Making coffee – an example of a simple, daily ritual
Welcome!
I want the first blog post to be an explanation of sorts, an introduction. Many of you have followed me on my journey around the blogosphere, from The Leftover Queen to the Yum Queen, to Dreams of Ýdalir. Maybe you have read one of my books, pledged to my Kickstarter campaign, or perhaps you are new to my ramblings. Whatever has brought you here, thank you for coming. Grab a warm drink, pull up a seat to my proverbial hearth and stay a little while.
The Backstory
My family just moved from the US to the enchanting Italian island of Sardinia, my husband’s ancestral homeland. But this is not just another expat travel or culture blog. Yes, I will share my observations (often with humor) about what it is like to immerse oneself in a totally new culture. I will share recipes and local traditions. But those writings will be rooted in something deeper.
Although this website and blog are new, this is more of a coming-of-age tale, where I have come full circle to understand who I am as a writer and how all the things I am passionate about, enough to write about, all weave together to form a beautiful tapestry.
I ‘ve been writing about food for nearly a decade. I love traveling and exploring other cultures, especially their oldest traditions and why they have stood the test of time. I have delved into sharing some of my spiritual path with readers over the past couple of years. I began writing a historical fantasy novel based loosely on European mythology. But before all that, I was a researcher and got a Bachelors degree in Anthropology.
Ritual: a set of fixed actions and sometimes words performed regularly, especially as part of a ceremony
Ritual
I recently had an epiphany that there is a singular reason for doing all of those things. It is that I am deeply drawn to ritual. Cooking a meal for loved ones is a ritual (there’s a book about that!), sharing holiday traditions with family is a ritual (another book!), but ritual can also be something as simple as making a cup of tea or coffee. It is about the intention you put into those seemingly mundane tasks that makes it a ritual. Dotting our days with little rituals helps to keep us grounded, so we can follow our life’s path. By bringing more ritual into your life you can better connect with family, nature and where you are in the present moment. In this global and sometimes chaotic world, personal rituals can be a place for us to come home to, and we can use them to build a legacy to pass down to the generations that come after us.
So although you will have glimpses to my new life in a faraway place, my hope is that you will be able to relate and become an active participant with me in this journey called life.
More
You can learn more about me here
You can learn more about the blog here
See some of my other writing about ritual
Hi Jenn :)
Leftover Queen, yes that’s it! I’d followed a previous blog you had (not sure which one it was now) and then lost track when I, quite accidentally, deleted my rss feed reader. I’d run across you again somewhere online and added you to my instagram (cronechronicles). Since then I have been trying to remember where it was I first found you and I think that Leftover Queen is it! *short and not all that sincere halleluja chorus* lol. I’m still thinking that there was a forum of some sort too…foodie related… dunno. I’ve always remembered your name though :)
In any case, so glad to have reconnected with you as I’ve always enjoyed your writing, it all of it’s venues and look forward to reading this new blog of yours and learning more about Italy, it’s customs and people. Oh and food, always food! Wishing you and yours the best in all of your new ventures.
Hi Kelly! I am so excited to hear from you! I love how in this age we can find people again in so many different ways, even though I am not the biggest fan of technology. I know, weird, for a blogger. I love your instagram! One of my favorites, thank you so much for connecting with me over there. And yes, The Leftover Queen did have a forum back in the day for all sorts of foodie topics, we even did some events, like virtual cooking contests and the like. Looking forward to keeping in touch!