Sunday Morning Thoughts – December 29, 2024

Sentimental, excited, wondering …

Last night I had a burst of creative energy. When I hung up some paintings, I came across one I really didn’t like. I took it off the wall and a few squirts of color later, it looked pretty decent. The colors were inspired by a walk with a friend on Christmas Day. Maybe you can spot why. I made a of the walk video and here’s the new painting.

What I see in this painting is the willingness to go new ways (new colors on top) while not entirely covering up the past, even embracing it at times. Letting it shine through. No longer hiding it or being afraid of it. As the author of my story, I get to refocus my energy. I get to reframe memories. I’m in charge of reprocessing them as well. I’ve created something beautiful out of something that didn’t reflect my true self. This one does. Very much so. I feel deeply connected with it.

Also, snow and ice might be covering some of the beauty below, but they also create an entirely new landscape. It’s called “winter wonderland” for a reason. It does make me wonder. It does make me consider things. It does make me feel.

I’m going to take this type of painting for a spin. I think I found my style. Stay tuned for that. It will need some practice and a bit more structure – in the painting process. So, while I work on that let’s continue with Wednesday’s walk.

We might not have covered a lot of distance on this walk, but we covered a lot of topics. It was the perfect Christmas activity. Stress-free other than having to ask my friend to bring an extra layer of clothing for me because it was colder than I’d thought. It was mainly the icy wind. Putting on the extra layer underneath everything else was mostly stress-free too, just a bit chilly.

Then there was the matter of finding a restaurant that was open on Christmas Day. We knew it wouldn’t be easy as we walked in a very religious area. Lots of pilgrims walking to Flüeli-Ranft. A very picturesque town close by. Anyway, restaurants at freeway rest areas are open on Christmas. And that’s where we ended up. Good thinking on our part. Trying to find somewhere else would have been a lot more stressful. Decent food too. We went for the buffet and got exactly what we wanted.

I did think a lot about celebrating Christmas or other holidays with family. And we also talked about this during our walk. I would love to celebrate Christmas with someone – not family in my case, but just that feeling of connection and spending quality time together. I missed that this year. I’ve always had friends all over the world and I love that. As I’ve said before, sometimes I wish they all lived closer. That way we could have a friends Christmas as opposed to a family one.

Anyway, planning something like that for next year.

So much creative energy at the moment. There will be more paintings and possibly more newsletters coming up. I have a few travel ones to finish and there is one on “taking up space”. And I do feel like I will be out on an adventure or two this coming week. Today’s task was “find the sun”. I know it’s out there somewhere. Either up high or south of the Alps or in Basel. Stay tuned.

It’s been a super busy year. Good busy mostly.

A few comments I got when I shared pictures of what I saw this year made me think about how all this started. I didn’t use to take as many pictures (you used to have to bring a camera) nor did I go on as many adventures. It started in the fall of 2019. I went for bike rides and started stopping to take pictures.

I also had a travel blog at the time. I remember writing about Tromsø where I went in February 2020. As the pandemic hit, I started walking. That was pretty much the only activity that was allowed. And one I could easily do from home. I even tried longer walks and enjoyed those too. It was a weird time, but it was also a time when I started to appreciate my surroundings more and when I realized that I needed to get out as much as possible.

Of course, I then ended an almost 23-year relationship. I don’t think I would be going off on little outings on a weekly basis or have started pursuing creative endeavors had I stayed. Now I’m not suggesting you follow suit. Obviously not, I mean – unless you want to. Just leave me out of it.

For me it was necessary. I’m an explorer – the spontaneous kind. I want to wake up in the morning and impulsively go to Colmar or Como or the Rhine Falls or just anywhere really. Not something one does when in a relationship, especially not when living together. Take this morning for instance. I set the alarm for early – just in case. I had a 30-minute fight with myself, but then went off to get above the fog.

And that my friends is also why I really can’t picture myself being in a relationship. I mean setting the alarm for early - just in case. Waking up other people – just in case. Not something considerate people would do. You’d also have to mention the possibility of you going off on an adventure early. That completely takes away the spontaneity I love.

Never say never, I guess – but don’t hold your breath. I mean I have a great-aunt who will be 102 on Jan. 4. I think she got to that age because she never got married. I also don’t remember her ever being in a relationship. At least not in the past 49 years. Sounds pretty awesome to me.

I’m now picturing me trying to tell somebody I live with why it’s imperative that I set the alarm for 5 AM on a Saturday or Sunday to go up a mountain to catch some sunlight and why I definitely don’t feel like making plans ahead of time because – how restrictive! I don’t know if I’ll feel like going there in two weeks’ time. I mean what if I have a burst of creative energy and then I have to go over to somebody’s house and pretend to enjoy coffee and cake while my entire body just wants to go be creative.

Yeah – no, that’s not going to work.

Where was I? Oh yes, going on adventures. I mean I am willing to travel two (or more) hours to experience something special. I don’t mind going back to the same places. It’s never exactly the same. And my museum pass will bring me to places I have not been to. I mean Switzerland is just perfect for this. And I love traveling by public transport – especially trains.

When people tell me they don’t have the time to do what I do, I can relate. I definitely can. Then again … if I go to the Rhine Falls for instance, I’m back home for lunch. Pretty much the same for when I go up Mt. Rigi. And I write on the train. Going on adventures is not a waste of time. The energy it gives me is worth so much more. The world is changing at a fast pace – and not in a good way. I feel like I need to make the most of this opportunity now, while I can.

Great, I was trying to write something uplifting. This is not going well. Let’s try again.

Of course, I’m also 100% the person who snuggles up on the sofa with a good book and a comfy blanket instead of putting on several layers of clothing and going outside. It’s below freezing today. Then again, something told me to get my butt up a hill this morning.

Not a mountain, just a local hill. And no, I did not walk up. There is a clinic up there and they run buses up every half hour. They said you needed to get above 700 meters to see the sun and that clinic is definitely up high enough. So, off on three different buses I went. It takes about 40 minutes on the way up, and a bit less on the way down.

Are you ready for some pictures?

Here you go and for anybody familiar with the area I took the bus to Barmelweid and walked back to Salhöhe, taking a little detour for some of the shots.

And then there are people asking me why I don’t move to Zurich or Bern or Basel or wherever I happen to be working. This right here is why. Where I live is so freaking versatile. We got most of the main rivers running through our canton. We have hills. We have so much natural beauty and it’s all easily accessible. Why would I want to live anywhere else? Seriously – why?

On the way home the Catholic church bells started going. Obnoxiously loud as always. I think I figured out why they are so loud. They are getting less and less relevant. I don’t think annoying people by being extra loud is the way to go, but that’s just me. I’m also picturing a young girl walking into one of those churches saying she saw an angel and now she’s pregnant but doesn’t know how that happened and them embracing her and worshipping her. Did I get this right? We’re taking things literally, aren’t we? Is she like a role model? I’m confused.

I like church bells or bells in general. I like their history. I like the way they can play certain melodies. I like church bells. They make me smile. The dogma – makes me angry. Too much guilt. Too much shame. Too much abuse. Too much very unchristian behavior. Too much *my invisible friend is better than yours*. Too much *my invisible friend is going to make you burn in hell*. Just too much.

How did I start ranting? Oh yes, it’s the church bells’ fault. They were loud. I got triggered.

Done now.

I have so much to do to get my homepage up and running. And I just had a new book idea. Both of them are going to be bilingual, I think. The homepage will need to be. I do want to work internationally, but I’m also a local girl. Born and raised. With a very local and recognizable last name. I’m totally taking that for a spin. And my new book will be in English and Swiss German, I think. Both in one book. Because – why not? And the topic will be entirely different from my first one. Because – why not?

Super excited. Now I just need to register my domain(s) and get this thing started. For some reason waiting for January first on that, but I can map out my homepage and features I want. I got this! The name is bell-related. It’s so good. It makes me smile a lot. It’s in English, which might not be ideal, but there you go. It just worked out that way.

I feel like taking a hot bubble bath now. It’s been a while. It was gorgeous out there this morning, but also freezing cold.

Have a lovely Sunday everyone and why not go on a little adventure. You know you want to 😉