Billie's Folly

You know you have a passion for Christmas when the first thing you think about when you look at a potential house—is where the tree(s) will go.  When planning my house, that was a major consideration.  And along with that, I had to determine where the outlets for the trees would go, and  then  have a light switch connected to those outlets so the tree lights could be turned on from a switch as you enter the room.  The (devil)/convenience is in the details!

It’s almost the end of the year and I’m cleaning up the scraps of thoughts  that have been collecting in the corners for a while.  

It's harvest time at The Folly.  

Paul (my trusty gardener) gets lots of great close-ups of fauna in my flora.  I get a few nice shots, but usually without the little critters.  And mine are often from inside looking out.  

I often forget about the overview my deck provides.  When I see the garden as a whole, the structure and plantings in the beds look more defined and full than when I walk through it.  Here are views from North to South on a beautiful summer day.

I'm convinced anyone can successfully grow a bountiful vegetable garden.  I had no previous experience, a few things have been disappointments, but overall, veggies grow themselves.

How many age milestones do we get in our lives?  A lot if we’re lucky!   75 is a big one for me to wrap my head around, because the next big one will be 80, and that’s turning a huge mental corner!  And yes, health-wise 80 may be 'the new 70'--but healthy and vibrant or not--there’s no denying 80 is categorically 'old'!  H ow did I suddenly get here?!  

My garden peaks just after Memorial Day, and that first bloom is always the best.  The second bloom--when the peonies are finished--is always a bit disappointing.  And as the summer heats up, everything struggles to stay fresh and vibrant.  And that's just when we want sit outside and take it all in.  I'm trying to appreciate the sweet spots in my mid-summer garden.

I've often thought Sadie needs a playmate.  At least once a day she comes in and paws at me until I go outside with her.  I'd love another Beagle, but I don't want to do the puppy thing again (they can be stubborn to house-break).  I thought of a rescue of any medium breed dog, but you can't always be sure (until it's a done deal) that they're house-broken, don't have issues, and will get along with your other pets.   Sadie

A trip of Memories, Spectacle and Reflection Vervet Monkey

THE PINKS HAVE ARRIVED

It was a beautiful day as I drove across the bridge to Mercer Island.  I realized this would be my last night sleeping  in my parents' home.  And the loss of my connection to the Island really hit me.  It's no longer where a part of me lives.  Yes, it will always be where I grew up, but I would probably say I grew up in Seattle--a very different culture from Mercer Island, set apart in the middle of Lake Washington.

As spring progresses, the perennials loyally reappear.   These make up the bulk of my garden, so the whole landscape comes to life. 

For those of you who see me on a regular basis, you know I've been dealing with my dad's estate since shortly after his death last July.  He very thoughtfully did not make me the executor--choosing Northern Trust, the bank our whole family uses.  This has saved me lots of headaches and piles of paperwork--legal and otherwise.   The view from my parents' home.  Lake Washington is barely visible in the distance.

I thought Autumn was my favorite season.  But having moved back to the Northwest, I think Spring is taking first place.  Maybe not as awe-inspiring as fall colors, but the contrast from winter to spring is so dramatic and uplifting and desperately needed!  It's been a dreary winter. Ranunculus bulb

C ulture usually refers to the customs, traditions, values, attitudes, behaviors, and practices that a particular group of people have in common.  Family culture  is the unique set of  customs, traditions, values, attitudes, behaviors, and practices  shared among family members.  Every family has a family culture, created purposefully or not.   It's the foundation upon which families build their relationships, assimilate their moral code,   share spaces , a nd interact with the world around them.  As  family members, the adults demonstrate and the children learn how to behave, how to express themselves and their emotions, how to make decisions and resolve conflicts, and how to establish relationships.  

Anyone who thinks gardening begins in the spring and ends in the fall is missing the best part of the whole year; for gardening begins in January with a dream. ~ Josephine Nuese 

From the Inside Out

I just love the seasonal changes in Oregon.  And all of them can happen in one day!  You can wake up to sunshine and have hail by mid-day.  You can have dreary rain all day and enjoy a gorgeous sunset.  And every year we get at least one decent snowfall.  It's lovely to look out on the blanket shrouding the world.  But the nice thing is, it usually doesn't last long or cause too much inconvenience — just one or two snow days for the kids.   Valentine's Day brought us a winter wonderland this year.

This is a trend on Instagram.  I saw one post, then read several more.  It intrigued me.  I'm not ready to post on IG to the entire world, but I know I have a small audience of friends here.

I just took a very short Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) questionnaire  online.  I was honest, and it determined that I’m on the border of ‘satisfied’ and ‘extremely satisfied’ with my life.  I rationalized that by deciding one shouldn’t be totally satisfied (i.e., complacent) with their life!  But, I’m definitely happy.  So, this made me contemplate (and look into) Happiness versus over-all Life Satisfaction.

During the 'holiday interim week' I try to do a little reflecting.  I have ongoing appreciation for my family and friends.  I don't take for granted my health or comfortable lifestyle.  But there's always room for improvement--right?  So I consider what I can do to better myself and make my life more fulfilling.  The answers are pretty universal:   Be present and authentic;  Strive for balance in my life; Show more kindness; Live responsibly;  Keep my mind and body active. Nothing like another  new year to inspire the same old  goals and resolutions!