Share Four Somethings: February 2023

Share Four Somethings is a meme hosted by Overflowing with Thankfulness. I thought I’d try something new and join this year, as a way to look back at some of the things I loved, saw, learned, and ate each month. (I’m replacing “reading” with “seeing,” because I always review my reading in my monthly wrap-up post.) If you’d like to join too, the linkup is the last Saturday of each month.

I did NOT love having to shop for a new e-reader when mine suddenly conked out, but I am loving the used-but-like-new Kobo Libra H2O that I found on an online auction site. It’s a step up from my old Aura, as it’s a bit bigger, has page turn buttons, and works in both landscape and portrait format. I might even be able to read PDFs on the device now, yay.

I enjoyed seeing an exhibition of paintings by the Swiss artist Charles L’Eplattenier. The poster had been around for a while and I noticed that the final days were coming up, so last weekend we went for an outing to the small regional museum, 45 minutes away in the town of Delémont. The artwork was gorgeous — early 20th century landscape pastels and oils done in the valley of the Doubs river. The Doubs is a meandering river that mainly runs through France, but actually rises near the Swiss border and runs partly through our region in the Jura mountains of NW Switzerland. I had not heard of this artist before but I’ll definitely look for more of his work.

I am learning a great deal through my spiritual direction training, which I posted about here. In our last session we heard about and practiced a technique called Focusing, which helps to get in touch with messages from one’s body and take them into prayer and meditation, without pushing them away or being overwhelmed by them. I find this such an important thing to learn in our world today, when we have distanced ourselves from our bodies and all they have to teach us, with disastrous results.

I also just started listening to the fourth season of the podcast Learning How To See with Brian McLaren, and I always learn a lot from these. No doubt I’ll be sharing more about that in future.

Sorry, I didn’t think to take a picture until we’d eaten half the chicken!

As for eating, I can’t think of anything better or easier to cook than a simple roast chicken, which I usually make once a week. I buy a bird (ideally an organic one on sale — our grocery is closed on Sunday so there are usually good deals to be had on Saturday), season it, stick it the Le Creuset pot that has seen a lot of use since friends gave it to us for our wedding, and put it in a medium oven for about an hour. It comes out tender and delicious, and in the next day or two I can use the bones to make a healthy, gut-soothing bone broth. Yum.

What have been some highlights of your month?

Houses in Delémont

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20 thoughts on “Share Four Somethings: February 2023

  1. L’Eplattenier is a new name to me so I shall now do a bit of mooching online, thanks! And having to swap to a new device is not my idea of fun even if there’s an improvement in what’s available, so commiserations and compliments to you in equal measure!

    We’re just recovering from a few days of seasonal flu (obviously in my head worse for me because, well, “man flu”) and feel up to a little excursion today; naturally it hasn’t stopped me reading and reviewing! Before that we stayed in our son and daughter-in-law’s house for near enough a week to visit old friends in Bristol, stroll around the old harbourside … and shop for some books. Oh, and accompanying choral works in rehearsal for an upcoming music festival, with music by Baroque Czech composer Jan Zelenka as well as Mozart and Handel.

    1. I think I spelled that right — he brought Art Nouveau to Switzerland apparently. Gorgeous stuff.

      Your visiting and music festival sound lovely. I really need to find a choir to join. Hope you’re recovering well from the flu, we had a bout around here too but it seems better now.

  2. Even though it can feel disruptive when a beloved appliance or piece of technology stops working, it can sometimes be a positive thing to get a new one. I’m glad that is what happened for you.

    I hope to hear more about your spiritual direction training in the future.

    1. I basically try to hang on to my devices until they expire. Then I enjoy the new features that have evolved in the meantime.

  3. Even 1/2 eaten the chicken looks delicious! We haven’t had roasted chicken in forever since I’d have to cook multiple birds in order to feed us all… though I might have to pick up a few this week and add it to next month’s menu! The art exhibit sounds lovely!

    1. I have not tried to cook more than one at once, but with a large pot it should be possible, and still quite easy!

  4. L’Eplattenier new to me as well, and the painting you chose is beautiful.
    I enjoyed reading this, I also learned something from it -I love my Kindle paper white but knowing that you can read pdfs in your e-reader caught my attention.

    1. The type is still quite small, but when I cave in and use the reading glasses, legible. That’s a good thing because some books are only available in that format.

  5. I had to get a new ereader last year. It was a little painful switching over, but now I’m really happy with it. Glad you’re enjoying yours.
    What a beautiful painting! I have made a loose commitment to myself to be more involved with the arts this year. Next week I’m going to a play of Aladdin. 🙂
    I learn so much from Brian McLaren’s podcasts too. I also respect him as a person; he seems to be genuinely humble and caring.

  6. Visiting from the Share4 link. I’m glad you found yourself a new to you e-reader and are loving it. I’ve got a Kindle and love it. That painting is beautiful and your chicken looks so delicious! Have a great weekend.

  7. I’m dreading the day I have to replace my Kindle – it was hard enough to adjust the last time I replaced it which was years ago! I love the piece of art you shared – so pretty! Happy Weekend! Visiting from SFS#10

  8. Aw, I love this meme! February has gone by in such a blur it’s hard to remember what I enjoyed this month, but I can say for sure that cross-stitching has been treating me real good this month. It’s just been a lovely restful hobby that has made me feel happy.

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