Thursday, February 23, 2017

Thinking About A Garden?




I wanted to start at the beginning. I thought about this post for
March but with the warmer weather trend I felt the time was
right for thinking about starting a garden. Do you favor just
a small vegetable garden with a few herbs and seasonal flowers
around your yard, or do you prefer only container planting? 
Why garden you may ask. How about reducing your carbon 
footprint or introducing your family to healthy eating habits? 
The reasons are many and I hope you'll give gardening a try.



Visually a decorated, well maintained garden has appeal. But to 
have this look takes work and upkeep and to some that is way
to much while others find it invigorating and pleasurable. It 
doesn't have to be large, even a small plot will produce. So
decision time. Here are a few things to think about before you 
begin a garden.



* The amount of time to be spent working in the garden.
* What to grow in a garden and/or container: flowers, herbs,
    or vegetables or a combination.
* The amount of space to be dedicated for a garden.
Sun requirements for a garden.
* The kind of soil your garden area has.
* The importance of your plant Hardiness Zone.
* Deciding to grow from seed and/ or use plants.



Gardening can be a joy and it can be addictive. Providing
you and your family with homegrown flowers and vegetables 
is very rewarding. Start small, experiment with varieties but
keep it manageable.



Gardening is a 3-season activity but the well-healed gardener
will be always be thinking about getting "hands in the dirt."
Winter will be a time for planning and looking at the seed 
catalogues, revisiting their garden journals, and checking out
garden blogs. There are garden shows, podcasts, and many
garden books to give you ideas. Find a garden mentor.
Gardeners are always willing to share their experiences and
know-how. Don't be afraid to ask.




Gardening can be therapeutic and relaxing. Gardening can be
educational and healthy. Gardening will draw you into the beauty
and awe of life itself. You will harvest more than food and flowers,
you will reap the generosity of God's earth…and be the happier
for it! 



Thanks for stopping by…..
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Tuesday, February 14, 2017

A Joyous Heart




Daughter Shakira sent us a lovely and heartfelt Valentine
card. (see above). I'm sure she was thinking of her Dad and
I sitting on the porch swing. That was my first thought.
Comfortable, happy, in love. Many might object to putting
a title or tag to a certain day and then spending a lot of money
proving their love. I don't think it's about extravagance at all.
This day is to share love and affection certainly, but it's also
a way to show friendship and kindness. A card, a phone call,
a plate of cookies can be a worthy expression straight from
the heart to someone you care about.

ROSES ARE RED
VIOLETS ARE BLUE,
YOU MAKE THE WORLD BETTER,
BY JUST BEING YOU.
                                                     ~Veronica Dearly




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Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Observing Nature's Cold Season



In winter, you feel the bone structure of the landscape.
                                                              ~Andrew Wyeth



Cloudless sky. The red barn stands
as shelter, protection from the burrowing
depths of the cold.




Dark trees stand stiff as soldiers against the
dirty grey of the sky. The water unmoving
quiet, bleak, cold.




Winter reminds us that everyone and
everything needs some quiet time.
                                    ~Katrina Mayer




The ice along the edges of the pond gives
the only hint of why I was shivering in this
biting cold of the day.




Beauty stands out even when the temperature
drops.



So when you're cold from the inside out
and don't know what to do,
remember love and friendship, and
and warmth will come to you.
                                   ~Stephen Cosgrove






                                   

                      Thanks for stopping by….                                                            
                                                                                                                 
                                                                                           




                                                            
                                                        LOVE IS LIKE A CABBAGE                                                                                                                           
                                                   
                                                     
                                                      My love is like a cabbage
                                                      divided into two,
                                                      The leaves I give to others,
                                                      The heart I give to you.
                                                                         author unknown
 
Remember Valentines Day, Feb. 14th
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Friday, February 3, 2017

February Arrives




February doesn't hold a lot of interest for me. A couple of things
stand out. My son-in-law has a birthday... love you Mark,
Valentines Day happens on the 14th, it's a short month, yippee,
and groundhog predictor of Spring's arrival, Punxsutawney
Phil, let us know we will have an additional 6 weeks of winter.
Hmm, how to take that. I'm standing neutral. Yes, prefer the 
green, the budding, the baby birdies in the nest…I long to put
my hands in fresh turned dirt and feel the joy. But, I also
appreciate the time during winter to take stock of where I'm
at inside my house. I like the quiet time to read, to plan, to
do a few craft projects and odd organizing tasks that always
seem to be on my list. Grandson Ethan takes the top of my
list so all things will be adjusted accordingly. So down this
seasonal road we'll continue, checking off the days until we
come to that birth-awakening, rejuvenating place called Spring.



I believe in process. I believe in four seasons.
I believe that winter's tough, but spring's coming. 
I believe that there's a growing season. 
And I think that you realize that in life, you grow.
You get better.
~steve southerland



Valentines Day, remember friends. Coming up!!
It's a card, it's a kiss, it's a dinner out! It's a phone call, it's
a visit, it's a flower! It's coffee for two, it's a movie, it's happy
hour! Most of all it's you thinking of someone else and making
them happy!!!

PS. Yes, an extra post this week, hope you can stand it. LOL!!

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY.Visit me on Instagram  dianarn2627 is where you'll find me.