Wisdom

 

Courage is knowing that it might hurt, but doing it anyway.

Stupidity is the same thing.

And that is why life is hard.

                ... Inspiring Souls

Me On A Monday - May 29th

 Good Morning All.  What a lovely weekend in this region.  I spent most of my free time in the garden.  It was glorious.  So much is happening out there.  Several of my perennials have bud colour coming through with lots of promise of magnificent blooms.  My Tree Peony has 10 flower buds.  

We had another crisis with Mr Man's eye.  This time it was the left eye.  Mr Man receives an injection into the eye every 10-12 weeks now to prevent bleeding behind the eye.  When he started receiving this injection 7 years ago, we started out with weekly trips to a Toronto hospital.  About two years into the routine we were able to get an eye doctor closer to home to do the injections.  Last Wednesday he had one of those scheduled "routine" injections.  The next day we had an appointment with the surgeon eye specialist two cities over from us, who did the surgery in March on his right eye. This specialist detected Mr Man's left eye was leaking fluid.  The doctor that did the injection on Wednesday went a little too deep (apparently) & actually punctured the eye.  The eye pressure was dropping quickly, so to prevent further leaking they applied a bandage to the eye in the form of a large medical lens.  Before inserting the lens there was an injection into the eye of a antibiotic to prevent/stop any infection from the hole.  Antibiotic pills to take for 7 days, two new drops for 7 days. Mr Man's left eye is lime green (antibiotic) & enlarged (eye bandage/lens).  Thankfully on the Saturday follow up appointment, tests show no more leakage & no signs of infection.   

The driving to & from these Wednesday to Saturday appointments was crazy.  We encountered, drivers driving on the sidewalks, people driving the wrong way, drivers racing. The young man who was in & out of traffic, speeding along, crashed 10 minutes down the road from us.  He took out a hydro pole (electricity) & required an air ambulance to take him to a trauma centre.  We were re-routed through a shopping mall parking lot.  The road was closed for 12 hours.

Hence why I retreated to my garden every chance I had.

I just started two new  to me book series; War At Home (7 books) & Ashmore Castle (at least 4 books). Both series are by a favourite author, Cynthia Harrod Eagles.

Don't forget that this Thursday the SPSH begins.  Have you printed out the list to keep in your purse/bag/car for reference? 

Wisdom

 

SOURCE: INTERNET

 

You are holding a cup of coffee when someone comes along and bumps into you or shakes your arm, making you spill your coffee everywhere.

 

Why did you spill the coffee?

"Because someone bumped into me!!!"

Not the answer.

 

You spilled the coffee because there was coffee in your cup.

Had there been tea in the cup, you would have spilled tea.

Whatever is inside the cup is what will spill out.

 

Therefore, when life comes along and shakes you (which WILL happen), whatever is inside you will come out. It's easy to fake it, until you get rattled.

 

So we have to ask ourselves... “what's in my cup?"

When life gets tough, what spills over?

Joy, gratitude, peace and humility?

Anger, bitterness, victim mentality and quitting-tendencies?

 

Life provides the cup, YOU choose how to fill it. 

 

Today let's work towards filling our cups with gratitude, forgiveness, joy, words of affirmation, resilience, positivity; and kindness, gentleness and love for others. 

 

                    ... source: Internet/FaceBook

 

Me On A Tuesday & A 2023 SPSH List

 As in previous years, the Summer Photo Scavenger Hunt/Search (SPSH) will run from June 1st to September 30th.  We'll have a couple of check ins throughout the summer so we can keep encouraging one another.  First check in will be Monday July 10th.

Just let me know in the comments if you want to participate. 

All photos should be taken by you or some one in your family. And as always, this is meant to be a fun activity, so if you only get one or two items on the list, great!  If you get all the items on the list, fantastic!

This year's list is a little shorter than previous years & most of the items can be found on or off your home patch. I think that the selections have an option of being easy or difficult.

2023 Summer Scavenger Hunt / Search Ideas

1. A Plant/Tree With Thorn(s)

2. A  Wordless Directional Sign

3. Something Netted or Webbed

4. Something Berry Berry Delicious

5. A Bridge

6. A School

7. Something That Dangles

8. Some Shadows

9. A Crack or Pothole in The Road or Sidewalk

10. A White Flower(s)

11. Extraordinary Water 

12. Summer Tools

13. A Sold or For Sale Sign (not necessarily a house)

14. Something That Rolls

Alternate A: Your Favourite Summer Taste

Alternate B: Your Choice

 

Wisdom

 

The soul has no secret that the behaviour does not reveal.

                                    ... Lao Tzu

Next Monday, the 22nd is a holiday here in Canada, so I'll be checking in with you on Tuesday the 23rd with a 2023 Summer Photo Search list. It's a shorter list this year. 🌼

Me On A Monday - May 15th

 An amazing weather weekend this side of the pond - a perfect Sunday to celebrate Mother's Day.

Currently In The Garden: this past week it was all about my garden & getting some professional help with the out of control, beyond my doing, goutweed removal!  A team of three very strong energetic young lads, dug out 97% of the goutweed & other invading plants. They put down some heavy duty landscape fabric as a barrier & then put lots of mulch on top.  Some of my plants had to be dug out, so I could sift through the root base to pull out the goutweed & replant.  Right now it does look a little stark, but many of the plants will fill in the space.   Any of the goutweed sprouting up now in between the leaves of my "wanted" plants, can be easily plucked out. 

Looking West

Looking East

I also had them remove a Forsythia shrub that was taking up way too much real estate in the garden for so little return of either beauty or value.  They also cut down a one sided stunted evergreen, which was occupying a lot of space & interfering with a peony bush.  

We have made up a natural weed spray; 1 gallon of cleaning vinegar  (I did not know there are different types/strengths of vinegar), 1 cup of Epsom salts & 1/2 cup Dawn dish liquid soap.  Mix all together & spray on the offending plants.  This is safe to use around animals & people.

My vision for this year is to not fill in spaces, but to live with some emptiness & see what fills in with existing plants. I would like to have more visual calm in my garden.  I have lived with so many "gifts" from friends & family, that this year I de-cluttered my garden space with a rather firmer hand than in previous years; gone are those ornamental things like plaques "bloom where you are planted" or "gardeners know the best dirt", even the little fairy girls are gone.  What is left is Meredith my angel that I made in ceramics class several years ago & my swinging monk, who makes me laugh every time I give him a push to swing.  

Currently Watching: caught up on the very brief season 3 of Grace.  We finished all 5 seasons of Blue Murder & we are just starting White Chapel.

Currently Reading: well nothing at the moment, as I need to get to the library to pick up my latest request; Smitten Kitchen Keepers.

Currently Healing: Mr Man's eye(s) continue to heal, slowly. At last week's follow up appointment, the tests show the bubbles in the right eye (most surgery) are diminishing & the inflammation is reduced.  Yeah! 

I hope everyone has the opportunity to get outside & enjoy Spring.

Wisdom

 

If you don't separate yourself from your distractions, your distractions will separate you from your goals & the life you want.

                            ... Source: unknown

Me On A Monday - May 8th

 Good Morning!  

What a fabulous coronation, I enjoyed every moment of it. I was up at 4:30am to make scones & a large pot of tea & settle in for 4 hours of viewing.  I ate far too many scones; all with clotted cream & jam! I taped the whole event & have already re-watched several highlight moments.  

I thought The Princess of Wales made an excellent head piece substitute for the tiara, with Princess Charlotte having a similar head piece as did Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh.   I missed all the bling of tiaras.  

Source: Internet

But for me the star of the coronation service, was Princess Anne, The Princess Royal's hat & feather. The feather now rivals the candle placement from the late Queen's funeral.  Oh the memes for the feather have been fast & funny.

Source: Internet

My second most favourite moment was Penny Mordaunt, Lord President of the Council & Portsmouth North MP, holding & carrying the sword for the full length of time of the coronation service - well done, kudos to her training! Her outfit was also a stand out, excellent choice in styling & colour.  

 

Source: Internet

It was a glorious & happy moment in history.

Currently Fox Watch: has ended, the family have moved on, as it should be, but I'm still sadden by this.

Currently Reading: The Woman With The Cure (thanks Deb for this recommendation).  I am liking the flow of the story & it has me pausing to check online some facts about the polio pandemic.  Also reading, A Town Like Alice (thanks Ruth for this recommendation). I could have sworn I had read this book, but turns out I have not, so what other Alice book am I confusing this with.  Again another story that has me checking on facts.  I really enjoy books that not only captivate me, but teach me & have me interested enough to read further on the subject(s). 

Currently Pleased: that in my stash of scrap book paper, I have found two sheets that will work for my pages for the coronation layout. One sheet is crowns in rows & one sheet has big crowns within some words, that I'll be able to fussy cut out.  Having the stash certainly has paid for itself with these two finds (lol). 

And now I'm off to put away my tiara & deal with my glorious & happy downstairs life - happy week to everyone.

Wisdom

 

Blessed are those that learn to admire but not envy, to follow but not imitate, to praise but not flatter, and to lead but not manipulate.

                ... William Arthur Ward

Me On A Monday - May 1st

Welcome to the new month of May.  We certainly were living the old rhyme about April showers bringing forth May flowers.  The last 3 days were rain & mist, current forecast is for rain on/off for the first 3 days of May.  No matter it makes everything so green with promise.

Last week, for me, was all about having the opportunity to observe the five Fox babies up close, but still not interacting with them.  They are growing so quickly.  I've learnt a lot about Foxes over the last week. Foxes mate for life & often if a spouse is killed, they never re-mate. The average litter of kits is 4-5 & they will nurse for only about 4-5 weeks.  They will stay with their family unit until the Autumn.  During the spring season of babies, Mother Foxes will often make use of Aunties in the pack. A non breeding female Fox will often help out with the babies.  While Foxes typically hunt alone, it is in the next few weeks that Mother & Father Fox will take the babies out hunting.  This is the most dangerous time for the young Fox kits, as there are the larger predator of coyotes also raising a hungry family of pups. 

Mom Fox Returning From The Woods

It was difficult to capture with a photo all 5 playing, I got a few photos of two or three playing, but they are SO quick.

I am quite smitten with Foxes.