1. SUMMER
Summer is here. It’s really hot. My yard is hanging on but who will live and who will die is a crapshoot. There are some fabulous surprises here and there that pop up, though. I mean…a sunflower? Wow. I’ve never had one before but there’s something old school and groovy about them. I feel like flowers are such a gift. Each one has something to say. This one is saying, “Hi, it’s me! Look how cute I am! Happy summer! Enjoy life, it’s a gift!”
2. WHEN LIFE GIVES LEMONS
I planted a lemon tree at our old house, and literally a month later we found this one and decided to move. Imagine my joy when I had seen that we had two lemon trees that had been established for a quite a few years and produced zillions of lemons! I love nature and i feel guilty when I plant ornamental plants or shrubs because fruit bearing trees make more sense. I was thrilled to see the first sightings of lemons this summer.
3. COFFEE SPOT
Every day, after I get home from work, I change and run outside to suck out the last drops of sunlight. I sit with the dogs, listen to the birds chirp have a cup of coffee so that I can stay awake until bedtime, and I breathe in my life. I have stress. I have a million things I need to be doing. I put a lot of stress onto myself to meet timelines and achieve goals. The hour to sit, relax and enjoy some quiet time is my treat to myself. If my husband is with me, it isn’t quiet time anymore. We’re really working on spending time together doing nothing. He can’t sit still for very long so it’s a challenge. Typically, he starts piddling around, pulling a weed, trimming a shrub, watering a plant… while I relax. when I am alone though, there will be coffee and quiet with the Angels!
4. SUMMER SMILES
Bella is a serious lady. Pool time has become our thing together. The minute I drag a float out, both dogs are wanting to jump on. Bella prefers to sit in my lap, but they will also float alone together. We literally hang out and have a peaceful time. i think it’s weird that such a nervous little dog has decided she wants to be included in pool time but the more loving and inclusive I am with her… the more she’s come out of her hard little shell. These kooky dogs are my people. I spend more time with them than anyone else. I just wanted to share this funny shot of her on the float!
5. FIG ORCHARD
I have lemon trees, pear trees and I added a fig tree earlier this year which is already producing a small amount of figs! So by “fig orchard” what I really mean is that I planted a fig tree! I guess I take cell phone pictures to share with my dad so I end up with garden shots all over my phone. I have always wanted a huge fig tree so my hope is that I do not kill it and it flourishes. I dream big.
6. THE ILLUSION OF TIME
I wish I had more time. Time is everything. We literally force ourselves to sit and enjoy 20 minutes here and there. This was a Sunday morning after church time together. Hummingbirds and cardinals were around us. I am glad he loves nature and birds as much as I do.
In closing, I would hate to give the impression that I think my life is perfect. It’s a lot of hard work and planning to get to a place where things work out nicely. I try to find the joy in little things. I especially try very hard to not dwell within my inner thoughts. There is a whole world out there, in turmoil actually. To sit and spend time trying to develop an interior sanctum of peace, wellness and joy within the walls of one’s mind is not the most intellectual path…I find it more beneficial to know what is going on in the world, and be damn glad and thankful that the world’s horrors have not yet touched my own existence. While I feel it’s important to take a certain amount of time every day to think and plan and breathe… I find myself in a centered, well state because I am thankful. If you think about the mentally “off center” people you know, there is always a common theme. I. Me. I feel… I think. I. I. I.
In the past, and current, I always find myself trying to council people to wellness by begging them to crawl out of their own mental sinkhole. They always tend to remain hyper focused on their own problems, past hurts and disappointments. It’s because of this that I do not believe in focusing on your own mental state repeatedly as a path to wellness. While some introspection is certainly good, mental aerobics will not get any of us to true psychological perfection. With the life quote that most not centered people often recite, “I have to love myself before I can love others” being a prevalent mindset in society…is it any wonder there are so many broken relationships and unhappy people? How about this…“I need to love and respect others in order to feel love and respect for myself.”
I state all of this to highlight the point that I am happy. I love my life. I am fortunate to have my job, a husband that I can stand on most days, and I’m not broke. I am not the prettiest woman on the planet, but I can get by. I have emotional intelligence so I am able to make correct life decisions even when it’s things that I do not want to do. We share the same perspective on every level. we love birds and animals because we know where they come from. I have a new business in development, although no one has faith in it, I am still hopeful. I try to operate with integrity and treat people with dignity.
It is never my intent to leave people feeling bad. It is my hope that everyone can find happiness within the confines of imperfection. I certainly have!
