December in Mallorca · some of my favourite things
So I’m back on the blog after quite some time. In true blog fashion I’m going to start with all things l i v i n g because honestly it’s one of the core things why I do what I do - to be able to live in ways that are authentic, pleasurable and are giving me a sense of belonging and fullness.
As you may know, earlier this year I made the - partial - move to the Balearic island of Mallorca. And so now Joren and I spent our time divided between here and our home in Amsterdam. The change has been quite dramatic as here on the island we are living in the countryside, in a beautiful traditional cottage (they call it a ‘finca’ here) surrounded by nature, ancient oak trees, carob and olive trees. At the edge of our property there is a stream going by, which of course is dry in the summer time, but the water comes back with the winter rainfall.
Adjusting here to living in nature has been an interesting process. On the one hand I’m loving the privacy, quiet and complete dark of the night (there is no light pollution coming from anywhere visible), it allows for naked moon bathing in warm weather and marvelling at the stars often. On the other hand, there can also be a sense of remoteness that perhaps it’s very desirable for a week long escape from the city, but when it is prolonged, it starts to feel a bit too remote…more on that later as I discover more of the joys of living so close to nature.
For now, here are some of my favourite things this winter in the countryside, that have been keeping me warm and sane at times.
Miso shiitake mushroom soup · still one of my favourite things in winter, and perhaps even more relevant than before as rarely any country house has central heating on this island and so winter time can actually be extremely humid and cold. You would think we have it bad in Amsterdam, but try living in a house essentially built to keep away the 45 deg heat in the summer. It’s been damp and cold I can tell you that! Thank God the sun usually comes out after mid-morning, and what a glorious sun it is, it is worth the early morning and evening dampness.
And so soup it is, and you’re going to love this one if you haven’t tried it before. The key ingredient here is obviously the homemade bone broth. Literally any soup will become the most nutritious and hearty meal if made with this. I’m happy to share with you my secret for super quick and easy bone broth at home. Now you have no excuse but to just go for it!
Realto Living in Palma · if I’ve had too much country life for a few days (or a week max) I usually go for a little 30min trip to Palma for some shopping and my go-to place is this. Formerly a theatre now converted into a ‘casual luxury’ shop and cafe, this place is a treat to be in. The interior items and furniture are to die for, so as to the men’s collection which is extensive. I wouldn’t say the same for the women’s clothing brands, but I must admit that I did find there my favourite purchase of this season so far..which is..below.
Wool sweater · Winter in the countryside means lots of sweaters! This one is just so perfect because it’s sleeveless and I can wear it over a thin (also wool) layer underneath. This gives me lots of freedom to move and breathe, because let’s face it, it’s not minus degrees over here either, and temperature tends to fluctuate a lot during the day.
And that’s how I discovered this wool brand from Brussels, which honestly I really like given the quality, look, feel and sensible pricing all at once.
Garden shoes · You may think - what is she on about with this one - but here it is. With a land of about 1 acre wide, a 20kg puppy, feeding the chicken daily and a couple of separate dwellings in the property, I got so tired of getting muddy shoes I thought there must be another way! And so here it is, there are things you can wear like these and they are just amazing.
Sacred Destiny oracle cards · Hands down my favourite deck of all, and the one that I use the most especially when times get tricky. Immaculate dreamy and majestic imagery of landscapes, taking inspiration from the cycles and ways of nature to pass on beautiful teachings that can be really supportive in times of turmoil, or simply when you want some guidance.
Denise Lin is such a beautiful teacher and creator, I also have her Native Spirit deck which I also adore.
The Complete Herbal Handbook for the Dog and Cat · So I stumbled upon this book written by Juliette de Baraicly Levy just before we got our precious Belgian Malinois pup and oh my god, life with our animals has been completely transformed.
We’ve started with a 100% natural diet for the pup and have now transitioned to a 50-50 natural vs dried food for the cats, and the results have been astonishing. For all cat parents out there, feed your kitties raw chicken on the bone and you will never see teeth issues again. And for the dogs, natural feed keeps all kinds of diseases and problems out the way, and so it’s really worth investing some time to learn about the natural ways of raising pets.
It’s been a journey as it’s not possible to do it perfect from the start, but in short, lessening the dependance on buying dried cat and dog food from the pet shop and feeding them natural real food that we keep in the house anyway feels so much more normal. Plus it really makes the animals feel like part of the family when we all eat similar things.
2min homemade mayonnaise · Ok this one is like maybe my favourite thing.
I found this super simple recipe in a keto blog when looking for gluten free baking ideas. Since the summer Joren and I have embarked on a food journey that has completely transformed our lifestyle. It’s been tough but also extremely nourishing.
Everything easy - to store or cook - has basically been removed, all seeds, grains and legumes, and has been replaced with meat, fish and vegetables. And we’re talking all seeds and grains, even rice.
The idea behind this change has been to eliminate consumption of phytic acid that comes with all grains, even though i know there are ways to reduce it, but for the healing protocol that we’re in at the moment, we’ve opted for the most highly dense nutrient foods, which are animal protein and some vegetables. And so! Food can get quite repetitive during the week, as there simply aren’t as many options as before. And this homemade sauce has literally revitalised anything that we make that fits the guidelines.
Simply add 2 eggs in a jar, 1 table spoon of apple cider vinegar, some salt, and top it off with 1 cup olive oil. Stick the hand blender in all the way to the bottom and start blitzing until the mixture becomes yellow foamy mayo goodness. It lasts a few days in the fridge, but guaranteed it will be finished before that.
Homegrown pumpkins & foraged chanterelles · Yes you read that right, we have our own pumpkins this year after I planted maybe 25 seeds into little pots back in May.
Maybe the easiest plant to grow, they all became little plants which Joren transplanted into the garden, and a few months later, voila! For the first time I feel the Halloween vibes strong..although none of our pumpkins was big enough to carve and make faces lol.
Next to this, all the chanterelles growing wild in the little forest-y patch of our property make for the best breakfast stir fry in a little butter with runny egg yolks..oh yes! Country mornings like this. Cosy is the word.
Beeswax candles · ok last one on the list.
It’s been a few years now that I’ve completely switched to beeswax and have thrown out all other candles, for the main reason that they are toxic to breathe, and honestly I am surprised that not many people have caught up on this. I have been to many places where people burn these cheap petrol candles, and honestly I want to shout it from the roofs but also I understand that buying beeswax is actually quite expensive.
Though I think it’s mostly that people don’t really know about them. And so I definitely burn candles way less than before, which was all the time, and so now it is more of a ceremonial thing to do, to cleanse the space and create atmosphere.
You can even make your own and lessen the cost, though I’ve been eyeing on this book for ages now, I stil haven’t got down to it. So many things to do and write about in this new iteration of the blog. Stay tuned!
Are you feeling all warm and cosy reading this list from the country side?
Well if yes, it makes me happy. Continuing the theme of aligning with nature and honouring its cycles, I’m offering an open Winter Solstice Ceremony online on Zoom on the 21st December. Join in to celebrate the longest dark night of the year and the return of the light.
->> 21 December I offer an online winter solstice ceremony
Join in to celebrate the darkest day of the year and the return of the light in a 60min online gathering.
I’ll be guiding a meditation and an intuitive movement practice to help you set your intentions for the coming time.
