glimmers

Magic is all around you

~ Fridgesays ~ Leave a comment

Quote original from fridgesays

If you choose to see it, magic indeed is everywhere. In this week’s blog I’m going to tell you about the hazelnut ‘tree’ but first let’s set a context. In the UK, with the exception of one blue sky joy day – it’s rained. Grey Sky’s, potholes and misery have taken over the landscape, the trees are bare and everything is muddy, miserable and did I mentioned it’s rained a lot?

In February and March the hazelnut bush or tree (the world seems divided on this) produces catkins that hang from its branches. You can pick a few for a cuppa – thanks to its magnesium, iron and calcium packed nutrients it’s super good for you, although does taste like your drinking ‘the outdoors’, recently I discovered that these are the male part of the plant…over dramatic and droopy they swing from the plant looking like fancy tree earrings but the magic is just behind the catkin…(if you peek and choose to see the magic) behind each catkin is the female part of the plant. Its tiny bud gets fertilised as the wind pushes the catkins pollen towards the bud. Seems like usual fertilisation? It is BUT the bud is beautiful! It’s like a red and pink tropical flower, it does not belong in rainy grey UK conditions, and most adults walk past it without even noticing it.

Since learning about the hazelnut tree I always make time to stop and check out the stunning flowers, blooming despite the grey and damp surroundings.

Perhaps this isn’t your abracadabra kind of magic, but looking for joy and unexpected delights is a way to increase the magic of March. Feel free to share in the comments below any my wish for you this week is that the pot holes of life aren’t on the roads you travel.

Failure is success in progress

~ Fridgesays ~ Leave a comment

Albert Einstein

What a quote! Five words that can reframe a negative into a success is an incredible achievement, especially when two of the five words are ‘is’ and ‘in’ – so it won’t surprise you that at fridge head quarters I am taking this powerful quote and sharing a story about a cup of tea.

I went to a friend’s house to see her gorgeous family this week. Before I arrived she had text me her address and suggested I parked on her driveway. Having never been to her home before I checked when I arrived whether where I had parked (blocking their cars in) was convenient, it transpired that I would need to move as her husband needed to pop out for some milk, as this discussion took place I was aware I was letting the November cold into their home, so I closed the door and the decision was made that he would go a little later. Like all ‘need milk’ plans this didn’t occur whilst I visited.

After hugs and a good natter, my friend offered me a beverage and we relocated to the kitchen to make it. I drink a huge variety of herbal teas so I’m not fussy how my breakfast tea is served, as she went to get the milk we were reminded that her husband hadn’t yet been to the shop. Comfortable without milk, I said it didn’t matter.

As she went to the fridge she remembered she had some oat milk and kindly offered me some. what I experienced next was a taste sensation…the oat milk took my traditional British cuppa to the next level and I enjoyed it immensely.

The immense taste meant I found myself purchasing oat milk so that my homemade cuppa’s could be equal in joy – my friend is now an influencer.

As I drove home I reflected on the cuppa experience, no doubt she felt annoyed that she didn’t have the ingredients she needed to hand, yet the outcome far exceeded my expectations. I thought of all the recipes I’ve cooked where I have had substituted items and things have gotten better, I thought about the Einsteins of the world who have proven theories by error, or whilst on a mission to solve a issue have found solutions for other issues…

Every time I sip my oat milk tea I am reminded that by reframing moments we can enrich our lives, that we are all working progress and we are all a dash of oat milk away from being better. We can’t always control the outcomes of life but we can enjoy the glimmers of joy when they show up. This week stay open to new opportunities, try oat milk in your tea and look for ways to improve moments that present themselves as negative.