Testing!

If this works... thank you SO much, darling ~ LESLIE ANNE!
If I did it right, clicking on the word "this" in the sentence above should take you to the Oreck post.
I'm checking it now. . .

Beginning Summer of 2009

Our "new" and natural yard & garden

Over the 16+ years of living here and working on this yard, I have put in countless hours. Hour upon hour of clearing land, pulling weeds, claiming areas, unloading dirt, collecting mulch, planting flowers, herbs, and a few vegetables.

I have spent free money, gift money and more on new flowering bushes, roses, and bulbs. Eventually, no matter how cleaned, pruned up, and cared for it has been ... the weeds have taken over. Lawn mowers break routinely here and it takes a lot to keep our basic yard tools in good shape. Kind of makes me think of taking care of a jungle...

Anyway, I'm tossing the "giving up attitude" out with the pruned, dead parts of this yard. I have a renewed motivation to reclaim this little (and HUMBLE) piece of land and make the most of it.

It has helped to have my husband on board more than I thought it would.
He has been clearing areas, using his grandpa's old tractor to break up ground and has our garden plot in place. He started this last year and we planted some of the seeds I bought after spending hours and hours researching for the most natural choices.

Not a great deal of success to report from that. A long and boring story concludes with the fact that half my garden got dug up, the compost was abandoned and none of the beautiful and lovingly cared for seedlings survived.

This year... we are praying to be different.

As of today, we:

* Have a nice garden plot with wide rows and narrow footpaths like I wanted last year. We have planted a section of beets and started two flats of broccoli, zinnia's, and two squash varieties.

* Plowed a half circle that goes from the flower area under our vegetable garden and goes to the other side. We are going to plant flowers all in it and already a nice pack of wildflowers for this.

* Planted heavenly blue morning glories all the way around the porch and on both sides of the steps. The once brand new wood is now old, splintering and not so visually appealing. The morning glories get planted every summer and we tear the unsightly vines down when they start turning brown in fall after saving the seeds.

* Watered the peppermint we've had in two stone pots for so many years along with both heirloom roses, two other varieties of roses, the Southern Jasmine, blueberry bush and two azalea's.

* Moved the compost bin to a more convenient location and gone back to diligently adding coffee and tea grounds, egg shells, fruit and vegetable peelings, and more.

* Prepared an area in front of this window to fill with herbs like I did years ago. Right now, little blue/lavender flowers are sprinkled as a pretty ground cover.

I'm going to journal our progress and include pictures here and another place or two. I want it for us and since I'm always searching for things like this myself... thought some readers might appreciate sharing it as we go.

I'm pulling out all gardening books so it might be awhile before I post again... smile.

Oreck Halo

My sister called this morning and during our conversation, told me about this new vacuum. How neat. I know there are tons of vacs out there doing all kinds of things these days and if I were rich, I think I'd try them all until I had an all time favorite --- or two. There is just something about being able to suck up dust, pet hair, dirt, bits of this and that and not having them float or flurry around the house!

Anyway, here is one I'd love to try one day!

The hyperlink will NOT work.
Let's try just typing it in...

http://www.oreck.com/upright-vacuum-cleaners/oreck_halo.cfm

Sorry you can't just click on it. I need to figure out enough about html to have clickable links but I know NOTHING about it.

We all need a push . . .

We all need a push (Author Unknown)

The mother eagle gently covered her offspring toward the edge of the nest, her heart grieved with conflict and emotions as she felt their resistance to her persistent nudging.

She thought . . .

Why does the thrill of soaring, the freedom of flying, have to begin with the fear of falling, the fear of failure?

As in the tradition of her species her nest was located high on the shelf of a sheer, rock cliff thousands of feet above the canyon floor.
Below there was nothing but air to support the wings of her offspring.

She thought . . .

Is it possible that this time it will not work?
Despite her fears she knew the time had come – her parental mission was all but complete.
There remained only one final task –

The push.

The mother eagle drew courage from an innate wisdom . . .

Until her children discovered their wings, there would be no purpose for their lives.

Until they learned how to soar, they would fail to understand the privilege of being born an eagle.

The push . . .

The push was the greatest gift she had to offer, it was her supreme act of love.
So, one by one,

She pushed them from the security of the nest.

And, one by one,

She watched as they tumbled toward the canyon floor.

And one by one,

She watched . . .

As they flew.

The happiest homes

Struggling with lack of contentment and a bit of weariness today but know I shouldn't be.

Eventually, my flesh that wants to scream or kick or something of an "anger-releasing" form will bow to the spirit, governed by the Lord. Peace will sweep the dirt of this attitude out the door and maybe the winds of joy will carry it away.



The happiest homes in the world


(J. R. Miller, "Counsel and Help" 1907)


Nothing is lovelier in life, than the spirit of contentment. Fretting mars the beauty of many a face. Discontent spoils all one's world. Out of whatever window he looks--the discontented person sees something that is not pleasing.

But a contented person sees only good everywhere. The happiest homes in the world are not those in which are the finest carpets, the costliest pictures, the most luxurious furniture--but those in which contented, joyful hearts dwell. A mind at peace, beautifies the plainest surroundings and even the hardest conditions.


"I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:11-13

Spring Cleaning & Out of Hibernation!

Clearing through the clutter is proving a boring job but we will figure a way to make it less tedious. Music helps!


The kids are outside playing and I can see them from my window and my daughter and I are cleaning the house. Laundry is getting done and warm weather means we will bring our weary clothes line back to life. I have searched in vain for brightly colored, plastic clothes pins because they are my favorite. I will settle with a big bag of wooden classics as soon as I can find those.



I'm glad all of our bedding can be freshly air dried above everything else --- they are longer to dry and I know they don't get fully aired out using an appliance. Blowing with the wind is a different story. The sun shines through stains and odors and just makes everything brighter.


How I'll miss our Abigail this summer. Our outdoor border collie mix of 12 years died a few weeks ago and I miss her now. I'll miss her more when I am outside without her. She followed me everywhere. . . to the clothesline, around the small garden plots and while I cleaned out the vehicles.

People shake their heads at how ridiculous it is to cry when we lose our pets but tears sting my eyes as I type.


We cleaned out the trash can today and added orange essential oil to the bottom. I will add a few drops to the laundry baskets, the washing machine and maybe drop one or two on a cloth for the dryer.


Something else I did and got compliments on how wonderful the house smelled was to open our kitchen window a bit and drop essential oils on the dry wood between panes. I added a couple of lemon, a couple of lavender and a couple of rosemary.


I added one down each sink drain and on the mop head when the floors got a good mop down. I do a bad thing to get the floors really clean and I don't suggest anyone try it but it works here. Our floors are very old and very worn and extremely hard to get super clean the way I love them to be.

I have started pouring hot, soapy water by the cup a few places and I grab the mop and old towels and do a quick clean over before pouring a few cups of clean water around to rinse. Then everything gets dried and the floor is clean. Disastrous for floors in need of particular care but quite handy for floors beyond much other help.

Have you noticed how eccentric I can be in my home cleaning? I want it to shine and sparkle, to glow and gleam and much more. Getting there is where it gets creative.


Well, I hope you have a humming and singing kind of spring cleaning this year --- whatever it looks like for your home!


3 Ideas to Consider:


1. Clear. Get ANYTHING you don't love, need or use OUT of your way so there is more space to easily clean.


2. Clean. Get the dust out, wipe up the sticky places, and scrub the scum away. Daily cleaning for the rest of the summer can be more "breezy" if you do.


3. Scent every room. Find a way to make things smell good. Open a window or all the windows. Spray something or add drops to awaken entire rooms. Have bowls of fruit out, harvest some herbs, snatch a hand full of flowers from your yard or places you won't be punished for it. Smile.


Spring is here and a home stretches from the winter cabin closeness and opens wide to all the sunshine offers. Help it along.