Live Life with Zest

What you surround yourself with should bring you peace of mind and lots of Joy. – Dianne

Hi friends,

Of all seasons, spring is the season most filled with hope. Over lunch recently at a local Bistro, I lunched with one of my oldest and dearest friends. We had not seen one another in months. During lunch, she said she would like me to go by her house. She knows how much I love blue and white and yellow together. She presented me this beautiful towel that said :“Live Life with Zest”. A zest for life is characterized by a positive attitude and excitement about one’s experiences and activities. I think our social connections have suffered during the pandemic as we tried to navigate it. I also think normalcy is returning and we can be more hopeful and yes Live with Zest. Connecting with my friends certainly adds great joy to my life.

This is the beautiful towel that my friend gifted me. I’ve crafted a table around this theme. Want more zest? I have some tips:

Tip No. 1: Eat well, exercize and get enough sleep.

I started with a yellow and white tablecloth and my blue and white flower vase that I have had for years. I added yellow and white roses from Trader Joe’s and greenery from my garden.

Tip No, 2: Cultivate optimism. Feeling hopeful can boost our excitement and joie de vivre (JOY of living). Keep a journal.

My breakfast area usually includes a pretty table as my Bob seems to really enjoy them.

Tip No. 3: Get social. Spend time with dear friends and family.

The plate stack includes a white charger plate, blue and white dinner plate and salad plate.

Tip No. 4: Spend time in nature. It makes us feel more energetic. Research has shown this to be true. Plant a garden.

I love these ruffled white roses.

My sideboard is decorated in similar colors.

Live Life with Zest. Today is a good time to start whether we are 20, 40 or 70. I am going to take my own advice and put more zest in my life. One of the things that makes life more meaningful for Bob and me is to plan little day trips. WNC has so many wonderful places to go within an hour or so. This week we are going to Chimney Rock. Next week we are going to Little Switzerland. Sometimes we take a picnic and other times we might find a restaurant. We will definitely plan to eat at Little Switzerland…the best Fried Green Tomatoes ever!