February 2024 Newsletter
February 2024 Newsletter
Author Seedbed, Workshop Last Call, Play Time
Ready, Set, Slow
Image Felicia Babb Cass©
I'm slow off the mark to begin the race through 2024. I may skip the race altogether. I’m on a meander rather than speeding through 2024. I'm not feeling the push or the urgency to do more, be more, or become a better version of myself this year.
2023 was a season of no good. My body and mind failed me over and over again. I failed and let down more people than I can count. I failed over and over because I kept thinking, "Not today, probably tomorrow. And if not tomorrow, definitely the day after….possibly next week." It was all magical thinking. We all have seasons when life overwhelms us, and we struggle. Making messes, owning and cleaning up after yourself are not the stuff of inspired living. Yet that was my 2023.
When life gets sloppy, it doesn't neatly end when the calendar clicks over to Mondays, the first of the month, or a new year. A slop of messy life bleeds into every absorbent part of your life and puddles around the bits that can't or won't absorb.
I'm starting 2024 better in mind, spirit, and body. But I don't yet trust this good fortune to hold. And there's no going back to the mind, soul, or body I had before fortune turned her back. I don't want to return to when I pretended I had control over anything. Because back then, I used my ability to control as both a shield and weapon.
So, if not back and not bigger and better, what's my heading for 2024?
Onward.
I'm going onward, a slow meander with many pauses. Instead of always seeking, I'm letting life and opportunity find me. This is a new way of living. No more pressuring or hurrying myself or others.
Onward means working with myself as I am, with the body, mind, skill set, focus, and life I have today. Not next Monday, week, or month. Onward leans into understanding that nothing is static; everything changes, including me, my situation, and the world. It means staying open to recalibrating, rethinking, and re-examining.
I didn't emerge empty-handed out of 2023. It taught me the warning signs that I'm off my heading and this slow ambling pace. It's time to slow down whenever I feel rushed, brittle, defensive, or overwhelmed. It's time to pause and rest when I can't follow directions or remember names or words. When I want to curl into myself, it's time to nap.
2024 Heading
There's no grand vision. I'm practicing small and consistent rather than large and intense. I'm taking the next small, logical step. Can I make this five or ten percent better or more comfortable? Does the next step feel like the natural and organic next step? Can I do what I want to do gently and slowly?
Most of all, I want to replace guilt with gratitude. Less, "I'm sorry." More, "Thank you." I've treated each year like a pie shell to fill with stuff, busyness, and doing. These are all fillers for meaning and purpose. The reason to make a pie is not for the gooey sweetness of the filler. You make a pie to celebrate the fruit. The wisdom of the ages comes in handy when looking for the fruits of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
2023 taught me the fruit is found not in doing but in being. And I can only be in stillness and slowness. Ready, set.
Go slow.
XO
Felicia
Workshops
Brand New at The Hearst
Click this link to register, or call 319.273.8641
Last Call for Watercolor 1
Only Two Slots Left
Beginning Watercolor 1: Wednesdays March 13th - March 27th 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Learn the fundamentals of playing and exploring with watercolors. The essential information provided in this class will help you learn how to apply watercolor to different surfaces and create basic shapes using fun, easy techniques. Pre-registration required. Click here to register.
Beginning Watercolor 2: Wednesdays April 3rd - April 17th 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Now that you’ve played with color and basic techniques, you’re ready to get to know your paintbrushes. This class explores the effects you can achieve with different brushes and strokes. Click here to register.
These workshops often fill up, so reserve your spot!
Calling All Writers and Authors
Are you a writer, scribbling away and longing for the company of other writers who share your passion for crafting a compelling story? Do you dream of becoming an author? Or you may already be an author looking to hone your craft, up your marketing skills, and learn ways to find more readers and sell more books.
This is your year to find and make a community of Cedar Valley members who share your vision. And it's FREE!
Mark your calendars, starting Tuesday, June 25th, from 10 to 11:30 am. And every following second and third Tuesday of the month, you can join in the conversation with Author's Seedbed at the Waterloo Public Library. This program aims to seed connections to enhance your writing and storytelling skills, build confidence, create a supportive environment where you can thrive, and equip writers with knowledge about the entire authorial journey.
Hear from local published authors who've made the leap from writer to author. You'll learn to submit manuscripts, write query letters, and explore publishing options.
Want to get in on the planning or make a suggestion? Drop me an email at fbabbcass@gmail.com
Sponsored by:
February Taste
There is no recipe this month, just a recent find: vinegar glazes. A friend gave me a fabulous cookbook full of salad and dressing recipes a few years ago. I went crazy. And while the dressings don’t take long to mix up, and they are so fresh compared to bottled spreads, this glaze takes the twinkle of an eye. A sprinkle of a good olive oil and vinegar glaze and a dash of salt and pepper elevate any salad.
This wasn’t my discovery. I sent Prince Charming to the grocery. A place he normally resists going, and I suspect he purchases the near thing, not the actual item on the list, rightly believing he’ll be sent less often. The list said “vinegar.” He came home with “vinegar glaze.” Even after a call home to double-check.
He also brought tulips home. Between the glaze and the tulips, all is forgiven.
Enquirer: Notes of Interest
Little gems I collected this month about art, literature, and nature. Many of these come from your ideas and suggestions. Drop me a note if you find or notice something that amazes and delights.
Going slow is leaving more time for play, so this month’s Notes of Interest are play-related.
It’s About Time
Shameless self-promotion alert. I’m delighted to be in Emily Stowe's magical Mag Pie with so many talented writers, poets, and artists.
Make sure to read Jeff Bender's "What Comes Softly Calling." His writing stopped my heart! Jeff writes, "The pair of doves I hear is not going into the new day; the new day is coming into them."
Happy Feet
Several of you contacted me after I posted these whimsical shoes on Facebook. Good news! The Shoe Attic is online, and you can order your own pair of ruby slippers, tartan plaids, and other whimsy directly from this fun shop. Even the tagline for this shop is playful: “One shoe can change your life.” CINDERELLA.
Take a Color Bath
I’ve been experimenting with sonic therapy. So, I was delighted to find this light, sound, and color bath courtesy of MoMA. This 8-minute video marries Dora Kamau’s meditation on the power of color with Composer James Pratley Watson's sonic soundscape, aligning each color with its respective sonic “healing frequency” to infuse it with a deeper vibrational resonance.
My Substack is free. But if you enjoyed this post, please let me know. It will make my day!