Sunday, May 2, 2010

April showers bring May flowers...


I was outside in the garden last two weekends, the A/C went on for the first time this year when it got up to 92, and the cats were just lounging around. Then last weekend it was in the 60's and windy but still nice to be outside. Today...50 and rainy.


This is one of my many "garden cats" since my cats don't go outside, there are lots of cat statues in the garden to make it "furrendly"...

I like shopping at this place called Marshall's and always find unusual garden cats to "adopt", real cheap, as well as wind chimes, cute birdhouses and garden tools. In the past couple of weeks, with the weather finally warming up, just like so many others, I visited a couple of nurseries and came away with over $150 worth of plants, that I hope will survive my brown thumb and the first load of paving stones to enlarge the patio off the walk-out basement (yes, that one I am finally cleaning up!)




I mean, who can't grow Hostas--they multiply and people give them away! You guessed it...Me! But I bought some replacements, some more bush roses, a bleeding heart (because I keep seeing them on Cris's header Cris, Artist in Oregon and love them) and a couple of columbines and a few nasturtiums, mint (for Mojitos) and catnip (for the cats, silly!)


I came into a little inheritance from my grandparents and was talking to my therapist about wanting to fix up my backyard a little bit and she said "If it will give you pleasure to look out on it and enjoy it more...then by all means, set a little aside and do it! I should get a nursery to come out and give me a "free consultation and estimate" and see what it would run to enlarge the patio area at least, though I think my wish to have it terraced and rock retaining walls might just use up all of the money I received.


Then I was over at my petsitters Friday, watching Avatar and drinking Mojitos, and gobbling down S'Mores (which we did quite a few times last summer--making S'Mores out on their patio). They showed me the new patio they just put down, in one day, so they offered to help me with mine! They are good friends (helped me big time during my flood in 2008) and so together we'll get it done! I even found a pretty cafe' table and chairs for the patio, although someone mentioned a hammock and that sounds very relaxing!


I had a wonderful time at the Pet Blogging conference, as my multiple posts on my cats blog will attest, and am so glad I went. When everyone sees the photos of me, they say I look so happy, and in my element and yes, it was good to see those pictures of me with a big smile...I still don't seem to do enough of that!





I finally joined NetFlix, since Blockbuster changed their rental policy and have a queue of about 20 movies I want to see, and will look for more and arrange them in some kind of order of what I want to watch first. That's kind of hard for me, as I never know what kind of mood I'll be in, but I'm sure I'll get the knack of it down before long and just be happy with whatever arrives next...


My therapy is going well, I've started working on my basement and I'm feeling like my "down" times are manageable and I let them happen, contemplate my feelings and then they pass. That happened when I was gardening last weekend. At the end of the day, I was hot and tired and not done yet and I sat on my porch steps and just deflated--thought why am I doing this? No one to share it with! And still more work to do, why?!

I thought of the email I had just gotten from my mom, who just celebrated her 80th birthday, where she said 'I am weeding my rockery beds and not enjoying it. I wish I liked gardening more! Whenever it's time to weed the place, I think it would be a great idea to move into an apartment! I am ready to harvest my Grape Hyacinths and will save some seeds for you. The plants really multiply and they are so pretty. My irises are finally doing well this year, after years of not producing blooms.'


So we all think those 'downer' thoughts from time to time, and as long as they aren't too long and too often, and give us pause to consider and learn from them, all in all, life is good. And like my mom's thoughts, that end with joy at the iris blooms and sharing seeds with her daughter, reflection often shows us where happiness lies.

I always enjoy reading Six Senses Sunday on m. hearts blog Secret Notebooks, Wild Pages, because it makes me think and be mindful, and I love the 'I love that, too' feeling I get when I read her thoughts, and all I have to do is read an post from Patti Dighs blog, 37 Days, and it shows me a different way to look at the life I have..."always rent the red convertible". Go to her blog, you will understand :-)

20 comments:

  1. Enjoyed reading about what you've been up to. Looks like you've seen Bread & Tulips, or is that one that you've ordered? It's a sweet film, and i think you'll like it.

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  2. Actually you garden looks inviting. It's just so hard to find time to do it all...and some days you just don't wanna.

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  3. I'm honored by your words about my six senses Sunday posts, and so glad you enjoy them. And so pleased to hear about the gardening, though I agree it's a sometimes overwhelming-feeling chore. One look at my flower beds reveals that I let a lot go over the last three years, but slowly I hope to get in there and start working again...if it ever warms up!

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  4. The grape Hyacinths grow wild in my yard, I love the smell of them - they seem that they would taste good too, if only they tasted like grape.....Thanks for coming over to Slug's Rest yesterday, it is always so nice to see you! Have I ever told you how much I love that photo of the pink haired kitty? I always smile when I see it! I am technically working at this moment, so will bid you a good day. I hear that the film "Where the wild things are" is very good, I am going to rent that one next. Happy day to you! Love and a cuppa tea, from Mrs. Slug

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  5. How nice to read this blog and learn what you are doing for enjoyment. I have several cat statures as it were..all of them are curled up in a reposing position..just like the real thing here.

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  6. We had a really dry April, but we're having a really wet May. Too bad there isn't a cute rhyme for what is happening now.

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  7. Thanks for the visit...have a wonderful weekend and don't strain your back weeding.

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  8. You do have a nice garden... :)
    Enjoyed reading this entry... I am Reenie, Sherkhan's human- your newest follower :)

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  9. My goodness, what wonderful things you've been doing. I love what you said about hostas, although they never survive our garden either because the slugs and snails think they are devine.

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  10. teri thank you for your kindness you show towards me, i appreciate your words so much.

    this was such a lovely colorful full of life post.

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  11. Oh good for you for pushing ahead on the garden. I've got a terrible brown thumb and at the moment I have huge paving slabs and rubble on my patio. I've had to hire someone to come and take it all away.

    I hope you can get your patio sorted (and I hope I can get mine sorted too) because it's just so nice to have a beautiful outside space to enjoy during the summer.

    Kim (and Pearl)

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  12. Hi Teri. There is so much to read in this post I don't know where to start to comment! I love all your cat statues and your garden. Looks like you are having a great time this spring.

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  13. Love the flowers that are popping up! I need a garden cat!

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  14. Mom and I are coming by to scratch at the door to see how you are.

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  15. It's nice to know you've been mad busy and taking time out to truly snatch JOY!

    Great shots.. and glad you're living Life in full!!!

    One.

    Lin

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  16. teri, i have been following you for a long time now, and i want you to know i sense a shift in you in this post. something is awakening. i may be wrong, of course, but i think it may be time. and that makes me so very happy for you.

    hang in my friend. your love for mike will never be lessened. i just think your love for life is being expanded.

    i am so glad you will have that patio.

    love
    kj

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  17. Wow very impressive undertaking, like you I have anything but a green thumb and this year I've planted things, yes, and my last year planting of a White Lilac tree turned out splendidly, so I say go for it, glad you're enjoying yourself...love the photos...likewise my 3 cats stay inside, but I get a lot of visits from neighborhoud cats, and I have an angel in the garden lol

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  18. Hi Thanks fur visiting us. You have a very nice blog, we can't wait to do all the back-reading to learn all about you.
    We thinks your grandparents would has an honored if you does something gives you joys. My mommy sais I should always do what makes us happy.
    We has "followed" you and look forward to catching up on your life!
    TK

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  19. Great pics...we FINALLY put up our new bamboo fence and got the Buddha fountain in the pond going...i planted tomatoes, but still have 50 strawberry plants i havent had time to plant...it never ends does it? :-)

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  20. OHHHH I love your banner!! Everything looks wonderful. Plus, I love the movie Bread and Tulips.

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