Painting!

So nice to relax after a weekend full of workin' on the house!   I got a "bug up my butt" and headed to Home Depot after work Friday and bought a gallon of paint.  When I woke up Saturday, I got out into the backyard and started painting.  It went faster than I anticipated, but it was still quite a project!   The second coat had to go on Sunday morning, but now that it's done.... ahhhhhh.   It's amazing what a coat of paint can do to spruce things up!
















The window and french door trims are painted in "Bleached Spinnaker" - sort of a light cream with a hint of sage.  The walls are a sandy shade called "Casual Khaki".   Both are a satin finish, and in the right light, there's a sheen, but not a shine.   Perfectly suits me!



What makes me a little disappointed is that I didn't get in very many steps this weekend.  I was up and down the step ladder, but that doesn't seem to count up in miles very fast!   I'm sure it will show on the scale on Weds, so I'll have to up my game on Mon and Tues.



Work in progress, the old color on the left below the window..... I can't be sure how long ago this was painted - I'm thinking it hasn't been painted since it was built?  Perhaps once but many years ago!  Because the boards are so rough, I brushed the paint on by hand.







Finished today,
and I'm happy with results!










One reason why I like "hands on" so much when it comes to doing things on the house is because of the book "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance".  When we touch things, fix things, we leave a little piece of ourselves behind, a little piece of our soul stays with our works.

“The way to see what looks good 

and understand the reasons it looks good, 

and to be at one with this goodness as the work proceeds, 

is to cultivate an inner quietness, 

a peace of mind so that goodness can shine through.” 

― Robert M. Pirsig, 

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values

Got Zen?

After working in the yard earlier today, I played with my sticks.  That sounds rather amusing, but ... I have a collection of sticks, mostly they came from trees in the yard, branches that have fallen or been cut down, and After a while, I couldn't decide how to store these sticks, so I started arranging them against one of my walls.  And thus grew a tradition of sorts.  Every time I arrange them, they turn out different.  And stacking them precisely so they won't fall down, creating a pattern, all appeals to my sense of order, and adds a little artsy-ness to my yard as well!  
 
Do you have something that's "Zen" for you?  Everyone needs to find their Zen. But what does that mean?  Zen, like Tao, cannot be totally explained in words. Much of your grasp of Zen must necessarily depend on your own intuition.  Everyone has a personal meaning of Zen for them, but overall it means peace, meditation, calmness. We are conditioned to stressing and foreboding and worrying, it's human nature. It's difficult for us as humans, to focus on the moment and find peace or even want it, but we do however, need peace in our lives. It's essential for over all good health, both  mentally and physically.

I found some short instructions for finding your Zen:

Find a quiet place for 10 minutes and breathe deep.  Focus on the moment, and stop worrying.  It's only for 10 minutes!

Take time for yourself.  A mental health day, half day, or even an hour or two is very important to your health -- and you're worth it!

Remind yourself through peace you gain strength.  When you are not calm or peaceful, you can not be productive or maintain energy if you are constantly worrying or stressing. Without peace, there is no calm.  Peace is never weak, beneath its serenity lies a magnitude of strength.

Accept yourself.  Be at peace with who you are.  Stop trying to impress or become someone else.  You have to live up to your own expectations, not anyone else's.

Surround yourself with nature; get out into a park, a place to walk, even your own backyard, and be nurtured by all teh natural beauty in this world.

Surround yourself with people who make you feel good.  Do not keep company with people who discourage you or make you feel down or bad about yourself.  People who judge and criticize you tend to drain you.  These people have a tendency, if they constantly judge you or project your their issues on you,  to suck your energy and leave you feeling lethargic and ill.

Walk light.  Let things go.  When we are angry, upset and hurt, we tend to hold onto it.  We get insulted, we get resentful, our ego will not allow us to let things go, we stay angry.  When you hold on to these negative feelings, you allow for toxins to build within your body.  Letting things go means you are at peace.  So walk with a light step and a lighter heart.