IT'S A JUNGLE OUT THERE-WELL I MEAN MY GARDEN

Often thought of as a tough neighbourhood. Well the jungle refers to my garden. It is a jungle.
The plants are growing tall. I let some of the natural wild flowers just bloom and grown. The old vegetable garden is full of everything. I have been putting the compost items there hoping some renegade seeds will sprout something. You know when you find a squash growing in a flower bed. Well I want the old veggie garden to do that. Perhaps it is wishful thinking.
I try to keep the front yard neat as I can. Then you come through the gate and bam the jungle is there.
Once some spring flowers have finished in my paths like those precious blue forget -me-nots, I am going to use my weed whacker and cut off the foliage. Then I will spray the paths with some weed wipe out. I used to spray the whole plant then it would kill the top leaves but not kill the plant.
I have learned. Too hard to try to hand pick thousands of little growth plants.
Besides I let the garden be wild last year. Guess what? Lots of different butterflies and birds visited.
So if I am tired of trying to get some order, the jungle it will be.
Of course the pots on the porch are okay.

#gardenisajungle#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro#gardeningiswork#tryingtomakesomeorderoutofchaos#thepathsareovergrown

LONG WEEKENDS ARE NEVER LONG ENOUGH

Having an extra day on the weekend is always great. But why does it never seem long enough?? Enjoying the good weather and being able to be outdoors for part of the time helps.  Long weekends become work weekends especially this time of year with garden planting and cleanup. The good news is the 4 day work week. Already Tuesday! The days are longer so more time at night to enjoy the outdoors. How did your weekend go? Was it eventful? Did you enjoy some fireworks? Have a great week! Still lots of May to enjoy!

GARDENING IS GREAT EXERCISE

Besides having a pretty and organized garden, the work needed to sustain a garden sure helps one to exercise. The bending, the racking, the lifting to name a few of the activities could be an interesting workout video if someone was so inclined. There are exercise routines and videos of all kinds. Why hasn't anyone thought of a gardening one? If you think all muscles groups are not being worked, try walking after several hours in the garden. Brazilian Butt here we come with all that squatting with planting!!

NANA SAYS GARDENING CAN BE FUN FOR CHILDREN

Having the grandchildren to our home can bring challenges. We have too much for them to resist. Buckles of water warming to use in the garden are magnets for the children to want to do- well water play. Turning the play into help such as- get your little watering cans and help granpa water the garden vegetable plants- tries to keep the involvement positive. Sometimes they just play and waste the water- hum! Instead of don't touch and leave it alone, we try to encourage the helping activities. Although I do hear, don't touch coming from my mouth often. And please don't pick Nana's flowers! The garden itself has so many learning opportunities. For example, the milk weed growing to allow the Monarch Butterflies to lay their eggs gives a little information on the natural wonders of the world. My granddaughter and I try to stay still so a butterfly will land on us. Of course, the sticks in the garden can be toys or weapons! Need to watch out for those dangerous items! We label the flowers that are changing in the perennial beds. We watch the squirrels and the birds. They are not quite at the - see how many weeds you can pull stage- perhaps next year? If they really enjoy the garden, I may have some real little garden assistants in training!

THE CHALLENGE OF WRITING A BLOG

This is blog 501. It has been an adventure to find ideas and themes to keep writing. The advice of other bloggers is to write every day. It is such good advice as it creates a discipline of blogging. Wednesday is easy- now it is my Nana says theme. Sunday too- with a Postcard From! The other 5 days bring many challenges and sometimes a photo I took weeks ago with a blog idea in mind which can finally be used. Since I can follow how many pageviews occur on each blog and who in the world is reading me, I am constantly amazed at the the blogs with the most "reads". People in the world are interested in the down to earth Canadian themes I have written. Yes, not regularly but I have had readers from every continent. There are regular readers not only from Canada and the United States but Germany and Russia. So to those readers thank you for visiting. Writing advice from years ago states to write about what you know. Trying to be an expert on everything, well it does not work. Some of my clinical blogs have responses on my private email. Some people have complained they can not comment so email me your comments or find me on facebook and comment there. I will add your comments to the blogs. As most of you know, I love Narrative Therapy which using your story to help to reflect and honour your strengths. Thus I want to hear and know and think about your reactions and real thoughts to any blog. Do they conjure up ideas and thinking?
As a clinical Social Worker, I always want to reach others who may be struggling with a problem and need some guidance to find the right person or resouces to help. Even the right book! Like my favourite- A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis on his journey with his grief after his beloved wife died.
I love blogging as it helps me to consolidate many areas and interests in my life. I hope you have enjoyed reading and sharing with me. Are there any favourite blogs you have enjoyed? Tell me. Are there themes you would like me to consider for you and your group? What do you want to know about Canada and this Canadian? Are there parenting or family issues you are seeking guidance? Crafts, gardening, photography can be used to work with problem areas in your life-they work for me! So please keep on reading and helping me to challenge myself to write!

SUMMERTIME AND THE LIVING IS EASY

Is such a wonderful phrase and feeling. People starting to go away, enjoying summer activities and just slowing down. For me, increasing my activity level is usual . On vacation this week and one goal is to power walk with my weights up the hill to the Library every day- 20 minutes, not a big deal. On track, two days, two walks! I see others bike riding, walking, jogging! And of course that low impact exercise- gardening! What will be the summer reading! Newspapers always have so many suggestions. But a good book by the lake, the beach, on the back porch is always a fine summer goal! I have a small pile of unread books- fiction and non-fiction I will attempt to read. It is more difficult to do indoor chores as the outdoors calls me. What do you love about the summer? What are you planning? Do you find the living easy?
For those who have been trying to comment- just put your name in the comment select profile box as I have changed the setting to allow this to happen.

GARDENING-THAT SILENT KILLER EXERCISE

No matter how fit we think we are, gardening has a way of helping us exercise all those muscles that have been dormant for the winter. The bending, the digging, the pulling of weeds, the planting, the hauling of stuff in the wheelbarrow, the cutting and pruning all use many different areas of our bodies. In my younger years I could do a good 8 hours of gardening at a time on weekends. Coming home during the weekdays to do 2-3 hours before bedtime. Now I can go for about a 4 hour stretch before deciding it's enough. During the week maybe I putter for a good hour after work. The fresh air is always good. The birdies singing! The smell of different flowers- now it's the lilies of the valley that are fragrant. In about another week, those muscles I am feeling will be fit. As for now, I just keep working those muscle groups- no matter how painful! Do you feel the workout from your gardening experiences?

IT'S A GOOD DAY-CANADA ROCKS

Wedding over. Election over-stability for Canada for awhile! Time to get on with other things. Helping others. Loving family. Gardening. Summer ventures planned. What builds a strong country is the people- one thing at a time. Working hard. Providing jobs. Practicing good values and believing in others. Respecting people of all ages and backgrounds. Proud to wear our red and white. Proud to show our flag. Good musicians. Good books. Good movies. A safe place to live. Coast to coast- even the west should love Toronto just a little today! Here's to Canada and here's to our place in the world? How do you feel today? Are you proud to be Canadian?