Garden or Life?

For the past couple of years I have landed on a word or two to help me set some goals for, oh, I don’t know, lets call it carrying on.  Its been joy, its been intention, its been deliberate.  As I watched some birds out the window this morning and bemoaned the fact that the ground is probably too wet to do more planting, I realized I didn’t have a word for 2020.

    

I am sure we all agree that there are a few words fitting for 2020 and not all of them are G rated.  Not all of the words I can think of would project an attitude of positivity.  The thing is, as I look out the window and bemoan…some would call it wallow…I work at my attitude.  It is too wet to plant, but, when the sun comes out a little it will be a great time to weed, for the ground will be soft and the colors will be bright. I will be able to easily identify the weed. I have a kneeling pad, I have gloves and a garbage can.  I have brand new snips and pruners, and I have a trowel.  I am equipped.

Gardening and landscaping take planning, for sure. Audrey Hepburn once said “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow”.  It takes belief and faith and it takes time. But let’s face it, it also takes action.  Gardening includes tasks, like weeding, because gardens don’t just happen, although I have tried that approach, too, when I just didn’t have the time or inclination.  Lots of metaphors there, isn’t there?

I have the faith and belief, I have equipment and I have time, oh, and I have weeds.  My word for 2020 ~ Action.  Let me take action.

cindiswindowlakeliving

Things I hope not to forget.

What I have learned so far.

Never be without an extra can of Lysol.

Never be without an extra stick of deodorant.

Never be without an extra package of the paper napkins I prefer…which is Bounty.

Never, ever be without an extra gift for any one or number of my five grands.  One of which had a birthday this week and got a woefully sad gift from his GiGi and PaPa.

Never write off the beauty of breakfast for dinner.

Never underestimate the benefit of a second TV, an office or spare bedroom.  Just saying.

Needs are few. 

Family is everything.

cindiswindowlakeliving

Ode to Joy

Started stocking up on some plants this week (I had ordered a few by mail only the second time or so I have done that) and my neighbor-niece picked up a few for me while she was out on errands.  I already almost killed those by leaving them out on the step in an “ooops, I forgot the plants” moment when the temps dropped down to near freezing. They may recover IF it warms up soon. I think May 10 is our safe to plant date for 2020.

I told you about the extension of my trail, once known as trail to nowhere and now referred to, occasionally and loosely, as the trail with purpose. I LOVE this addition to our landscape and although it was a lot of work, and still work needed, it is becoming a favorite spot. Except for the poison ivy or poison oak I picked up while ripping out myrtle, hiding in the growth to do its dastardly deed on my arms and ankles.  Now that I know it is there, I look for it and it is discreet, for sure, but its there. Poison Ivy seems to be strong this year as I have seen several people post about it. Devil weed.

This year has turned in to a year of some serious landscape planning. It is nice to have the niece next door as she also is a landscape planner. We talk flowers, shrubs and trees a LOT. We enjoy it and well, she also picked up some poison ivy working in HER beds. So, we share that as well.

The daffodil game has been strong and long this year; the colder temps seem to be keeping them on a nice rotation without everyone blooming at once. There’s a lot to divide and move later to keep this look going.

 

Even with everything that is going on, spring is such a great time of year. Even on days when it is a bit gloomy or cold I walk out onto the porch and take it all in, just sort of survey it. We have a lot of projects, sure, but also a lot of joy. Who doesn’t need a bit of joy?

cindiswindowlakeliving

Trail to nowhere.

This is tough.  We all are going through it, and well, it is tough.  Not going to dwell here cause we are all having similar thoughts.  4 weeks or so in to it, and it is tough.

Last week I did a thing.  I have had a bit of a trail through the woods side of the house for a couple years.  It leads out past the area I call my moon garden, where the statue my son-in-law made in college usually stands.   I refer to it as my trail to nowhere.  Last week I sat on the steps of the front porch looking out at the trail, thinking about how much mulch I need for it this year and where the heck that would come from, how would it get here and gosh, that’s a lot of mulch. Not a huge fan of dyed mulch, I prefer wood chips from real trees, brown, dirty and probably insect infested, but cheap.  The local recycling center is currently closed and well, not looking likely for a truck load or two of wood chips anytime soon.

 

Naturally, I decided it is the perfect time to expand the trail, to make a loop, to widen the new section a bit and come out parallel to the entrance.  You would no longer have to enter and exit in the same place. Of course, this is a perfect time to tackle this project…when you have absolutely no resources and nothing but time. 

I dug in, I tore out.  I begged hubs to come and help with bigger trees.  You know there were maples galore, some requiring an actual shovel and a strong back, even a chain saw for a couple.  I ripped out myrtle that had long ago been left to grow wild.  It was a solid two days of work and an afternoon here or there of picking away at some little patch of vine or tree. It’s a loop, a start and a finish...it's not long or fancy and I love it. More importantly, the grandkids are going to love it, too, once they can run on it and explore and pretend. I might not run it but I walk it and explore and pretend, imagine, plot and plan, dream.

While it's still a trail that goes nowhere, in the end it finds itself and hey, that’s always a good thing.

cindiswindowlakeliving

Checking in.

What do you really need?

What do you really want?

What are you able to live without?

The new normal.

 

I admit that I have struggled a bit this week.  I can’t remember the last time I was off my property…which is OK by me, really, its just that I can’t remember.  Since we are now considered “elderly” (which was a shock), I have been playing it very safe.  At least, I think so.  I am so grateful to our neighbors and our daughter for doing their utmost to keep us healthy and watching out for our well-being, getting our groceries and supplies, and including us in their runs for take-out food.

 

When we look back on this time, we will have learned much about ourselves, as individuals, as family and as citizens.  What do we want, need and can live without? I bet most of us have a list starting to develop in our heads already.  Way too much food has been kept and thrown out in this house over the years.  Way too many clothes and “niceties”.  Far too many snacks.  Not enough parties, not enough cook-outs. Not enough Isopropyl Alcohol and Hydrogen Peroxide.  Not enough Lysol spray – I’ll never be caught short again. 

Not enough contact with those I love.  Too many days and weeks go by without an “I love you” or even  “just checking in”.

 

Checking in, guys.  Hope you are well, hope you stay well and I love you.

facebook.com/cindiswindowlakeliving

Well, hey, everybody!

Yes, yes it really has been a year since I posted on this blog.  That has been intentional by the way, not that I forgot or had nothing to say.  Fact is, I was afraid of what I would say and therefor, thought it best not to have a forum...if you know what I mean. 

That being said, it's a new time, a different time. Very different.  I was thinking this morning, as I was doing some deep breathing exercises,  that I would like to post a little something positive on Facebook and Instagram and well, some of you know that I have been posting my "Days of Love" on a near daily bases for over two years.  That's usually a picture and I keep the comments down to a roar. At least, from me! I love YOUR comments!

Anyway, this morning I found myself thinking a lot about my friends and family, and decided to rejuvenate my blog, to keep in touch, to do a little mental health check with all of you.  It's too easy to disconnect, to feel a little overwhelmed and to shut in..and shut down.  I'm not having it. 

As I have stated in the past, I started this blog to keep my family and friends up to date on what was happening around my lakeside home and to entertain them, and you.  I am still all about that.  I hope to be a place you can come to for a few words of levity and good feels.  Expect to see my dog and my grandchildren and hubs, of course.  You may get tired of the food pics and cocktails with fires in the background but hey, it's what I do and I invite you to come along.  I love you all, near and far, and hope to see you all again soon.  Until then, please join me at my window!

facebook.com/cindiswindowlakeliving/

Just around the corner.

Now, this weather has got to go.  It’s important, I know, to have spring rain…it helps the lake, it helps the flowers and trees, it helps, it helps.  But you should see our driveway and yard.  Things are super muddy around here, like walking in fudge.  But, yes, there will be sun and drying winds.  This is temporary, I know.  

A couple weeks ago I talked about introducing essential oils into some of my daily routines, which I have continued to do although have not improved on incorporating as much as I want to.  I do still love the frankincense and coconut oil I am using on my neck and chest. Working on those imperfections and happy with the results.  A drop of lemon oil in my water every day, several glasses a day, and a mix of lemon, lavender and tea tree oil to spritz on my counters.  Using my diffuser more often and saw a great little recipe for a spring fragrance called Shamrocks.  Tee hee hee.  Love that.

A few years ago I started watching a make-up artist on You Tube.  I liked her because she was fun, funny, impertinent and did not give a care about what people thought.  She entertained me and although I am not into make-up so much, I liked watching her.  I was maybe a little depressed during those days and needed a boost.  I put her right up there with smutty romance novels and the Bravo housewives franchise.  I cannot get enough.  Shocking, right? Is there anyone out there more shallow than me? 

Anyway, when I started watching this young woman, I also started paying attention to some of the products that seemed to pop up in a lot of places but were often very expensive and not something I was going to spend money on, since I am not a make-up person.  However, I was intrigued by one product that seemed to get mentioned a lot.  Tarte Shape Tape.  I do not understand why it is called Shape Tape as it is neither for shaping nor taping.  It’s concealer.  The product reviews were ridonkulous, as they say, and recently I pulled the trigger and ordered some to be sent in a plain brown unmarked envelope to my home.

This stuff is pretty good.  It’s good on wrinkles and discolorations – okay, bags – around my eyes.  I have learned how to blend and smooth and it truly does take a smidgen of this stuff to work.  I use it all around my eyes because I do not use eye shadow but the eyelids aren’t what they use to be, and this stuff really does go on thin and not settle into lines and wrinkles.  It’s good stuff and I recommend, if that matters to you at all.

So I guess what I am getting at with all these new ideas and items is that it’s not too late, I guess ever, to try to improve yourself and your surroundings.  It would be so easy to just accept what I have, what I know, at my age, but, I really do want to be better, look my best healthy self, feel my best healthy self.

    

That being said I had to run an errand yesterday and WOW am I glad I didn’t see any one I know as I did not do my eyes, or my hair, or my wardrobe for that matter.   If you did happen to see me, thanks for ignoring me and sparing me the anguish it would have caused both of us.

facebook.com/cindiswindowlakeliving