~Loving What is........are at least accepting it without a fight.

 Serenity Prayer with a Twist:
God, grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot change;
the courage to change the one I can;
and the wisdom to know that person is me. -Unknown-

     There are still a few patches of blue peaking out of all the clouds in the picture above.....right? I had a rough day and night yesterday....and definitely could not see any blue sky. It was completely hidden under layers of clouds, and not the white, fluffy stuff, but the more ominous grey, heavy clouds.
      Back to work after 5 days off was challenging. The new paperwork is making me insane. The email from my son's high school pointing out continued lack of effort and little work being done, was just the icing on the cake. How do you motivate an 18 year boy.....who thinks he know it all?
      I tossed and turned all night as the demons wrestled in my head. I awoke with no clarity whatsoever, and feeling extremely tired. I never in a million years imagined that parenting would be this hard. Sometimes it feels like I am being punished......
     The early onset of evening is also getting to me. It gets dark so damn early. I haven't even lit candles lately....as I never seem to be able to find any matches. Hmmmm - don't even want to wonder where they are disappearing to. How to make peace with it all....all these things that I cannot control?
     I guess I need to remember that the only person I can really actually control is me.....so not easy, but true. Hating the long, dark evenings won't make them go away either, so maybe I need to stop and get some matches.....some candles twinkling in the darkness this evening sounds nice.

~Winter is in the Wind~

Thank my lucky Stars~

     Another Thanksgiving Day.....another feeding frenzy! It was wonderful to share good food with the people I love. My youngest two opted not to be with me, which was a little disappointing, but okay. They are teenagers with other plans, and I clearly remember thinking like they do.
     Many, many reasons to have an attitude of gratitude including the following:
~PEOPLE ~my kids, my dad, my brothers and sisters, my lover, my patients and my friends.
~PLACES~ Glen Arbor, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Glen Lake, any body of water, Empire, my home, and my garden.
~Things~ flowers, stars, chocolate, petoskey stones, my car, seashells, artwork, sunsets and sparkling baubles.

~ANIMALS~ my cats, birds and butterflies.

Also, I am so thankful for my senses which allow me enjoy so much of this world!

~Sight~ to see shiny stars and pink blossoms.

~Hearing~ to hear laughter and waves crashing.

~Smell~ to smell lily of the valley and bread baking.

~Touch~ to feel soft skin and warm hugs

~Taste~ to enjoy sticky cotton candy and cold beer.

~

~The Real Test~

      Well, I need some green leaves and cheery flowers, cuz the weather has turned to crap! The real November has made its appearance and with a vengeance! It is cold and windy.....down right shitty out there! Every resolution I made to handle it and dress warmly, to just deal with winter without complaint, went right out the window as I walked to my car today. It came back to me in a flash.....this is why I sometimes hate winter! Ugh......
      My house feels freezing. I had forgotten how drafty and chilly this big house gets. I turned the heat up a bit....as much as I dare anyway, since this house costs a fortune to heat! When my 18 year, who was wearing a short sleeve t-shirt, complained about the house being so cold,  I suppressed my urge to smack him and told him to put on a sweatshirt. Layer up I told him.....and myself. Like it or not.....winter has arrived!

      ~ My challenge begins now!

A Warm November Day.......

"I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order." John Burroughs

     It was a warm and balmy day in Michigan today.....very weird!! 60 is not typical here in November, but I gotta say, I loved it! It felt like spring.....almost, and I am enjoying every minute of this atypical weather!
      I took a much needed walk after school today (extreme frustration with my 18 year old son) to clear my head. While walking I saw a lovely, fading rainbow...and that somehow gave me a sense of peace. I returned home feeling much calmer.
      It is now raining cats and dogs....really coming down hard, and it feels good to be inside listening. I am glad it is not snow.....not quite ready for that yet. Don't get me wrong, I do like snow, just not before Thanksgiving!
       The above photo shows a rainbow that landed on my daughter's peace sign tattoo.....which is a story for another day!

I

Sunny Saturday~

     My Christmas Cactus is in full bloom~. The plant is couple years old now.....a small one purchased at Home Depot a few years ago that has bloomed every year since.
     I absolutely love my indoor garden. It really boosts my spirits and makes me smile. This morning I watered all the plants and enjoyed the smell of fresh dirt that filled the room. As I take the time to groom and deadhead all the plants, I am transported back to summer. The sun feels warm as it streams through the window and energizes me.
     The plants do require a bit of work though. Several of the plants are older and getting root bound......needing to be re-potted.(not one of my favorite chores either) I need to buy some more potting soil, and I know if I venture into any store that sells plant, that I will come home with a few new ones!
     So as the outside world here in Michigan turns drab and brown, my indoor garden is alive with color and life!

Look at these sweet, tender blossoms above....just waiting to emerge!

Another Day......

      Nice to be home this morning.....conferences at school tonight. I took a brisk walk in the morning sun and everything looks clear and bright. I definitely needed it with my current mood, which is in the dumps. Continued issues and stress with kids. Does it every end? I think if I asked my 85 year old dad he would say, NO, it never ends with your children....... you always love and worry about them. Sigh.
      When things get me down, as happens so easily this time of year, it seems to help me to focus on the many things that I have to be grateful for. So here are a few: sleeping in a bit, a hot shower, delicious coffee, a quiet house, laundry and dishes done, a woodpecker on the suet, wonderful friends, an awesome man to share my life with, a good job, a few dollars in the bank and excellent health. Yes, it does help to have an attitude of gratitude!

I loves the color these vibrant berries and blue sky add to a November day!

     Today really felt like November. The 60 degree weather has vanished, and has been replaced by the more expected grey and 40 degree dreariness. It was windy and the air was definitely chilly! A good day for indoor activities.
      Yesterday, I did venture out to the knitting class, which was fun. I learned the basic knit stitch and to add on. I actually caught on pretty quickly, which surprised me, and found it to be relaxing. I wandered the store and fell in love with all the beautiful scarves, mittens and hats for sale. There were also some cool "felted" purses.  My imagination went wild thinking about all the cool things I could create......eventually. I need to go back and learn some more. Then I need to actually start some sort of project. I know that if I don't apply what I have learned, it will soon be forgotten.
      This afternoon was just right for curling up with a good book and relaxing. This lead to a delicious nap. When I woke up I decided to head out for a brisk walk. It was nippy, but it felt good to get some fresh air.
      I returned home feeling energized and made some veggie stew. I used to call it vegetarian chili, but as I started adding so many vegetables each time I made it, it has evolved into more of a stew. I also baked a pumpkin pie, which is my son, Mason's, favorite. The house smells divine. It was a nice, November Sunday.

November skies......

     November does seem to have some lovely sunsets. The sky was beautiful the other evening as I walked to the neighborhood. It has been a long and draining week......nothing like a crisp autumn walk to clear your mind.
      As much I hate to see the leaves fall, I love the simplicity of bare, black branches. It is like the trees are stripped of all nonessentials..... leaving the naked bones and inner beauty. I love trees....in every season, but the elegant curves of the bare branches offer such simple beauty.
       This Saturday morning has me tired and not motivated to do much of anything. I am contemplating the knitting class, but not sure I can summon the energy. I will take a walk and perhaps visit my hospice patients.
        Planting bulbs is another idea dancing around my brain, but sounds like too much work too. It was the week from hell at work, maybe I need to listen to what my body is telling me and do nothing.

Looking for rainbows.................

    This sweet little rainbow landed on floor of  my indoor garden last week. How cool is that?!!
I have several prisms hanging in my window and on sunny days the rainbows dance around my plants. I love rainbows.....they seem almost magical! Whenever I see one outside, I consider it to be good luck and make a wish!

    My next activity to help me enjoy winter is planting some bulbs in pots. I am very cheap and waiting for the bulbs to get marked down before I get started. I have several pots ready to go. I read that you just plant to bulbs in the soil and then put them in an unheated shed or garage for a few months (not exactly sure about the part....need to do more research). After the appropriate time, you can bring them in the house to enjoy, or if you wait until spring, put them on the porch outside. I plan on doing both, and eagerly anticipate daffodils, tulips and hyacinth blooming around me!

Bringing my plants in and creating summer inside~

     The potted plants all came in two weeks ago and finally got arranged last weekend. My sweetheart hung some hooks along the window, and I now have four lovely geranium plants creating a natural valance. In total I hauled in (okay my sweetheart did that physical part too) 18 pots! It was a messy project to say the least!
    I have a south facing window that allows lots of sun to shine on them, and the plants flourish and grow beautifully. A few of the scented geranium plants have traveled between my porch and house for several years now.
    Let me tell you, Geraniums (like the one pictured above) in January are beautiful. I love being surrounded by plants as I work on the computer. I can look out the window and watch the blowing snow, and yet here inside, I am surrounded by my own personal  garden! When I water them, the fresh smell of the earth fills the room and I am transported back to summer!

It is dark so early........

     Now that we have had the time change - it really gets dark very early. It seems like you get home from work and it is dark before you know it! This has always been a challenge for me.......being a summer lover and a fan of long days and darkness settling in around 10!
    But here were are in November. It has been sunny and 60 the past few days, and that alone is a miracle for November in Michigan and certain helps take bite of the early darkness. However, in the forecast looms more typical November weather.....rain, clouds, drizzle, sleet and ultimately snow.
     So  what to do......? My first action is candles, several of them. I enjoy candles, especially fragrant ones. The glow and scent does brighten my evening. You just have to be careful though and keep an eye on them.
     So what to do by candlelight? I am not a fan of television at all, so for me that means books and journals. I  plan on exploring a few different authors this winter. I have always wanted to learn how to knit , and I just found a class, so that would be an enjoyable way to spend the evening inside too.

Staying Warm......or at least trying!

     I have always been a cold person, not cold in an emotional sense, but in a concrete physical sense. I freeze! I finally start enjoying my cute little tank tops when the temps get above 80! So when the weather turns chilly....I freeze when I am outside.
     I was thinking about this the other night....a chilly November evening. We were going out to dinner and  I started complaining how cold it felt, but then did a scan of how I was dressed and thought....no wonder you are not warm. I was wearing jeans, heels (no socks), and tank top and cardigan. My coat was a thin, velvet blazer. This would have been perfect clothing if it was 60, but not for 40.....no wonder I was freezing!
    So my plan is to dress more appropriately for the weather. Hat and gloves always help, but I do hate the way hats can wreck you hair. However, I am on the lookout for a cute knit cap that warm my head and ears. I have some thin, silk long underwear that I may wear under jeans and pants when it gets really nasty. I will continue wear lots of layers on top too. This is essential since occasional hot flashes still torture me, and I have to be able to turn the heat down for a few minutes. Boots of course, once the snow flies, do add a major warm factor too!
     So in a nutshell, my plan is too dress for weather and wear enough clothing to stay warm!

    

Getting Started

     Hard to believe that it is already November. Sigh. Not exactly my favorite month of the year, and it's getting colder and darker. Today was the time change and it was dark by 6......yikes!

     I have lived in Michigan my entire life - 50 years now. Winters are long here, as in many months of cold and snow. This is definitely not my favorite season at all. Actually, you could say it is my least favorite. I absolutely adore summer, but that is a different story.

    Anyway, as we begin the descent into the frigid, dreary season, I started thinking about winter, and how hating five months of the year is crazy. All the bitching I do about it is not going to change a thing! So I decided to seek out a few suggestions from others - ideas on how to make this winter thing more tolerable. The first several suggestions were to take a trip to somewhere warm, which sounds great, but is rather short term and not in my budget. Another person suggested moving, which is also not another option. I also got a few ideas to get involved in hobbies such as beading and photography, which I do enjoy and will be involved with this winter.

     So, what does one do to make winter less hated and more enjoyed?

     One thing that I started doing several years ago that improved my attitude toward winter was cross country skiing. It is inexpensive - I bought used equipment and boots for less than $100! It's great exercise, and you really work up a sweat! However, the most beautiful thing about it is - you are NOT cold! It also very peaceful and beautiful when you are skiing in the snowy woods.

     The other thing in my life that has made winter more tolerable for me is my heated garage. I LOVE it! I never, ever get into a cold car when leaving my home. I stumbled upon this feature quite by accident when I moved into this home several years ago. It might not seem like a big deal to some people, but for me it was a gift from God! I will never live in a home without this feature, or if it's not an option, I will at least have a car starter. This has a difference for me.

       So this year, I am embarking on an adventure to make this season one that I truly enjoy, not one that I merely survive!