Turning back the clocks - 4 more to go. Happy for the "extra" hour and more daylight in the morning. I was already adjusting to the change of schedule - could "feel it". I call myself "Barometer" because I adjust to the weather accordingly.
Outside today pulling and cutting back Iris and Lamb's Ear.- looking for path rocks. Yesterday I pruned two butterfly bushes "way back" so that Rodney and partner (Pool Boys) could approach pool equipment without struggling through the overlapping limbs. There are a few more butterfly blooms still hanging on - left them to "finish" their cycle.
Out front, the yellow Iris continue to bloom as do the rose bushes. I'm so glad I got some Deer Scram and scattered it all around the edge of this front garden area. I put out the Thanksgiving flag that has a cornucopia on it. I will hang the Thanksgiving Turkey flag out in a couple of weeks.
Last week the yard guys cleared away the oak and locust leaves from beds, driveways and lawn. Things stayed "clear" for a couple of days, but now, today - this Sunday, there is a layer of leaves everywhere. I plan to use the electric blower to clear the front walk again.
The coleus plants have died. I don't know whether to try to "root" some this winter. Seems a bother. I did try last year, but the stems just melted away to squishiness. I did get some root pods to use for rooting plants - thinking what to save - geraniums or that lacy grew plant?
Sat outside in the sunlight for more Vitamin D - enjoying my easy tuna salad mixture in a wooden bowl. Saw a bright, shiny-tiny bee "putting himself in order" wiping his antennae, "feet" and then take off. Never saw one like him - ever!
Last night went to see "Slasher" at the Falcon Theater. It was a comedy - based upon making thriller movies - low budget - really low budget! There was much laugher from the attentive audience. Found a seat next to the wall - my favorite "lean to" and an extra open chair next to me. Several "singles" were in attendance. Happy to see the director, Ted Weil, all smiles and enthusiasm and happy to exchange a "big hug" after the performance.
Before the show, I stopped in at Richard's - a favorite "haunt". Found "Richard's" a couple years ago - a shop filled with "stuff". I usually find something worth bringing home. This time I bought a pillow that said "An Angel's Work is Never Done" (Thank You Angel Lois). I also bought a card holder - with a base that looks like a drum and a drumstick - maybe a Christmas theme, but maybe a drummer's knick-knack for photos. I'll use it at the studio to hold small art cards for display at the
December 6th & 7th Essex Art Walk. Richard's is going out of business - wondering if there is anything there that I "need". The fellow that was minding the counter said Richard had had the store nearly 40 years! Wonder where all the stuff will go? Yes! Where will all the stuff go?
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Widder Lady's "Usual Day"
Morning's for this Widder Lady are now free from any "have-to's" now that I've learned from my counselor Edgar Gibson that there are "No Have-To's" only "Choose To's". With the "Choose To" attitude in place, I now choose to get up when I feel like getting up. This can be any time from 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. Lately I'm sleeping much better and getting up around 7 a.m. I do think my body-clock is resetting itself as the "set your clocks back an hour" message approaches.
I put on a robe and some slippers and head for the kitchen. I wash my hands before I begin the morning routine of breakfast which is the "same thing" morning after morning. I defrost a small bowl of blueberries topped off with some unsweetened almond milk. This morning's blueberries are the bigger ones. I like wild blueberries better. For protein - I boil an egg by a timer for 3 minutes and put a strip of Hormel uncured bacon between 4 layers of paper towel and Zap it for a minute. I boil some water in the microwave then pour it over a little bag filled with Green Kukicha twig tea. I get the tea at Essencha Tea House in Oakley. "Discovered" Kukicha in New York City @ TeaNY down around the corner of Orchard Street. I take a Vitamin Supplement from Dr.Sinatra.
My intake of is "wheat/grain/free" for sixteen months - following Wheat Belly Living. (More information about Wheat Belly can be found over on Facebook). I take time to write down my daily tasks - in the little notebook. Breakfast, email, Facebook, trash trashed, clothes away, put me together, Yoga stretches, outside cleanup, office matters, write, read and paint. The list varies depending upon my "choices" for each day.
Today, I will be painting more lines into "The Symphony Hotel" painting I'm working on. This blog is the "Write" task on my list. I'll read something interesting before the day is over. Yesterday I checked the inside plants after the "Water Birdie" beeped (bought at Walgreen's or Family Dollar). It beeps when the soil gets dry. After many years of having various plants as "old friends", I watch as they grow and change.
For "focus" I use a timer that I also purchased at Walgreen's. I set it for 15 minute segments and "stay on track". The timer is an incredible "assistant". As I write this, the timer has reached 15 minutes 3 times! I'm listening to small square Sony clock radio (clock clicks - but hands don't move) - music from "Showboat" plays - from WGUC. Above me is a picture of Mama "Angel Lois" as encouragement. I surround myself with bits and pieces of inspiration - a bulletin board full of items that I enjoy revisiting again and again.
Next to the bulletin board is a 90-Day Organizer "wipe off" calendar. I wipe off each day as it passes. I put upcoming events that are scheduled - my Meetups, theater events, classes at my students, dental and medical appointments; and celebrations.
I have many more "free days" - days that are mine alone - days to stay home - days to choose to wear sweats, days without makeup, days to sit outside and soak up some Vitamin D. Lunch time arrives -
another healthy salad will be enjoyed or some "Stoup" will be heated up. Afternoon - I may choose to take a nap, watch some "dumb" TV or tour the yard to see what Mother Nature has "been up to".
I put on a robe and some slippers and head for the kitchen. I wash my hands before I begin the morning routine of breakfast which is the "same thing" morning after morning. I defrost a small bowl of blueberries topped off with some unsweetened almond milk. This morning's blueberries are the bigger ones. I like wild blueberries better. For protein - I boil an egg by a timer for 3 minutes and put a strip of Hormel uncured bacon between 4 layers of paper towel and Zap it for a minute. I boil some water in the microwave then pour it over a little bag filled with Green Kukicha twig tea. I get the tea at Essencha Tea House in Oakley. "Discovered" Kukicha in New York City @ TeaNY down around the corner of Orchard Street. I take a Vitamin Supplement from Dr.Sinatra.
My intake of is "wheat/grain/free" for sixteen months - following Wheat Belly Living. (More information about Wheat Belly can be found over on Facebook). I take time to write down my daily tasks - in the little notebook. Breakfast, email, Facebook, trash trashed, clothes away, put me together, Yoga stretches, outside cleanup, office matters, write, read and paint. The list varies depending upon my "choices" for each day.
Today, I will be painting more lines into "The Symphony Hotel" painting I'm working on. This blog is the "Write" task on my list. I'll read something interesting before the day is over. Yesterday I checked the inside plants after the "Water Birdie" beeped (bought at Walgreen's or Family Dollar). It beeps when the soil gets dry. After many years of having various plants as "old friends", I watch as they grow and change.
For "focus" I use a timer that I also purchased at Walgreen's. I set it for 15 minute segments and "stay on track". The timer is an incredible "assistant". As I write this, the timer has reached 15 minutes 3 times! I'm listening to small square Sony clock radio (clock clicks - but hands don't move) - music from "Showboat" plays - from WGUC. Above me is a picture of Mama "Angel Lois" as encouragement. I surround myself with bits and pieces of inspiration - a bulletin board full of items that I enjoy revisiting again and again.
Next to the bulletin board is a 90-Day Organizer "wipe off" calendar. I wipe off each day as it passes. I put upcoming events that are scheduled - my Meetups, theater events, classes at my students, dental and medical appointments; and celebrations.
I have many more "free days" - days that are mine alone - days to stay home - days to choose to wear sweats, days without makeup, days to sit outside and soak up some Vitamin D. Lunch time arrives -
another healthy salad will be enjoyed or some "Stoup" will be heated up. Afternoon - I may choose to take a nap, watch some "dumb" TV or tour the yard to see what Mother Nature has "been up to".
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Choosing to be Proactive
For too long I've been notified by "43 Things to Do" to WRITE! Seems I have plenty of ideas and thoughts to share, but getting to doing it is a "problem". The "problem" is procrastination - big time procrastination. Something else always seems to be more important than writing. It's time for me to realize that it won't get done unless I do it. I can think myself silly telling myself that I'll do it. My business card says, "Artist, Writer, Organizer". So what's the "problem"? It is absolutely and truly procrastination.
Procrastination is a habit that can stifle creativity. Can? It does snuff out all those bits of special stories to be shared, poems to be read and music to be heard. What to do, what to do? Seems simple enough to say, "Just do it". But, there is more involved in "doing it".
After several years of following various sites for home management and a lifetime reading many, books on time management, home/office organization I've finally accepted the fact that putting a task at the top of "The Priority List", setting an appointed time for the task, calling myself "boss" of myself (working for me) and using a digital timer - set in 15 minute segments will prove to be the "formula" for success in "getting the job done".
Right now the timer is at 12 minutes. It beeps every five minutes. At the end of 15 minutes it continues to beep until I reset it or it eventually quits beeping "on it's own". Phone calls are not accepted during this "working time". Music is nice - listening to WGUC classical station is a pleasant "backdrop" for writing. The font on this screen is too small and so that will be "adjusted" upward.
Being a "Widder Lady" has its challenges. I challenge myself to stay healthy by following the Wheat Belly Lifestyle. I started this journey 16 months ago and like what I am experiencing - energy, much more energy, some weight loss, strength building and aches/pains gone (for the most part). I'm doing my Yoga stretches, lifting some weights and walking around the circle driveway when the weather is nice.
I enjoy being a "homebody" - moving through the house from one end to the other, going up and down the stairs to the basement and outside down a few steps to the cottage. There is plenty of yard to enjoy and critters, too. Saw a squirrel enjoying a hickory nut - brought it with him half way up the Japanese Maple tree, stopped, peeled off the outer shell and finished off the inside nut then scampered on up to his nest somewhere up in one of the huge pine trees that surround the cottage.
There are many birds, too. Listening to their various calls, chirps and songs keep me alert. I like all the sounds around - the wind chimes, the crunchy-sounding leaves, crickets, tree frogs and katydids. The cicadas are gone now. Soon all the sounds of mowers and blowers will stop, too. It will be winter, soon. Yes, we may even have snowflakes before the day is over.
Listening to Rodriguez - beautiful guitar music now. The time is at 6 minutes. I'm almost done. Hooray I did it! Onward!
Procrastination is a habit that can stifle creativity. Can? It does snuff out all those bits of special stories to be shared, poems to be read and music to be heard. What to do, what to do? Seems simple enough to say, "Just do it". But, there is more involved in "doing it".
After several years of following various sites for home management and a lifetime reading many, books on time management, home/office organization I've finally accepted the fact that putting a task at the top of "The Priority List", setting an appointed time for the task, calling myself "boss" of myself (working for me) and using a digital timer - set in 15 minute segments will prove to be the "formula" for success in "getting the job done".
Right now the timer is at 12 minutes. It beeps every five minutes. At the end of 15 minutes it continues to beep until I reset it or it eventually quits beeping "on it's own". Phone calls are not accepted during this "working time". Music is nice - listening to WGUC classical station is a pleasant "backdrop" for writing. The font on this screen is too small and so that will be "adjusted" upward.
Being a "Widder Lady" has its challenges. I challenge myself to stay healthy by following the Wheat Belly Lifestyle. I started this journey 16 months ago and like what I am experiencing - energy, much more energy, some weight loss, strength building and aches/pains gone (for the most part). I'm doing my Yoga stretches, lifting some weights and walking around the circle driveway when the weather is nice.
I enjoy being a "homebody" - moving through the house from one end to the other, going up and down the stairs to the basement and outside down a few steps to the cottage. There is plenty of yard to enjoy and critters, too. Saw a squirrel enjoying a hickory nut - brought it with him half way up the Japanese Maple tree, stopped, peeled off the outer shell and finished off the inside nut then scampered on up to his nest somewhere up in one of the huge pine trees that surround the cottage.
There are many birds, too. Listening to their various calls, chirps and songs keep me alert. I like all the sounds around - the wind chimes, the crunchy-sounding leaves, crickets, tree frogs and katydids. The cicadas are gone now. Soon all the sounds of mowers and blowers will stop, too. It will be winter, soon. Yes, we may even have snowflakes before the day is over.
Listening to Rodriguez - beautiful guitar music now. The time is at 6 minutes. I'm almost done. Hooray I did it! Onward!
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Wherever I Go, Here I Am
Winter moved along slowly dropping some snow now and then. I "x'd" off the days on various calendars, erased off the dry erase daily blocks on the big 90 day Organizer Calendar on the wall here in my computer den and repeated the "Erase A Day" ritual on the magnetic fridge calendar, too. I keep a daily list of tasks to do and check them off - one by one - giving myself a "Sparkle Star" for special accomplishments, especially for doing my Yoga stretches!
Each day I also "report in" to my Cleaning_House group on Yahoo.com putting down the same list as the one in my little spiral daily notebook. This list-making and checking off keeps me focused and feeling good about "getting something done". It also provides a diary of daily doings that can be checked through for appointments made with household repair people, dental or medical appointments. It's a habit!
Loss of Mama's dearest friends - Kathleen, Ann and Lelia- all gone now, Uncle Lewie and dog-buddy Knee-Hi all have happened since last summer. There is still continuing concern for Harry (Marshall's Dad and my first husband) who has been hospitalized more than a dozen times this past year for complications from heart failure, diabetes and many other health issues. Visiting him in the hospital and taking him flowers brightens spirits. We all had Valentine's dinner together at a wonderful Mexican restaurant. Harry presented me with a beautiful blooming orchid and a Valentine's box of Sweet Tooth chocolates.
Strange - right as I'm writing this - WGUC announcing concert from Westwood Methodist Church where we were married and where we will celebrate Easter in a couple of weeks!
I still continue teaching my art classes on Wednesdays at my studio. Good progress is being made by my students. I enjoy sharing pictures of their art on my Meetup "Art, Music, Theater Meetup" page and on Facebook.
The biggest change in my life is joining with the Wheat Belly Lifestyle! Been following a Wheat/Grain/Sugar Free program for nearly 7 months! And, I started a group that meets at my home on Mondays of other "followers". We're changing our lives "for the better" - more energy, healthier, aches-pains now gone!
Follow up on Irene's in Oakley - closing. I picked up my consignment items that were left. Some things sold and that's "to the good". Onward!
Each day I also "report in" to my Cleaning_House group on Yahoo.com putting down the same list as the one in my little spiral daily notebook. This list-making and checking off keeps me focused and feeling good about "getting something done". It also provides a diary of daily doings that can be checked through for appointments made with household repair people, dental or medical appointments. It's a habit!
Loss of Mama's dearest friends - Kathleen, Ann and Lelia- all gone now, Uncle Lewie and dog-buddy Knee-Hi all have happened since last summer. There is still continuing concern for Harry (Marshall's Dad and my first husband) who has been hospitalized more than a dozen times this past year for complications from heart failure, diabetes and many other health issues. Visiting him in the hospital and taking him flowers brightens spirits. We all had Valentine's dinner together at a wonderful Mexican restaurant. Harry presented me with a beautiful blooming orchid and a Valentine's box of Sweet Tooth chocolates.
Strange - right as I'm writing this - WGUC announcing concert from Westwood Methodist Church where we were married and where we will celebrate Easter in a couple of weeks!
I still continue teaching my art classes on Wednesdays at my studio. Good progress is being made by my students. I enjoy sharing pictures of their art on my Meetup "Art, Music, Theater Meetup" page and on Facebook.
The biggest change in my life is joining with the Wheat Belly Lifestyle! Been following a Wheat/Grain/Sugar Free program for nearly 7 months! And, I started a group that meets at my home on Mondays of other "followers". We're changing our lives "for the better" - more energy, healthier, aches-pains now gone!
Follow up on Irene's in Oakley - closing. I picked up my consignment items that were left. Some things sold and that's "to the good". Onward!
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