7 Bits of Beauty to Collect This Spring

“A bit of here, a bit of there... Bits of lovely everywhere.”

— Cynthia Rylant, Thimbleberry Stories

The breeze is faintly dewy. Bird song is welcomed by the golden-pink dawn. Crocuses and snowdrops dot the horizon with pigment, and something like the romantic haze of an impressionist painting begins to form. I watch intently and find myself caught in the slow, exquisitely deep inhale that is the return of Spring.

I wonder at the possibilities available in the Spring, the opportunities to gather up magical moments like flowers in May Day bouquets. Is it possible to collect them - not with our hands, but with our hearts? To let them grow more colorful, as memories tend to do? To experience them again and again whenever we need the season's optimism? To make them our own?

It's certainly an endeavor worth pursuing and a lovely way to be with life as it unfolds. To that end, I'd like to submit to you - the ardently attentive, the deeply devoted, the seekers of all that is simple and sacred - this little list of 7 bits of beauty to collect this Spring. Be inspired.

1. Collect Daydreams.

Dream by Nick Fewings

As the days get longer, there may be fewer night dreams but more time to indulge in reverie during the day. What secret lives might you lead if you weren't leading this one? Would you plan perfect picnics under blossoming countryside trees? Would you be a gypsy fortune teller, connected with the mystical and able to discern the secrets of the Universe? Would you furnish the rooms in your sumptuous fantasy home with antiques and baroque detail? What would you do? Who would you be? Grab a cup of tea and write it all down, all the little details that make your heart skip a beat, all the clues to your deepest desires. Today, you can begin to infuse real life with a little more of what excites you, like a picnic basket, a crystal, or a trip to an antique store. Tomorrow, you can look at your soul on paper when you need a little inspiration. Spring is full of possibilities and so are you.

2. Collect Scents.

Lilac by Tanya Trukyr

Close your eyes and breathe in. Slowly. Deeply. Pull into yourself the fragrant fullness of Spring. Experience, all at once, an infinite number of scents that arrange themselves with such harmony as to deliver the precise perfume of aliveness. Then allow yourself to be intoxicated by the tiniest parts of this brilliant blend. Find and lose yourself again in the faint and delicate, and in the heady and powerful; in the sweet smells of peonies and roses and big clusters of purple lilac; in the aromatic blossoms of white viburnum dusted with hints of pink. Finally, create little compositions of your own. Gather essential oils and take beautiful baths. Spend time in the kitchen with someone you love, creating the fresh, fruity, sweet, bold, and tangy smells of future nostalgia. Be still as the bouquet of the Earth just after it has rained reveals itself to you. Wake up to the smell of new life.

3. Collect Rainwater.

Puddle splash by Josh Calabrese

While it would be sentimental to collect freshly fallen rain for washing your hair - something women have sworn by for generations to soften their locks - many of us reserve that kind of activity for our rosiest-colored dreams. But there are more subtle ways to gather the rain. Return to childhood and catch rain drops on your tongue. Collect a few in your rain boots, as you watch the distorted reflections in the puddles you’ve unsettled. Forget what the humidity is doing to your hair or whether a misplaced drop smudged your makeup and simply feel the wet against your skin. Be reverent of the fury of storms, thunderclaps, lightening, and torrents. Be soothed by the sounds of raindrops on the roof. Be thrilled by the way showers falls from streetlights and make blacktop glow at night. Above all, be in love. And who knows. You might get so caught up, so soaked in rain magic, you end up with some super soft tresses anyway.

4. Collect Rainbows.

Bubbles by Drew Beamer

Stop. Take a closer look. There are pots of gold everywhere right now - inside the bubbles children are blowing and chasing, under the soap suds from the now frequent car washes, in the reflections cast on the floor as the sun streams through a window or hits a glass just right, and for the lucky few, in a dance with the moon. Rainbows are the elusive product of an unseen affair between water and light, both in abundant supply now. And they’re magic. Imagine. It has just rained one of those warm Spring rains and the Earth feels clean. The sun peaks out from behind a cloud. We've missed it so during the winter months and are impatient, even during short rains, for its return. It feels our urgency and begins to beam. Then, wondrously, it channels itself into water suspended in air and fans out in an array of brilliant color. A rainbow is made. Gaze upon this “colored image of the sun,” as Isaac Newton coined it, in all its perfection. Then, be awestruck by the knowledge that there are a million colors you can’t perceive; that what you see is different than what a dog or a butterfly or even the person sitting right next to you sees; that your mind adds nuance and shapes perception to make what you observe even more vivid. Consider there are an infinite number of ways to see a rainbow and your unique experience is yours alone. You were meant to be enchanted. Try capturing some of these special sightings with watercolor or colored pencil. Create something beautiful you can hang up and be reminded of the rainbows whenever it is gray.

5. Collect Self-Care Practices.

Bath with flowers by Heidi Kaden

Spring is a time of renewal. Why not try some new self-care practices or add a little color to the ones you already have? Add a few bright and cheery love songs to your playlist and think of them as odes to you by you. Enhance your meditation practice with some new incense or beeswax candles. Indulge in a decadent bath with rose blooms, mindfully feeling the petals between your fingertips. Taste the freshness of the season, perhaps treating yourself to a fancy dinner and exploring the yummy concoctions being inspired by the local produce. (I once had a citrus salad with fennel, grapefruit, and blood oranges paired with a chilled glass of rosé that was literal joy on a plate). Or simply eat a bowl full of cherries and remember how you used to collect seeds as a kid, carefully putting them in the dirt, without worry of compost or knowledge of time, just hoping for big trees and endless fruit. Let this time of year be an invitation to fall in love with yourself all over again (or for the first time). Keep your self-love story alive, fresh, and exciting.

6. Collect Beautiful Words.

Pride and Prejudice book by Elaine Howlin

We can be surprised and delighted by the words of another any time of year but Spring feels especially ripe for being awakened and inspired. “Come to the orchard in Spring. There is light and wine, and sweethearts in the pomegranate flowers,” as Rumi reminds us. How gorgeous. Collect favorite quotes, lines of poetry, and passages that make your heart sing. Go on a scavenger hunt through a used book store, making sure to take in the smell of times past when you walk in. Explore classic literature, Pinterest boards, and top 10 lists too. Listen carefully for words that stand out during the day - your child’s heartfelt expressions of care, that super creative, Spring-inspired ad copy, the title of an article on the cover of a Bella Grace magazine. These words are the makings of mantras, affirmations, and principles by which to live. They articulate your deepest sentiments and help you remember things your soul already knows.

7. Collect Connections.

Eye Smiles by Jasmin Chew

Can you feel it? Can you sense the shift in energy? Like the blossoms, we too open to the warming sun. We feel lighter, more energetic, happier. The yearning to connect - to ourselves, to our environment, and to the other people on this planet we've missed so much – is unmistakable. As I write this little piece, the season of winter hibernation is just beginning. I have had fun taking myself out of space and time and planting my mind and soul in the Spring soil of a new year. Normally, the Spring season would find us removing coats, exchanging heavier clothes for lighter ones, and eager to be in community. The optimism in the air and perhaps even an April Fools’ joke would produce free laughter - not the unbounded laugh-out-louds of summer but the bubbly giggles of spring. However, a world crisis continues to loom as I write. We are not exactly eager or free but I am steadfastly hopeful. These words may find you holding those you love close or holding space for them from a distance; freely giving out compliments in person or sharing them online; shaking hands or simply exchanging head nods. Whatever the circumstances, offer these gestures in the spirit of Love. Love transcends all and can be felt by all, even in the midst of confusion. Love connects us to each other. Collect the smiles you get in return for the smallest of gestures, especially the subtle eye smiles of mask covered faces. Those are special. Feel this life as much as possible and allow it to feel you. Deepening is still available.

Are you ready to cultivate a deeper, richer, more personal experience? So am I. Let May flowers forever spring from April showers. Let us look forward to them as we do each beautiful moment of our lives. And when they arrive, let us savor them so fully, they become part of us. Let this be our practice now, and every season of every year to come.

Love in all things,

April Eileen

What’s Lovely on Valentine’s Day

“The authentic self is soul made visible”

— Sarah Ban Breathnach

If you’ve checked out my post, Valentine’s Day: Away from B.S. and Back to Basics, you know I’m all about authentic displays of affection – displays that come from a place of genuine appreciation. I’ve been thinking about the season less in terms of manufacturing romance and more in terms of savoring and appreciating the life in front of us, which I’ve found, often results in being romantically inclined anyway. What’s Lovely on Valentine’s Day? Freeing ourselves from anything that falls short of authenticity. Here’s a list of things that will help us keep the love real.

Hearts by freestocks.org

Self-love. It all starts with self. You cannot give what you don’t have. Period. Let’s kick-off this season’s love fest by reflecting on what we appreciate about ourselves and our lives. Let’s also do something special just for the one looking back in the mirror. I am totally watching Pride and Prejudice…alone…with wine. That way, I can sit silly-smiling at the TV and mouthing the lines along with Lizzy and Mr. Darcy with no one judging. It’s my absolute favorite movie.

Beauty. What other holiday allows for unfettered loveliness? I am absolutely indulging and making a beautiful breakfast. I am planning heart-shaped pancakes and sparkling apple cider for the littles served in flutes on a bed of pink and white rose petals. I did the flutes for an event I put together – Dinner and Dessert in the Dark – and the display turned out beautifully. Update: Here is the spread I put together. Breakfast for dinner and kombucha instead of cider but lovely all the same. :-)

Heart-felt communication. If there ever was a day to communicate genuinely, this would be the day to do it. A few days ago, I kicked off the season of appreciation by sending my family something I wrote to them a while back about how they saved me when my daughter was born prematurely. It was raw and beautiful and it felt so good to really acknowledge them, thank them, and share how much I love them all. As an added bonus, it turns out that praising others not only makes the receiver happy, it also adds some serious joy to your life as well, according to Shawn Achor, happiness researcher. What a wonderful Valentine’s Day gift to others and to yourself. Also, the love season might provide a perfect opportunity to dust off the stationary and paper goodies. if you’ve seen my post, The Art of Communication, you’ll understand why I think analogue tools sometimes more readily allow for authentic communication. I’m sharing something hand written with my husband and also crafting some proper valentines with the kiddies.

Updated Tradition. Let’s be honest. The heart-shaped boxes of toxic chocolate could use a bit of updating. Am I right? Chocolate, seen as an aphrodisiac, was all about setting the scene for romance. I think it could be used equally as effectively to accommodate my new approach to Valentine’s Day of savoring and appreciating. Chocolate could easily set the scene for reflecting on and appreciating all of the sweetness in life and it’s easy to enjoy. Nothing like a hot beverage to assist in reflection so this year, I’m doing hot chocolate made with organic almond milk, TJ’s dark chocolate, and decent marshmallows (I’ll deal with the sugar-crazed kids later). On my list for V-Days to come? Chocolate art – either buying or taking a class. Think Vosges Haute-Chocolat or Guilt Chocolate. I would also love to do a proper chocolate and wine tasting again. My husband and I did a spectacular tasting in Napa Valley at Rutherford Ranch and it’s been too long since I’ve done something similar.

Simplicity. I’m excited about my V-Day plans and even more excited that they’re coming from a place that resonates with me. That said, I know the magic will quickly dissipate if I let myself get frenzied. In order to stay stress-free during this holiday (and all the others, for that matter), I’m keeping things simple. My activities are going to be spread out over a few days, rather than trying to cram everything into one day and make it all perfect. I’m also about having people help out wherever possible. There may be fewer carrot sticks and more PB&J’s if my husband handles lunches, for example, but that will give me a chance to focus on other holiday activities. The mister and I have also decided to keep our alone time simple too. We’re doing french fries and drinks at a restaurant bar in the bustling metropolis of Dayton, Ohio! That’s where the babysitter, errr grandma, lives. We’re going to forget the fluff and just enjoy each other’s company! Win!

So there’s the list. What would you add?

Love in all things,

April Eileen

P.S. Don’t forget to check out my other V-day posts - Valentine’s Day: Away from B.S. and Back to Basics and February’s Quotes from the Classics - for more love!

What's Lovely in Clean Skincare

“Self care is a divine responsibility.”

— Danielle LaPorte

Okay, I’ve been slowly trading out all of my old skincare for cleaner products. I feed myself well so it only makes sense that I’d want to do good things for my skin too! I also need my regimen to be simple. I mean, really simple. I can’t state enough how simple I need it to be. Here are some of my favorite items for caring for my skin while keeping things pretty basic!

Skincare by Hans Vivek

1. Dr. Bronner’s Soap. I use the liquid soap for general use and cleaning and the all-in-one bar soap for more every day bath/shower use. Yes, I use bar soap and yes, I went all the way back to castile soap. Castile soap was traditionally made with olive oil and produced in the Castile region of Spain. Dr. Bronner’s uses organic, fair trade, sustainable vegetable oils (not the icky kind but oils like coconut, hemp, olive, and palm kernel oils). I would love to try a pure olive oil castile soap to compare so if anyone has suggestions, let me know. For now, I really dig Dr. Bronner’s. My most loved varieties are the Baby Unscented and the Rose scented soaps.

2. Acure Shampoo and Conditioner. I have hair that REQUIRES moisture. Acure delivers much needed hydration without heaviness. Argan Oil + Pumpkin is my favorite. I use a bit of olive or avocado oil after I rinse out the conditioner (again, moisture is critical for me), wrap my hair in a bun and let it air dry, and then style.

3. Dessert Essence Organics or Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter. I use Dessert Essence Organics which works perfectly well, especially in warmer weather when it’s not so dry and your skin isn’t like the Sahara. In the winter, I have to follow this product up with a coat of castor oil. Yep, I did, in fact, say castor oil. I also use Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter. I originally started using this lotion when I was pregnant to try to stave off stretch marks but found it’s just a really good lotion. It’s very moisturizing and keeps my skin happy. Aaaaannnnndddd, I did manage to stay stretch mark free (at least on my belly)! I kind of wish they would call it something else so women who aren’t donning a bump might try it. I wish I had discovered it a lot sooner.

4. Kopari Deodorant. I really like this deodorant. I used Native for some time but even with that product (which is good too), I had to do a mid-day wipe and reapply. I think I get stinky faster than the average person and Kopari is one of the few deodorants that consistently works well for me. Free of aluminum and parabens plus it smells like coconuts!

5. Himalaya Botanique Whitening Complete Care Toothpaste or Tom’s Spearmint Toothpaste Gel. The most important thing I require of my toothpaste is that it be flouride-free. I obviously want it to do its job and clean my teeth but everything else is really just an accoutrement as far as I’m concerned. To that end, I like both Himalaya Botanique and Tom’s Spearmint Toothpaste Gel (there are other Tom’s varieties but I like this one best, bar none) and use them interchangeably. Both leave my mouth feeling nice and clean sans the garbage and they whiten - a nice little plus.

6. Beauty Counter Tint Skin Hydrating Foundation. I know there are other foundations out there with great ingredients (heard good things about Vapour, for example) but honestly I haven’t yet tried them because I’m quite in love with this one. I find it very comparable, in terms of performance and price, to products you might find at a department store makeup counter (well, at least I think so…I haven’t been to a department store in like 5 years but I digress). It’s very easy to apply, blends well, and costs about $42. Can’t rave enough about it!

7. Bonus: Earth Mama Baby Skincare Products. For those that are mothers, I highly recommend Earth Mama skincare products for the little ones in your house. I use the soap, lotion and diaper balm. They even have a little travel kit called “A Little Something for Baby” that has tiny versions of all of their staple products. I also use the soap as my facial wash.

There you have it! What are your go to clean skincare products? I would be very interested to know. More lovely lists to come - everything from most helpful websites and apps to best ways to learn a new language! I’m excited to share and to hear what you know!

Love in all things,

April Eileen