Sketching

Last week we took a trip to a local park. Knowing the sun would be shining my husband grabbed his camera. I like taking pictures, but on this day we were stepping away from screens and seeing as my phone is my main camera, I decided to embrace the challenge and view the park from another perspective: my sketch pad.

I took a drawing class in college and really enjoyed the challenge. We worked with a variety of mediums but my favorite tool for drawing is still a pencil, preferably one without an eraser. With a change in pressure or angle you can recreate a variety of textures and patterns. When you draw without an eraser, it forces you to work with what you have, to be intentional with each and every moment when lead meets paper. Each time my husband pulled out his camera, I pulled our my sketch pad and documented something in my view: the foliage, wildlife, people passing by.

This is my sketch of what I now know as "horsetail," yet will fondly remember as "chevron-asparagus plant."

Screen-Free Days

Every week we try to have a screen-free day. On these days we silence our phones and break away from our technology habits and routines. Our first few attempts were a challenge. Ten minutes in I'd already sent an email and browsed instagram. It was then that I realize how much we needed to break away from our screens, even if only for an hour.  We muddled through the first few attempts, asking, "Does listening to a podcast count as a screen since you have to access it on a phone?" or "What about reading a book on an e-reader?"* Now that we've successfully made it through a few screen-free days we barter and negotiate less and even look forward to the time to unwind!

So what have we learned? One recurring realization is how much we are able to fit into one day when we set aside technology. Without screens and digital distractions we find ourselves imagining, doing the hobbies and activities we love: cooking, crafting, hiking, walking, reading, making music, playing board games etc.  We are able to focus more in the moment and enjoy the journey instead of always looking to the destination when we can cross things off a list. We both enjoy our "screens" and will certainly continue to maintain many of our digital habits and routines. We will also continue to make screen-free days a part of our week. This is an intentional practice that continues to grow and develop. 

What do you like to do when you step away from the screen? Have any great ideas to share?

*We never did answer these questions. In the end we decided that the purpose was to break from the routine and do the things we feel we "never have time for."