Tag: #love

Reflections

Time –

bitsybody

At times, time seems to go monotonously slow – painfully one day at a time looking forward to a work vacation. And now – here we are – summer vacation – the ultimate vacation for teachers. Today starts my first day of summer vacation – how did an entire school year pass without many posts? How could my new love of life fold back into the drudgery of the day-to-day?

We are back – I hope to stay!

As I return to my desk and my blog, I reflect on all that has happened this school year. The family did well and we had many things to celebrate including a graduation and a full year at college for my daughter with in-person classes. On the health front, my blood tests remained stable throughout the year, and I am now in “chemical remission” from my immune system’s attack on my liver. Still struggling with symptoms, especially the attack on my joints, I face each day realizing that I have the chance to live – not the life that was before my diagnosis but a life where I seem to be ok. I still have nagging thoughts of “what if” something else goes wrong. Why does the fatigue feels like I am weighed down by concrete blocks or my head is so foggy that I don’t want to move it for fear that woosh feeling might come? Even with these thoughts, I continue to look for the sun – the hope that today will be a good day – a day to replenish – to rebuild – a day to make a difference in someone’s life.

Reflecting back on the school year quickly, I made it without any big hurdles or sick days. Doctor’s appts went well and I was able to be in-person for the entire school year. I focused on pouring my love into my students and enjoying the moments. I even tackled a long-term goal of introducing a Biomimicry project for interested students that went extremely well. Yeah! I did it. The family is doing well with another one off to college in two weeks – the Air Force Academy. Excited for a new adventure but sad to see another one fly the nest. Thank goodness my youngest is only starting high school. As I sit here writing, I am taking the entire month of June off from school work except for the 8th and 9th as I have a small online conference. As much as I want to learn and plan for the next school year, I am forcing myself to let it go and focus on myself and my wonderful family. Our special plot here can come to life so we can share it with everyone.

Life will come again

This break leads me back to the blog and Bitsy’s Backyard – a time to focus on passion and the light that burns in me to create but gets lost in the hoopla of our everyday path. Why do we let it burn so low? Maybe it is the weight of fatigue, family happenings, social media, or even a good series to binge watch? I am not sure but I am happy to return to the backyard with renewed optimism that I can dream big and turn this land into a lush garden full of life.

Meadow has some fun plans too – wait to see how much she has grown.

So June plans – figure out the direction of the backyard and how to turn it into a family oasis. I have some goals for this summer to blog, clean, puzzle, read, workout, garden, learn crochet, learn to draw and design our backyard transformation. I hope to share my continued path forward in life with a chronic disease that I have decided to acknowledge but not let it control me. A time to breathe – refocus – rebuild and just be. I need to learn to breathe again – how to embrace each moment especially now that two of my kids will be off to college in the fall.

Summer Hopes

The gentle breeze through my hair

The sound of the cardinal soaring in the air

The smell of freshly cut grass

Reminds me of all that summer has

Believe again in each day

That I can be better than I was I pray

‘

Reflections

New Year – New Start

bitsybody

It has been too long away from my blog and thus the backyard. We have been surviving through the fall, not thriving the way I had envisioned. Back to work is going well, the family is doing well, the animals are doing well….. the garden is surviving and well….. the cooking fun fell to the back burner.

So, New year means a new start – a new sunrise to the day. I have lots planned in my mind and intentionally be present at the forefront. Not to rush – to read – to walk – to rest – to play games and puzzles. I am not sure why that each day, I find myself sprinting to bedtime. Personally, I want to focus on each moment and just be there – not anxious – not frustrated but present to be me – help the ones around me, take a deep breath, and keep walking the path ahead. It might look wobbly at times, but trust yourself to keep going.

To that end, I have lots of ideas about posts and goals for 2022. The first one that we as a family are embarking on is the 100 days of Real Food Challenge from Lisa Leake. We started today, and I am excited to make some healthy choices. It is crucial with my autoimmune disease to limit inflammation naturally as much as possible, so a better diet is helpful. Through our challenge, I’ll post updates on our successes and even mishaps. Join us if you would like – it should be quite an adventure in the kitchen and so much more fun to do with others.

As I say goodbye for today, I added my vision board for the year. Ashton inspired me to make a poster of my goals for 2022 in a creative and motivating way. Try it out – it was a fun process, but I think the rewarding part was really thinking over my goals to make them visual instead of just jotting them down. As a teacher, I often ask my students to transform their notes into a creative display of their knowledge, so this activity was perfect for me to deeply reflect on this year.

Enjoy each day. Take a walk outside and say thank you to someone for being here with you. Happy New Year, and I pray that 2022 is a beautiful and merry year for all.

Reflections

Return to Normal?

bitsybody

Rainbows have long been an image of luck or hope. Well 20 days is almost up on my quarantine and I am longing to see a rainbow. I am back to my more “normal” life tomorrow and I can’t believe that I will be at work with my students. I haven’t been with the kids in-person since the end of October. I wonder whether my life will go back to normal or something new is ahead for me. Maybe a new rainbow? Today I am patiently optimistic that things will settle into a “new normal” routine. I can’t go back to life before the diagnosis but I can take steps to find my new path forward and maybe a pot of gold. The bumps in life don’t make life better but they help us see life in a new light and appreciate the rainbows more.

My new path forward?

As I step back into the classroom with my 6th graders, I have a new appreciation of life definitely as I teach the human body systems having a whole new level of understanding. Don’t they say hands-on training is the best? I guess that I wish that it wasn’t my own health for the training, but I will use my new understanding to maybe inspire someone to be the scientist we all need.

So as we pack our lunches, prepare our first day of school outfits, and make sure that we have all our materials, I think that it is important to be thankful. Thankful for my job, my colleagues, my friends and each moment that we will experience, each person we who will cross our path, and just being here where I am right now. It might not be where I planned or dreamed of; it might not be the way that I wanted to feel or look but I am here. I am thankful for being and breathing. It might seem silly or cliche but it is true. We often look at life as events and moments to get to. Sell the house, make that birthday party, run to the next sporting event, lose the 10 pounds and so on. We are always on the calendar that I have alerts set up for so that I don’t forget an appointment or a call. So in this moment before I engage back in the full rat race, I am taking a breathe to be ultra-present – aware that I am human. I am one person with struggles like everyone else. I have it worse than others and better than some. It is scary to say the least to go back, but I have a purpose greater than worrying about myself that gives me strength. I am to be a mom, a wife, a friend, a colleague, a teacher, a sister, a daughter, a mentor, or maybe even a farmer. I am going to be each one in my way knowing that with each breath that I take I am grateful to just be.

Family quarantine bday dinner

So before, I head back I look to the backyard knowing that I did not get all of the things done that I wanted to accomplish this summer since I started this blog. I am hopeful that this fall brings lots of gardening experiments, fun with the animals and precious time with the cheer team. As for the cheer team, they are still helping me each day and I know that they will be the first one to see me when I get home tomorrow. I am forever grateful for their love and support. So aloud to everyone, I am setting some goals for myself and this blog. I want to return to home-made cooking, developing a vegetable garden, looking into self-sustainable practices, and I would like to try some art. I know that my time is shorter as I head into the classroom but I am eager to continue the backyard as it gives me life and a sense of joy. I hope you enjoy it too.

Quick animal update….

Our sweet Lego torn his ACL so he had surgery yesterday and has a long road to recover. Meadow misses playing with big brother and is my constant buddy. Of course Tallulah is having a blast chasing Meadow or maybe it is the other way around. The girls are still figuring out the coop. They are always happy for treats and we have 3 to 4 eggs coming a day. I need to try a quiche. Next up for our to do list is the shade garden paths and maybe some lunch options for school. Enjoy this moment and give yourself 5 minutes to just love yourself for who you are right now.

I often dream of a time long ago

or a time not yet here.

Never spending time with the present me.

Each step in the garden, sprinkle of feed to the girls, hugs from my family or a strong breeze kissing my face,

I experience life one heartbeat, one breathe, one second at a time.

Rejoicing in life.

One moment
Animals

Welcome Daisy and Dandelion

bitsybody

Bitsy’s Backyard got a little bigger and extra noisy with the arrival of Daisy and Dandelion, 2 happy, hungry hens.

Still in quarantine, our sweet neighbor who had given us Darby and Delilah came over one night this week and added the two to our coop. Hoping to minimize the excitement and competition, they put them in right before bedtime. Well, Delilah was not as welcoming as one would have hoped. Masked up and armed with a flashlight, I went to rescue the new chickens. Can you imagine in the rain and darkness, climbing into the caged section of the coop? That was me still in quarantine but not wanting the local fox to find them out in the caged section. I caught them; opened the outside door to the coop and placed them in. Delilah was thwarted from keeping them locked out. Night one in the record books.

Now, the new hens figured out that the automatic door closes at dusk so they have learned to hop into the coop each night even with determined Delilah. One afternoon in a heavy downpour, Delilah stood in the entrance of the cage so Dandelion could not get into the coop where she would be out of the rain. When I checked on them, she was soaked through her feathers just dripping from the deluge of water. Noticing our top girl in the entrance way, I quickly scooped up Dandelion and opened the side door of the coop. Another save. Many days have passed now and she still goes after Dandelion by jumping on her back, threatening her at the entrance of the caged section, but each day seems to be getting better. Thank goodness, it breaks a teacher’s and mum’s hearty to see the bullying in the backyard. I guess I have another book idea for the girls. As my son said that I can’t rescue her each time as they have to figure out the coop on their own. So hard to watch nature in my backyard but as Bowen said they are figuring out and everyone is laying eggs.

  • Welcome Dandelion
  • Watch out for me!
  • Welcome Daisy

Today, was coop clean up with new mulch and wiped out boxes. Changing out the mulch, freshening up the coop keeps the smells away even if I still can’t smell as well as helping keep the eggs clean. I have been recycling the Whole Foods bags as they naturally decompose . I used them to line the nesting boxes to preserve the wood frames. I have used them in other parts of my garden as they break down naturally. Yeah Whole Foods – thank you. I’ll show you my shade garden soon and how I used them.

  • Nesting box with a Whole Foods bag – add mulch on top

While cleaning the area, we let them out for a little run. I had my son further away from me guarding the front so they didn’t escape. He made a funny TikTok of them trying to get by me. One hen had something in her mouth that was not appetizing but the other chickens obviously thought it was.

Next on the agenda for the girls is supplementing their feed to have tastier eggs and help one hen that has a softer shell. I’ll update our ideas as I finish some research. They roam free, eats lots of bugs, fruit and greens. They eat Purina full pellet feed as well. Fingers crossed for some positive updates about the eggs.

As I prepare for my quarantine to end (prayers please) and school to start, I sense an uneasy stomach. What is ahead for us especially in Florida? With my blood tests tomorrow, I must refocus on the AIH and pray that my liver is still ok since COVID. I remind myself that I must take one day at a time. Place my trust in God and know that I am not alone.

Have the strength to ask for help as you are not alone as most people around you are willing to walk with you.

About Me, Reflections

COVID Happened.

bitsybody

Well, the event that we (myself and cheer team) worked so hard to keep away from me happened. I have been so careful and was feeling more confident. Living in Florida (lately COVID central), we spend a lot of time outside but with a weakened immune system the delta variant found a way in even being outside. It is not joke. Maybe a beach party, maybe the grocery store maybe anywhere – it gets in. So fast that you don’t even know. Nobody did anything wrong but it happened. So far, I am lucky. Once I tested positive, I received monoclonal antibodies and those little ones are like superheroes that stop my cold quickly. My dear friend helped me get them on day 4 and she is my guardian angel. It is scary how fast COVID progresses when you don’t have a way to fight for yourself.

For today’s post, I am back up again and went out for a little walk in the yard to take some pics. I had been out of it for a few – on day 6 of COVID – and I am up and feeling ok to write my blog. The backyard is a little bit of a hot mess. Maybe a hot, sticky, humid buggy mess. I can’t smell it so I am hopeful that the lavender is still filling the air with sweetness.

  • Tower replanted
  • A million peppers exploded
  • Matching Purples
  • Love the explosion of colors and detail.
My Little walk about – I love the colors of life.

I ask myself why? Why so many challenges? Why so many problems? What have I done wrong? The questions are real and my heart wants answers but there will not be an answer. I look to faith which can be challenging for me as I even ask questions there. My chronic disease has tested me in so many ways and exploring faith was a huge journey over the last year. At times, life is too much and there is no reason. I am learning to let go and know that we don’t have control over much in life. I think about life as a roller coaster. We are all buckled in and the journey will take turns, dips, climbs and spins. You might see what is ahead but you might not see the corkscrew turn coming next. Some coasters go backwards – we trust the rails, the engineering and let go preparing to scream, laugh or maybe even cry. I remember a time when I was little when my dad and I rode the Loch Ness monster ride at Busch Gardens. As we get to the top, my dad sees the dip and looks at me in terror and screams “Oh God we are all going to die.” It rocked me – I freaked out. No, we laugh about that ride but how was I scared during the ride. It took me a long time to get back on a rollercoaster but I did. Just like we get back on the life coaster. I close my eyes into the dips pushing my head against the headrest. I control what I can control. I put myself in the best position that I know. Once the dip is over, I open my eyes, let out a scream and enjoy the flips, spins and the rush until the end. Life is like that – control what you can over the dip but let go and enjoy the rest.

Photo by Dana Cetojevic on Pexels.com

As I sign off today from my COVID isolation, I urge everyone to take COVID seriously. It might be annoying having to change your life but it helps. It helps individuals like me that you wouldn’t think are fragile. You help my kids who are terrified about losing their mom. My husband so he doesn’t suffer from a cardiac event from the stress. It helps my students so I can go back to work and hopefully inspire some kids to become scientists.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

One lesson that leads my teaching is love. Love this world, love each other, just love. In every response to my students, I think about how can I show them love. So many in today’s world need love. You never need to apologize for showing love. So I might be seen as a lenient teacher at times but again the more love that you show – the more they work with or for you. Focus on others for a little bit. Even if just for today, what can you do to help someone today? The one thing that I know might help is to put on a mask. I am not getting into the vaccination debate though I have a strong opinion but the mask is easy. I see such mean selfish comments about this issue online and hear so much hate. Please help stop the spread of this virus; stop all the hate in this world. It is real and it hurts. It is scary and yes I know about the survival of the fittest etc. It might be true, but we are human with a wonderful brain to feel and care about others. Empathy is a unique trait and I think we should show the world what is like to be human – an empathetic human.

As Meadow urges –

Live each day loving others so we can make our world a safe place for the ones who aren’t loud enough to be heard.

Cooking

Too many apples?

bitsybody

I am not talking about how many memories that you can hold at one time in your head as we can never have enough apples in our brain. As a teacher, we were taught that as a student ages that they can hold 1 to 2 memories. By 24 years old, we can hold up to 5 memories or instructions (apples) at once until we age and then it starts to decrease. Ok, enough rambling. The apples that I am referring to are the ones on your counter when no one has decided to eat them. Once they are no longer crisp, my family decides that they are no longer edible. So back to my question, too many leftover apples? I love to make the family homemade apple sauce as either a yummy dessert over vanilla ice cream or a side dish to our dinner. Louie loves it with ham.

What to gather…

  • Apples – I have used all types and they have worked.
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon – (I might add a little more)
  • 1 or 2 tablespoons of sugar
  • 1/4 cup of water

Let’s Start

  • Apples
  • Peeled
  • Cored
  • Cut into wedges

Next, place the cut up apples into your 2 quart pot on the stove. Add cinnamon, sugar and water. Heat the mixture on medium heat until it starts to boil or bubble. Stir a few times and lower heat to simmer. Cook until the apples start to fall apart and you can mash them down. My family likes them smooth but others like them chunky.

  • Cook the apples on simmer with a lid.
  • Mash the apples to your desired consistency.
Eat as applesauce or spoon warm over vanilla ice cream for a dessert.

The Apple Leftovers?

What about the leftover scraps?

The girls of course. They love the leftover pieces. Take a peek.

Cooking

Bitsy’s Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

bitsybody

One of the most asked for recipes in the backyard is banana bread. Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Baking cookbook, I made some changes to recipe for the kids as they love chocolate. We make it with chocolate chips and it super yummy enough that the swim team and my daughter’s advisory asked for it weekly. I thought it would be fun to share as I am making it for our visiting friends from the UK. Hoping to get 5 stars from their rating as we were joking about making Bitsy’s Backyard into an Air B&B or maybe a joint summer camp with their mum.

First gather ingredients.

  • 3 cups of flour
  • 1 tsp of baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp of salt
  • 2 cups of sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/3 cup canola oil
  • 2 squirts of vanilla ( I guess about a tablespoon)
  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 1 cup of chocolate chips (more or less – depends on how chocolatey the kids like it)
  • 1/2 whole milk
  • Dry Ingredients
  • Wet Ingredients
  • 2 banamas
  • Smashed bananas
  • Milk

Time to mix and bake!

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare 2 greased loaf pans. I use glass ones and spray with Pam spray.
  2. Combine dry ingredients of flour, baking soda and salt. I like to use a fork and mix them together. Next combine the eggs, sugar, and oil in a mixer until smooth (don’t over mix it). Then add the vanilla.
  3. Add in the dry ingredients slowly to the mixer on low speed. Mix until smooth.
  4. Mash up the bananas and then add them to the mixer. Mix again until smooth. I don’t worry if there are some lumps but depends on your eaters. I love a few little bites of banana.
  5. Last two additions – add the chips with mixer on low and then the milk again mixer on low.
  6. Once mixed together, pour 1/2 of the mixture into one pan and then into the other.
  7. Place in the oven on the middle rack and bake for about an hour.
  8. Most times, I find it needs a little longer so check with a knife that it comes out clean.

I’ve added some pics to help you through the recipe. It is easy and quite tasty.

  • Eggs, sugar and oil
  • Mix together
  • Adding vanilla
  • Adding the dry ingredients
  • Adding milk and chips
  • Putting into pans and oven
Needs to bake for a little more.

When testing if the bread is done, insert a clean knife into the center of the bread. It should be pretty clean when you pull it out of the bread like the knife on the right

Bread is done
  • Top is golden brown
  • Grab your tea.

Fun thing while I was baking this one was that I got to chat on the phone with a dear friend from NY when the kids were little. Relationships and taking each moment to enjoy our time in this journey are the best gifts that we have. Fun to catch up but also knowing that we travel through this world together with people that share unique connections with you makes each day better. We are never alone and there is nothing better than sharing life with others especially over a piece of Bitsy’s banana bread and a cup of hot tea. I recommend Yorkshire tea or Taylor’s from the UK.

Take time to bake some bread for your family and friends. Relationships are the best medicine in our life. Smile we are not alone even when we feel like we are.

Animals, Reflections

In the Moment – More Lessons from Meadow

bitsybody

It has been a crazy two weeks from traveling to VA, getting settled at home, friends arriving from the UK, and our kids being busier than I thought. Why does summer seem to sprint while winter crawls on? In the midst of laundry, cooking and all things to the backyard, I watched our sweet Meadow grow long legs. Lauren this week said that Meadow looks like a deer.

How she is full of life and continues to teach me life lessons. While I spend so much time with her hoping that she is getting closer to being potty-trained, I find myself watching her in amazement. I think we can learn so much from how she responds to her environment teaching us a calmer path forward. Here are some observations of Meadow’s teachings. How can she help me live with chronic disease feeling full of life and not afraid?

Meadow’s Teachings

  1. Meadow’s gets a collar – people and life might put a new collar on you – you struggle with it – jump around and fight but eventually you go with it and find happiness and play still wherever you go. Meadow spent 5 minutes challenging the collar and then she just went with it. She makes the collar look great and keep on going being curious everywhere she goes.
  2. The hose – some might look at a hose as just for drinking or watering but Meadow finds fun in catching and snapping at the water. So cute and funny – you can’t help but laugh and smile at the excitement she shows with water coming out as an adventure and amusement.
  3. Picking up sticks – well she loves to eat the yard especially sticks and roots. When one stick is taken from her or she drops it, she is on the hunt for the next one. Not frustrated, she moves on quickly – soon to find another one not too far away. She never gives up as so many more options abound with each step. We are blessed to have so many resources.
  4. Cuddles and belly rubs – being with people and animals is important. A tug on Legos tail, a chase of Tallulah, or belly rubs and hugs from the kids, Meadow is happy enjoying life one day at a time. Being in the present moment and enjoying that second for whatever it may bring. Sometimes it is an awesome treat but other times it is just a head rub when we walk by. She appreciates life and never stops wagging her tail. This past weekend, I walked with 2 dear friends. We chatted afterwards for almost 2 hours. It was so nice to be laughing with them and just there. A true blessing is friendship and just being present with each word said.
  5. Playing in the rain – Rain will fall and get us wet but it is better to play than not. It tends to thunder and rain a lot in Florida so you never know when a passing shower might come. She looks up and tries to take a bite of the rain. Quickly moving on, she finds dry patches where she can to play with her sticks and doesn’t let her stop. When one path closes, she often finds a new way to go. She doesn’t want to get fully wet but she goes with it if she has to.
  6. Weeds – Meadow loves the weeds as much as she loves the flowers. Often we look at weeds and cringe . Maybe the weeds are better than we think? Maybe we have not looked closely enough at the benefits of the weeds. So, I stopped to look at the waterdrops on the marigolds. How many of us stop to take a look to see the waterdrops. My picture shows you how many drops of water are there while it rains. Not one drop is the same but equally amazing.
  7. Moths – In the grass, we have many moths and hornets. As Meadow runs through the yard, it springs to life with them flying everywhere. She chases them in all directions excited to see which way they will go. Never a doubt going forward, she goes from one to the next hoping to make a catch. We must live life springing forward chasing a path with gusto.

As I look back over the last 10 days, I quickly become frustrated that I didn’t set time aside to blog, work in the backyard or cook some of my favorite recipes. I can ponder over the reasons why and start listing them to make me feel better or I can simply start again. I know this is something that I enjoy and it is a fun way to talk to others about how we can have a great trip on this journey called life. I must adapt just as my body adapts to a new normal with a chronic disease, how the household adapts to 5 teens as sweet friends from the UK are staying with us, adapt to changing weather from blistering sun to rain, and just adapt to life. I remember that I told myself last week to embrace life so here I go again with the same start – embrace life like Meadow shows me each day. Love unconditionally, help others and be a force of change for the better. We got this and everyone has the chance to start again. Thus, I keep going with the blog. As the rain falls this afternoon, the science teacher in me thanks the water cycle for taking care of the garden this afternoon. We have so many blessings in a single day to a single hour or even a minute. Meadow doesn’t live outside of the present moment and I too want to be present. Whether during exercise knowing that it is the now that hurts. Breathe through and we all got this.

This moment is where you are meant to be so don’t look too far ahead as you will miss where you are. Even the weeds have something to teach you.

Time for you go pick up your stick.
Animals, Reflections

Embrace Life – Back to the Backyard

bitsybody

Time to leave the peace of my parent’s home and return to the backyard. My strength is up and down but I find that is part of life with an autoimmune disease. Each day is a gift and some are bigger presents than others.

I thought a quick update on the animals would be fun as they are such a big part of our life and I have been away from the backyard work. We are working on pathways for the gardens, replanting the tower, and fun recipes this week. It will be great to be back in a routine as I missed posting more frequently about my life giving work around us. It really is the best medicine to dig into the life around you taking care of the land, the animals and others.

When I returned home, Tallulah, our cat, had received a package. Quick history – she was a feral and very sick kitten that we rescued at 3 months old. She loves the outside and tries to find her path back to freedom at all times. One of her favorite places is the screened-in porch as she watches the birds and all lizards that seem to walk closely to the screen. Always waiting by the door for us to return, she tends to be more of a dog than a cat. She loves nerf guns and comes running to the sound of us taking them out. She can jump the height of our sliding glass door to pull one off which is amazing to see. Personality abounds with Tallulah whether a constant companion during puzzles or a snuggle with us in a fuzzy blanket, she brings a smile to everyone’s face and sometimes a bite.

Tallulah – Our Jumper

In the package, she received some toys and an avocado collar from “Meow Lives” . She loves the fun colored balls that rattle and I am happy to have a collar on her as she wants to escape outside whenever the door seems to be left opened. She has never worn a collar in the 3 years that we have had her so after the initial terror of having something around her neck, she has settled into her new look. She seemed to jump to regal status with her collar as it has an added bell and charm. You hear her everywhere she goes. My husband is thrilled with the 4am bell ringing as the puppy seems to think Tallulah is beckoning her to wake up. She is a personality to behold in our home of the backyard – fun and sassy – definitely offers entertainment but an attack at times so one must tread lightly on the fun or chase games.

The puppy is finally becoming a playmate to Tallulah and it is fun to see them chasing each other around the house. Meadow and Lego have become the wrestling duo. Whether a stuff toy between them or just fur, they have been enjoying the physical activity – we think. Lego is a trooper helping us expend Meadow’s growing energy. Tallulah is not too far from the action in case she wants to play.

The girls are doing well with daily eggs and lots of hellos as my sons can attest to with their morning egg laying cheers. I came home and cleaned the coop area. More fun updates on them as we work on projects and hopefully some additions to the flock.

Always here to play and help with college essays.

Well it is Monday – always hard – as the family says the night before that they have the Sunday Scaries. I want to change that feeling at the beginning of the week as a chance for a fresh start – a way to embrace the week. When Louie was a baby he woke up at the crack of dawn, I would wake by putting my feet on the floor and telling myself to embrace the mornings.

I told myself then and I am doing it again…

– Embrace Life –

Embrace the morning and the afternoon exhaustion

Embrace the chance to be whatever you are called to do

Embrace the chance to fail and then learn

Embrace love unconditionally

Embrace laughter and the tears

Embrace the workout and the tired moments

Embrace the quiet times

Embrace the noise

Just Embrace!

Reflections

Listen to the Songs Around Us

bitsybody

A positive update shined through as my scans were good. I don’t have any damage in my liver and we can focus on stopping the disease. It is a relief to know that it was caught in time. Blessings all around this week and some time to relax. It is nice when you find moments in your life to breathe and pause. Life is full of bumps and pot holes. How we handle the drive becomes the journey. I will know more about the bloodwork as the days progress but not spending energy there. I feel the Dr. would have told me if we needed to worry so I have to let it be. I start patching the holes in the road and resting when tired.

Colors everywhere

For a late Sunday reflection ( oops late again – might have to change it to Monday but trying to stick with it), I find the time to listen to the music of the outdoors. The insects, the birds to the croaking of the frogs who sing sweet melodies to me if I take the time to listen. It is important that we slow down and listen to other’s songs and not live just within our own music. We each have a song to tell but together the world comes together to make the symphony. The Carolina Wren sings to my dad loud enough so that he pays attention each morning calling out asking her about her story. What is the story of life? I stop to listen to the soft sounds of the woods as I walk by the explosion of color this morning

This week I am visiting my parents in Virginia with my sister away from the backyard. I will not be posting much but it is the first visit with them in 2 years due to COVID. I miss the cheer team and the backyard animals but will be back with them soon – planning projects and working on wonderful ways to continue getting stronger. Lou had rock delivered and the garden paths will soon come alive. He has painted and added concrete countertops outside. His work is truly amazing and definitely sings to us all. Listen below to hear the buzz of the bumblebee hard at work. Lou is definitely a worker bee.

A night stroll – life abounds

As I spend this time deep in the country of VA on the Rappahannock River where I grew up as child, I find my soul becoming quiet and slowing down. I thought for this week that a post or two about the area would be fun as I explore nature. I started a nature journal to reflect and help me focus on just being. It is nice to stop and jot down the date, the weather and what is around me. It helps me to slow down – focus on being present – not the disease – not the stress of returning to work instead being here in nature. It is a gift to be able to spend time listening and I pray everyone will take a moment this week to listen to the sounds around you. You never know what the sounds might be telling you or what magic is ahead. The next recording is my walk around the pond. Listen as I stop walking and how much life can be heard. I added some more pics of the area for fun.

STOP! Take time to listen! Can you ear the difference when you stop walking?

As I finish the day, I try to remind myself that life is a long album – not one done in a day or even a year. One that we enjoy but one that also involves struggles – time to support others and time to find new paths even covered with bunnies and fireflies. Go through life listening to the songs being sung around so you can hear it all – the good and the bad. I sometimes find that life is so hectic that I don’t pause and reflect. Stop – take a second to give yourself a break from your own song that at times screams so loudly in your head that you miss the songs around you.

Stop! Enjoy the sounds all around you that beckon you to listen to your inner soul. A world calling you to be present and live in the moment.