Before and After

It started with a well-deserved "treat myself with a trip to the nursery" moment.  It turned out hydrangeas and annuals were fifty percent off.

It seemed like a great weekend project for Zach and me. Russ could get some work done while I kept the boy busy outside. The yard really needed some attention too.

We got a lot done the first day, but it was NOT the best time. I'm starting to get a headache just thinking about it. It was too hot and everyone was too "yelly." The boy was running around, squirting cold water at everything in sight, making a constant racket, knocking things over, falling down and requiring attention every ten seconds. When one adult would try to keep him occupied, they'd end up contributing to the chaos with their raised voice soon after. We muddled through completely annoyed. I wondered if I should even attempt more gardening on Sunday. 

That little section under the tree looked soooooo much better though. We talked through our game plan for the next day. Zach would try to listen better and stay out of trouble. I would try more patience and more ways to engage him. Russ would focus more on his own work and only check in occasionally. We would all try and have more fun going through the process.

Take TWO! 

The next section wasn't as crowded and we could spread out more.

Zach tried his hand at container planting.

His first attempt was ok...

but he soon managed well all on his own!

The best "before and after" wasn't captured by the camera. It was our Spirit. After that first day, we tried to improve ourselves and our energy. It worked. We're always a "work in progress" but our second time around was a satisfying accomplishment. :)

Here's to the reboots! Here's to knowing that even when things get hard, we can dig deep and remove some of the obstacles in our way. 

Blessed week y'all.

Love,

T

Bleeding Heart

This past week, a sermon I had recently heard seemed to align with life in real time after I happened across this cute little flower, which I learned is called a "Bleeding Heart." It's so interesting to me when that kind of thing happens. The priest had been talking about an experiment with trees, and how we need to experience adversity or challenges in order to grow and become stronger. Apparently trees that were grown in a perfectly controlled environment were becoming weak and breaking because of an absence of wind. They needed to bend and respond to resistance in order to become strong. Like the trees, we all need to experience some level of stress for growth, and might come to appreciate the challenges that make us stronger. 

A "Bleeding Heart" seemed like a fairly obvious and straightforward parallel meaning. When I looked up the plant though, another layer of message came into focus. One of the main search results was "Bleeding Heart Care - How to Grow Bleeding Hearts." There's an actual "how to" instruction. It includes water and nutrient information but also: "Do not remove the foliage before it turns yellow or brown; this is the time when your bleeding heart plant is storing food reserves for next year’s growing bleeding hearts."

Fascinating. 

Click here for: article on gardeningknowhow.com

Maybe we could go a step beyond gratitude for the experiences that help us grow and even purposely allow a bit of stress, knowing that we will be better prepared next year for having gone through it. 

Keeping the faith...

Love,

T

Laying Down the Mulch

Thursday was a fabulous day! I was having an amazing time at my gig - with OUTSTANDING singers/entertainers and incredible musicians.

I sent Russ this picture:

With John J. and Bobby D.

He responded with this picture of his own:

Russ with Sir Elton John

AWESOME!!!!!

Today (Sunday) was a BEAUTIFUL DAY! It was the first really warm and sunshiny day of the year, getting all the way up to 63 degrees. I spent most of the day outside enjoying it.

I really got a jump on the weed situation this time. Last year, I remember getting a very rude awakening to an out-of-control weed situation in September. This year, I was all over it early! I clipped, weeded, and laid down five bags of mulch. I decided I was NOT going to let it get out of control like last year.

Wish I could say Bentley was helpful...

It felt as if I was working off some steam too. I had been thinking heavily about some comments a "friend" had made the day before that were not sitting well with me - at all.

When I got back in the house and checked Facebook, I found this quote:

"People inspire you or they drain you. Pick them wisely."

- Hans F. Hansen

This week, I will not be afraid to let things go. I will choose to spend my time and energy wisely and will not allow my thoughts to become weeds, choking out new growth.

xoxo!

Namaste,
T

"I actually WAS helpful!" - Sadie

"Are we gonna have lunch now?" - Bentley

Walk the Weed Walk

The first thing last Monday morning, I became aware that the weeds around the house were out of control.  I felt bad because I had been meaning to "pretty up" the place for awhile, but hadn't gotten around to actually doing it.  (Alright fine.  I'll take care of it.)

Before

After

A few days and fourteen leaf bags later, I had made a significant dent.  I had made several trips to pick up borrowed garden tools, two trips to Home Depot, and been to the nursery and to the town dump.

Russ after we unloaded bags at the town heap

I became a weed pulling machine.  I spent a few hours each day getting rid of weeds, pruning overgrown bushes and ivy and tilling up soil.  I was determined to remove all of the old, unnecessary and unsightly things that were choking out the new and healthy growth.  (Hmm... How could THIS be a metaphor for life???)

I started looking around the house for other possible weeds.  I weeded out my songlist, my closet, my computer desktop, my actual desktop, my purse, my car and the refrigerator.  It was endless.

The gig on Saturday was GREAT!  I met wonderful singers and musicians who were all very nice and sounded fantastic.  The food was delicious and the staff at the gala event was friendly.  I had my updated song list and my newly cleaned out gig bag and was feeling good.  I was pretty sure I knew what this blog would be about.

John, Primadonna, Me, Tony

THEN came church on Sunday.  The minister started talking about "earthing" and harvest and composting.  (C'mon!!!  Really?  I was totally going to blog about this type of thing already!)

Then she said, "You don't want to focus on the weeds."  (HUH?  WHAT?  I was going to blog about the weeds!)  She went on to explain that it's a metaphysical law that what we focus on expands, so we need to focus on the Blessings, the harvest - not the weeds.  We need to clear what exists inside of ourselves that resists prosperity.

OKAY...

I went back home and did some more weed pulling and clipping, but found it somewhat unsatisfying. When it was almost time to wrap it up for the day, I knew what had to be done.  I had to plant.  (This must be what she was talking about.)  Pulling the weeds was not enough.  I had to plant that half flat of Vinca Minor that I bought at the nursery just like I have to plant new ideas.  I couldn't just THINK about doing it.  I had to actually dig a hole, mix in some fertilized soil, place them in the ground, cover their roots and water them.  I have to get the new idea, make room for it, then take the action of planting it and nurturing it.  Action is required.  I have to walk the walk.

This week I will not get distracted by the weeds.  I'll pull them away to make room for the new.  Then I'll focus on the new, on the nurturing, the building, the action.

Have a great week cultivating your new ideas!  Enjoy the harvest.

Namaste,
T