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Inspired gardening
“A garden should make you feel you’ve entered privileged space — a place not just set apart but reverberant — and it seems to me that, to achieve this, the gardener must put some kind of twist on the existing landscape, turn its prose into something nearer poetry.” ~Michael Pollan, Second Nature: A Gardener’s Education Gardening is one of the healthiest ways to express our creativity. It’s a great way to absorb Vitamin D while plotting borders or containers of colorful blooms, plunging our hands in water and soil, and inhaling the deep-green aromas of rosemary, thyme, and basil. I owe my mother a bucket of gratitude for inspiring my passion…
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A random still life, an everyday love poem
Then all the moments of the past began to line up behind that moment.” — Billy Collins Billy Collins sees art in the ordinary acts of daily life. In “This Much I Do Remember,” Collins recalls a tender moment that most couples can relate to: the leisurely hour at the dinner table after a good meal has been shared. The woman he’s addressing in this poem is his wife of many years. I fight tears every time I read this piece. It deftly underscores the familiar comfort of a long marriage, reminding me of my own. As Collins wisely points out, the simple, everyday moments we share are the foundation of…
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When in God’s name?
“In addition to needed gun control reforms, America urgently needs a stronger protest movement dedicated to reducing the glorification of violence in our culture — in music, film, television, video games, and on the Internet.” ~Bernice King Tuesday was one of those gorgeous May afternoons, sunny and cloudless. After another trip to the plant store, I prepped my herb garden bed, trimmed a shrub, pulled a few weeds, and admired my handiwork. Then I started an upbeat post for this blog — a post about spending a perfect day in the garden. Hours later, however, I learned about the massacre at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, and realized that it…
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How to save the world
“This is the way we save the world: one peaceful word, one act of compassion, one long sweet nap, one burst of laughter at a time.” ~Martha Beck, Finding Your Way in a Wild New World Watching the news makes me feel hopeless — and helpless. Mass shootings (almost daily). The war in Ukraine. The pandemic. Political ugliness (daily). I long for a new age of unity, peace, civility, and dignity — a tall order that’s seemingly impossible to fill these days. But each of us can take small steps toward healing — starting in our own homes and communities. We could perform a random act of kindness or two. And…
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The power of “No”
“If you find that the demands on your time are overwhelming, don’t be afraid to politely say ‘no’ when someone asks you to do or attend something. It’s better to say ‘no’ early on instead of ‘maybe’ or ‘we’ll see.’ You’ll appreciate the freedom of protecting your schedule and prioritizing your commitments.” ~Dr. Andrew Weil No is a powerful word — and sometimes we have to muster the courage to use it. Too often, we’re afraid of losing approval if we deny a request or turn down an offer. People-pleasers, especially, feel twice as guilty when they say no, and typically follow their negative response with an elaborate explanation. But…
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