Hygge Highlights #6
Warm Fuzzies on a Wet Wet Wet Weekend
“Hygge Highlights” is a weekly roundup of magic moments we have experienced. Some generously shared by you through comments and chats, and I also share the moments of my week which gave me a sense of warm fuzzies.
This week I’m delighted to welcome quite a few new subscribers. A big lioness “Hello” hug to you! I’m so pleased to have you here.
Last week I shared a quote from Rob Walker’s “The Art of Noticing” and the idea of being “open-earred” to new music, and invited your ideas on how to be “open-hearted” to new hygge. (For the uninitiated: Hygge is a Danish word pronounced "Hue-guh" meaning the essence of what is good or magical in the moment, not a measure of things so much, but that of feelings.)
I posted a couple of my own suggestions and another quote that resonated with me on the Imbolc Lioness chat during the week.
Firstly I suggested perhaps…
“new hygge, new magic moments are often found in the unknown... Somewhere out of your comfort zone, down a different path, a new route, on a new walk. In unfamiliar territory, our auto pilot is switched off. We are in a different mode, perhaps fueled with more adrenaline and therefore hyper aware, fixated and more sensitive to the surrounding environment. What do you think?”
You may have noticed/read that this idea of awakening a new awareness is somewhat a recurring theme for me at the moment. One I also cover with a number of my prompts for Imbolc - The awakening of Spring and developing idea of a warmer future.
When we change things up, we notice new things. We become more aware. It can give us a new lease, therefore a new appreciation on life. Not unlike the cosy refreshed feeling after changing the sheets on the bed; getting a hair cut; pulling on a pair of new socks; even simpler still, by opening the windows during these cooler days, when the opportunities are perhaps fewer between.
replied… “That’s interesting and food for thought for me - I generally find the stress and adrenaline of being out of my comfort zone too disturbing to want to search out however once I’ve tried something new, enjoyed it, and return to it, I get it. I think it’s because that hyper awareness is not something I associate with pleasure. I definitely have to be in the right frame of mind to encounter the new but when I’m there I relish it #taureanthings”
I quite agree, while lying filled with stress and trembling adrenaline in the dentist chair on Friday, I was not feeling hygge or finding new magic.
The idea I was trying, yet possibly failing to convey above was when we choose the previously unwalked path ourselves, not one that is thrown upon us by unfortunate circumstance. For example when I’m exploring a new area for foraging, beach combing, or picnicking. I readily feel elated with the new surroundings, all the new senses I’m exposed to. The smell on the sea breeze, or the dampness of disturbed leaf mould. Each new wander or experience having it’s own unique collection of hygge. My very local form (and climate friendly!) version of “Wanderlust.”
Another thought was…
when we push through something that is, or we perceive will be uncomfortable at first, we can often see it quite differently on the other side. A bit like the first day back at work or school, maybe. Many times we make out it's going to be far worse, than it actually turns out to be.
There by opening a portal to new hygge.
I shared this quote from
believing it to be another brilliant analogy and an enlightening way to discover more, or simply recognise your already hygge filled existence and a personal pursuit to “fall in love with life.”“I keep a diary for many reasons, but the main one is: It helps me pay attention to my life. By sitting down and writing about my life, I pay attention to it, I honor it, and when I’ve written about it long enough, I have a record of my days, and I can then go back and pay attention to what I pay attention to, discover my own patterns, and know myself better. It helps me fall in love with my life.”
I put out a request for hygge filled food, knowing I would need some “super comforting softies” after Friday. I’ve included them along with your shared highlights and suggestions for finding hygge below. A magic mixture, as always I’m immensely grateful, you’re all pure sunshine on a very cold, very wet Sunday afternoon.
Take your sketchbook next time you go out in nature, it’s a different experience than sketching indoors. / Especially enjoying my bare-branched micro forest this year, knowing how close the first plum blossom is. / Dwarf Daffodils are out, Freesias have buds and Daphne is smelling amazing. / Mashed potato and gravy, warm custard and peaches. / Those Lemon delicious, citrus puddings. / Lightly scrambled eggs with cream and butter is my comfort food when I’m poorly. / My comfort food is always dumplings, pan fried and boiled so they’re crispy on the bottom but still soft.
My moments of warm fuzzies…
Discovering new to me Substacks, often through the Notes feature. Wonderful pieces of writing and inspiration and community. (If I may digress here a little; I feel the Substack community is now, what the early circa 2006 blogging, food blogging in my case, used to be. Before “influencers” sponsored posts and advertising popups were a thing. There are no ads on Substack, we are reader, community supported - It’s a breath of fresh air! If you’re a writer, creative missing genuine connections with your audience, I encourage you to get among it.)
Mel’s sweet mention of my Imbolc prompts newsletter in her Friday edition of the Pollination Garden warmed my heart.
Being somewhat fussed over on arriving home to warm pumpkin soup and a roaring fire after my dental appointment.
Imbolc and Leo Season arriving - enough said! Squeeeee!
It has been crazy wet here today and we’ve all been on high alert watching and refreshing the local news, monitoring of river levels. Moving precious things higher and thinking about what we need to do in case of an evacuation notice. We’ve been here before a few years ago. I think, I truly hope we are just being over cautious. Obviously we are not alone, world wide these severe and unpredictable weather events are only increasing. I hope wherever you are, you’re warm, not too warm, dry and comfortable.
Seasons Blessings 💫
Bron
Thinking of you guys with all the wet! We got trapped by the heavy rains a couple of years ago, coming back from Christchurch as the water was rising - got as far as Temuka before we had to find emergency shelter. Hoping that the rain eases off and the rivers start to lower tonight ❤️