Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Miracles of Nature Right in my Yard

Goldilocks
Garlic Shadows
Damp Lambs' Ears

Web Crystals









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".

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!