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Resolving To Be Unstoppable In 2019

I love wall calendars. In a world where more and more people rely solely on electronic devices to keep their lives organized, I still maintain a yearly ritual of selecting the perfect wall calendar for the upcoming year. A calendar that will not only remind me of upcoming events and special dates, but one that will inspire me and bring a smile to my face each morning as well.

This year I chose a calendar with the theme Life is a Beautiful ride. Each month shows a single woman enjoying life in various ways and in different locations around the world . The theme for January 2019 shows a woman enjoying a gondola ride and the motivational caption “Be Unstoppable!”

Yes! I needed to see those worlds. As I look back on my life I realize that I have, in fact, been unstoppable. There have been many challenges, many heartaches, and I still continue to evolve and grow into who I am meant to be. You have too! We can’t get this far in life without a becoming force to be reckoned with. We have created our lives thus far by being unstoppable.

So with the realization that I can achieve what I set out to accomplish, what do I aspire to achieve in 2019? How will I show to myself this year that I am unstoppable ?

I aspire to find joy and purpose in each day. Especially during my time at school in the classroom. Anxiety will not stop me!

I aspire to continue to grow in my humanity and serve others the best I can. Selfishness and judgement will not stop me!

I aspire to continue to focus on my health and continue to grow stronger. I will continue to workout, ride my bike, and hike. The new challenge will be hiking Gray’s peak in Colorado. 14,270 ft. 3,000 ft elevation gain. Arthritis will not stop me!

I aspire to continue to learn more about the world through travel. I have a trip planned to Paris this summer. Finances and guilt about spending money will not stop me!

I aspire to be flexible and strong when life does not go according to plan. Finding solutions when things go off course and the unforeseen takes place is being unstoppable!

As always, I would love to hear from you. How do you plan to be unstoppable in 2019?

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Creating Your Life in 2019

New Years day 2019 is less than 24 hours away. Even if you scoff at the idea of parties, resolutions, and all of the pomp that goes into January 1st around the world, it is hard not to take a moment to notice that we are collectively ending one cycle and beginning another one on our shared journey on this planet.

When done effectively, the New Year is a great time to look ahead, make changes to areas of our life that need fine tuning , and set the course for the next 365 days. For those of us in our 50’s and beyond, this can be especially exciting because we are aware, in a way we were not aware in our youth, that we are writing our life story . We can not possibly know or control everything we will experience this year, but we can know and control a lot.

For me, I will be finishing life chapter 55 and beginning life chapter 56. Up until a few years ago this night would find me desperately pledging to lose 20 pounds, being better about putting money into savings, organizing closets, and really learning how to cook. Practical resolutions to be sure, but not particularly designed to inspire my soul or help me gain what I really want most out of my life on earth. So, over the past several years I have been evolving my approach to the New Year. I have found focusing on what I want out of life leads to goals or resolutions to help me evolve int the person I want to become. Here are some of my ideas that you may find of use to you as we head into 2019.

Think about what inspires you and what you are most passionate about.

For just a moment forget about what you should do for a successful year (like exercising more frequently or waking up every morning at 5:00 am) and think about what really motivates you to live your best life. Write it all down. Once you have a clear picture in your mind of the areas of your life you want to cultivate in 2019 you can start writing concrete steps to ensure you will have time for what inspires you the most.

Ask yourself if anything you enjoy, whether it be baking, crafting, or running, can be taken to another level in order to promote personal growth or build relationships with others. It doesn’t have to be competitive, just spreading your wings and expanding your horizons a little bit can be fun.

Ask your self ” If 2019 “was all she wrote” what would you want to do, see, and experience this year in order to go out with a bang.

A bit morbid, I know. Yet we can’t escape the fact that we will have a final New Year celebration on this earth and we don’t know when that will be. So, are there places you really want to see? People you want to spend more time with? Adventures you want to have? Hobbies you want to explore? Write these things down and make plans to start filling up that bucket list. It doesn’t have to be crazy, just true to who you are.

Notice that when you think about what you want out of life old resolutions like saving money or losing weight often fall into place naturally.

Whether it is climbing a mountain or hanging out with the grand kids, traditional resolutions fall into place become and achievable when we see how they affect the life we want to live. A dream vacation requires some budgeting and saving. Walking everyday or following a workout routine becomes easier when you know the little ones will be able to play with you at the park and not just see you sitting under a tree out of breath.

Be flexible and accept the unexpected.

Countless people over the years have started the New Year off with a bang and lost their way by February. Some of this is natural in the flow of the seasons but often we give up creating our lives at the first setback. The diet goes off course, working late keeps you from the gym, the water heater goes out and there goes the savings. We have all been there. Sometimes, even more drastic life changing events occur and our lives look very different in a flash.

Have your goals posted somewhere you can see them every day as well as the steps you are taking to meet them. When you fall, brush yourself off and start again. Adjust your goals as needed. In the more extreme circumstances, take time to heal. But always, always, keep the big picture of your life and your life purpose close to your heart and keep setting goals to work towards your best lived life.

Thanks for stopping by the blog.

A happy and blessed 2019 to all !

Laura

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Blogging Promise and Schedule for 2019

The history of my blog is sporadic at best. My faithful friends and readers know that I started my blog shortly after my 50th birthday and kept it going for several years. I loved that time on my blog. I met many interesting bloggers and felt the joy of a new creative outlet.

Life changes and as I got closer to my 53rd birthday I hit a wall with my blog and unintentionally let it slip into memory. I did not wake up and decide to stop blogging, I ran out of things to say and felt too overwhelmed with my writer’s block to even say I was taking a break.

During February 2018 I found the desire to once again share my thoughts on a blog platform. It is probably obvious to my regular readers that some months have been easier to post on the blog than others. The challenge of working full time, keeping up with outside interests and obligations, and being disciplined with my blogging have kept my posts erratic. I know that this is not the way to keep readers interested or for anyone to know what to expect from my writing.

So, as 2018 draws to a close and 2019 is fast approaching, I thought long and hard about the blog. I have decided to keep the blog going, yay! I need to express myself in writing. I also know that my thoughts and experiences often resonate with others and that I can be of some service and inspiration to those who are in a similar place on their life journey.

Posting once a week may be a bit of a stretch for my schedule. So, I will post once more before the New Year and then aim for a post on the 1st Monday of every month. The exception being that I may post more often at the beginning of January to get the ball rolling. I addition, I will try to share more on Facebook and Instagram to stay in contact with my followers. If you are a friend on my personal FB account, look for me more on The Next 50 years rather than my personal page if you want to know what’s up with me. 🙂

So that’s the scoop. It is a goal for 2019 to be more consistent even if that means posting less frequently.

Talk to you soon!

Until next time,

Laura

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    My Not So Scary “Haunted” October Weekend

    Having an active imagination and  being a lover of the change of seasons, it no wonder that every October I begin to feel a little haunted.

    With the crunching leaves and chilly mornings I will find myself  looking twice, thinking I saw someone from my past out of the corner of my eye, looking up when I hear laughter in a restaurant believing I recognize the voice from long ago, catching glimpses of moments from decades long past, frozen in time and living on in my memory.

    Then I will look around me, standing alone, feeling strangely connected to time and yet eternal. I don’t want the moment to end and yet I know it is slipping away just like the leaves swirling away with the autumn breeze.

    Now, don’t worry about me. I am not about to retreat to a dream world of my memories. I just have this side to my imagination. It is harvest season in Colorado and just as a farmer harvests all that he has planted last spring and taken the time to grow throughout the summer, I revisit what my life has been, what it is now, and where everything is eventually heading.  I ponder what seeds I have planted in this life and what I will eventually harvest.

    It is this somewhat macabre and poetic reason that this time of year I head to Linn Grove Cemetery in Greeley to visit the graves of the Swedish immigrant side of my family.

    Linn Grove is a peaceful place. Although it is not as cool as an old European cemetery or even an older cemetery back east or in the south, it is still over 100 years old. Founded shortly before Colorado became a state, it has remained relatively unaffected by population growth and does not have a major highway running by it. It feels like a place to rest. I, personally, will not rest at Linn Grove when my day comes to return to the earth, but I do find a quiet solitude here when the mood strikes to contemplate life.

    This weekend the sun was shining, there was a slight breeze, the air was fresh and it was just a few days before Halloween. So of course, I jumped into my car and headed to the cemetery to pay tribute to my ancestors.

    “OK, they are off the little lane just left of the flag pole. Or wait, was it two lanes? No worries, I will just park the car and walk until I find them. I will recognize it the plots as soon as I see the small evergreen bushes.”

    45 minutes later…” I know I am in the right area. Do I have to keep apologizing to all the sleeping souls I am walking over? Has anyone else ever lost their ancestor’s grave wandering around here? Hey, I got my 10,000 steps in. Good job. If I calm my mind my intuition will find them. I have been here dozens of times, am I losing my memory? Surely I can connect to my ancestor’s spirit and they will bring me to the right place. I am pretty intuitive after all.”

    One hour later… I stop in frustration. I close my eyes and I go back in time to the day of my Grandmother’s funeral. She is my only ancestor buried here that I knew in life. I can feel the sun on my skin and yet the air is brisk and the ground still shows signs of recently passed winter. I am a few days away from turning 10 years old,  wearing my favorite purple coat and standing next to Brenda, my mom’s best friend. I remember Brenda taking care of me that day from the funeral to the burial.  Looking around, I am aware of the intense grief surrounding me. I see pastor Langland standing near a hole in the ground and saying prayers. I know that my Grandmother is in that hole and I am trying to process what that means exactly. While I am sad, I am strangely observant to everything around me. I am facing south and the entrance is to the west. ” Grandma is definitely on the south side of the lane. Now if I can just remember exactly which lane left of the flag pole that would be…” Just then a voice pops into my head. It seems to be coming from the image of Pastor Langland standing graveside in my mind. ” Why are you seeking the living among the dead?” The voice asks.

    I shake myself away from my imaginings trying not to acknowledge how weird all this would seem to the average person, I burst out laughing as I realized that Halloween is supposedly the time when the dead walk among the living, and here I was, one of the living determined to walk among the dead. To top it all off, as far as I was concerned, there was no dead of mine to be found. Guess the joke is on me.

    And then in a flash, I felt peace. The cemetery was strangely full of life for a place of eternal rest. Birds, trees, grass. I felt connected to my ancestors with or without their headstones in sight. I felt comfortable with the passing of time and the whispering of days gone by. It is all within me.The time is now, the time is always now, and I am living. Even when this body is back with the earth, I feel confident that someone, perhaps on of my sister’s descendants,  will see a leaf fall to the ground and feel a gentle breeze. The time will be now because the time is always now, and I will be with them.

    So that is my not so scary haunted October story. If you celebrate Halloween, I hope you enjoy all the little ghosts and goblins in your neighborhood. Maybe you will  treat yourself to a caramel apple and tell good ghost story.

    If you are wondering, at some point I will ask for help in relocating my ancestor’s exact burial site. It is good information to pass on to future generations and respectful to stop by now and again. I just won’t expect to find anyone there!

    As always, I would love to hear from you. 🙂

    Until next time,

    Laura

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    Enjoying the Changing of the Seasons

    Happy Fall  everyone!

    Where I am in Colorado, the signs of the changing seasons are becoming a little more apparent. Mornings are a little crisper. Evenings are cooling down a little quicker. The leaves are beginning to change colors and a few have started falling to the ground.

    While the calendar gives us exact days to mark beginning and endings of the seasons, I feel there are transition periods between seasons that are truly spectacular.

    I chuckle that fact as soon as Labor day arrives my favorite coffee shop announces it is Pumpkin Spice latte season as people trickle in from the 96 degree heat in their shorts and flip flops.  I get it. I get excited for autumn too. The coziness of the season and the returning to hearth and home after a summer of action and adventures. Yet, I would like to encourage everyone not to rush the change of seasons and to take the time to appreciate the Transition.

    Why not let summer gracefully slipway? Enjoy the sun while it is still high in the sky. Watch the birds before they migrate.Walk through the city gardens and enjoy a few more picnics while the grass is still green and the flowers are still in bloom. Eat the last of the locally grown fruits and berries before the first frost. Take note of the falling leaves and cool breezes as autumn gently makes her arrival kown.

    In a few short weeks many of us will be wearing coats, setting our clocks back an hour,  and crunching through the last of the wet leaves ready to be racked into a pile. Autumn will be at her glorious best. No need to rush what will arrive naturally.

    This year a am making a conscious effort to ease into fall. I bought some mums for my patio shortly after Labor Day. Saturday, in honor of the Equinox, I changed the wreath on my front door to a fall theme and put out out my brown accent pillows in the living area for a fall feel. Next week, I will begin to burn my salted caramel candle. Yum.

    When October starts to get chilly, I will pull out my Halloween decorations and switch from ice coffee to a latte at my favorite coffee shop. Then, the transition will be complete.  I will finally be fully into fall!

    As always, I would love to hear from you. Do you have any thoughts on the changing seasons?

    Thanks for stopping by the blog!

    Laura

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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    Having Effective Morning And Evening Routines

    Two weeks ago I wrote about the concept of Life Garden and how to determine what is important to nourish and grow in our lives. With a new school year beginning, I thought I would write about how I am able to make time for the things in my Life Garden and be more efficient through daily routines.

    When it comes to organization, some people make it look so easy. Being on top of things is their  nature and they  don’t give their efficiency a second thought. I’m sure it is a puzzle to them why everyone else around them is not so put together as they are.These are the people that back in high school and college had their A+ reports and projects done weeks ahead of the end of the semester deadline. Oh, how I envied you lot back in the day. Heck, I envy you now. 🙂

    Despite my general tidiness and desire to always do my best, focus has always been a struggle for me. Combine focus issues with  a constant low level of anxiety throughout the day and you have someone who struggles with being as efficient as possible.  I mention this aspect of my personality only to let you know that if you have similar personality traits, you can make things easier for yourself and develop little tricks to get through the day. Written, set morning and evening routines may be one of those tricks.

    Last January I began a practice that made a huge difference in how my days flowed.  I physically wrote down my morning and evening routines and then hung them up where I could reference them everyday. I decided what I wanted to get done every morning to ensure a good start to the day. I also decided how I wanted to enjoy my time after work in the evenings as well as how I was going to get set up for the next work day.  I figured out how long each task/activity would take and that determined how early I got up in the morning and how late I would stay up in the evening.

    Now, I know this sounds like way over the top planning. I mean, don’t we all have our morning and evening routines memorized? How much can they have changed in 50+ years? Why write down 5:30 am – make the bed? That should be a no brainer that needs no reminder.  Oddly enough, I found when I stuck to my written routine things really flowed and I not only got a lot done, I had more time to relax as well. When I tried to “wing it” based on common sense and 55 years experience,  that would be a morning when I would run out the door without my morning journaling or meditation trying not to spill my coffee as frantically looked for my car keys or the evening where I forgot to do a load of laundry and the extra 15 minutes of evening Netflix led me to forgetting to pack my lunch and choose an outfit for the next day

    It was writing down the details of my organization that I found the most useful. Instead of saying to myself ” I would like to journal in the morning.” I physically wrote on a schedule “Journal from 6:00 am to 6:15 am.”  Instead of saying ” I would like to prepare for work tomorrow.” I wrote down to pack lunch and set out tomorrow’s outfit at 7:30 pm. I put on my schedule that every weeknight from 8:00 pm until 9:00 pm it was my to relax and unwind with Netflix or reading before getting ready for bed. Of course, over time the schedule becomes habit and the written schedule becomes a reference to check periodically.

    Some aspects of my personality are what they are, and I still worry that I somehow am not prepared enough. (That is a life issue that I will always have to work on.)  However, when I can physically see on a schedule that I have done all I can to prepare for work and my life, I am able to let go and relax. I feel more confident and successful. The things that do not go as planned are more easily put into perspective.

    Routines should be a tool that make your life easier. However, along with routine and consistency there is a need to go with the flow. Unexpected glitches in our daily routines is a reality. No one is immune to having to adjust for the unexpected. Interestingly, if you have set routines and are organized, this sense of order can help you more effectively deal with the unexpected glitches in life more efficiently.

    You will also find when you set up a routine and block out times to accomplish things you can actually end up with more free time to be spontaneous. That is a great bonus. I know  that my neighbors are always up cleaning their house 1st thing Saturday morning. I do not see them the rest of the weekend because they are out enjoying life. Three hours of chores knocked out first thing followed by 1.5 days of relaxation. A good goal to strive for in my book.

    If you are cultivating your own Life Garden, be sure to schedule these things into your routine. Some things may be everyday such as a workout or writing in a journal. Other areas of your garden may be weekend only Life Garden fun . 🙂 Either way,  cultivate your garden as a part of your routines.

    As always, I would love to hear from you. Do you have routines that you follow?

    Thanks for stopping by the blog!

    Until next time,

    Laura

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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    What Are Your Priorities? Assembling a Life Garden

    It is time for me to start thinking about the new school year. I am back to work full time next week and then the kids come back mid August. It has been a great summer. My trip to Greece, mountain hikes, a few bike rides, opportunities to play my flute, and spending extra time with family and friends.

    You can feel the subtle change in the air. The nights are just a tad bit cooler and the sun is setting earlier, the buzz of the cicadas fill the air, and even though we are a long way from wearing sweaters and drinking Pumpkin Spice lattes, there is an inner knowledge as we plan our August adventures that summer is now waning.

    As I get ready to add a full time career back into my schedule, I am reminded that no matter what certain 1970’s TV commercials said, I can not do it all.  I have to make choices to ensure that both my professional life and my personal life thrive.

    One of the books that I picked up for summer reading is called The Art of Stopping Time by Pedram Shojai. The book is composed of  100 short daily practices to become more mindful. Day one is : Assembling a Life Garden. The idea is that if we picture our life as beautiful garden that we need to cultivate with limited space and water, it begins to help us discern what we will plant, what areas we will water and fertilize, and what weeds we will need to get rid of in order for our priority plants to thrive. Pedran suggests that 10 plants is the very most any garden should have at any given time.

    When I began to come up with my Garden with the new school year in mind, some interesting thing came to light. First, I realized I have to be balanced and at peace with myself before I can tend to any other part of the garden. I have to put my mental/ spiritual self first. Second, that my career is my means of affecting the world as well as my income by which everything else is made possible. Therefore, even if I would rather be hiking or traveling, I can not neglect my career. It makes everything else possible Yep, I knew this already but seeing on paper made a difference in laying out my priorities.

    This is how I organized my garden. A few notes to understand my thinking: Grace Ann, my cat, falls under family. ( Any doubt?) Career includes both the aspects of organizing my work day and my personal finances which are dependent upon my career and flow down to nourish the other areas of my garden. Home includes upkeep, cleaning, and decor; making sure my home is a sanctuary to enjoy. Activities like hiking, biking etc. fall  in both health and exploring.  Two for one, yay!  🙂

     

    1.spiritual/ inner life/ mental health

    2. family and close friends

    3. career/personal finances

    4. health and fitness/workouts

    5.  exploring/travel/education

    6. home

    7.  Hobbies: flute/blogging etc.

    8. Organizations to which I belong

    Some areas of my garden need to be tended to daily. Others can be attended to once a week or once a month.  I am fortunate that some things I can focus on during the summer, leaving more time to focus on my career during the school year. On my next blog post I will talk a little bit more about how I am going to go about organizing my days and weeks this coming school year. As a starting point it is great to see where my energy is going to go and in what order.

    As always, I would love to hear from you! Do you have any thoughts on Life Garden? What would you choose to cultivate?

    Thanks for stopping by the blog. 🙂

    Until next time,

    Laura

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    Social Media: Sharing The Positive With A Purpose.

    Google is forever analyzing my search habits and giving me hints on topics that may be of interest to me. Recently, the Google app for my phone has been hinting that I may be interested in reading about all the unhappiness that is created by comparing our lives to the seemingly perfect lives of others on Social Media. Evidently, this is just as big of a problem as FOMO was several years ago.

    I was a little taken aback because I, myself, had made a promise a year ago to only post positive posts on Social Media. My decision to consciously highlight the good in my life was based on one simple motive: To spread joy to my family and friends. I want them to know I am healthy and happy, that I am creating memories for myself, that I am following my dreams,working on my physical strength and health, and finding joy in everyday things. As I was pondering this, two words popped into my head. Christmas cards.

    When I was a young girl Christmas cards were a pretty big deal. It was often one of the few times we would hear from relatives and old friends spread across the country. I remember sitting with my family and reading the cards that came to our house from far away. We admired the beauty of the card. There was usually a photo of a smiling family featuring a  handsome couple and cherub- like children. My parents would comment on how well everyone looked and how much the children had grown. The format of each card was usually the same: Seasons greetings from the family, a brief list of the year’s major events, and blessings for the upcoming new year. The family news was usually positive and upbeat. What grade the kids were in, highlights from the big family vacation etc.  If there had been a significant struggle or loss, the news was brief and concise. As I grew into an adult I looked forward to receiving Christmas cards from my old college friends as well as my Uncle Larry and Aunt Pat. Receiving a card always lifted my spirits.

    Christmas cards are a dying form of communication. They were designed to spread love across the miles and the passing of time. Now days we can now call people we care about without long distance fees and , of course, there is social media.

    As I was remembering day of old,  I realized I wanted my social media posts to be like a modern day Christmas card.  Ok, every day is not Christmas. It’s July right now and temperatures have been hovering around 100 degrees. Even so, If my posts cross your social media feed as you sip your morning coffee, I want you to smile as you think of me and what I am up to these days.

    I want those I care about to remember my face  as I climb a mountain or visit a new country. I want to inspire someone who is debating about whether or not to take a trip, taking up hiking, or trying something new.  I want to remind people that sitting outside and drinking a cup of coffee or taking a walk through a park during lunch is a simple pleasure.

    I believe that my friends and family  know that I have struggles and challenges. Work sometimes gets to me, I have bills to pay, chores to attend to, and all the other mundane things that make up daily life. They know that if something  serious comes up  and I need prayers or emotional support, I will post that as well.

    There are many ways to use Social Media. This week I realized that  my way is like a Christmas card. I am grateful to have arrived at this point. In the almost 10 years since I first joined Facebook I have been a ranter of political events, endless quiz taker, and a snarky meme addict, just to name a few of my Social Media personas over the years. I now want to use Social Media as a tool in my life, not a distraction. Social Media with a purpose. A purpose of goodwill and inspiration. I am not trying to create the illusion of a perfect life on social media. Rather, I am letting my friends know that I am doing well and focusing on the many blessings surrounding me everyday.

    Thanks for stopping by the blog. As always, I would love to hear from you.

    Until next time,

    Laura

     

     

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    Simple Pleasures. Things To Do On Your Front Porch Or Back Patio.

    My memories of a front porch go back to when I was very young. My grandmother had a large front porch that covered the entire front of the house. The porch had a swing large enough for several people to sit on and plenty of room for children to play. Several houses down from my grandmother, our good friends, the Schisslers, also had a large front porch with a swing. Since the Schissler’s house was our second home, there was always a large porch to play on and a swing to sit and watch the goings on of the neighborhood.

    In the late 1960’s and early 1970’s no one had air conditioning. When the temperatures began to rise, often the faint breeze on a shaded porch was cooler than the inside of a house. So when the summer sun began to set, porches across the neighborhood came to life. Ice tea and Kool Aid  were sipped. Adults puttered in the garden, children brought out their toys, and watching the goings on of the neighborhood from my vantage point on the swing  was a pleasant pastime.

    These days I do not have a large front porch with a swing. I have a compact little porch that brings me great joy. From spring until late fall, it is on my porch that I take a few moments to enjoy a cup of coffee first thing in the morning. It is where I go to get some fresh air and quiet my mind. And, just like when I was a kid, it is where I like to take a peek at the goings on in my neighborhood, taking  a moment to wave or share a short conversation with neighbors passing by.

      Whether it is an old fashioned front porch that would make Norman Rockwell proud, a small space like mine, or a backyard patio, outdoor living spaces,are a simple pleasure to be enjoyed.

      If it has been a while since you have enjoyed your outdoor space, here are a few ideas to sit down, wind down, and take a relaxing breath of fresh air:

    Start your day outside. Grab your coffee and some breakfast and soak in the first rays of the morning sun .

    Watch nature. Birds, dragonflies, and squirrels. They are outside and free entertainment. If you have the space and the interest, I know friends who have created bird habitats. Many of my neighbors have feeders so I am treated to robins, finches, swallows, and even a glimpse of the occasional humming bird. Take a minute to enjoy the life around you.

    Create. Outdoor spaces are perfect for enjoying your art, crafts, or writing.

    Catch up on your reading. Take out your favorite book or magazine with your favorite beverage. Sip, read, and enjoy.

    Get Social. Take a minute and chat with your neighbors. A sense of community makes our neighborhoods stronger, safer, and more pleasant to live in. Of course, if you have the space and are so inclined, invite neighbors over for snacks, drinks, and conversation.

    Exercise your green thumb. Plants and gardening can be very therapeutic and a nice way to relax in the evening or start the day. A few container plants on a porch or patio makes a place feel warm, and inviting.  If you are not confident of your gardening skills, I can say from experience, Geraniums can make anyone feel like a master gardener.

    Relax, meditate, reflect,plan, be grateful.  These things are essential for an organized, healthy mind and productive life. What better place to practice mindfulness and gratitude than your porch or patio. Step outside, breathe the fresh air, and get your mind in order.

    As always, I would love to hear from you? Do you have any thoughts or memories centering around porches or patios? Do you have any other simple pleasure you would like to share?

    Thanks for stopping by the blog.

    Until next time,

    Laura