My Garden Retreat

I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck.- Emma Goldman


This quote is totally and completely me.  I would sell a piece of jewelry (if I had anything valuable enough), for a rose plant or any garden flower, for that matter, without a bit of hesitation.


I love to garden.  I am not a professional in any way.  I am completely self-taught.  I learn mostly by trial and error...a lot of error, actually ;)


If something doesn't make it, I just plant something else in it's place.  It's kind of survival of the fittest in my garden.  Shabby Chic, with more "shabby" than "chic" comes to mind as well.


I could have a much tidier yard, if I wanted to spend every waking moment outside....which I wouldn't mind, except that there is all that other bothersome stuff, like housework, kids, grocery shopping, work, etc.  I don't have the budget for a gardener, but I'd really rather do the work myself, it's something I truly enjoy. This works for me, nothing in my house is perfect, I have  a lot of chipped furniture, homemade curtains, etc.  I am OK with that.  I am not rich, my budget is small....but I do what I can to keep myself surrounded with the lovely, pretty little things that mean so much to me. I am very visual, and beauty is objective, which is what I love about it.  What is beautiful to me, might be just an old cast-off to someone else.  That's what makes this world such an amazing place.

For now, I am enjoying my summer mornings outside, before the kids are up, drinking my coffee, dead-heading my roses, sweeping up after the squirrels and birds who feast on my plum and almond trees, content w/ my little corner of this big beautiful world.


Happy Gardening & Happy Thoughts,
Lisa


I am participating in My Romantic Home's Show & Tell Friday &
...go check out these  beautiful blogs!

Summer List

Cut not the wings of your dreams,
for they are the heartbeat and the freedom of your soul. 
-Flavia


My "official" summer is finally here, I finished my last day of work for this past school year, and now I don't have to report back to my "9 to 5" job until August.  


There is so much I want to do in the next 6 weeks, both fun stuff w/ my family and friends, and projects and tasks around my house.


I know that no matter how hard I try, I won't get it all done.  I am not being a pessimist, it's just that I always put way too much on my plate, so it winds up being literally impossible to to do it all.  That's ok though...if I can get just some of the "to do's" off my summer list, then I will be happy ;)


First off, I need to make my list, if I don't, I will never focus enough to get started on all that I want to accomplish.


Making the list is the first step.  Some of the items on my list will be things I want to do "someday", not necessarily this summer, but most will be things I can accomplish within the next few weeks.  I love being able to check off items on my list as I finish them.  There will be fun things, like day trips or trying new things, like making homemade pickles, and chores that I never seem to find the time to do, like cleaning out under my bed (ugh!) and de-cluttering my closets.  There are those projects I started that haven't been touched in weeks (or months!), that will make me feel so good when I can finally finish them.  Then there will be the simple things, such as read a new book, or take time to sit in my garden and soak in all the nature around me.

Something I'm dreaming of right now, that cannot be accomplished this summer, but hopefully someday in the near future, is attending a women's retreat called Brave Girls' Camp.  I had heard about it a while ago in a blog that I enjoy reading regularly called A Bushel & A Peck.  From what I can tell, it is 5 days of women getting together for fun, food, creating, and support.  Women from all different backgrounds & locations get to have a sort of big slumber party together.  That's my interpretation of it anyway, check out the website and you can decide for yourself.  It just sounds like something I would love to do someday, so I'd like to start saving up for it and make it a reality.


As I have mentioned before, I truly believe that women need each other in so many important ways.  We all love our kids, our boyfriends, husbands, etc., but having  girlfriends, mothers, or sisters, to confide in, to lean on, to share stories, hopes, and dreams, is so important.  As women, I strongly feel we need to stick together.  No one understands a woman more than another woman.  


Now, it's time to get that list started and enjoy SUMMER!


Happy Summer & Happy Thoughts,
Lisa

Life and other updates..

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out. -Anton Chekhov 


I've been so busy lately, even though I've really wanted to take the time to blog, I just haven't been able to stop and do it.


Work for me right now is busy, but also getting ready to wind down.  Since I work at an elementary school, the end and beginning of the school year is always the busiest.  In some ways, things have calmed down for me personally at work, since we got a new secretary, and I am back at my old desk again.  I had mixed feelings about it at first, although it was not something me or my boss had a choice in.  In the end, like everything else in life, it seems to have worked out for the best.  I have more time to work on other projects, and I feel like I am back in the right place, as the receptionist, and getting to interact more again with the parents and kids.  Plus, I have a new co-worker who is easy to work with and makes my job pleasant.  We are a team now, which is something I never had before.



The farmer's market job I had talked about in past posts has unfortunately not panned out so far.  My guess is that the their booth has just not been profitable enough yet to hire someone else to work it.  I know that if it is, she will call me, we definitely had a good connection and she knows I can handle the job.  It's like I try to remember, everything seems to work out in the end.  If I had been called to work at the market every weekend a couple of months ago, I don't think I could have done it with the extra time and stress I was dealing with at work.  It's funny how life works out like that...         
                                               


These days, it's taking all my weekend time working on my garden, house-cleaning and hanging out with my daughter.  I am also trying to find time for the occasional girls' night with my besties.  

 A little work shower gift for my boss who is getting married in Hawaii this summer.

Recently 6 of us got together for a movie (Sex & the City) and dinner, and it was nice to just hang out and talk with these "girls" again(I will always consider myself a girl, no matter how old I am!)...it had been way too long.  I am looking forward to my 6 weeks off for summer, and plan to have a couple girlie get-togethers at my house.  I love to cook for and entertain my girlfriends and I have not been making that a priority for a while.
                              

  My little gift/treat for all my girlfriends for our Sex & the City night.


Women have a way of empowering each other like no one else can, and I consider my time with my girlfriends very uplifting and therapeutic.  I am a strong advocate for "Girl Power" and think woman can do anything we set our minds to.


Next up is a quick trip to San Diego to pick up my college student daughter and a short visit with my beloved sister and nieces.   I am looking forward to seeing all my girls and having my daughter home for summer.




Wishing you a wonderful week and Happy Thoughts,
Lisa