You Pick Two

So, I went to Planter's Palette on Saturday, to pick up my free flowers, won by liking and sharing a post on Facebook. I don't have a lot of faith in those "like and share for a chance to win" posts, even though this one was from a business I know and support. I have to admit, when I saw my name, I had to look, look again and then a third time because I didn't really believe it was me. "I know that name. Wait..." I figured I'd stroll up and have a choice between a couple of preplanted containers that I could just plop onto the deck. I've been mentally arranging all my pots and what I want where. I'd been planning to go to PP anyway as I need begonias for the front pots and more potting soil for the ones I'm keeping. This worked out fine. 

Imagine my surprise when Diane told me I could have my choice of two (!!!!!) preplanted containers. These are designed to be broken apart and the flowers used to fill in or form your own containers at home. TWO of them! And look at my choices. There were at least 2 dozen on this display and I get two (!!!) free.

They are regularly priced at $25 each container.

These are huge; maybe 5 gallon pots. If you bought the plants separately contained in them, you'd be spending way more than the $25 price tag and I get two of them.

It took me a good 15 minutes, but I selected these two.

I really like that dark-leaved plant. No clue what it is, but I like the juxtaposition of the dark with the light.

I mowed the lawn and did a couple other things and didn't have the energy to break these up. I got my begonias, a couple of sweet potato vines and another white geranium. The one I've overwintered all these years is not doing well. I'll combine the two in the pot.

I've never been a big fan of the spiky stuff in containers. Designed to raise the visual height of the plantings, to me, those items seem to be more fluff than flowers. I'm not sure whether I'll save the ones I have in the pot I received or if those will be given away. I have to see how things fit. I did, however, fall in love with these.

With the sunlight shining on them, they just glowed. They are $6.00 each, but if I could have afforded it, I would have purchased one in every color. This is the kind of thing I'll happily put in a pot of flowers. Kitchy, yeah. I got a green and an orange one.

Something else I wish I could afford is one of these.

However, the littlest ones, like the one with the hands sort of over his eyes, was $50. One of the small ones would be so cute in amongst the flower pots on the deck. They are heavy. The little one weighs a good 5 pounds, but oh the cute. 

I was wandering about and found these statues.

I really like the piglet. I didn't pick one up to see how much it cost. After the $50 of the dragon, I decided I didn't want to be disappointed by finding out the pig was $40. 

So now comes the stuffing of the containers. I promised a cousin that she could have all my extra pots. That may come in fall. I'm really thrilled. What a wonderful way to start Saturday.

Beverage:  Water

Deb

The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

Yes, that is the name of the book.

I finished it a week ago and have been contemplating what to say. First of all, I recommend this, with no hesitation, to anyone who is interesting in clearing their space, decluttering their life and bringing some order to the chaos. This is an amazing book. I've mentioned in this space, how I have embraced the general concept and how it plays into the direction I want to take my life now. It's a reasonably fast and engaging read. I would give it 4 stars out of 5.

The primary idea to take away from the book is that you need to keep only those things that bring you joy. That's not a hard concept to embrace. When you look around your house, does everything in it bring you joy? The author means everything, from the rug on the floor to the pictures on the wall; from the pots and pans to socks and shoes. Every item we clutter our lives with should bring you joy. If it no longer does, it's time for that item to move on. I can get behind that idea. As I look around my house, it's not hard to see things which no longer bring me joy and which can be removed.

She has you thank any item you are getting rid of. Seriously. It seems odd, but it's part of her "life-changing" bit. In thanking that shirt you no longer wear, according to the author, you allow its energy to pass to the next person who uses it. "The energy will come back to you," she asserts. That seems really New Agey. Still, I found myself, with the recent closet clean out, thanking the shirts I gave away for providing me with use for the years they were with me. It was an unconscious thing I just found myself doing. I'm not sure how I will tell if their energy comes back to me.

As I mentioned in a post last month, she has you assemble all the items of one type and go through them one-by-one to determine if they are things to keep or get rid of. She has you start with clothes. I have clothing spread out throughout the house. There are plastic bins in the basement with what are now vintage clothes. I know my limits. If I spend a great deal of time collecting all the clothes scattered through the house, I'll never get around to cleaning, sorting and clearing. I think that kind of thing works if your living space is small, but it just won't work in the clutter of my life.

She stresses how you need to follow the program, that results won't be permanent if you don't. You start with clothing and then move to household goods, books, mementos and finally photos. By the time you get the the exceptionally personal act of sorting your memories, you are fully primed to be as honest as possible about whether you want to keep what you have.

I can see this but I also know that piling all my books in the center of my living room floor so I can co through them one at a time is, at best, unrealistic and, at worst, a recipe for having books in the middle of my living room floor for the next 3 years. So as much as she doesn't want you to deviate from her carefully prepared method, I think you can and should adapt it to how your life is.

Will it change my life? I'll let you know, of course, as I clean and shed the accumulated items of 32 years in one building. I've cleaned the shed. I've done half of one side of my clothes closet. I do things in steps. I was looking for the cleaver on Wednesday night, forgetting that I'd had pizza and it was in the sink to be washed. I pulled open my utensil drawer and stood there looking at a mass of shiny things. "I don't need 80% of this stuff," I thought.

For me, there is value in baby steps to organization. I feel, with each area cleaned, a bit lighter in spirit. This feeling has come as a surprise to me. The author cites clients who lost weight, changed jobs, ditched unhappy relationships and did what amounts to personal housekeeping once their space was ordered. As I mention above, it strikes me as a bit New Agey, but perhaps it's a mindset that develops. When you surround yourself with the things that bring you joy, you look at the rest of your life and decide if the other pieces of life bring you joy.

There are things that I have always wanted for my personal space, but getting to that point is a long journey. I do like some clutter and am a slightly messy person, by nature. I find, in cleaning some spots, I encounter something that I just can't get rid of. I'm not sure that it provides me with joy but I can't seem to part with it. The author would have you chuck it, and, eventually, I probably will. But I feel a collection of "I can't just yet" is okay. In the greater goal of the journey, bringing a few of these along is not bad.

So, if you are at all interested in clearing your space, bringing a bit of order to the chaos, I heartily and strongly recommend this book. I was surprised at how quickly I could assimilate the "Does it bring you joy?" mantra. Some people will embrace the program and do it exactly as she says. Some of us will take our time. I think there is a great deal of merit to the journey. If you read this book and implement her suggestions, I hope you'll come back here and let us know how it worked for you.

Beverage:  Dunkin' Donuts Tea

Deb

April Stitching

It took some time, but I finished the big butterfly last night.

Technically, it's not completely finished because there is a butterfly adjacent to it at the upper right wing. Then there is the rest of that wing to stitch. I have a few of the smaller butterflies which are one and two color to stitch and then I'll move the hoop. It's supposed to be a wonderful weekend. I need to bring up the other chair from the basement so Pilchard has a place to sit while I'm outside on the deck, stitching.

Beverage:  Dunkin' Donuts Tea

Deb

Used

I was preparing to take the cat box downstairs but hadn't yet. I left the back door open so the girls could come outside and get some fresh air. First Mija came out.

She didn't go all the way inside. She just sniffed from outside the box. Then, Pilchard came out and did the same thing.

I hadn't given them a chance to check out the box when I made it. My thought was the cat outside wouldn't use the box if there was the scent of other cats on the inside. As my primary concern was for the outside cat, I just let the girls sniff a bit before setting it on the deck. I haven't seen the outside cat since right after the new year. It's been in my mind, particularly through the harsh cold of February, but there's never been any sign that it returned until this morning.

The bedding inside was all upended and mussed about. I know this cedar bedding was not outside the container when I went to bed last night. Something is using the box. Neither girl has been upset in the evenings or mornings lately so whatever it is, and I'm open to the idea that it's not a cat, hasn't come to the back door to look in when my girls have been looking out. So, I guess I'm not putting this in the basement just yet.

Beverage:  Dunkin Donuts tea

Deb