Welcome Mexico!

We are so glad to see you! 

The great dandelion wars!

I don't know about you, but I dislike conflict of any kind.  However, I have this recurring pest in my yard that makes me want to pull out all my hair.  Yes, they are kind of cute with a sunny yellow flower, but they are the enemy!  This year they are so prolific, that my back yard is a sea of yellow.  As you may know, I use a push mower.  All the stems do is lay down as I push through them.  This causes me to have to mow the lawn 3 different ways just trying to cut the majority of them down, then I go back and pull off the rest.  This drives me crazy!  On top of that, I have a small garden, so I don't want to poison them, honestly, I don't think I could anyway.  I am the person who takes a spider out of the house with a paper and a cup.  So here we are, again.  I guess I should be grateful I don't live in California right now (Sorry California)  I would probably miss the little buggers.....NOT!

There is a saying...

my cranky old grama used to say: "Good fences make good neighbors." I would really like to refute that statement.  In the lottery of having good neighbors, I have won the jackpot!  My neighbor across the street, is C@boy's nanny, and a good, long time friend.  The women next door to her are and have been fun and wonderful!  My neighbors to my left are a great family and friends who help me whenever I need it, are fun to visit with, and whose children help me in my yard.  To my right are two great men who also are willing to help out when they are asked. All I pay them is food.  Luckily, I am a great cook and baker.  All this boils down to is the fact that I am surrounded with so many people I would never trade for any kind of fence!  They are my family and I am incredibly fortunate to have them!

Being "MOM"!

There are lots of ways to be a MOM.  I have been a mom to so many people through the years.  I have been a mom to my plants, to my students, to my friends, and to my child.  Each one of them has reciprocated in some fashion.  Being a mom means that we take time to nurture those around us in a way no one else can.  In my mind, it is like tending a garden, removing each dead leaf, watering and fertilizing, and loving.  At this point, I must tell you that my beloved cat, C@boy was the second person to tell me "Happy Meother's Day" this morning, and he reminded me that I was the best mom he had ever had.  Being a mom is a sacred job, I take it very seriously.  After all, the greatest mother of all, "Mother Earth" takes care of us.  So, to all us "Mothers", Namaste, I salute that which in you is divine!   

Think before you....

speak.  Often times we are in a hurry, in our own heads, frustrated.  Then we try to communicate with someone.   "How's that working for you?"  For me, it causes a lot of miscommunication.  Then, if it is done by phone or text and you can't read the person's body language or facial expression, it just gets worse.  What I am learning is to take a breath before I try to talk to someone.  I try to be calm and make sure I am saying what I want to say in the tone I want to use.  Things can be misconstrued so easily.  So, this week and ongoing, I am going to stop, breathe, and make sure I want to talk, and that the other person wants to listen.  That is one factor I sometimes overlook.  The other thing I want to work on is being a good listener, that is an art that takes some work.

Blame

and forgiveness were the topics of conversation with a dear woman friend and I last night.  We were discussing what affect the things that have happened in our lives has on who we are now.  I have two theories about this:  everything that has happened has made me who I am now., and some things have scarred me causing me to make some decisions that have made my life a little harder than I wanted.  I am a very strong woman, I have lived through many things that some might not have survived.  My work now, is to take the blame and shame and put it away.  It is like carrying around a big bag of cement.  I need to know that everyone in my life was always doing the best they could at the time.  Because I am so good at blaming myself, I need to first forgive myself, and then them.  I learned long ago that forgiving someone does NOT mean you condoned their behavior, it just means you are letting go of it.  After all, the forgiveness is for us.

Listen

to your gut.  I know that there are things we really want for ourselves.  There are times when shiny objects seem right in front of our faces, and we just want to grab them.  Then our gut says, "no, I do not feel good about this!"  Every time I have ignored what my gut tells me, I have ended up in a big pile of sh*t!  Every time!  We have, within us this intelligence that will guide us if we let it.  We need to know that we can trust it, even when the shiny object presents itself.  If for no other reason than I am telling you, learn to trust your inner truth.  It will save you a lot of pain and anguish.  Isn't there enough of that as there is!?!