I love Mondays

I love Mondays.

And what a beautiful Monday morning it is. When I went out with the pups this morning, it felt like a warm, Spring day. Rain is on the way though … I’ll take rainy warm over cold any day. 

I read these ‘Queenism’ blurbs everyday … and, of course, all of the thoughts are ones we should already know and practice, but I think it is nice to read them and remind ourselves. I know I surely need reminding. It may seem silly to some, but we need to speak kindly to/about ourselves. Please keep that in mind today … appreciate yourself ... cherish yourself.

Until tomorrow xxoo

 

February 1, 2014

Thanks so much for all of your positive input and welcoming me back to blog-land.

February is here and it is a beautiful, sunny Saturday in the woods.

Temps are creeping up to 50 today – yeah! It isn’t 50 yet, so I am inside sorting through all that I brought back from Spain to create a memory book for Marley and Me. We had such a fun trip, back in October. I can’t wait to go back – especially to Barcelona.

I watched a dog training show this morning. The guy made it look so easy. I wrote everything down that he was doing … DJ, and I, are going to start a new kind of practice. Lewis is a pretty easy pup, and Dodge is getting surer of herself. DJ is perfect in many ways … just weighs as much as I do, and thinks it’s okay to be ‘the walker’ of me rather than the other way around. Please think good thoughts and send me energy. I met a lovely woman at the store today. She had three children and a newly rescued dog in her car … she was purchasing new dog things … they were all so excited to get their new family member home. I so love that. If I had a larger home/yard, I am sure my fam would include many more dogs … and a goat. I’ve wanted a goat since Caleb spoke of ‘fainting goats’ a few years ago. 

Sorry, I am kinda bland/boring today – I am certain I will be on a new rant tomorrow … 

a really important food for thought:

 

Hope everyone is having a beauteous Saturday ...

until tomorrow xo

Happy New Year

I can’t believe it is almost February. My plan was to begin my blog again the first of the new year. Time seems to fly by.  I don’t usually make ‘resolutions’ at the start of a new year. For 2014, I decided resolutions and promises to myself were a great idea. Some of my resolutions may seem cliché – like statements you read on posters, etc., but real for me: To be extra kind to myself … Create … Surround myself with people who make my heart soar … really be in each moment … spend more time in my home socializing with my friends … 2014 to be my year.  Please share some of your resolutions with me. 

One of the highlights of the year so far – Cherie and I enjoyed seeing/hearing Leon Russell at the Neighborhood Theatre a couple of weeks ago. He has always been my fav.

Other plans for this new year are many. I want to build a greenhouse. I am an amateur when it comes to building – any ideas/advice would be appreciated. I will take pics and share the process … ready to begin as soon as it warms up a bit. Last spring/summer was a very wet one, and my vegetable garden didn’t flourish. I wanted to get the green house ready to be functioning this winter … but, time got away from me. And, I am a wimp in the cold weather; and we have had much of that. Finally getting some snow was lovely. I am now ready for spring weather.

One of my biggest tasks was/is [making progress] to organize my studio. Getting everything set up so I can comfortably create. Hoping to finish many creations and get my Etsy Shop up and running again. 

Today and tomorrow are conference days at school. I love meeting with families to talk of all of the wonderful growing happenings with their children. 

I hope this new year will be filled with wonderful for all.

Until tomorrow xo

Beautiful Spring

I have been having such fun planting and watching things grow. We have had a wet Spring; which the plants all seem to be loving. I decided to return to pot gardens this year. The garden ground was too hard this year. Maybe [probably] it was because I was too lazy to chop away at it - and this system seems to be working well and I love the look of it. My friend, Judy, suggested I use magazines and newspapers to cover the ground and then cover with mulch. It looks great, and so far, only the spearmint is working its way through. Spearmint smells so beautiful - and it clearly can live through a chilly winter. The most exciting part of the garden thus far is that I have Roma tomatoes growing ... many of them. Roma tomatoes are my fav and I have yet to reap too many over the years. Trusting this year will be different. Can't wait to enjoy and share.

Another cool thing that is sprouting is lavender ... I have not been great in the past with lavender ... the seeds are growing beautifully - along with the other herbs on the herb wall.

I am so excited to have a rain barrel ... one of my Mother's Day gifts ... thank you, Taylor. It is all 'hooked up' now - Caleb put up the gutter and set it all up - we've had so much rain, the barrel has remained full. Love it, Love it.

Another 'new' in the gardening realm - pallet garden. Last year Alison had some beautiful ones, so I decided to give it a try this year. The pic below is after just 1 week ... it is looking better now - will add more pics. It has to lay flat for a few weeks - then I have the perfect spot in which to stand it up. It has flowers, yellow squash, zucchini, and I recently added radishes to the bottom row. We shall see ...

It was wonderful to spend a week with Taylor. She was home for Amy's and Adam's wedding last Saturday. My first time at officiating a wedding. What a gift - 'firsts' are often uncomfortable - this 'first' was amazing. To be able to be a part of such a beautiful day, with people I so love ... so grateful.

Amy and Adam

Here are some more of today's garden pics ... 

cantelope

cucumber - and a cup of beer for the slugs

green peppers and asparagus

I'm loving this time of the year ... anxious to get back to school on Monday - missing the kiddos - much.

I'll get back to the quote of the day thing soon - today I saw this - and thought it was 'food for thought' ...

Until tomorrow xo

Another Perfect Monday

When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile.  - unknown

I still love Mondays. New week – new ideas - new energy … hopefully this week will bring warmer temperatures and much sunshine.

Wow! It has been quite a long time since I have written. I’ve missed it much, though have been in a quiet, mostly intake place for the past several months. Following the spirits of ‘little guys’ every day is a quiet [observing] job; although, the noise that fills the building would never lend one to think so. For anyone who has a passion for teaching … we realize, over and over again, who the true teachers are … the students.

Not really sure if I have many thoughts ready to share – trying- I’ll get there – I hope. In the interim, please bear with me …

A thought worth repeating: After working with younger children during the past year and a half, for the first time in many years, I find myself often shaking my head [that is a real understatement]. Little children are sponges – they learn most of what they learn from what they see and hear. I’d like to see people stop and pay more attention to that. They copy us … the way we speak, the way we respect others, the way we take care of ourselves and the planet. We are all teachers – and little ones follow our lead. 

My pups

The newest member of our fam – DJ – he is my body guard - we rescued him from Miami, with the assistance of a beautiful person whom I taught [and/or learned from], many years ago.

Here is Lewis, sporting his Obama collar … 

And, Dodge … being her huge puppy self.

One of my favs:

I hope everyone is having a beautiful start to a wonderful week.

Until tomorrow xo♥

"Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another."
-G.K. Chesterton