Farmer In The Dell

I love farmer's markets.

 

Everything about them fascinates me.  I slow down and totally lose track of time as I enjoy walking from vendor to vendor and talking to each one of them about the unique products they are selling whether it's veggies, fruits, honey, cheeses, breads, soaps or food being cooked to order.

 

Yesterday it truly felt as if the weather had turned a corner and while it was a bit chilly the sun was bright and increasingly warm as the day progressed.  People with their children and dogs and friends and neighbors strolled and chatted each other up at the weekly farmer's market held in the Palisades section of Northwest Washington, DC. 

 

Everybody was just so darn happy to be outside and enjoying the nicer weather!  You could feel the relief in the easy manner of people greeting each other and the slower pace of checking out the market's wares whether it was sampling apples, biscotti, or asking questions about the young herb plants.

 

 

It's kind of similar to everyone having their own lemonade stand and making a go of it with their best products whatever that might be.  Making time for activities you enjoy can be one of the steps you take when rebuilding your life after a loss.  For me, farmer's markets create a healing feeling.  They reinforce for me that we are part of a larger community focused on being supportive and giving back.  Creating extra special karma if you will.

 

That might sound kind of fruit and nutty to you but I like the idea of people making things with their hands whether it is farming or sewing or jewelry and then coming together to share their talents.

 

People selling at farmer's markets always take a lot of pride in what they've made and much of what is sold at farmer's markets is organic or at least pretty close to it and I feel I'm doing my body and brain a favor when I buy healthier more natural foods that are closer to the sources of where they were grown and in my small way I'm also helping an entrepreneur who is trying to run a small business.

I was especially happy to find a vendor selling peach blossoms which are some of my favorite blooms to have in the house during spring and I also bought a few young lettuce plants for myself.

Score!

40 Ways To Lose The Clutter

No matter how hard I try to keep my stuff under control somehow it doesn't behave.

 

Day by day I try to throw out papers, mail, and other stuff that has outlived its welcome but still there is always more stuff to deal with or organize.  Not all of it is important stuff, but still it's stuff that I don't want to buy again.  Here's my fear and maybe you can identify with it: once I throw out certain things, I'll find I immediately need it.

 

Sweet readers, what is a person to do?  How do you deal with your stuff? Or maybe the stuff that a loved one left for you deal with?

 

I guess I am emotionally connected to my stuff.  I admit it.  And I know what I'm supposed to do to stay on top of my clutter game.  I'm familiar with most of the tricks for getting rid of my unruly stuff: donate it to someone who can really make use of it, give it to a friend or relative, take a picture of it, or sell it online or at a tag sale.

 

 

 

But I can't always get myself to do those things.  One of my great friends must be a mind reader because this week she sent me this timely post from a blog, White House Black Shutters (www.whitehouseblackshutters.com) about decluttering and within the story is a link that takes you to a schedule you can print out for 40 days of getting the stuff out of your house (one schedule has dates and one is blank so you can make your own schedule).

 

I like Ann Marie's idea of keeping track of when and how much stuff you are throwing out because then I (or we) can go back and actually confirm for ourselves that yes indeed we did get rid of a lot that was hanging around and causing trouble.  Simplifying is the name of the game; not just to make room in our homes but also to set ourselves free from the burden of having too much stuff.

 

I think we've all had it with winter weather and we're  ready to open the windows and let the slightly chilly yet fresh air in.  Decluttering isn't fun but I think it can be rewarding for it helps me find more space, and light and order which is always a good thing.

 

As Ann Marie says, you could fill 40 boxes, 40 bags (of any size) or 40 trashcans but it really doesn't matter whether you hit the target of 40 or not.  Forty days of focusing on different areas of the house and really focusing on sweeping it out will take us right into Spring, which traditionally is always a time of renewal.

Good luck and here's the link to the White House Black Shutters post on 40 ways to lose your clutter:

http://www.whitehouseblackshutters.com/40-bags-in-40-days-2014/

A Beautiful City

This is how the weather works in Washington, DC:  a few days ago I was bundled up in a winter coat and wishing the sharp, chilly wind would die down.  Today, I am walking around the city without a coat and feeling so warm I wish I had shorts and flip flops on.
 

The temperatures in the nation's capital may turn on a dime but it doesn't affect the beauty of the city.

 

And now that it is warmer, I'm taking full advantage of all it's splendor.

Spring in Washington, DC is when you can see the city at its best.  And spending time outdoors in the city right now is so healing.  It is truly a form of stress relief!

Japanese cherry trees in full bloom near the Jefferson Memorial

Between the airy and tranquil blooms of the cherry blossom trees surrounding the Tidal Basin, the bright and cheery daffodils popping out of the grass in the various parks around the city and on the hills of Rock Creek park and the brightly colored tulips spilling over the sidewalk planters; it's hard not to take a deep breath and say, "Finally! Spring is here for sure this time and it feels great!"

 

Being outside in nature makes people instantly feel more alive.  The warmth of the sun on your skin, breathing fresh air in deeply and just looking at natural scenes activates the happy parts of my brain and give me a burst of hopefulness and relaxation.

 

I hope you are able today to go outside and connect to the natural world around you.

 

I bet you'll feel energized!

 

Closeup of Cherry Blossoms

 

 

 

Simply Notice

Crocus Signaling A New Season

 

The grand essentials in this life are

something to do, something to love,

and something to hope for.

 

           ~ Joseph Addison (1672-1719)

Today is the last day of February and that makes me smile.  I am not one to hurry time along but in this case I am happy to see the arrival of the month of March.  I love a longer day when the sun is warmer and daylight lasts until 8 or 9 o'clock in the evening.

 

I hadn't noticed that the seasons were starting change until the other morning when I had to get out the door extra early to go to work.  As I turned around to lock the front door to my house, I looked to the sky and noticed how much lighter is was compared to a month ago when it would have been pitch dark.  I even heard a few birds in the bare trees alternately chirping to each other.
 

"Wow," I thought. "Spring is almost here and so is daylight savings time. How did that happen?"

 

I welcome it happening.  There is always an amazing feeling of anything being possible when Spring and Summer arrive because people spend more time outdoors and they aren't weighed down by coats and gloves and boots and scarves.  To me, flip flops, shorts and T-shirts represent a sense of freedom.

 

Those days of freedom will indeed come, even though they are not here quite yet.

 

But I see signs of a new season coming: some crocus in a neighbor's front yard pushing through the soft dirt, Easter baskets and Easter eggs for sale in the grocery store and more television and newspaper stories about preparing your lawn for the warmer weather.  Is it time to fertilize?  Is it time to seed?  Can I plant anything in the ground yet?

 

I'm learning to look forward, to appreciate the simple things in life, to understand that I can endure and that the next day or the next season could bring flowers, chocolate. . .or  joy!

 

 

 

 

Emotional Spring Cleaning

I'm so happy that Spring is almost here!  I've already seen some cherry blossom buds tenderly opening and bursts of happy yellow and white daffodils in bloom around my neighborhood.  What a welcome sign that winter is finally coming to an end!  Part of my routine to get ready for this new and warmer season is cleaning the house and getting rid of items I no longer use or want. 

I take it as a healthy sign that every year as I open the windows, clean and change the house for warmer weather, I'm able to part with more things that once belonged to my husband.  I think it's okay or "normal" to keep a few precious items that belonged to your loved one when he or she was alive but not boxes and boxes of stuff.

In the beginning, I kept a lot of his clothes because I wasn't sure whether my son or others would decide later on that they wanted a particular item for themselves.  He owned a ton of ties and shall we say some of them were rather spirited and colorful just like him.  Yes, his ties were legendary.  For the most part, people eventually received what they wanted and now I have donated many items to a men's homeless shelter.  I think my husband would have liked this idea.

I still have lots of pictures, postcards and some letters written in my husband's handwriting because I find it comforting to look at his distinctive script.  I also saved his wristwatch and a few other personal things but that's about it for material possessions.

Holding on to a loved one's possessions is a tricky area because it can become unhealthy and the inability to give possessions away can hold you back from moving forward with your life.  According to Dr. Rita Freedman, grieving, for some people, can become a habit that is "just as compelling and satisfying as any addiction."

Freedman, a licensed clinical psychologist and author of several books, including, "Overcoming Loss: A Healing Guide," says that "letting go" is an active process that has many aspects.  It can involve letting go of objects, as well as anger, guilt and some of life's established routines.

"You may have some painful decisions as you start sorting heirlooms from junk, sweet momentos from simple clutter," Freedman says.  "To grow beyond loss you must carve out some new space in your life."

So as we spring forward this weekend and go back on daylight savings time, think about some of things you have been keeping.  Do you really need them?  Are there things you could discard?  Making this new space is scary but in searching for it you may find a new energy or new calm within yourself.

Ahhh-Choo!

Dear Readers,

Please send me your positive energy.  I need it bad.

February can be a tough month.  Thank goodness it is so short.  I have been spending the past couple of days coughing, sneezing and constantly blowing my nose, drinking tea and existing on soup.  I have to say that this morning I feel a little better but the cough is still there. 

We haven't had a severe winter; in fact it never really felt that winter settled in for any long period of time.  I know this winter was considered mild and while we had some flurries here and there, no real snowstorms ever developed.  I have a feeling that one of the reasons lots of people have colds and coughs is because it gets cold for a day or two and then it gets warm for a day or two.  No one knows what to wear for work or play and that reminds me of another thing I am really tired of: my winter clothes.

I'm done with the coat and the scarf and the boots and the gloves.  I just want to open the door and go outside without any layers of clothing. 

I heard on the news this morning that today's sunset is at 6 pm and I am taking this as a good sign that spring is on its way and winter may finally be coming to an end.  I can hardly wait for the warm weather!

Paris In Pennsylvania -- 2011 Philadelphia Flower Show

Everyone is tired of the ice, the snow, the cold and winter in general. 

 

For those who are grieving,  winter can be particularly harsh.  As an antidote to this dreary time of year, Sibley Hospital is organizing a day trip on Wednesday, March 9 to the 2011 Philadelphia International Flower Show.  This year's theme is "Springtime in Paris" and visitors can expect to enjoy spectacular flower sculptures and carousel topiaries as well as lush flowering trees, lilacs, roses and borders of lavender.

Travel Itinerary -- Wednesday, March 9, 2011

8:00 am        Depart Westwood Shopping Center in Bethesda, Md.
11:00 am      Arrive at Philadelphia Flower Show
                      Free time to enjoy the flower show &; lunch on your own
4:00 pm        Depart for Washington, DC
7:30 pm        Arrive Westwood Shopping Center in Bethesda, Md.

Cost per person: $79.00 (includes transportation, entry into the flower show, tolls, taxes & all gratuities

Contact: Kim Grizzle at Eyre Tour & Travel for reservations at 1-800-321-3973