Tag Archives: gardening

GLORIOUS RAIN!

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IT RAINED! GLORIOUS RAIN!
My rain barrel is full and my tomatoes, zucchini, and acorn squash are producing and are finally happy plants! I am watering from the barrel every day and it is a wonderful thing. And ZINNIAS! My Georgia friends, ZINNIAS!

I am taking up more grass, and increasing the vegetable garden for next year. And I ordered my Colorado red flagstone to finish my path in the dead grass zone. Thanks to Colorado Materials in Longmont for providing me with the best experience! Kiddo is coming home and his buddies are helping me lay it. Yea!
https://www.coloradomaterialsinc.com/

I have to admit to you that writing about the future post-apocalyptic world has freed my current worrisome mind. There is still so much to do to avoid a real downfall of the republic in my lifetime. But in my make-believe future world, adults are working together to make sure kids are safe, don’t starve, are educated about everything, know how to use tools, and know how to get along. The kids in my book have an incredible life. There are no mean and unreasonable parents or their offspring in my book. There are no color barriers of any kind and they are all loved in equal amounts. No religious pressure, no hate, just love. The last vestiges of civilization should have places like this.

And let’s all realize that this is also the type of world we should have today—a place where we can feed, dress, and keep all children safe, no matter who they are or where they are from. That is what we should wholeheartedly strive for every day that we are alive on this planet! Parents should teach children how to create that better world, and help them understand how to embrace challenges without anger and strife. We can all make a better world if we listen to each other. So stop the hate, love everyone equally, and let’s just get over ourselves!

I hope everyone is enjoying the little things that make you happy today. No doom and gloom. No drama. Just glorious rain! Have a great rest of the weekend!

The World Goes On and the Zucchini Keeps on Giving!

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Being outside and cleaning up my sacred spaces revives me, even with mosquitoes (spray every part of your exposed skin), hot weather, and the gathering storm approaching over the mountains. But as the world goes on and people remain frenzied and a little bit crazy, my sanctuary is where I’ll be for most of the summer, far from the noise spewing forth from the media. Cleanup continues and I look for those plants that I am going to excavate and re-plant in the fall. The front yard bed was the first garden that I experimented with when we first moved here over 27 years ago. Time does seem to fly by us and seems to speed up as we age.

I’ll divide and move my ancient peonies to the back yard where I hope they’ll thrive and bloom once again like they did when I first planted them. I’ll dig up sedums and grasses from that same old bed where the crazy ground cover grows and continues to try and smother them out of existence. I’ll transplant them to the new bed in the front yard where I took out almost 200 square feet of grass and replaced it by planting those wonderful waterwise plants a few years ago (courtesy of Resource Central Boulder and the City of Louisville). I hope they will fill the gaps and thrive and complement my overall aesthetic scheme. And I’ll try (once again) to eradicate that crazy Snow in the Mountain ground cover that took over the whole bed. (Careful what you wish for in a ground cover – one plant exploded and multiplied into places I never intended it to do! It is out of control!) I hope to add another cute cedar tree and maybe a few more roses in those areas next spring after the snowmelt.

I get slower with the cleanup every year, as I dig up more grass and put in new plants. Some make it, some don’t, but it’s the physical act of trying and doing that matters. We try everything to combat aging and when our lives don’t always go in the direction we had originally planned, we persevere. But perhaps that’s the point of living: to find what is our true direction in a world of chaos and mis-direction; to be the person we were supposed to be even if it turns out to be something totally different from our first childhood vision board (or journal in my case). Maybe it’s okay just to be who we are at any given moment in our lifetime. And maybe it’s okay to create beauty in our change of direction, moving like the wind and the water onto the next project without regret for what has happened, anything that has been lost to us, in the past. Sometimes the losses make us grow even more.

Currently, we are trying to thrive in a chaotic atmosphere where storms (both human and environment) create destruction. But, when the clouds move in and the world looks grim, we slowly begin to see the fruits of our labor like the humble zucchini. We are thriving despite all the setbacks, and are brave enough to try and make the best creations from the bounty of our gardens. And if the tomatoes still have spots on them, add a little calcium (I just learned this! Egg shells and/or Tums!) and hopefully you will get the fruit in the end where you can create something tasty and wonderful.

So don’t get discouraged with your life. Make the best of it every day. If the only thing you can do is to give water and a snack to a person standing with a sign on the side of the road, then do it. You may have saved that person’s life for one more day. And that’s a good thing for you to do. (Thanks for that tip goes out to my eye doctor’s nurse!) So, don’t curse and spit into the wind. Don’t spew negative nonsense to others who are just trying to figure it out in their daily existence. Just lend a helping hand when you can and be thankful for where you are at this moment in your life. I love you all so much and send out this message of hope every day that I am alive. Jim Croce Don’t Mess Around with Jim

Hail and Zucchini

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Or: Searching for Authenticity.
A few days ago the dark, black clouds moved in and a huge thunderstorm came over our little neck of the woods. The rain was intense and the hail burst into being, small balls of destruction raging down onto the planet and our fragile plants. Thunder boomed, and lightening lit up the skies. The giant beautiful leaves of the zucchini and squash became ragged as they were shredded. Thankfully, the flowers remained intact so I am now getting an abundance of zucchini. The destruction wreaked havoc on the gardens, and plants already weakened by the heat and weather suffered. For the first time, one of my long-time raised beds looked extremely sad. The rabbits or other creatures dug holes in it and now I have to go and fix it. It has survived all kinds of weather over the last 20 years.

But our weather doesn’t compare to what lightening has caused over the four corners area. Lightening started 4 different fires in Colorado, one of them raging in the Black Canyon, and the one in Utah is now passing over the border into our state. The few but brave firefighters have not contained them as of this writing. But the most devastating news is the fires on both the North and South Rim of the Grand Canyon which was also started by lightening—the loss of a legendary and historic building, the Grand Canyon Lodge, as well as many cabins and other structures in the park. For the first time since my trek down into the depths of the Canyon, I felt a huge hole in my heart. I don’t know if Phantom Ranch is still standing (across the Colorado River and at the base) where I have fond memories of camping there. I also have memories of taking the hottest shower in the Lodge after our 7-day adventure over thirty years ago, and arising from the dead of that rugged hike, peering out of those tall glass windows at beautiful scenery of the Canyon below me. I shared those memories in my Caitlin Ferguson mysteries, and wanted to share them with my family in a few years, taking them back in time to those beautiful vistas. They will never see the amazing sites from my original point of view and I am saddened that these things had to happen before they could see them. I know many people will rally to rebuild, but it won’t be the same. People want comfortable and new, and the authentic charm will be forever lost. Nature has won out once again.

But for this post, I want to dive into what it means to be authentic. According to an article in Psychology today: “Humanistic psychologists would say that by definition, authentic people possess a number of common characteristics that show they are psychologically mature and fully functioning as human beings. They:

  1. Have realistic perceptions of reality.
  2. Are accepting of themselves and of other people.
  3. Are thoughtful.
  4. Have a non-hostile sense of humor.
  5. Are able to express their emotions freely and clearly.
  6. Are open to learning from their mistakes.
  7. Understand their motivations.” Psychology Today-Authentic People

I think it’s important to be your authentic self. Sometimes I have unrealistic perceptions of reality. I feel like I have tried to live a full life, and expect a lot from others. Many people fail at meeting my perceptions, and yet I still have hope of them creating their own fulfillment. I fail repeatedly on Number 4, but I believe that I express my emotions freely, even though sometimes they aren’t clear, just a jumbled mess. I attempt to be open and apologize for my mistakes. I attempt to correct the mistakes and make life better. My motivations are clear about where I want others and me to be in the coming years. I want to continue learning something new and be influenced by the written word. So many books have changed my life, and I treat them like the old connect-the-dots game, creating a visually acceptable endgame. Reading the greats from hundreds of years ago, as well as new literature keeps my perspective growing. I want the freedom and independence to explore new ideas and letting go of ego, creating a world without anthropocentricity.

“I seek only the learning that treats of the knowledge of myself and instructs me how to die well and live well.” ― Michel de Montaigne

So for now, I am cursing and regaling the weather at the same time, and enjoying the fruits of my labor. Whether it is a zucchini bake, or a potato/zucchini muffin, the humble zucchini has given us sustenance in new ways. They help me create an authentic food staple for others to enjoy. And, to paraphrase the Jello commercial: There’s always room for zucchini….

Let us not forget the things that are happening right now to our world, but let us look forward to who we could become, creating a better self  from our past selves, thus, creating something wonderful in the future. Let’s decide what is authentic and cut back on the cynicism, and approach a future with sympathy. Let’s get beyond our hero-worshiping phase because heroes always fall. Let’s overcome what we thought was wonderful and create something better out of the ashes.

I love you all and ask that you create a beautiful world in times of sadness and disaster. Go forth, like the humble zucchini, and multiply your gifts!

The Gathering of Minds around the Campfire

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We search for our primeval selves in the summer: the gatherers, the hunters, and the farmers later in the evolutionary process. In the wild west we attempt to grow things in the heat, drought and horrific storms that destroy crops and shelter. And yet, we build again, knowing that this cycle will repeat itself, getting worse each year that we abuse the land even more than we have in the past. Many of us are trying to create a little sacred, bountiful place where we live. But many more of us don’t know how to start, or don’t want to because it is incredibly hard work. It taxes us beyond measure. We have to learn to persevere and enjoy the perseverance.

In this crowded suburban world, and the Door Dash quick and easy society, it’s hard to imagine us going back to working the land and creating something wonderful with our hands. And yet, some of us try. We feel the inherent need to grow things and watch them provide shade and sustenance. And at the end of the day, we get something cool to drink, sit in our comfy chairs in the shade of the gazebo and admire what we have created. When the air gets brisk, we may even create a small fire in our fire pit and sit outside to wait for the stars to come out. Our little mecca has survived the ravages of weather and time, and we grow to appreciate the skills we have been given to create this in our world.

It is up to us to take a break from our fundamental craziness of society, and explore the philosophies of life. It is up to us to keep the good parts of history alive and reflect on what we have been given. It is up to us to sit around the campfire and think about the state of affairs. Western writers have pondered this: “…How some scientists speculated that gathering around fires was the original unique characteristic of human beings. Not language or metaphor or tool use but the social circle, the gathering around the flame, the place where all those other discoveries were communicated.” “Yup, that’s right. Around the campfire you have a lot of spirit and it comes out in different ways. Kidding each other, serious thought. Singing. Politics, nature, jokes. Everything mixed, like you say. Campfires are a medium of expression all their own.” [Gessner, David. All The Wild That Remains: Edward Abbey, Wallace Stegner, and the American West (p. 99). W. W. Norton & Company. Kindle Edition].

“Campfires bring back so many memories of our childhood and most of them are good. In times of strife, we tend to go back to these memories to be at peace within ourselves. Campfires have provided warmth, light, fuel for cooking, and a sense of security deeply imbedded in our genes from our ancient ancestors. Campfires can free up conversations and you feel happy and free from the world’s problems for a quick minute.”
https://enjoythewild.com/benefits-of-a-campfire/
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-evolutionary-reason-w_n_6171508

So, now that we have had cooperation with the weather, and there is water in the mountains, we can get out, maybe go camping, or create a fire in our backyards. We can spend a night in the open looking at the stars. We can think about the world and what we can do to help it. And maybe we can be at peace for a moment. Reminisce of days gone by and good things to come. Relax for a moment away from the screens. Listen to the world around you in a different way.

But like all things we create (fire) we must be cautious and remember to use the designated areas to create a campfire. We must completely put out the fire! Rake, rake, check, and re-check before you leave the site for any embers. Drown it out and re-rake the embers. We can appreciate nature and protect it at the same time. No more human fire disasters!

Love to all on this hot, dark, and stormy day.

Waiting to “Exhail”!

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Most of the weeds are pulled, the bushes are planted, the seeds are emerging from the raised bed soil, and the zucchini and squash are in the ground! I am sending out an enormous THANK YOU across the UNIVERSE to my husband who has helped me through injury and my aging body. I am grateful every day you are alive and well, even though being a cancer survivor is rough on your body. We are both going through a lot of exhaustion and exhaling to master daily chores, especially those that I have tried to keep up with every day. I appreciate you stepping up this summer for all the laborious tasks that I am not able to do right now. We are, after all pretty good together when we decide it’s worth doing and I’m not too bossy (okay, maybe I’m still a little bossy!)

I know non-gardeners think we are nutty people—always wanting to get our hands dirty, moving rocks around, taking away rock fill, putting rock fill back in, constantly weeding, fighting massive thunderstorms, flinching when we get hail as big as golf balls, shooing away literally tame rabbits that are trying to eat everything, and bobcats in the backyard-hopefully eating some of the rabbits! But in reality, we gardeners are generally trying to make a wonderland out of the clay soil and our crazy weather out here.

At the end of summer, and after I put the yard tasks behind me, I am sad that winter is coming. I clean up, put up the tools, and then go inside. I get antsy around April (false spring out here!) and start planting seedlings in the sun room. Unfortunately, the sun room isn’t heated and so I have to use space heaters when it gets down in the 20s and 30s at night. But, voila! Real spring happens, albeit late this year, and I can do it all again. Every year is different and I focus on different areas of the yard. Last year, there was the gazebo build, and this year it has been major cleanups, and planting around the gazebo. Who knows where I will venture next year? I am grateful for my farming father, who taught me a thing or two about the land. I am grateful for my ex-neighbor who was a Master Gardner who moved away 7 years ago to lush North Carolina, but still keeps in touch and talks about what we each have done in our yards. And long story short, I am grateful to be alive, semi-healthy, and loving my wonderful spouse for all of his help.

So whether you are waiting to exhale or waiting for the hail I hope you all live in that moment before any negative disasters that may come your way. Focus on the now and the positive. Love the beautiful green things you have planted and relish the promise of food before fall! Love tonight to all and be at peace with yourself for a little while!

Hug Trees, Clean up the Seas, Save the Bees!

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I saw this on Facebook today and I thought it summed things up nicely! When things get rough out there go out into the woods and just breathe. Find the biggest tree and sit awhile, embracing its energy. Sink your feet in the earth and call out its name. Thank the tree for still being there. Be grateful it has survived all these years, through fires, drought, massive rain runoff and abuse of people in general.

If you are near the ocean, take a walk on the beach with your bag and pick up plastic and debris. Dispose of it afterwards in the appropriate bins. Find a spot on the beach and sit for a while. Watch the waves and harmonize with them. Say hello to the little birds and critters in the sand.

Plant your garden with pollinators and welcome the bees, even if you are a little afraid of them. They are our friends and keep our plants and food alive! Get rid of the wasps that try to take over their habitat. Let them be at peace and do their work.

Be grateful for all of the creatures, plants, and trees that we still have out there on this planet. Yes, we lose things every day, but there are still those places that survive despite our undoing. Tread lightly on these vast arid landscapes and keep it alive.

We can live in harmony with nature if we slow down and give it a chance. We can appreciate the beauty outside if we appreciate the beauty inside each of us. Everyone needs a sacred space to go to, even if it is a small one in your backyard. That is what I am creating, a little bit at a time. Can you say that you are doing the same thing in yours?

I am at peace tonight, finishing up my work, and listening to the birds and creatures outside (although a little malice towards that very loud crow!) with promises of a beautiful summer ahead.

“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us. And the world will live as one.”― John Lennon

“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.”
― Jimi Hendrix

I love you all and wish you well!

Learning to Listen and Happy Mother’s Day!

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Or: People want to hear what they want to hear, not necessarily the truth.
I keep returning to this concept that we aren’t hearing each other. We are so busy trying to insert our opinions upon others that we forget to breathe and take in what the other person is trying to say. Listening skills are difficult, and I know I am one of the worst offenders on this subject but I have noticed this in our inner circles as well, especially in spouses and children.

Sometimes we can feel ganged up on and stop talking about a subject. And sometimes the subject is important enough to try and have a conversation. We should be there in the present moment to understand what the other person is trying to say. We should listen to the nuances of what is being said, and believe what they are saying at the time. Questioning takes us off the track of what we are trying to communicate. And we shouldn’t overgeneralize a topic that is being discussed and hear one another.

For the most part, human beings just want to be heard by their friend, family member, or even a stranger who has reached out to us. Others don’t always need to solve the problem of the moment. And it’s okay if it doesn’t get solved right away. Just having someone to talk to can calm us and make us rethink a problem. It can help us come up with a solution later when we are alone with our thoughts.

Active listening is such a learned experience and very few of us have accomplished this skill. Today, I am just asking you to try and understand that what you hear isn’t always what another person says. Think before you put something forward and come to a conclusion. Enough said.

And on that note, I have returned to my gardens. Today was wonderful. Kiddo called and wished me a Happy Mother’s Day. Husband went to Indiana to visit his mom for the week. I took the day to clean up more weeds, put in edgers and rock borders, put down some pea gravel near the raised beds, and sorted the seeds for planting. Next week will be Home Depot runs for new shrubs and plants. I also will be getting the flowers, tomatoes, and green bean seeds into pots. When they are lovely and green in a few weeks, I’ll be transplanting them later into the wonderful, raised beds my family built for me. So excited! Thank you family for letting me have this time! Times like these help me regain perspective and energy to fight another good fight!

I send you all greetings for a Happy Mother’s Day and lots of hugs and love tonight!

Thoughts from the Past and the Greening of America

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Why did my grandmother and aunts sweep the yard and scrape away all of the grass growing there under the huge oak tree? Was it because they were afraid of snakes biting the children or chickens? Was it a form of pest control? Was it to prevent fires? According to southern lore, this was a practice that goes back to the African people, and later passed onto other white farmers. We played and had picnics in the front yard and under that giant beautiful tree for years as children and didn’t think anything of it.

Why Did They Sweep Their Yards?

https://www.hometalk.com/diy/clean/outdoor/q-southern-traditions-why-did-my-grandmas-sweep-their-yards-28112586

And, then came the invention of the riding lawnmower. My father and mother became the Forrest Gump look-alikes, mowing those expansive lawns and fields with their personal lawn mowers. It became a sea of green surrounding our house. They didn’t have to water like we do. My mother became obsessed with lawns, while my father was still the gardener with his flowers and vegetable gardens. Mowing was never a fun job for us kids (push mowers, later gasoline driven, but not automatic, and not riding mowers like my mother had). So, I became more enamored of the gardens.

Why do we fixate on lush green lawns with no weeds? Is a perfectly manicured lawn a reflection of who we are in society and in the universe? Are we trying to compete and/or become royalty? If you don’t love to get your hands in the dirt, and you can’t afford to hire anyone, like the privileged few, the solution is to take a few minutes each day after work, and work on a little piece of your land. Break up your yard in sections, and plant beautiful bushes and flowers. Mulch like crazy and enjoy your labor. I have divided up my yard into sections and each day during the growing season, I take one section a week. It doesn’t have to be an amazing English Garden like you see on the East coast, or in the old kids’ books. We don’t have the climate for that out in the southwest. Plant what works out here. Then, sit with it on your back patio, and enjoy the fruits of your labor. I can be in my happy peaceful place, and sip on a cool drink when the work is done. I know people don’t enjoy outside work as much as I do, but it is such an accomplishment to see living things grow and thrive in our harsh climate.

It is well-known that pesticides aren’t good for people or the environment so I have taken the higher road and not used them. And, yes, the dandelions and thistle bloom like crazy and look hideous in some peoples’ eyes, but I pull out the ones that are in my mulched gardens and don’t worry as much about the lawn. Green is green where green will grow out here.

When the forsythia and lilacs bloom each spring, I think of my father and his amazing green thumb. I don’t have expansive green lawns (and the water to support them) but my plants survive and burst in color each year, I think of him every spring. I was able to enjoy their beauty for a little while this spring before the snow and wind blew off the flowers. And though I hate the crab apples, for a little while, they are beautiful each spring so I won’t cut them down.

So don’t worry about what the other neighbors’ yards look like and don’t try to spray away the weeds and have a perfect lawn. Enjoy the imperfections in your yard as you would in life. Enjoy each other as individuals and don’t compete with something that is not real.

I love you all equally with all of your imperfections. Have an awesome weekend!

I Don’t Have Time or Energy for Divas

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RAIN! YES! We worked all weekend cleaning up the gardens and watered everything so of course we got rain! But now I am so happy for it and all the better for those wonderful plants! Flowers are blooming and birds are chirping! We went to Home Depot and bought 10 bags of the $2.00 mulch, 2 bags of potting soil, and 10 bags of raised bed soil. Now we wait. I am excited to plant the vegetable garden when the snow is done (always much later out here, usually after Mother’s Day!) Life is a beautiful thing!

But here’s my soul-searching thought for today:
Why do we put up with divas? The term has become more than the original idea of being an incredible female singer (goddess-like) from the 19th century. According to Wikipedia, “Women are often referred to as divas if they are difficult, temperamental and demanding.” The adoring public has now extended this idea to both men and women. Take a look at all of those reality shows that are on TV as well as what is going on in the political world. I am not a fan of anyone acting out like when I flip through shows like the Bachelor, Bachelorette, or the Housewives. Why do people watch these shows? Why do people pay attention to rich, spoiled people or the people wanting to become them? I understand I am not their target audience, but when it moves out into the real world that is disheartening. These people are not roll models we should strive to become in our world.

A little humility goes a long way. Sometimes it’s okay to just blend in the background and listen to what is going on out there. I don’t need adulation or recognition for what I do every day. I am happy with who I am at this time in my life. Every day, I try to convince others that they are beautiful people and should be happy with who they are right now. They don’t have to act out like a child craving attention. They can be happy with themselves if they just take a breath before they spew nonsense or hate others for their differences. We can all become a little happier each day if we embrace humility and love each other. We can blend into the world and live in harmony if we just become the best person we know how to be. We can shine a light on ourselves when we are good at something and respect others for what they are good at. This can easily be done at the same time. Everyone is good at something. Enjoy those things you love, and help others learn something new every day.

Become the person like those Wilder Widows (so much fun to read this series by Katherine Hastings). Check them out and laugh a lot at their shenanigans. Be like them and have your own adventures with your crazy and fun friends.

So, let’s all just try and take a breath of the rain-cleared air tonight and be happy where we are at this moment in our lives. Let’s have adventures in our own way and love and respect those we come into contact with every day. I love you all tonight. Have a great week!

We Are All Weeds

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Weeds: A plant that is not valued where it is growing and is usually of vigorous growth. Especially: one that tends to overgrow or choke out more desirable plants. (2): a weedy growth of plants. By observing the weeds in your yard, you can pick up clues about soil fertility, moisture levels, and pH. Some weeds like it wet, some like it dry. Some grow in rich soil; some tolerate even the poorest soil. Some seek out sunny, open areas while others prefer the shady dampness of a forest floor.

I went to a wonderful lecture years ago that was held at the Louisville Library and sponsored by the Open Space folks. The speaker was a guy named Doug Larson, and he was highly informative. He stated that “A weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill.” I learned a lot about why my yard seems to sprout sooooo many weeds. The best thing I learned about weeds was that they were amazing clue givers on how good your soil was doing. Alas, they choked out grass in a lot of areas, because they are so hardy. And, if truth be told, some of the weeds are a poor (wo)man’s flowers! They are simply incredible survivors. And who needs grass anyway in a drought environment? (I keep taking out more every year….)

When I am immersed in writing, I look forward to researching quotes for each chapter. People say amazing things in person and in writing and I love the idea of putting them in my books! So, I used Doug’s quote in one of the chapters of my latest book and followed it up by one of mine:
“We are all different and our differences are what make us strong. We are all weeds.”

Weeds always seem to be a plant in the wrong place. And, yet we can take heart that this little weed growing in the middle of the road or a crack in the sidewalk conveys bravery and an ability to thrive in the worst conditions. People are like weeds in the way we survive the worst conditions. Like weeds, we are both wild and beautiful, and emerge into places we thought we’d never be, bravely pushing through no matter the odds. We can be in the wrong place at the right time and that’s a good thing. We can be both vulnerable and brave at the same time. Nothing can bring us down unless we allow it to happen.

I am always plucking and mulching at the weeds in my gardens. I try to enjoy the gardens I have created, and weeds seem to always want to take over! And why not? It’s a super soil of nurturing nutrients. They want the same thing as the rest of the plants (and people).

I ask myself, “Do I do the same thing with my life? Maybe weeds are just those things that get in the way of the life I want to live. Trying to create something beautiful in my backyard is challenging work. But wasting too much time plucking the weeds and not planting new plants, drains my time and my energy. All those human distractions out there do the same thing. The saying in the weeds refers to an overwhelming amount of work or being too immersed in something complex. Maybe we can take a step back, appreciate the weeds (except thistle – I loathe thistle!) and let them be for a season. However, if they choke out your beautiful plants, go ahead and pluck them out. That’s okay, too. For more insights on this metaphor see:
http://katherinediuguid.squarespace.com/longing-to-belong

The important thing to remember is try not to be too judgy, “The only difference between a weed and a flower is judgement. Remember that. Remember it on your darkest days and your sunniest moments. Remember it when life is burdensome and when it’s glorious. Remember that no matter what road you travel, there will be weeds.”
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/weed-flower-wendy-rumrill

So fellow weeds, I ask you to hang in there and we’ll all get through everything together. Here’s another quote from the book (and Bob Marley). I think it sums up what I wanted to say tonight! Love and hugs to all who venture into and beyond the weeds!

“Life is one big road with lots of signs,
So when you riding through the ruts,
Don’t you complicate your mind
Flee from hate, mischief and jealousy
Don’t bury your thoughts;
put your vision to reality.” —Bob Marley