“We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.”

Frederick Keonig

J

Flowers & Herbs

Today was a good day.  The sun was shining, the sky was blue and the breeze was cool and refreshing.

It was a fun day to work outside.  I have never been a “great” gardener.  I have grown vegetables, flowers and plants, but I have always thought of myself as a kind of “blind-luck” gardener.  As it turns out, gardening isn't about luck at all. 

When it comes to plants and flowers, the main thing is location, location, location.  Sunny or shady – it makes a big difference.  They also need good soil.  Some like acidic soil some do not.  They need attention, water, sun, food, shelter – a lot like people.

I have been putting a lot more effort into giving my plants the location, soil and attention they need and they are returning all that love with green leaves, pretty blossoms and vibrancy!

Giving attention and seeing it returned with such beauty makes me smile!

J

Chocolate Milk Adventures

It’s officially summer here.  The kids are out of school and there’s fun to be had.  I was thinking about what my summers were like when I was a kid and I remembered some of the adventures I had with my younger brother.

We lived in a mobile home park when we were young.  It was supposed to be a family park, but the adults wouldn’t move in knowing that there were going to be kids running around everywhere, so after we moved in and got settled, they changed it to an adults-only park.  It’s funny how even the term, “adults only” has different connotations than it did back then. 

Anyway, there were lots of open spaces where the homes hadn’t been brought in yet.  The carports were up with their little sheds and doors, but no locks.  We thought those were great little places to hide out and have our adventures.

We packed well for those days, blankets, books, cards, peanut butter sandwiches, etc.  The most important thing we included in our provisions was our chocolate milk.  We had two sisters who sold Tupperware.  Mom had every possible piece of Tupperware you could have.  We particularly liked the “syrup keeper.”  It had a little pour spout and a lid that sealed well.  We would make up our Nestle Quik in those syrup keepers and head out for the day.

We took our bikes, rode to a secluded carport in the back of the park and played cards, read books and talked about life and the fun of summer vacation.  We would eat our sandwiches and drink our chocolate milk.  We had so much fun!

We would ride around to other carports, visit some of the nice people who lived in the park and when we heard Mom whistle, we headed in for dinner.  Those were some pretty great times.  They still make me smile.

J

A Vet In Scotland

I had the pleasure to meet a man who is training to be a veterinarian in Scotland.  I’m not sure how that little piece of information came out, apart from us hunting down a dog house for his dog, but when he told me, I asked him if he’d read the book, “All Creatures Great and Small.”  He said he had read the book and to top it all off, he was doing his studies at Glasgow Veterinary College – the college where James Alfred Wight (his pen name was James Herriott) studied.

You can meet some pretty extraordinary people in an ordinary day – lesson for the day: listen, ask questions – smile.

J

Greatest Use of Life

"The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it." 
       -- William James

J

An Optimist

For myself I am an optimist
it does not seem to be much use being anything else.

-Winston Churchill

J

The Crow

I like watching crows.  I like watching them walk around.  They always walk around like they know what they’re doing and where they are going.  They are the bird to watch.

This evening we were eating dinner outside and a crow landed not far from where we were.  He was picking at some sunflower seeds.  They were such little seeds, but he was able to get them open for the treat inside.  We watched him for a bit and then we had the idea to throw him one of our peanut butter-filled pretzels to see what he would do.

Ken threw it toward him; he strutted out and pecked at it once.  He then looked around like, “Where did that come from?”  He was probably thinking that it was raining peanut butter pretzels and he was in the right place at the right time!  We thought that was pretty funny.  Then he picked up that pretzel and took it over into some bark-covered area and buried it.  It took him a minute or two to completely cover it with bark.

Ken tossed another one and he picked it up and flew away.  One for now – one for later.  Crows are pretty smart birds.

J