Catching Up

I took a little break from the blog because of family obligations.  My brother has been living with his partner for fifteen years, and they finally decided on a wedding - a destination in the middle of Nowhere Montana.   So I flew to San Jose to pick up my mom, the airline connections flew us to Los Angeles, then on to Missoula.  From there it was a 90 minute drive to the Ranch.  After a whole day of traveling, I was exhausted! 

The Ranch is beautiful.  Peaceful.  Serene.  Until you mix in a wedding and forty other people from the other side of the family.  We were a loud, noisy, boisterous bunch.  The day before the wedding, we all took a trip into town for a stop at the local thrift store.  Being on a ranch, everyone bought cowboy boots!  I think this store sold all 22 pairs they had in stock just to our family group!  

For me, I wandered around taking lots of photos.  I just loaded them onto my PC and I took nearly 300 photos!  My gift to the bride and groom will be my photos on a DVD, presented in a slide show format set to music.  It's one of the things I like to do, and have done for many years. 

After so much travel, rooming with my mother in matching twin beds for 3 days, and more travel on the other end of our trip, I came home exhausted!  And appreciated that I didn't have to go to work today!!  I used it to catch up on laundry, grocery shopping and rest.   Seems like every time I sat down, my eyes wanted to close :) But that's how it goes after a vacation.

It's amazing how family dynamics work.  I was able to sit back and observe a few things.  No matter how much time family has been apart, coming together feels like a very natural thing and we all slip back into familiar patterns.  And yet there are differences because of our experiences and such.  My brother is the same, and yet he's different with his wife.  Not in a bad way, just different.  It was fun being with family, and I'll treasure the memories. 

When you have opportunities to get together with family, take each of them even if it isn't something you exactly want to do.  No matter what happens in life, family is forever.  Cherish them.  Make memories. Love them.  You won't regret it!!! 

Antiquing

I know that for some, antiquing isn't an activity, but for me?  Always has been.  There's just something about things with a history that fascinate me.  Over the years, I have collected depression glass - beautiful pinks and greens in glassware and condiment trays or candy dishes.  I've collected Vernonware - stoneware made in California.  I've always collected rocks, but that's not really antiquing -- because I don't collect rocks that I pay for!!  And Pyrex!  I just love old Pyrex.  But what's the draw??

When I'm in a shop and I find something "old" , I'm always amazed by the craftsmanship.  We don't make things like we used to!  An old dressing set of a hairbrush and mirror wasn't made out of plastic.  Some of it was very ornate, and some of it even created out of real silver!  But for me it goes beyond the actual object. 

Think about the woman who might have owned that brush and mirror.  They're beautifully placed on the top of her dresser, not hidden in a drawer.  They're beautiful to look at and yet also very practical.  It seemed there was more time for personal time in days gone by.  She probably sat on a tufted stool in front of a mirror and stroked her hair 100 times for a beautiful shine.  Now?  I'm lucky if I can slash a comb through my hair before dashing out the door.  We're just a little too busy these days! 

When going antiquing, don't go with having a specific goal in mind.  Head in to the shop and really soak up the atmosphere.  Most shop owners try to infuse their shop with a certain vibe using colors and presentation.  Take a few moments to appreciate that.  And as you're looking over the treasures in front of you, allow yourself to be pleased, and then pleasantly surprised when something catches your eye that you just have to have!!  Savor the experience! 

Creature Comforts

Physicians and Psychologists say that loving, caring for, and spending time with with animals enhances our well being.  Anyone who has ever been adored by a dog or cat probably can't convey in words the emotional bond that grows between them.

I know that bond.  My last dog, Sadie, was a pug.  If you look up pugs, you'll find they're playful, affectionate, charming, stubborn, mischievous, clever, docile, sociable, attentive, loving, quiet and calm.  But never all this on the same day!!  hahaha  But having a pet can give a person's life purpose, and having a pet to care for brings out the best in us.  It's not always the easiest task, but nothing worthwhile is ever easy. 

As a puppy, my Sadie was a handful!  And even though I was told that having a pug is like having a two year old, I figured that kind of fun would decrease as she grew older.  I was wrong!  She was still stubborn at 8 yrs as she was at 1 year.  

If you have a pet, you know that you can't just feed them, walk them, and ignore them.  You invited them into your life, now you should share that.  Pets need to be stroked, cuddled, indulged, pampered and played with.  As much as you dote on them, they will return that affection to you many times over.  

Today, be grateful you can share you life with a living creature who gives you much love.  There's nothing that makes you smile more than the sight of your dog greeting you at the door when you come home ---- no matter if you've been gone all day, or just 15 minutes, the wagging tail and smile on their face never falters!  

Mother Nature Nurtures

There is nothing better than getting out in nature to improve your well being, to lift your spirits.  Spending time in nature has been found to help problems like anxiety and depression.  Ecotherapy is the practice of being in nature to boost growth and healing.  You might hear it called green care, green exercise, or green therapy.  

I don't know that I ever thought about it in clinical terms, but I know that I always feel better after doing something outdoors.  It could as simple as cleaning my backyard, or taking a walk around the block.   A walk in a park, or a hike in a National  Park could be the solution to how you're feeling as well. 

Some people have a preference for the beach, water and sand;  some for the mountains, trees, rivers or a lake.  Here in Arizona, I have come to love being out in a desert.  Whatever your preference, spending time in nature can help us de-stress.  

I think once we get outdoors, we forget about scrolling through our phones, worrying about the pile of bills on the desk, wondering what we're going to cook for dinner.  It gives us a chance to breathe easier, and if you're really looking close, to observe the tiny miracles of nature.  We all know that a tree grows from a tiny seed, that it's a process, and sometimes we just see a tree.  But if we think of the miracle of a tiny seed that sprouts, puts down roots, then continues to grow for years, decades and sometimes centuries, it's something to marvel over!   Without the tree, a bird has no place to build a nest, a squirrel has no place to find nuts to eat .... you get the picture.  It all comes and goes around and around. 

So when you're feeling low or out of sorts, and don't know how to make yourself feel better, think about a walk in a park, or around the block.  You'll feel better quickly! 

“Now I see the secret of making the best person, 

it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth.” 

– Walt Whitman

Kindness Rocks

 Kindness Rocks is a movement that has gone viral recently.  And the bug has caught me too!  I first found it on Facebook, someone had painted a cute little butterfly on a rock and wrote "SMILE" on it.  And it made me smile.  So I looked further into it and found an entire community of rock painters!  

Since I always seem to have crafting supplies on hand, and an abundance of rocks in my yard, I grabbed a few and tried painting on my own, and found I enjoyed it!  I took one of them and left it tucked unto a planter at my work place.  It was found, because it's gone .... and I'm still hoping someone will post a photo of it on one of the Facebook pages.  I'm currently watching "Arizona Rocks" , "Phx Hidden Rocks" and "MGR" (Mesa Gilbert Rocks).  

When I looked into the Kindness Rocks movement, I discovered it was started by Megan Murphy in 2015 on Cape Cod.  She wrote "You've got this" on a rock and left it on the beach.  A friend found it, and she started leaving more rocks.  As you can see, it sure has caught on!  

The Kindness Rocks Project page says:  "One message at just the right moment can change someone's entire day, outlook, life."    Their purpose is to cultivate connections within communities and lift others up through simple acts of kindness.

It's kind of the same thing I've done for years in my office.  I have a small white board on my door and each day I change the quote, with the same thought that it just might matter in someone else's life. 

Here's my recent batch of rocks ready to be spread around my community! 

Make Time for You

 How we spend our days is how we spend our lives.  But do you ever get to the end of your day and think "What exactly did I do today???"   We've all had those kinds of days - days where things seem to get away from us, ad by the end of it all, we realize that we didn't accomplish those pesky things on our TO DO list.    

A few years back, I was raising six kids and seemed to be able to get everything done, everything remembered, without making a list -- well, without writing down the list.  I've always made mental lists!  But as time has gone on, it seems there are more things to remember, and less mental capacity to actually do the remembering!  Ahh the joys of growing older.     And yet, I still have days where I wonder what I did all day.   But rather than wonder, I decided to start making a list of all the things I could remember doing all day.  And while it wasn't all the things on the planned TO DO list, I didn't just sit around watching Netflix and eating bon-bons. 

If you're like me, your TO DO  list looks a lot like mine:  Work stuff (meetings, research, writing) , Errands (banking, library, gas station) , Children (school, lessons, scouts) , Appointments (health, fitness, car repairs) , Shopping (food, clothing, drugstore) , Home (cleaning, laundry, cooking).   You get the idea.  But what's missing from that list?   The topic of Personal, those things that we need time for:  inspiration, reflection, relaxation, grooming, crafts.  

When it comes to finding time for yourself, one of the "tricks" I learned was to make sure my kids helped out in daily chores.  Because there were six of them, we rotated tasks.  One set the table, another helped cook dinner, two more would wash and dry dishes after a meal, one took out the garbage ... you get the picture.  But just those little tasks added up to less things I had to do myself, giving me extra minutes to use for myself later in the evening.  There we also lots of other benefits as well for the kids, who are now thriving adults.

So the next time you're making your daily or weekly TO DO list, make sure that the Personal category isn't listed last.  I've learned over the years that if we don't take care of ourselves, there's nothing left to give to others.  You matter.  We all matter.  Make time for you.  You're worth it.

The Bigger Picture

Carl Jung said:  "But if you have nothing at all to create, then perhaps you create yourself."  Each day that we live becomes a part of the bigger picture of us.  What you do on a certain day may not stand out as something that is shaping your future, but it's a lot like building blocks.  Each block is only a certain size, but when stacked together, they create something altogether different.  And so it is with our lives. 

Many things shape us in our growing up years.  Think back on yours.  Do you have something that stands out?  For me, now that I'm older, I have come to realize that the music my parents listened to helped shape me. They were country music fans, and the words to a country music song can really speak to a person.  I may have been raised in church where we learned that we should marry someone for the rest of our lives.  But Tammy Wynette sang "Stand by Your Man".  That said it all!   Lyrics to country songs shaped me.  I sang along with them all, and those words wove their way into the fabric of my life.  

I can remember a vacation, we were driving from California to Minnesota in a 1963 Rambler, with no AC, and it was a very warm summer.  We were cruising through a town, all the windows were down, and we were singing along "We'll sing in the sunshine, we'll laugh every day, we'll sing in the sunshine, then I'll be on my way."   I can remember that I was wearing shorts, and my bright red Keds. 

In my 20s, there were other events that shaped me.  Having a car, a job and having babies changed my focus, but it still created a part of who I am today.  My kids are grown and I'm still as fierce as a mama bear when it comes to their well being! 

Make sure that you're aware of what you do on a daily basis, and know that it will have impact later in your life, in some way, whether it's big or small.  When we follow our authentic path with love, embracing our creative impulses, we live truth even if what we think we're doing is "just" planting a flower bed, cooking a meal, editing a book, sewing a curtain, painting a picture.   As the Vietnamese Buddhist monk, poet, and writer Thich Nhat Hanh reminds us "Our own life is the instrument with which we experiment with truth."