I'm working on the 'art of doing nothing' since I graduated from an RN BSN program. I heard about this concept while reading the book Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. It sounded so good when when she talked about the Italian concept but I guess I'm as American as apple pie making me more of a 'doer'. My hands, mind and eyes are always busy and usually doing at least three task at once. Sometimes the task are joyful and other times it is stuff I have to just get done. I guess I'm a work in progress. My attempt to get into the spirit of the art of nothing was on Sunday. But first...there was Saturday.
Saturday my Roller Derby team the Greenbrier Roller Vixens had a Boot Camp event. Women (sorry guys, this is woman flat track) interested in the contact roller skating sport could try it out from 10a to 3p and get a taste of derby. There where about 13 women raring to get on skates and check out derby. I had a great time. The day was busy. So busy I did not get any pictures. There was an introduction and of course paper work, gear, safety, warm up off skates, introduction to import skills such as stopping and falls, practice skating fun, skating games and a Vixen demo bout. All that expended energy deserved great food. And there was! I made barbeque turkey, and others provided a variety of foods such as tasty rolls and buns, sweet potato vegetable soup with blue cheese crumbles, baked macaroni n cheese, black bean corn dip with corn chips, green salad, peanut butter cookies and delectable blue berry bacon cupcakes. All of the dishes where so yum! I had seconds!!
This picture was taken in September before a parade we skated. I'm the tall blonde in the blue stripped tights. Another wonderful derby day.
I have to rave and toot my own horn about my barbeque turkey dish. It was tummy rubbing good and it takes two days to prepare. I used the directions to bake a twenty pound turkey from the 1975 edition Joy of Cooking cook book. It is my most used and favorite cook book. I received the book as a gift when my first (unfortunately yes, there are others) husband and I married in 1983. The book cooks much better then my first husband and I ever did. Insert sad face but only for a second.
I washed and then baked the turkey as directed in the oven with the usual spices sprinkled on the skin such as sage, salt and pepper. I cooled the turkey and in the evening I pulled off all the tender dark and white meat, putting it in a big crock pot. The pulled meat just about filled the pot. I added a half cup of white vinegar and then a favorite barbeque sauce. Bottled works. Usually I make my own but I was squished for time and used three purchased bottles. I added six cloves of crushed garlic. I still have 10 dried bulbs of organic garlic from my garden. I mixed it all up as best as I could since the pot was pretty full. It simmered on low in the crock pot all night. At the derby boot camp I mixed it several times and kept it simmering until it was time to dive in and munch down. It was tender, tangy and so delicious.
Back to Sunday and my attempt to prefect the art of doing nothing. When I think of 'nothing' what comes to my mind is enjoying or having such pleasure in the moment of being me within these five physical points that is myself a star. Nothing is not sitting as a bump (unless that is your pleasure) but being in joy and enjoying the pleasure of the moment to me. I did not do one thing that my head was telling me I 'should' DO. I did what gave me joy and I love to knit. My grandmother Clark taught me the joy of different fiber arts such as quilting and knitting. My grandmother lives every time I pick up her needles that where passed to me.
I joyfully picked out an online class at Craftsy with Stefanie Japel. I did nothing but enjoy my self as I knitted along and made a lace key hole scarf for me. My granddaughters visited me in my room throughout the day asking lots of questions and decorating my bed with barbies. I'm half finished with the scarf now and will post a completed picture on the Craftsy site later. I will do nothing again real soon, finish the other half and then block it so the scarf will lay flat and lovely around my neck.
No comments:
Post a Comment