Christine's Favorite Things - June 25, 2025

On the theme of "less is more" here are some of my current favorite things.

1. Cappuccinos. I stuck to a strict eight hour eating window for ten days, where I would eat between noon and eight pm, fasting the remainder of the time, and this is what I learned. First of all, when I was strict (and I mean I wouldn't eat at 11:59 am) I found myself generally eating a bit more because I felt like I had to fit everything in during that window. Secondly, I learned that sugar is a slippery slope (and sugar is everywhere). The first few days I started with an iced chai latte and an iced shaken espresso from Starbucks with a couple of squirts of syrup, which didn't seem too bad. By Friday I got a mocha frappuccino with whipped cream, and found myself craving more that evening - craving ice cream! Then that weekend I wanted to use generous amounts of sweetened creamer in my coffee to create my own iced lattes at home. Even at Whole Foods, which is one of the healthiest grocery stores, most of the products have added sweetener. There are only a couple of granola/protein bars for example that don't. As far as Starbucks, you are basically limited to a plain coffee drink or plain tea if you want to avoid sugar. I learned for me, I prefer to start my day off with a cappuccino - not a Starbucks cappuccino, but a good cappuccino, like from the local coffee shop Forager near where I live in Milford, Ohio. I am finding that a more flexible fasting period is working better, and I am not eating out of habit, but being more intentional about what I eat. And, I like a good cappuccino better than a Starbucks drink that needs to rely on sugar.

​Enjoy what you eat!

​2. Shirt dresses. I have been intentional about my summer work wardrobe, with one of the main focuses being increasing my cost per wear, and going on a "no buy/low buy". I identified two dresses for my summer work wardrobe: a black shirt dress and a beige tiered shirt dress. I found myself reaching for those the most, and enjoying changing them up with different shoes, sunglasses, and handbags. With three pairs of sunglasses, three handbags, and four or five pairs of shoes, there are many options! I added a navy blue shirt dress and gold mules, which both happened to be affordable at Nordstrom Rack. I am enjoying wearing them, and they fit perfectly into my summer wardrobe. They fit my style words: "relaxed," "modern," and "graceful". I like the effortless and feminine professionalism exuded in the long, tiered, shirtdress.

​Enjoy what you wear!

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3. Birds - especially wood thrushes, Carolina chickadees, cardinals, and red-wing black birds because these are the ones I can identify by sound. The Merlin Bird ID app is a great way to learn about birds around you. You can record birds and the app will identify them. Wood thrushes have a deep, beautiful sound described as flute-like. Although I have heard them several times while at the Cincinnati Nature Center and while biking on the Little Miami Bike Trail, I have never seen one. Carolina chickadees sing a very distinctive tune - and it's a tune I remember my great-grandmother humming, though I didn't figure out the tune until recently. We also have a microwave with a timer that is the "appliance sound" version of the chickadee tune! I love hearing the birds, especially first thing in the morning. Cardinals have an easily identifiable "star wars' type sound they sometimes make, as described by a bird expert at the Nature Center. The red-wing black bird is one I have recently picked up, as they like to hang out at a pond near my tennis club. Now, when I tune into these birds, I feel at peace.

​Enjoy nature!