Tuesday, June 28, 2011

My Happy Place

It takes hands to build a house, but only hearts can build a home. ~Author Unknown
This is my absolute favorite time of year, when I can catch up on so many things around the house that I enjoy.  I have been crafting some special little treats for my nieces who will be visiting soon.  We are having a "Fairy Picnic" in my garden while they are here and I'm so excited to make it extra special for them.
This is on the "upper" level of my terraced backyard and where I will lay down a blanket (pink, of course) for our Fairy Picnic!
I have also been working tirelessly in my yard, catching up on everything I neglected in early Spring when my injury kept me flat on my back and work kept me too busy to find the time to get outside.


My garden is growing, this year I have tomatoes, Japanese eggplant, cantaloupe, red & yellow sweet peppers, Jalapeno peppers, herbs, pumpkins, lettuces, & various varieties of squash growing. 


Every morning I wake up and head directly outdoors to my truly "happy place", my backyard.  I can easily spend hours out there, pruning, sweeping, watering, etc.
It brings me such pleasure to see the perennials that I have planted over the years flourish and fill in every space possible.  I keep a rather overgrown, somewhat "messy" cottage style garden, which works perfectly for me.  The front yard is a little more "orderly", but I really love the overgrown style of an English country garden that is more like what I have in the back.  I do not get caught up in perfection, and if a plant can't survive in my yard, then it's replaced with something that can. 


Our climate is hot and dry, so getting the feel of an English garden can be a challenge.  Roses, hydrangeas, and lavender thrive in the sometimes grueling conditions of summer here, and they are really my favorites.

This is the door to my bedroom, it opens directly out to my backyard, a feature of my 1938 house that I LOVE!
I love to put in several hours of hard work, then relax with a cold drink and a book on the patio and enjoy my garden.  It is a place where my family & friends can share a meal, play some ping pong, and just spend time together.

Still working on this area, had to replace the arch, the old one finally gave in to rot and a storm.  Sad to have to cut back over half of my climbing Eden roses to get the old arch out and the new one in.
I Hope you have enjoyed a peek at my happy place, where is yours????

Happy Thoughts,
Lisa

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

This is who I am...

 To teach how to live with uncertainty, yet without being paralyzed by hesitation, is perhaps the chief thing that philosophy can do.  ~Bertrand Russell

Hi there, I'm finally taking the time to blog again...well, I have the time to blog again.  I missed it, I really did.

Because the school year is over, I have a few weeks off for summer vacation, and I am so relieved.  I've said before how much I love my job, and I really do...but it can really be a stressful job at times.  Multi-tasking in an understatement and dealing with the up and down emotions of parents is always a sensitive task.  After all, teachers and school personnel spend as much, and sometimes more time, with your kids.  And what do all parents, me included, feel the the most emotional, protective and possessive about?  Our own children of course. 

Finding the time to run a household, including the yardwork, errands, school functions, and work full-time (plus some), can be physically & emotionally exhausting.

Anyway, the past several months  have had me on an emotional and financial rollercoaster.  Making it financially as a single parent will always be a challenge, but I'm hoping the future brings me a little more stability than the recent months have.

As I get older, and go through life's good and bad experiences, I learn so much about myself.  I feel like until the day I die, I will constantly be learning who I am and I how I deal with the joys and challenges that come my way.

I've decided that I can be thought of as a person who has a lot of contradictions, but I like to think of it more as I'm someone who is open to many ways of thinking, and not limited to what I can do and feel.  Having said this, I also know that I am always learning, about who I am and how I deal with those around me.

No one is perfect... that's why pencils have erasers. 
~Author Unknown


 I am...

someone who loves my children more than anything, but still enjoys the time away when I'm with friends.

a woman who doesn't feel the need to have a man in her life to be complete or feel loved, but still believes in love & romance.

a person who is loyal to a fault, but in return expects the same from friends & loved ones.

a mother who has high expectations for her children, but will love them unconditionally, no matter where their path in life leads.

someone who can be hard on others, but who is most hard on herself.

a person who believes in science and facts, but keeps an open mind to the possibilities & magic that make up this universe.

a woman who sometimes has a hard time focusing on one task at a time, but is passionate about so many things.

a person who can be happy and content alone, but loves being around people.

a woman who can forgive, if not forget, when someone is truly sorry.

a person who is basically liberal in her beliefs, but has strong morals.

someone who is reluctant to make changes, but is learning how.

a woman who tries to be sensitive, but will always answer you honestly.

a person who gets caught up in the little things and the small scale of  life right around her, but tries to take the time to see the big picture and what's really important in the world.

 a woman who hates making mistakes, but tries to learn from them when she does.

nowhere near perfect, but overall content with who I am.

 I am...a mother, daughter, sister, aunt, friend. 

I want to be the best mother, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, employee I can be.

I am human.
Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang best.  
~Henry van Dyke

What about you?  Who are you?  What makes you who you are?  How do you work on making you better each and every day?  

Writing it down can give you a wonderful perspective on where you are and where you want to be.

Happy Thoughts,
Lisa