, I just need to treat myself and feed my soul.
Those are the days that I bring out the special china. Those beautiful old mismatched pieces that I have picked up at an antique booth or a thrift store, and sometimes my Grandmother's china.
It's a warm and glorious summer morning and I wake up with a craving for hot chocolate on the patio, and an hour of mindfulness and gratefulness, appreciating the beauty in my life.
Taking time to look at the little things.
If you're outside, try practicing mindfulness and take time to really notice your surroundings. Appreciate the flowers and the insects who live on them. Look into your pet's eyes and acknowledge the love and devotion he/she gives you. Look at the sky, feel grateful for the beauty of the clouds, or the shape the treetops make against the sky. Look for the little
creatures in your green space, usually taken for granted. It may sound silly, but even something as mundane as a
gardening tool left against the wall takes on a new light if viewed in a different mindset.
Every time I look at an old trenching shovel that
belonged to my father, (that I keep handy for
gardening chores,) I think of watching him dig
holes with it to plant trees when I a child. It brings
back a flood of wonderful memories that help
to elevate my mood and enrich my day.
Try looking at things as an artist would.
If you're inside, appreciate the sunlight streaming across the wood floor or the breeze from a
window billowing a curtain, look at the intricate shapes within a houseplant, or a seashell from your last trip to the ocean. Even the everyday object or space is a beautiful and special thing if looked at in the mindset of mindfulness and gratefulness.
Become intimate with your space and surroundings and see things in a new light. Notice things you never noticed before. Take photos, keep a journal, or share them on social media. You and your friends will be glad you did. It's contagious!
* Photographs were taken in my backyard and living room this morning on my cell phone
“Hot chocolate is like a hug from the inside"
Savor the warm, sweet chocolate, while feeling grateful for all that you have and enjoy.
You can have your hot chocolate any number of ways, plain, topped with marshmallows, sprinkled with cinnamon, stirred with a peppermint stick, or my personal favorite, crowned with a huge dollop of homemade whipped cream.
Whipped Cream
1 cup very cold heavy cream
2 Tblsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Pour all ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk on medium, working up to high speed for about 1 minute or until stiff peaks form. Don't overbeat.
Store in refrigerator until ready to use.
Easy and Fast.......
Way better than that stuff in a can!
Now for the star of the morning, the chocolate!
Hot Chocolate
Ingredients:
3 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
pinch salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips (dark or semi-sweet)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Combine the milk, heavy cream, sugar, cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the sugar and cocoa powder dissolve and the milk is steaming; do not boil.
2. Whisk in half of the chocolate chips until melted, then whisk in the remaining chocolate until smooth. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla. Serve immediately.
Any remaining can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator and reheated.
All that is left to do is serve yourself a cup, greet the day and feed your soul while mindfully appreciating this life you've been given. Enjoy!
Try this little mindfulness exercise. While enjoying your hot chocolate, watch this short video of a butterfly drinking nectar from a mint flower on my patio. Just relax and watch this everyday occurrence in a way you never have before. Listen to the insects and birds and marvel at the intricate and perfect workings of one tiny little cog in the wheel of life.
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