Discovering I am a Quaintrelle.

I discovered this lovely word on these here internets and I am claiming it as a much needed label for who I am.

This is who I am and what I do. I think this is all what this blog is about . Leveling up one’s life to be more than the grind of work and money.

What has the existence brought me in the last week? I finished up Halloween with a candle meditation and tarot card reading. The reading was hopeful and I have been embracing that hope.

Knitting has been fun this week. I have finished a pair of slippers and am making progress on a scarf and a pillow top. I am also over Half way through with my next pair of slippers.

I have had some extraordinary luck with having some wonderful slanting, glory, autumn light to knit by.

I decided to break up autumn themed cooking with some homemade Chinese style food. I shopped carefully and I dedicated a day to the kitchen to create a feast! I found all of my recipes on Pinterest. I did fried rice, egg rolls, and Sesame Chicken. All I can say is wow! This food turned out so yummy! I am filing away all recipes used for use again.

On the flip side of eating yummy homemade food, I have been challenging myself to move more by exploring movement based activities that I enjoy. I have started doing ballet barre at home using a YouTube video and a chair. Oh how can something that looks so simple can be such hard work. I am loving every minute of it.

I received my latest issue of Yoga Journal this week and I was happy to see a lady shaped like me on the cover! Yay to us larger ladies embracing and using our bodies rather than hiding and covering up. I have done yoga off and on for years. Is is essential to keeping myself moving as I get older.

I have been working on my music practice and I have achieved a great deal. It has been a struggle to push past the two hour mark of practice. There was a moment when I thought I had aggravated my tendons too much. Instead, my hands have gotten stronger. Happy for the push but also happy to be able to pull back when I need to.

The bottom photo is from when I was taking a moment of joy in feeling the vibrations of the board. I was discovering if my bass notes were giving me the resonance I desired. I use a lot of “feel” in my music. It has to feel right in order to sound right.

I also have been enjoying working on Lariviere exercises and etudes. Letting my inner French harpist come out. I am inherently a French style player from way back and I am proud of it! Totally geeking out on the Francophile aspect of playing the harp. I even have started studying French again.

I have noted that many harpists have a love/hate relationship with these. After 40 years of playing, I would say there is more to love than to hate. Of course, I never had a teacher drill them into me, so my relationship with these would be different than those who have.