For many of us, we wake up and it is dark. We drive home and it is dark. We go to bed and it is dark. Early morning arrives again and the alarm sings its morning wake-up song as our eyes adjust to the fact that another day begins. Coffee, prayer, study, breakfast, more coffee, shower, take the dog out, feed the cat, pause to look at the beauty of the sky above, more coffee, slip out of the bathrobe and into the clothes to face the day. Think that is a lot for the early morning? Okay, now add your touch such as attending to the kiddos, the husband or the wife’s routines, and don’t forget that ever-pressing temptation to check all the social media channels and email accounts before heading out the door.

We’ve got to slow down.

Breathe.

Pause to look up at the beauty of the sky above.

Below.

And all around us.

When life decides to increase the number of demands on your dance card, decompression time is critical. For some that means eating more carbohydrates or sugary temptations to make the happy feelings wash over you. For others, that means more time at the gym or hitting the streets listening to the pound, pound, pound of your sneakers tapping the pavement as streets and sidewalks turn into miles upon miles.

For me, when I start to feeling like there is too much running-to-and-fro, I start making beach-time a higher priority. Beach time simply means… down time. That comfy feeling when you are on vacation, listening to the waves hit the sand, and the happy feeling remember that you haven’t got a care in the world other than making sure you reveal in every single second.

Beach time for me means sitting on the back porch with Dennis or hanging out with family. It means going for a boat ride, kayak, or paddle board stroll or just letting my fingers softly trail the water while sitting on the docks edge and watching the ripples fade.

Beach time in the winter can be quite the challenge. For me it means that I have create   that comfy-cozy feeling inside. Candles, fresh flowers, a crackling fireplace, and a special treat or drink can do the trick.

How do you decompress?

How do you beach time?

Do you brave the cool weather, the wind, and the shorter days?

How do you create comfy-cozy?

About a year or two ago we started buying fresh flowers for the guest bathroom and kitchen to add a touch to the cozy ambiance. It has made such a huge difference to us.

When my friends at P. Allen Smith and StargazerBarn started sending me a monthly collection of flowers and goodies, I hadn’t realized how a statement flower arrangement could add so much depth to my living room. Nothing says “cuddle up and get comfortable” that cozy room with a loved one, a puppy, mood lighting, gorgeous and unbelievably fragrant lilies, a mug of coffee, and a sweet treat.

Makes me super happy.

If you are curious, this Stargazer Barn collection is called “Gazing Gift Collection” and includes a dozen Starfighter lilies (a second generation of the original Stargazer) with Beargrass for teture and depth, bean-to-bar chocolate from Dick Taylor, and Lacey’s Toffee wafers. The Barn School notes said that the lilies would go through various stages of opening and blooming and they weren’t kidding! A week and half later they are still going strong and relocated them to the dining room to keep me company during a cooking binge.

If you are interested in this collection, it is called “Gazing Gift Collection” and it retails for $89.99 with free hipping through February 29^th if you use the code “flowerkiss” at checkout.

Happy cozy time.

Eat well, my friend. Eat well.

Lyndi