Nikki Starcat Shields's Blog, page 39

Change, Minus All the Judging

I had a really sedentary winter, and now I’m making some changes with the spring. Changes like moving more, doing my yoga every morning, and eating less sugar and fat. It didn’t all happen this winter, either. Over the last few years I’ve put on weight, probably partly as a result of getting older (that slowing metabolism thing), and also in response to the stress of changing my whole lifestyle, starting a business, and struggling to pay the bills while I do so.

I’m ready to let my inner work...

Starcat’s Favorites: Action!

The sun is shining in our little corner of New England, the snow is melting, and life is good. We even have some daffodil shoots coming up! No buds yet, but I know they’ll be showing up soon.

It’s amazing how much of my energy returns with the warmer temperatures. This week I started a new routine that will hopefully keep me focused on some key projects. So far, it’s going well. What new projects and actions are you taking on this season?

Have a terrific weekend, and may it be filled with both...

The Awesome Power of Decluttering

You might think that de-cluttering your living space is just a convenience, something you can do when you notice space is getting cramped or you have a lot of extra stuff. Really, it has a bigger positive effect than that. You see, clutter in your home doesn’t just take up physical space. It affects your energy system as well. Your stuff takes up space in your psyche, and can keep your energy vibrations slow and sluggish when your things are scattered and chaotic. This can affect your physica...

A Sigh of Relief

It’s April 8th, and I’m finally adjusted the fact that March is over and winter is really done. Granted, there’s still quite a bit of snow out in the yard, but the piles are getting smaller every day. Daytime temperatures are consistently in the upper 40s to mid 50s, the sun has been out, and on grey days like today, we get rain rather than snow.

Hear that gusty, windy sound? That’s my huge sigh of relief.

Last Friday BlackLion, ElvenTiger and I went out before dawn, accompanying BlackLion’s Mo...

My Kids Are Getting Old

Last week I attended a meeting of our homeschool co-op, to plan our future space and activities. I almost didn’t go, as I’m not sure whether we’re going back in the fall or not.

ElvenTiger turned 15 this winter, and she’s on the edge of outgrowing the classes and activities that are offered. The group does offer classes for teens, but they aren’t generally topics she’s interested in, and this year a whole group of the teens from co-op decided to attend a charter school, so there are a lot less...

Starcat’s Favorites: Hints of Spring

We celebrated the Spring Equinox this week, and I’m noticing hints of spring all around. No, in our case, not even the crocuses have been able to poke their first shoots up above the snow. But the sun is getting stronger, the sap is running, and it’s still light out as I write this at 6:30pm. Despite the continued cold temperatures and snowstorms here, I’m hopeful. How’s spring proceeding in your neck of the woods?

Here are some fun links to enjoy over the weekend.

What do a 15-year-old boy and...

The Whole Point of Creative Projects

It was Sunday evening. I hadn’t been feeling well, so I was sitting in the comfy chair in the living room with Percy cat on my lap, doing some journal writing and some reading. My list of projects and tasks sat nearby, and I was feeling some vague guilt for not making more progress. Sure, it was still the weekend, but I knew Monday would be busy, and that there was a lot to do this week.

Anyway, I picked up a book that I’ve been working my way through slowly. It’s a fantastic book, actually, T...

Rebirth Is Messy

Here in northern New England, March is still winter. Yes, the Spring Equinox is coming up next week, and the sunlight has that deep yellow quality to it now. But the ground is still covered with snow, and we’re getting more as I write. March tends to be a low point for me. Maybe it’s the weather, or the fact that my beloved grandmother died on the Ides of March, back when I was still a teenager.

I’ve been observing my personal cycles recently, particularly the solar (yearly) ones, and sure eno...

On Faerie Tales

I love faeries, and stories about them. What images are conjured up when you think of faeries? In modern culture, we often shortcut straight to Disney movies and the tiny winged females that decorate little girls’ bedroom walls. I’m no cynic, and I happily watch Disney films with a willing suspension of disbelief and no need to bring along a little girl to justify my enjoyment. But I think the category “faeries” encompasses a wide array of nonphysical beings, most of whom probably don’t look...

Starcat’s Favorites: I’m Ready!

Happy March! Not to rush Mother Nature or anything, but I’m more than ready for the Spring Equinox, which happens this month. Or more accurately, for the warmer weather that it will presumably usher in. It’s been a cold week, and we still have a couple feet of snow on the ground. Don’t get me wrong, I know we’ve had snow as late as April, here in northern New England. But spring snow doesn’t last. So I’m ready.

Here are some links to keep you amused this weekend. Oh, and a gratuitous picture o...