Inner and Outer Peace

Many things have been going on lately...here at home,and in my head.

I have begun yoga. My Dear Friend Michelle told me that she is enjoying her class,and I should give it a try. I love it. I told our instructor,Laurie on Monday that it has helped me tremendously in finding inner peace and relaxation. I practice lyengar yoga,which focuses on posture and breath control. I can get very sore after our classes,but I love it.I look forward to our twice a week class. Granted, I can find relaxation going outside and listening to the birds singing,seeing the blue of the sky and the white of clouds,and watching the green leaves moving in the breeze,but this gives me a bit more of a foundation,as it were. I seem to be more relaxed,and I use breathing techniques that I have learned when things start getting stressful for me. I send my breath to the parts of my  body that need it,I get rid of the negative thoughts,and I feel so happy and one with all that is around me. This has been a big help in my quest to be a better,more positive person. I catch negative thoughts or bad feelings and turn them around.Such a wonder!

Rick has been working on the yard,grading,etc,and we are planning how to set up new walkways. We have areas that just don't seem to like to grow grass,no matter who much seed we  have put down in the past,so,instead of fighting against the nature of our land,we have decided to embrace it and work with it.Plans are underway for our next project,the mud room. The windows are all screened-they are more or less screens with wood framed around them-and we have to cover them with plastic each winter. We are going to put in real windows,a real door,dry wall,and flooring,as well as electrical outlets and make it a year round mud room. We are going to put new porch steps as well. After that is done,our next big project is painting the house. Then it's getting the basics of the goat/sheep barn set up before the snow flies.

Yesterday we went down to my Mom's a picked up dresser that she is getting rid of to use in our bedroom.Her house is sold,as long as the loan goes through.It only took a week and half on the market to find not one,but two buyers.She is going to move in with my sister and brother in law until they all move to TN in the fall of 2014,so she is getting rid of everything that she can. We are redoing the bedroom,so the dresser comes in handy. We had a dresser,once,but it was a big old dress that took up too much space,so we got rid of it and we used the two closets for all our clothes,putting the clothing that we would normally put in the dresser on the shelves in our respective closets.Then we wanted to switch things up again ,downsize and use one closet for our clothes,and one closet for storage (blankets,etc).

I have mentioned before that our bedroom is one of,if not the,most neglected room(s) in the house. It hasn't been painted 2006.Things get thrown in there. The elliptical machine,which took up a lot of space in front of Rick's closet (which is another reason we wanted to combine into my closet)was nothing more than a place to hang clothes. I always had the best of intentions to use it,but Rick finally put his size 12 foot down-we either use it,or we sell it. I had to decide. After much hemming and hawing I finally came to the reality that if I have only used it perhaps a grand total of 20 times in over four years,then we should probably get rid of it. Out came the elliptical. We packed away any winter clothes we wanted to keep and donated the rest.( Remember, we only have two closets right now. When the mud room is finished and a closet is put out there,then that can serve as our winter coat storage).The winter clothes are going up in the attic today. The big old gun safe,which is also in our room because we have no other place for it,is going to go into Rick's old closet. The shelves,etc are going to get ripped out and revamped. The room is going to be a haven,not a  confused mess. It's been an embarrassment for years,which is why I always keep the door closed!

Here's a sample of the hideousness of it....
I needed a table for the DVD player and the cable box after we took the bureau out. (Yes, I know it is not considered a good thing to have a TV in the bedroom,but I enjoy watching it in bed at night. Plus,when the Menfolk have their hunting/fishing shows going in the living room and I want to watch a home improvement show,I can go into this room for refuge!) I had this little table so I used that. Note the lamp on the floor that I still haven't rewired after three years. So lovely...NOT!!!!

Here is the area now.The walls are going to be repainted. The color is going to be very similar to the jewelry box on the bureau,and the bureau it's self is going to to painted and I am going to put new knobs on it. I am still mulling what kind to get. The floor lamp that is next to it will probably go into the mud room when it's finished. The teddy bear was a gift from Zach a few years ago.You can see just a bit of the old table to the left. That is going into the garage.If I use it in the house I will put a nice cloth over it so it will look pretty.

So,as you can see,I have been working on inner and outer peace. What are you working on?

Have a Fabulous Day on this Fabulous Planet!

Christmas Of Old

The one story that sticks out in my mind when Christmas rolls around is the one that my Dad told me about his Christmases as a child.

My Dad was born in 1914 in Somersworth,NH. He was the third child of 10,from my  Pepere ( pronounced Pep-pay) Lessard's first marriage. My father's mother died in 1929 from pneumonia.We always call them the " first batch".

My Pepere Lessard worked,but didn't make a lot of money. He worked at the mill,then worked at the pumping station. My Memere ( pronounced Mem-may) Lessard didn't work,because she stayed home to take care of her children. They were very poor. They got clothes from the church. There were no extras.What they lacked in money,they more than made up for with family. My Memere Lessard  had her parents ( the Magnans) and brothers and sisters nearby,and they were always part of their lives. Some of my Dad's most favorite memories was going over to his Memere and Pepere Magnan's house on Saturdays for dinner and standing around the piano,singing.

Christmas was wonderful for my Dad. Though they didn't get much for gifts,they would wake up on Christmas morning and have a beautifully decorated tree. Memere and Pepere  would put it up while the children were asleep. There were pies,cakes,and all kinds of wonderful things to eat that they normally would not have. The relatives would come over and they would sing,eat,and make merry. My Dad never dwelled on what they didn't  have,it was what they DID have,and because it was not something that was everyday,it made it more special.

When this time of the year rolls around, I am always brought back to this story,and it gives me great pause. Today,we see people trampling each other in stores  to save a few bucks. Stores are now open on Thanksgiving,and to me,it's very sad and wrong. I think of my Dad as a little boy with a pair of mittens and a pretty tree as a gift with plenty of good things to eat being surrounded by a loving family. I also can hear the happiness in his voice when he would tell me about those days. It was enough for him.

This photo is dated around 1919. From left to right: Luminda Magnan ( my great grandmother),my Memere Magnan Lessard,my great Aunt Eva Magnan, my great Aunt Bella Magnan,and my Dad.

Have a fabulous day on this Fabulous Planet!

There Is Still Good Out There

Friday morning I was doing some errands in Rochester when my car decided to act up. It made a terrible grinding noise,the tachometer would go up,but the car was acting sluggish. I pulled over in a CVS parking lot and called Rick. He and Brother B came down,and Brother B drove my car to the dealership,which,happily,was less than 1/4 mile away. It seems like it might be the transmission,and according to them,it's still under warranty,which is good. They won't really be able to look at it until today or tomorrow. 

Early Friday afternoon, I was in the middle of filling my window boxes with greens and berries when the horrible news came over the TV about the shooting in CT. I finished the boxes and stopped decorating. I had planned to finish all my decorating that day,but I completely lost interest. I felt sick to my stomach,and I still feel like someone has kicked me in the gut.

Saturday I did have some good diversion. My sister Linda and I went to my Mom's house to celebrate her 87th birthday. We had lunch,then went to downtown Somersworth to check out some of the nice little shops. We then went to buy our poinsettias at a local greenhouse.That night,our friend Eric had a housewarming party,and we enjoyed ourselves. We aren't that social anymore,so it was good to get out and mingle at something that wasn't a Scouting event (though most of the folks there are involved in Scouting).Rick enjoyed himself quite a bit. It felt good to laugh.

Yesterday,I finished decorating and made some fudge. I also worked on crocheting one of the Christmas gifts. Last night it started to snow,and this AM we have a two hour delay,though I think it should have been a cancellation. The roads are terrible and it's still snowing.

One of my window boxes with greenery and berries:

Our tree. I didn't use orange slices this year,but I did use some dried hydrangeas:

 
My little village. I string some lights along the sill and put them inside the houses:

Rick took this photo this morning. You can't tell,but it's snowing:

A close up of the window boxes:

The plant hangers down by the road.Everything looks so pretty in the snow!

The mantle. I just noticed you can see my reflection in the mirror:

A bit of berries and greens in my pouring bowl above the stove:

 Our bedroom door:

The canning cabinet:

 Last,but not least,the chimney shelf:

In spite of what has happened in CT,I still believe in my fellow man. It can be very difficult when people do terrible things,or live their lives hating,but I take comfort in knowing that there are far more good people out there than bad. I think we as a society need to start putting BS behind us and remember,we are all here together. The hate,fear,and paranoia in this country need to stop. We are all brothers and sisters. Who cares what color we are? What politics we believe in?  What religion we are? How about working together to make this a better place?? We need to stop demonizing people who don't agree with us,and start acting like rational,caring humans again. When we band together for the common good,there is nothing that we can't accomplish.

This is still a Fabulous Planet. Enjoy your day on it!

Inspirational Reading

Though I don't talk about it in every post,I am still on my decluttering journey. Keeping my mind from going off into every direction at once is not easy-I struggle with it almost every minute. Even now as I type this I am thinking about a variety of things. I have to stop myself and think,"Be in the MOMENT. Be in the NOW.Focus on what is in front of you,not what is in the next few days."

I would like to share with you some of the things that I have been reading that have helped to inspire me.

The first two books are by Courtney Carver":Simple Ways To Be More With Less" and "Living In the Land of Enough". I also have her website,"Be More With Less" under my blog list. I found them to be very insightful.

The next couple of books are by Gretchen Rubin-"The Happiness Project" and "Happier At Home." Her blog,"The Happiness Project" is also on my blog list.

Since we live in a little cottage (918 sq ft) I am always interested to see how others who have small homes live with lack of space. Tammy Strobel's book,'You Can Buy Happiness ( And It's Cheap)" explores how she decided to live in (literally) a very tiny house and how she makes it work and how she loves it! She also has a blog,Tiny House.

I had hit a wall with the day to day housework jobs. It was the same old-same old,and I needed a fresh outlook. "Zen and the Art of Housekeeping" by Lauren Cassel Brownhill offered new insight into making what seems like a daily chore into something far more meaningful.

Those are some of the books that I have found inspirational and helped refresh my spirit. Even if they go further I will go,I can still glean fabulous insight and apply their ideas to our lifestyle.

What books do you find inspirational?

Have a fabulous day on this Fabulous Planet!!!

One Small Step.....

Trying to revamp all areas of one's life can be a daunting task. When I sit and think about everything I want to accomplish,it can make my head spin. One thing is tied in with the other. To create the home I truly want,I have to dig into myself and be the person I really want to be.That means,I have to clear up mental clutter and body clutter. I could organize my home and it could look perfect,but if I am swimming in a sea of mental and physical discontent,how I can truly enjoy it? It's a fake front.  A person's home is an extension of themselves. Clutter in the home means clutter in the person's mind,body,and spirit.I am working at the home,mind,and spirit clutter,but my greatest challenge is the body clutter  (AKA-FAT). I am wonderful at delaying the body part. Why? Probably because every time I start exercising and dieting,I sabotage myself. "Hey,"I say to myself," I lost 15 lbs. I can control it now."

Yeah,right. I gain it back plus another 15 lbs.

I hate clothes shopping,because nothing looks good on me. I have literally cried in the changing room. "Remember when you could wear whatever you wanted? Remember when you had a waist? Now look at you. You are disgusting," I hear my inner self say.  Fat clothes tend to be really ugly,and because I am only 5'2",most clothing for "heavier" gals tend to be average sized,not petite,which doesn't help matters.

How can I move forward on this front? I ponder it on a daily basis. I can't do the "I-am-going-to-diet-and-exercise-from-now-on" thing. It doesn't work. I lose my incentive. Not my gig. " Just do it already" does not work. People bugging me about it makes me want to eat more peanut butter cups (oh,how I love the sweet and salty goodness....it makes me feel great until after they are gone and then I loathe myself). No,I cannot rely on others to motivate me. It has to come from within.Rick,bless his heart,loves me and thinks I am sexy no matter what.

The only thing I can do is start small. I can't look at it as trying to lose weight,because if it doesn't happen fast enough,I will feel defeated.If I have a bad day and eat something I shouldn't,I will feel like a failure and say,"Screw it. Give me that plate of fattening carb goodness."(whatever that fattening carb goodness might be)

So...how do I start slow? How do I gradually work being more active and watching my calorie intake into my life?

1)  No more snacking after 7:30. This is a very bad habit of mine...especially peanut butter cups.

2) Work exercise gradually into my life. I walked once last week. This week I am going to walk twice. I walk about a mile or so. It may not seem much to you,but for me,it's a big accomplishment. I will keep adding walks until the weather proves too nasty,then I will hit the elliptical instead and begin to include toning with weights.Even if I don't lose weight from these walks,I am training myself mentally and physically to get used to physical exercise and hopefully will be more apt to continue and build on it.

3) Don't be on a time frame .I've tried that. I've failed at it. I'm going to keep going at slow but steady pace. 

4) Healthy for me means when I like how I feel and look. It has nothing to do with how many pounds I am.

That's where I'm starting.

As far as home decluttering goes,I tidied up our bookcase this morning. It seems to be a  catch-all for paperwork for Rick,as well as other items:

It's much better now!

I thought I would leave you on a cute note. I was looking for M&M ( Mini Moxie) a while ago. I looked in all the little hiding places that we have found him in,and when I went into our bedroom,I happened to see him curled up on my big teddy bear:

Is that just too cute or what?

Have a fabulous day on this Fabulous Planet!

Organizing and Being Inspired

I will post about our trip to Strawberry Banke-I just have to decide which of the 125 photos I took during the day to use!  :)

Yesterday I decided I really needed to give the bathroom a good old scrubbing. It hasn't had it since I wound up with the sinus infection (which is gone,by the way.My last day of taking antibiotics is today).Of course, I did clean the toilet and sink,but that was it. One thing I learned about being under the weather-if I can't clean the bathroom,it won't get done. I suppose no one likes cleaning it. I was working up my old elbow grease cleaning the tub,and I guess my heavy breathing was rather loud. Rick called out,"Don't kill yourself!" I replied,"Someone has to clean it," with sweat dripping from my brow (OK,maybe not dripping...but  my brow was most definitely moist).'Why didn't you tell someone it needed to be cleaned?" he called back. I almost retorted that if I have to tell grown men when a tub is dirty,then there is something seriously wrong with their eyesight,but I said nothing and kept scrubbing. (It looks lovely now,by the way).

Besides cleaning the tub,sink,toilet,and floor,our  bathroom closet needed a good redo. Our closet is very narrow,and it used to have a door on it,but we had a hard time reaching into the closet when the door was open because the open door created an even more narrow space. A few years ago,we took the door off,and I put a curtain up. My goal is to eventually open up this area somehow. It's a linen closet as well as where we keep our first aid kit,aspirin,etc. We don't have a medicine cabinet (another thing which will be remedied in the future).

This is what it looked like when I took the curtain off. There is one more shelf on the bottom that you can't see in this photo. Our bathroom is small,so there is not a lot of space to back up for photos.Our toilet is across from the closet.

So,I pulled everything out and looked at the space.Right now where things are stored works-but I have mismatched sheets,old sheets,old meds, etc. Time to purge. So I did. Meds that went past the expiration date-tossed. Sheets and pillow cases that were ratty-put in a rag bag. Old nail polish-gone. All those mini soaps,shampoos and conditioners from various hotels that I had for years-see ya!


                                                                 That looks much better!

I rolled up my towels to help make a bit more space. My homemade soaps are in the basket. Ultimately,I want the litter box to be at the bottom of the closet,so it's hidden. Right now it's in between the sink and the toilet.  Of course, the shelves will have to be moved,but you can see that there is wasted space because the space between the shelves is too much. They need to be closer together. The whole closet is going to get an overhaul. But that's a different project for a different day.

Apparently,my organizing inspired Rick,because he cleaned out his bedroom closet (though I didn't get any photos of it).Things like his Army dress greens,which he will never wear again,and other clothing items were put in a bag to go into the attic. Some clothes became gun cleaning rags.He did a good job.

I was looking at my wire shelf in the kitchen,and added some items to the area. In the last few days,I not only put the pretty pouring bowl up,but my Beekman Boys Heirloom Cookbook,and a milk bottle and old mason jar that Brother B found in the woods in an old dump site. It still needed more. Wednesday, I put out some canned goods- pinto and navy beans that I put in canning jars for storage, homemade raspberry and strawberry jam,and canned green beans. I canned them last year. It still needed more,though. I thought my silver plate tray would be a nice contrast behind the pouring bowl,and would look nice with the stainless oven. I hung a small bunch of oregano. The next thing was what to put above the shelf. A handmade plate clock that my brother Dennis had given me for Christmas one year had been somewhat hidden in the dining area. It's pretty,but I didn't really have the right place for it. He bought it when he was stationed in Italy. Now it has it's rightful place of honor.

Looking at this gave me more inspiration. I have some blue and white checked valances that I had bought when we first bought the house. I had them up for a while,but then took them down. We have been without curtains in this area since. My thought process was that,since we don't get a whole lot of light here because the windows face NW,NW,and N,I wanted to get as much light as possible into the area. I thought any type of curtain would block that extra precious light. However,the area felt stark and cold.There was no warmth to it,even with that tiny little extra light. Since I didn't have any extra  tension curtain rods,I took down the curtain from the closet in the bathroom and used that to see how the valance would look. Judge for yourself!

I was amazed at how cozy this corner now feels-how the whole kitchen  is feeling! We still have some cosmetics to do and the closet next the to the fridge-but it's coming along. I am so excited about how it's all coming together. The nice thing is,the only thing I bought to decorate this area was the wire bin. I had everything else already. It's great to decorate with what you have!!!

Today the neighbors are all coming over for a fish fry.The weather isn't the best-it's gray with chances of rain-but it will be fun,nonetheless.

Have a fabulous day on this Fabulous Planet!!!

Back In The Swing And Being Aware

Yesterday was a productive day for me. I cleaned the fridge,dusted,ironed clothes,picked herbs and hung them to dry,and finally hung up the assorted tea tins that Zach gave me for Christmas!

Oregano,basil,and rosemary are very fragrant-and did kick up my allergies a bit,but that stopped after a few minutes.

The various teas and their tins that Zach gave me for Christmas.... I had to wait until the kitchen was almost done before I knew exactly where I wanted to put it!

By late afternoon,I was wiped out,though I did pick Zach up at school at 5:00. He is in an after school program called "FAMEE" ( what the letters stand for escapes me at the moment).They have various programs for the kids-and,since he is interested in film making,he is in the TV club. They are rewriting "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's  Nest" and he is going to play the Jack Nicholson role. He has volunteered to help film the school's events for local cable access,so we have to bring him to the school tonight so he can help film a volleyball game. Thursday after school he has "Youth To Youth",which is a group of kids who educated other kids about drugs and tobacco. He is going to be a very busy little bee. I told him that as long as he keeps his grades up,it's fine.

Now when I do things around the house,I take the time to immerse myself in them. I'm not thinking about what's going to happen in a few hours,or worrying about tomorrow. I am in the moment. I pay attention to the sizzle of the steam coming out of the iron,and how smoothly it runs over the clothes. I take pleasure in the smell of the herbs as I cut them off their plant,even if they make eyes itch a bit and my throat scratch. I don't rush through things anymore to finish a list. I plan my day,and I don't go overboard. 

Part of my decluttering process in the home is that I try to really look at what is around me and be aware of it. We all wind up not seeing things after a while,don't we? I look at certain areas,and think,"Is this what I want? How can I make this better and more effective? Do I really need everything that here? What is the purpose of this item? Is it even used?" I find myself happily doing things around the house now,instead of just going through the motions.

Tomorrow we are off to Norwood MA,which is about 110 miles from here. Normally,I would be dreading it terribly,as I have never been there and driving in MA is not what I would consider fun.However,since I don't have to go through Boston (thank GOD! I still will never drive in Boston)I am actually looking forward to the trip. I haven't been thinking about it non stop,worrying and obsessing over it. I'm taking it as it comes.  I might wind up being a nervous mess,but at least I won't be one for days before it. I figure that's a step forward!

Have a fabulous day on this Fabulous Planet!

My Path May Not Be Yours...And That's Fine!!!

Now that my mind is clearer,I am back on my path to decluttering-body,mind,and home. I have been reading various blogs and books about topics that I deem part of my process-zen, minimalism,happiness,etc. 

One thing that I have learned through the various journeys in my life is that what one person deems the perfect solution to what they are looking for in life,it may not apply to me. For instance,I will never be minimalist. It's not me,but I can certainly glean some fabulous insight from reading about folks who are,and apply them to my life in my own way to help create what I want. When Rick and I began trying to do more for ourselves,I felt that I was "less than" if we didn't do things the way others do. I quickly realized that everyone's journey is their own,and if someone thinks what I am doing is not the right thing to do,well,that's their problem,not mine.

My Dear Friend Michelle and I discuss these type of topics when ever we get together. While we are both working toward the life we want,neither one of us really fit into either end of the spectrum. We are not mindless consumers,buying everything new in sight,nor are we ones who espouse living with as little as possible. We are somewhere in the middle. I like creature comforts. I like having a TV in my bedroom,though many folks will say not to have the TV in your bedroom. When I have a hard time sleeping because my mind is racing about things that I have no control over,I turn the TV on (or my Kindle)and watch something to distract my thoughts,or I just close my eyes and listen. I am no longer worrying about something small,I wind up being relaxed,and fall asleep easier. Of course,this is not for everybody,but it certainly works for me.

I was very pleased to see that some of what I have been thinking of has been espoused in the various sources that I have been reading! Who knew? There are more people out there that think like me than I realized.

One thing I did decide to do after much contemplation is to up my meds. I claimed I was not going to do so,that I wanted to try and work on my issues through this decluttering process,but I had a reality check. If I really wanted to help myself,I needed to be honest. My symptoms,as I mentioned before,keep getting worse. When my depression hits,it takes away my motivation and happiness. When I went to the Drs for my sinus infection,I asked her about upping my meds and explained what was going on. She increased it by 37.5 mgs.I did not want to stop this process before it really gets started,which is what would've happened when I hit a valley,because it always happens. So I did what was right for me. Believe me, I know that there will be stress, good days and bad,and that it's not a magic solution. However,when my husband comments that he's noticed a change in me (and  NOT for the better)I knew it was time to bite the bullet and do what I had to do-not just for myself,but for my family. I grew up with a depressed mother,who suffers from the same issues I do,and she never got help of any kind until 15 years ago.It was not a fun existence,and I swore I would never put my family through that,which is why when I started sounding like her and acting like her,I went on an anti depressant 9 years ago.

My plan is to take things slowly,a bit at a time.When I go whole hog,full on,it doesn't last. I revert back to old ways. This is not a race for me. I am not in a hurry. There is no finish line that I can cross and say,"There! I'm done,and in record time!" I want to enjoy each day,each learning experience,in my own way. In the end,isn't that what it's all about?


Have a fabulous day on this Fabulous Planet!

Being Mindful And In The Moment-Outdoor Comfort

I am starting to feel better,finally,but mornings are still pretty rough for me.I still feel  like my head is stuffed with cotton and it doesn't completely go away. Yesterday I did not lay down until around 4:00 and I didn't nap,I just took it easy.

One of things that has given me great comfort is sitting outside. I pulled some of my "Little House" books off the shelf and went outside get some fresh air and get some sunshine soaked into my bones on the days that weather permitted and I was up for it.I couldn't help but look up from my book every now and then and just take in the beauty of the sights and sounds around me.

This is my view from my little corner where I like to read. I have such a pretty vantage point of the trees in our yard!

The sun shining through the trees was lovely. You can't really see it in the above photo,but our leaves have started to turn...when I took these photos last week,the tops had just started to change. Last night we had a light frost,so now the colors are starting to be more pronounced. The sunshine was warm and I closed my eyes and just enjoyed it.

Our tree line on the side of the house is such that no one can really see us on the deck until they are just about past us. It makes for lovely shade in the morning and privacy-at least,until the leaves fall.

I put my self in the moment-I saw the leaves on my neighbor's trees begin to move as a light breeze kicked up,then watched as the breeze made its way into our yard,and our leaves began to whisper to each other. The breeze felt nice and light on my skin. I heard the squirrels chatter with each other,and further down the road at the Alpaca farm,I heard chickens squawking back and forth. I could hear cracking in the woods across the street,and I wondered if there was something out there that was causing the chickens to be worried.  I then heard a scratching noise,and I looked to my right. There was a White Breasted Nuthatch making it's way down a pine tree. I watched him for a while. It's amazing how they can cling to the bark facing downward and just hop their way around. He would go to our feeders ( you can barely make them out on the lower right of the above photo-you can just make out their blue and red tops) take a bite of seed,then fly back over to the tree and hop around it some more. I thought of how fortunate I am to live in such a lovely little corner of the world. Anytime I am not feeling that great,or need comfort,just sitting outside seems to bring me inner peace. It might not help a physical ailment,but it does wonders for my soul. I have always felt a connection to nature. I would lay outside in my yard as a girl and watch the tops of the tall pine trees sway in the breeze, the white clouds against the bright blue sky,or watch the Martin birds go in and out of the birdhouse in my neighbors yard. Where this connection comes from,I don't know,but I am grateful I have it.

It was marvelous to be outside.To be inhaling the sweet,fresh air into my lungs. To be able to see the the beauty. To just...BE.

Have a fabulous day on this this Fabulous Planet!

How I Began Eliminating Mental Clutter

We all have mental clutter,don't we? Whether it's what we read,see,hear,or think,our brain is constantly going. What it tells us can affect our bodies. At least,it does with mine.

I have been very open about my depression and anxiety issues. I usually wake up with a knot of dread in my stomach.Sometimes it's hard to enjoy things,because what's going on in my brain keeps that knot going. It gets to the point where even if there are no negative thoughts careening around in my gray matter,the knot is still there,because it's used to being there. Part of my decluttering goal is to rid that knot without having to up my medication ( Effexor) or go see someone one on one. 

My first step was trying to eliminate the things that cause my anxiety.Granted,I cannot get rid of everything in life that causes me anxiety.I would have to live by myself in a plastic bubble with no contact with anyone or anything for the rest of my life. It would work,but it isn't feasible,and it isn't what I want.However, I did make some simple steps,and to be honest,they have already helped.

1) I Eliminated Facebook. When I first joined FB,it was fun. I enjoyed contacting old friends I had not seen or spoken to in years. Lately,however,it has turned into a bully fest. People post horrid things on other's pages if they don't agree with them,especially on political and social issues (my blogging friend and fellow Bonnethead Laura from My Simple Happy Life had a good post about this very thing).I've had to block people from my page because they were just so rude and nasty. Why would someone who claims to be my "friend"say such horrid things to me or to other "friends"? I don't get it. When I started to dread going on FB,I know it was enough. When I would  get angry at some of the ridiculous assertions and bold faced lies that they would use as facts  it would get gnaw at me for the whole day- and,well,I knew I couldn't do that anymore. So I bowed out. I don't miss it one bit and now I find more focus on this here little blog and reading the blogs I enjoy.FB tends to suck up time that I could spend doing things that are actually beneficial.

2) I Got Rid of Unwanted Emails. I eliminated mass emails from organizations. I don't mind a few,but when I started getting 20 a day,which I never read anyway,it was enough. I also had to ask folks to stop sending me emails belittling my views. I respect theirs,even if I don't agree,but I don't send them emails against what they believe. I expect the same courtesy from them. Again,it was to the point where I would dread opening my email box. Usually I would just delete them without reading them,but the fact that they were there would make me filled with anxiety-because,in my mind,if you belittle what I believe,you are belittling ME.

3) I Stay Away From 24 Hour News Channels.Very little news,a lot of BS. When I was growing up,we had the local news at noon,at six,national news at 6:30,and local again at 11:00 PM. You got all the information you needed-because back then,people were actually journalists They weren't shills for political parties to try and spread misinformation for political gain. Now they are just paid  parrots for whatever political party runs their news organization.Living in NH,we get bombarded with political crap 24 hours a day seven days I week. I can watch a half hour show and see the same damn political commercial 5 times.  We really need a new Walter Cronkite!!!!

4) I Only Read Blogs That Are Uplifting To Me. If you want to discuss gardening,self improvement,self sufficiency, Laura Ingalls Widler,etc,then I am your girl.Otherwise,I am not going to read it.No offense.

By doing these 4 simple things,I now start my mornings on a more happy note.Before, I would get off the computer filled with anxiety and anger,which would color my whole day. Now, my mornings are happy and anxiety free,which makes for a better day.My spirit feels lighter!

Have a fabulous day on this Fabulous Planet!

Happy Easter!

Yesterday was a good day to curl up in a chair. After the housework was done and the eggs gathered,I did a bit of knitting.The day was gray,cold,and raw. It started with rain,which then became rain with snowflakes,which then became full blown snow. It snowed most of the afternoon,leaving us with about 1/2"on the ground. Rick started a a fire,and  the warmth from the logs felt good.

This morning,we awoke to find heavy fog,with the sun trying to burn it off. The sun won the battle!

The sky is blue,and sun is shining brightly. The temperatures are suppose to go up to the upper 60's today,so any left over snow will disappear. It's going to be the perfect Easter Sunday.

The menfolk have gone to throw a line in Jones Brook to see if they can catch "The Easter Trout". Brother B had spent the night at Brother Dale's,and when he came back this AM,he saw trout jumping in the brooks. So of course,they had to take advantage! We will see if they come back with anything (Fish and Game just stocked the area waterways).

Today's big Easter dinner will consist of ham,potatoes,yams,pineapple,peas,and rolls.I am going to smother the ham with homemade brown sugar. There will be mustard on the side,of course. My Mom is coming up to share it with us,which will be nice. We have a pretty Easter Lily waiting for her.

The menfolk are back,but did not have any luck. At least they were able to get outside and enjoy this beautiful morning. I will find some time today to venture to a quiet spot and do some reflection. I find more spiritual connection just being in Nature than I ever had sitting in a pew listening to a sermon. I feel a strong link with all that is around me,a heightened awareness,which brings a comforting peace.It's marvelous!

Happy Easter to you and your family,where ever on this lovely planet you may reside!