It Starts With a Seed

 "You're like the seed from which a plant grows:  Almost everything you need to be fully who you are is already inside of you---waiting for the things that nurture you, the things that bring you to life." 

--Magnolia Journal summer 2022

Secret Gardens

Welcome to my garden!  Please enter through the garden gate and find solace for your soul......

More or Less - December 2016

So....here we are almost to the end of 2016.  At the beginning of the year I started our conversation about the path our year would take. . . .

More or Less - November 2016

I've been thinking more about the past lately because I'm realizing I have more time behind me and less time ahead of me.  Today is the 50th anniversary of when my husband and I first laid eyes on each other.  I was 16 and he was 20. I had no idea that day he'd ask me out later in the week and that I'd fall in love with him.  Seven months later I moved out of state with my parents.  We almost didn't meet.  This got me to thinking about my Hungarian grandparents and how they met.  This was their wedding day in 1920. . . .

More or Less - October 2016

CREATIVITY

Elizabeth Gilbert begins her book, Big Magic, with this Q&A:

Q.  What is creativity?
A.  The relationship between a human being and the mysteries of                    inspiration.

More or Less - September 2016

Some of you expressed a desire to see my new haircut when I wrote about it in July.  I said I got it cut shorter because it was too hot on my neck and I didn't like having to wear it up because it made me look like a granny.  I didn't mention then that part of the reason was because I was going to Mexico in August and knew it would be hot and humid there.  NOW I know why women south of the border usually have long hair and no bangs--so they can pull it totally off their forehead and neck and restrain it in a neat bun!  This is what MY hair looked like in Mexico. . . .

More or Less - August 2016

After an extremely hot and humid July, with more of the same predicted for August, I find myself wanting less of summer and more of winter. . . .

More or Less - July 2016

Let's talk hair!  I just got my hair cut shorter last week because I can't stand it on my neck in this hot, humid weather.  What compelled me to do it was I'd just seen a photo of myself, taken from the side, with my hair up in a bun (because of the heat) and decided I wasn't ready to look like a granny.....even though I was holding my newest grandchild.  The photo also drove home the fact that I'll never look like I did in 1974 when I wore my hair the longest it's ever been, no matter how long I let my hair grow now. . . .

More or Less - June 2016

Because of all the rain we had this Spring I have had more roses than usual.  And because I'm taking time every morning to pick weeds and deadhead I seem to have less work to do in my garden this year.  One of the things I've noticed about my roses is how they change color as they open fully. . . .

 

More or Less - May 2016

This is the page I pull up when I open Safari on my computer.  It lists the sites I frequently visit so that I can just click on the icon to go directly there. . . .

Did you notice what's missing?  Several of my web journals are listed as well as Blogger Dashboard--that's where I go to moderate comments that don't come directly to my e-mail inbox.  I'll give you a little more time to look at the list. . . .

More Or Less - April 2016

This past weekend we were in Phoenix, AZ to attend a family wedding.  The next day Ken's brother and sister-in-law took us to the Desert Botanical Garden where we spent the day into the evening walking the paths or sitting in the shade.  There was lots in bloom which really put me in the mood to get into my garden.  Unfortunately, we came home to a freeze warning, so I will have to wait a few more weeks before I head for the garden center.

More or Less - March

This month I'm glad to report I have LESS in my house.  I started  my decluttering project, finally, after Marie Kondo's book, "Spark Joy," became available at the library.  I posted this picture in last month's Out and About of all the things I'd collected for my kids to look through before I disposed of everything. . . .

More or Less - February

♫Finding Neverland♫

I've not been very successful with my "Less" list, but I have made some progress with my "More" list.  January was largely devoted to children's books and my desire to illustrate mine.  To that end I've been drawing more in preparation for my monthly Beatrix Potter post. . . .

More or Less - January

♫The Way♫

Welcome to my new monthly feature: More or Less.  It replaces my View Outside My Window series.  This will still be my "conversation" post where I invite you to answer the question that's been on my mind.  But the photo will be from my photo library of photos that have something in common with each other and relates to my question in some way.  This month the photos are of paths. . . .

View Outside My Window - December

♫It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas♫

This is the view outside the bay window in my living room. . . .

View Outside My Window - November

♫Getting to Know You♫

The view outside my living room side window this afternoon shows just how sunshiny it is today.  What it doesn't tell you is it's also 73° in November!. . . .

View Outside My Window - October

♫Autumn Leaves♫

It's the time of year that change is noticeable....however, in my woods the trees still retain their leaves and very few have changed color yet.  Here's the view outside my living room window. . . .

View Outside My Window - September

♫You Raise Me Up♫

This is the view outside my window next to my desk where I've spent much of my time these past two weeks. . . .

View Outside My Window - August

♫Through the Trees♫

It was February and there was snow on the ground the last time I showed you the view out this window next to my drawing table. . . .

View Outside My Window - July

♫From the Heaven of My Heart♫

This is the view outside our main guest bedroom.  There are two windows and they both overlook our woods.  The boardwalk you see leads around to the back of the house up a ramp to the deck to the backdoor.  My husband built it 21 years ago for my mother's wheelchair while I cared for her during her last illness. . . .