Living A Blessed Life

A local community member and past employee passed away from cancer, last week. She had spent her life giving joy to others and in return, been given joy. Her passing was mourned by many. In fact, her memorial service was held at a large, local venue and was attended by more than 1,000 people! In talking with friends and acquaintances, her sense of fun and whimsy in even the smallest of things was notable. One friend said that she was known as the “Candy Lady” because of the bowls of candy all over their house. She even made earrings out of candy and gave them away. Other people said they knew what holiday or season it was by the decorations around their home and property. It was festive all the time. Whatever she put her hand to was for fun. At work and play, to her, life was to be lived and shared with joy. She made class reunions, family reunions, gatherings and parties fun and enjoyable. She gave to those she knew and those she didn’t. She knew that the gift of life is to share it.

When you give happiness, you receive happiness. How impressive it is to be remembered by so many people because you brought that level of specialness into their lives. It is something we can all do. There is enough love in our hearts to share with the world. We don’t have to hide or hold it in check. Clearly, our lives are meant to be shared and through that sharing come the gift of joy and happiness. Make life fun. Don’t be afraid to enjoy even the simple things or the whimsy. Be silly and don’t be afraid to laugh. Your heart and those around you will thank you for it!

Bad Parent

As I was driving to work this morning, the radio morning program was broadcasting. This morning’s topic was on being a bad parent. Callers were sharing different stories or events that showed what they had done to earn the title of “Bad Parent”. I’m sorry. I don’t know about the rest of you who are parents, but we all do or say things that we wish we could take back. I certainly do not need to air my faults on national radio. Given that freedom of speech allows these things, I still had to turn the radio off. I guess my personal belief is that we have an opportunity to learn from our mistakes. If we recognize that we have done someone wrong, especially to our children or significant other, then we have a choice to not only make it up, but change our behavior so that we do not repeat ourselves. It is important to look at each day as a new beginning.

Indoor Herb Gardens

Virtually everyone has heard of container gardens, in all of their myriad of sizes, styles, and content. I might add here, that if you have containers on your balcony and you live in an apartment or condominium, please remember to put drain pans under your containers. That way, when you water them, you don’t drain water over the edge of your balcony onto your neighbor!

Remember, as with any plants that are in containers, it is important to not let them dry out. Conversely, don’t allow them to sit in water. Too much water will drown them. A good rule of thumb is to water just enough so the water begins to drip out of the bottom, then stop. Always use containers that have drip holes and holding pans, especially with container gardens.

People who don’t have a balcony, but have good windows that let in lot’s of sun can still grow plants. Maybe, not tomatoes or peppers, but many herbs do well against an indoor window. Basil, sage, marjoram, oregano, and thyme are nice, basic herbs for indoor growing. Depending on your style of cooking, would depend on the number and types of plants needed to supply you with enough herbs.

Genovese Basil is a nice, compact variety with large, green leaves. It has a wonderful, rich flavor that adds a special quality to salads and sauces. Lemon Basil is not only fantastic in salads, but when you brush you hands over the leaves to release some of the oils, it sends out a fresh, lemony scent into the air. Basils can get leggy or stretched out when grown indoors if they are not getting enough sun, so using them regularly is good.

Try different varieties of the herbs you love. This is a great way to experiment with dishes you already make to add a new flavor. Remember, fresh herbs are much stronger than dry, so use only a leaf or two at a time, especially in cooked meals where you might add a teaspoon of dry. This also gives you permission to frequently taste what you are cooking!

This type of growing is rewarding and money saving. Your house will have that fresh, herbal smell that helps to relieve the stress of the day. What could be more special than that?

Helping Hands

The best place to find a helping hand is at the end of your own arm.
- Swedish Proverb

How many people do you know who complain how awful their life is or that no one is willing to help them? I’m not talking about the people who have just found themselves in a bad situation. I’m talking about the people who perpetually blame everyone but themselves for the state of their affairs.

Often, we help those people for quite some time, until we finally realize there is a pattern of usage. We actually become enablers of the very behaviors we are trying to stop. Let’s turn the table, how often do we ourselves, become caught in that same cycle of self-defeatism? We complain and whine to those around us how something or everything in our lives is wrong and no one wants to help.

The reality is that if we don’t make the first move or moves, why should anyone pitch in to help? That picture isn’t going to paint itself, the book isn’t going pick up a pen, the garden won’t plant the seeds (or at least not the ones we want!), or the promotion/job won’t happen if we don’t first make the effort to prove or help ourselves. When we start making things happen for ourselves, others are encouraged to join in the parade. That’s what hands are for!

Mmmm. It’s Spring!

It always smells so good at this time of the year. The pitch has started to move in the trees, bringing a pine-fresh quality to the air which actually seems to signal to our own inner juices that it’s time to stir the hibernating winter soul into awakening. You can hear the birds and insects begin to stretch their vocal cords as nature’s choir begins its annual practice.

As the grass reaches to the sky, there is an unaccountable joy at the sound of lawnmowers as they signal the end of a cold lifeless winter, while they cheerfully clip at extra growth to make an even green carpet and filling the air with a wonderful, grassy aroma.

Even the sun, itself, seems to exude a sort of fragrance that is warm and rich and loving in its embrace. Maybe, it’s a combination of sweet rich soil, plants bursting forth in happy abandon, and clear mountain water, all rejoicing at being reunited with their old friends. But, whatever the reason, it makes every living thing dance and sing in unabashed ecstasy. Oh, herald the rites of spring!

Lifelong Learner

Learning new things is exciting to me. A couple of years ago, I finished a dual Bachelor degree program in Business and Marketing, graduating with honors in both programs. Though I was working full time and going to school full time, it was an amazing process. The professors were terrific, except for the couple who felt they needed to prove something, and my classmates were great. I usually learned more from my classmates than the Prof. As older students, the majority of us were there to learn and complete our degrees, so we were focused. We also brought a lot of life history to the table. It was so cool to find out what other people know because they may have different values, sets of family norms, traditions, work history, culture, etc.

Research has shown that people who keep an active mind through learning are less apt to suffer dementia. Reading and writing are fantastic activities for working your mind muscles. Painting or other creative pursuits are also helpful. Whatever it is that gets you excited.

My husband and I love to travel. When we plan a vacation, we like to find out the history or important information of the area we are visiting. Even local waterfalls have interesting information, such as who named them, the water source, and more. We love to explore museums, even in towns that we visit regularly, as we discover new information we didn’t know before. It makes our travels far more interesting and we come home enriched by the experience. It is so important to keep being curious and take advantage of our life.

Amaze your family and friends with your wisdom. You, too, can be a lifelong learner!

Pets

My husband and I have a dog and 3 cats. Yes, they rule our lives. Two of the cats are brothers and look identical. In fact, the only way my husband can tell them apart is to feel their tails. One of them has a kink at the end. They are the funniest things on four feet.

They LOVE an inflated Mylar balloon. Any Mylar balloon. As long as the string is within reach, the chase is on. Jerry will pull the balloon down until he can get the base of the balloon in his mouth, at which point, he will take off running around the house. Tom, his brother (yes, we named them Tom & Jerry!), will take off after him, chasing the string that is trailing behind. We have tried to take pictures or video, but it happens so fast, we never have time to catch them. What pictures we have gotten, are incredibly blurry. Fast moving felines. They make us laugh all the time.

It’s amazing how varied our furry kid’s personalities are. Ruby, our yellow lab, thinks the sun rises and sets with my husband. She would follow him to ends of the earth. Henrietta Marie, our old tuxedo kitty, feels the sun rises and sets with her. She’s SUCH a prima donna. Tom and Jerry follow me around like puppy dogs. Writing can be a bit of a challenge with them vying for space on my lap with my computer!

Each of them brings a new dimension into our lives we would miss without them. Though Ruby and Henri will likely pass on in the next year or so, they have enriched our lives through their own.

Who enriches your life?

Find Your Magic

I am a big Harry Potter fan. The books and movies are great entertainment for any age, and obviously I’m not the only one to think so. One of the things I have noticed is how the creative energies of not just J.K. Rowling, who wrote the books, but the creativity of the people who made the movies, connect for so many people. I re-read the books this last winter to see how closely the movies reflected the books. Now, I know movie-makers condense and edit the books into a working screenplay. What was interesting to me is how many changes they made that actually enhanced both the movie and the book. There were some changes I felt worked better in the movie than in the book, and conversely, things that should not have been left out of the movies.

What struck me as I worked my way through them is how we creatively look at things differently. I’ve mentioned before how important it is for us to explore our own personal creative genius and let it shine. The world may miss what we have to share that can make a difference. After all, there is magic in all of us!

Have you found your magic?

Fruit Seeds

Okay, so I really like uplifting or thought-provoking quotes. It probably has something to do with the fact that I like to analyze people, life, situations, anything. Personally, I feel it helps me understand why we react to things the way we do or to possibly look at making a positive choice to a potential circumstance. It has helped me a lot over the years.

Anyway, a Vietnamese quote I saw a couple of days ago says, “When eating a fruit, think of the person who planted the tree.” What a profound and far-reaching thought. To recognize and value the efforts of those who have a hand in the things that affect us – the food we eat, the clothes we wear, our transportation, our homes, everything. It is amazing to think of how many people are involved. I’m thinking about the little plastic Easter egg that we are filling with coins for our Grandson. Going backwards, from the store I bought it from, the sales person who put it on the shelf, the delivery person, the warehouse, the manufacturer, and all the people before that.

Think about what you do on a daily basis that makes a difference to other people. Whether we are at home, at work, in the community, we make a difference in other peoples lives. What more can we do to make a positive difference for those around us? There are lots of opportunities to plant seeds of goodness. What seeds can you plant today?

Enjoy your day!

Grow A Garden

My husband and I owned a plant nursery several years ago. It was a wonderful opportunity to teach our daughters a good work ethic, how to handle money, and deal with customers. Of course, it helped pay the household bills, too. I was also a Master Gardener and subsequently our local chapter president. Part of my duties as a Master Gardener was to share my knowledge at gardening clinics, from fair booths, and to clubs and organizations that wanted a speaker. Since we owned a nursery, my calendar was always full. One of the topics most requested was on container gardening.

Container gardening is wonderful way to grow vegetables, not just flowers. It is also a good way to “contain” certain plants that you don’t want to get away from you, such as strawberries. Creative gardeners can actually grow more than one type of vegetable in their containers, which makes better use of available space. One the things we have done, is plant lettuce around the outside of a container with a tomato or two in the center. As the tomato grows larger, it helps protect the lettuce from too much sun, while the lettuce helps keep moisture in the pot. Adequate moisture and feed are critical to successful container gardening. Too much water and the plant will rot, too little and it dries out and dies. Being watchful of outside conditions and adjusting these levels will enable you to grow good plants.

The same applies for us, as people. We are walking “container gardens”. The food and water we intake nourish our bodies, while what we read, hear, and see feeds our minds and souls. The “fruit” we bear depends on how well we have nourished ourselves. The better we take care of ourselves, the more we have to offer to those who need us.

May your garden be plentiful!

Exploring Your Craft

The advent of the internet has made exploring and looking up information enormously easier. Research is an amazing experience, now. Laboriously poring over books and not being sure you have found the right one, is a thing of the past. The ability to access information at the touch of our fingers is absolutely thrilling. We have the ability to look at far more information than we thought possible.

That being said, exploring information from such a variety of sources enables us to get a bigger and better picture of whatever is being researched. My efforts at seeing what other people are writing or getting better information on how to be more effective has been much more successful due to the number of people willing to share their expertise. The more I can stay up-to-date with my writing, the better opportunity I have of getting more of my work published.

Whether you like to write, play music, make jewelry, or whatever, exploring your craft is important if you want to advance. I have learned so much from the generous people who have shared their insights. Though one must fully understand that not all information is sound, by making sure you don’t stick with one source, but look at many, you can get a better handle on what is consistent. Make use of the opportunity that is given you and discover what others are doing in the field you enjoy.

Have a great day!

Choices

I just read a quote that said, “Our lives are the sum total of the choices we have made” by Wayne Dyer. Every choice we have made to this point has led us to where we are today. I can see that I have made some good choices and some poorer choices over the years. Some choices are made for us, whether we like it or not. Circumstances can also produce a lot of leverage in either a positive or negative way. Regardless, we always have a certain amount of choice, even if it’s only how we deal with circumstances. Certainly, the current global economic situation gives us ample opportunity to make choices, especially how we handle changes in our own economic status.

While analyzing the above quote, I think about the decisions I am making that will shape my future. In the past, my writing has primarily consisted on writing pieces as the inspiration has fed them. I would work on them only when I could carve out a moment of free time, which was hard to do with kids, husband, business, etc. Now, I have more opportunity to focus on my own aspirations.

One of the decisions I have made is to subscribe to Premium Green, a freelancing eMagazine. It is full of great information and leads to periodicals looking for articles and stories. There are several I intend to query. I am also building a calendar and plan so I can stay on track. It is amazing how much information is available to help people succeed. I have listed some new websites and blog information on this site. I will continue to add more, as time goes on. Keep checking back to see what’s new.

Enjoy your day!

Impressions

My mother and I were watching an interview on the Turner Classic Movie channel this last Saturday evening. It was an interview between the host Robert Osborn and actor Ernest Borgnine on his life and acting career. It was quite fascinating. My mother had seen a great number of his movies over the many years that he has been acting, as have I. Often, his character in many of his movies were that of a hard-mannered man facing difficulties. Though he also played men with an enormous amount of character and even humor, my mother’s impression of him was that he must be similar to the bulk of the characters he portrayed in the movies. She was quite amazed while watching the interview, that he was quite the opposite. He never criticized people or spoke negatively of anyone, instead, focused on the positive. If there was anything contrary, he only would cite situations as possibly being problematic. It was very interesting, and my mother came away from watching this interview with a whole new impression of a very talented and kind man.

How often do we believe something based on one dimension? People we see on the screen or even in our own community are often judged by what we perceive without seeing the whole person. Often, we don’t have all the information, but make assumptions based on incomplete information. I am just as guilty of jumping to conclusions, believing that I have what I need to make an informed decision. Yet, all too often, that judgment or viewpoint is based more on emotion than good sense. Alas, I need more improvement.