Aug 31, 2012 |
I am so excited. So very excited!
I just discovered that Pergolas originated in Italy. Pergolas with their draping grapevines and tiny lights and patio dining and ambient music. Can’t you just feel the breeze wafting the aroma of a great Merlot in your direction?
And I just discovered that Italy actually has a desert. Deserto di Accona. An arid, white, sandy desert.
Do you have any idea what this means?
It is so very possible for me to combine my love of Italy with my reality of the desert, and make it work! Pergolas, herbs, rockscaping, cacti, skyrockets, and shrubs.
Of course, this opens up so many new wonderful ideas, that I just had to create a new Pinterest Board for it! I’m so thankful to have an immediate place to secure photos of inspiring ideas.
How do you landscape, and where do you get your inspiration from?
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
You may also enjoy reading:
Another Post About Pinterest.
Aug 30, 2012 |
There’s a new page link on Frankly, My Dear…
My Housing Project
Since I have an abundance of home improvement projects on my list and a new penchant for photography, I thought what better way to combine the two than to track it here on my blog?
You’ll see plenty of How To’s, What Not To Do’s, and Mistakes That Will Be Made. But you’ll also see a lot of fun, and I hope, pick up some inspiration of your own.
When I have a Housing Project post, I’ll be sure to link it to the Page. So if you see anything you want to remember, just click on My Housing Project under the sunlight photo at the top of any page.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll add some “before” and “during” photos so you can see the transitions we’ve already made in turning this house into Our Home.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
May 31, 2012 |
I know, I know… life is most certainly going to get in the way…
But still…it’s nice to have a few things on the To-Do List, right?
Here’s the start of my List for June, 2012:
- Celebrate Dot & Friends’ Graduation.
- Blog every day.
- Write at least an hour every day on the Big Projects.
- Get a job. A good job. A really good, permanent, well-paying, room-for-advancement job.
- Cook each day from The Unemployment Cookbook.
- Order the next print run for The Unemployment Cookbook.
- Write at least three short stories to submit to contests, competitions, and magazines.
- Get caught up on The Bookshelf.
- Deep clean the Master Bathroom and Master Bedroom.
- Make chocolate treats for every day.
- Walk a little, every day.
- Pay off at least one bill. In full.
- Wake up Will Power and get him back into the World at Large.
- Study photography. Really study. Learn tips and tricks with my camera, and go on photo shoots with professionals.
- Get my next assignment submitted to ICL.
- Smile more than I did in May.
- Appreciate every single apple.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Jan 10, 2012 |
I love my stability. I love my schedule. I love every so often letting loose and being spontaneous, because I know that I can return to my daughter, my recliner, my laptop, my cat, and my coffee. And I can count on those five things to be consistent.
I love having a routine. I love knowing what I can count on.
This is not news.
But this year, I’m daring to be a little more bold, a little more go-with-the-unknown. That’s so not the same as go-with-the-flow. The flow ebbs and tides, rises with the moon and sets with the sun. The unknown has no schedule for the moon or sun.
Today was my daughter’s first day back at school after over two weeks off for the holidays. She had a blast. She got to see her friends, her boyfriend, and was her typical social butterfly. She does great in school. I’m one proud Momma.
During her break, we took it easy and took each day as it came. Some were planned (holidays and friendly get-togethers), but overall we just woke up and decided to stay here or go there (lunch at Grandma’s, catch a movie). It was really a unique experience for me to be inconsistent for more than three days in a row.
I learned a few things about myself during the last few days. The first is, I like being laid back and semi-carefree. But I also like having the important things in order. I’ve learned what doesn’t cause me to lose sleep… and what does.
I’ve also discovered that having a plan and not following it can cause as much anxiety as not having a plan at all. ISN’T THERE A HAPPY MEDIUM SOMEWHERE?!
I feel better when I have a plan, a goal, a routine. Knowing what needs to get done, and planning for it gives me great satisfaction. Knowing what needs to get done, and ignoring it, pretty much cancels any need for caffeine. I hate being anxious over To-Do Lists.
So here is my happy little solution: Less To-Do Lists. More Unknown. Living in the Moment. Trusting God that as long as I’m doing what needs to be done, the rest doesn’t have to be scheduled, plotted out, planned for, or routinized.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a Not-To-Do List to write out.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Jan 6, 2012 |
It’s 11:30 p.m. Thursday night, and I’m exhausted. I have a full day in front of me tomorrow. I just don’t have the brain power or the physical energy to put forth an astonishing post for Friday morning.
So in lieu of a decent post, here’s my Post To-Do List (those great little articles you get to look forward to reading about!):
*My decision regarding self-publication and what it might mean to me and my writing partner
*Why the freeways of Southern California are completely against me
*Three Little Words (they’re not “I Love You”)
*My Day at Disneyland: January, 2012
*Learning to Trust in Trust
*Ruben Casserole Recipe from my Mom
And whatever else I can come up with. So have a wonderful day. I’m off to a wonderful sleep.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
