Mulching beds recently, I realized I’d run over a plant with my cart. I propped it up with an extra helping of mulch and lamented that it was my poor, beleaguered, crinum lily. If plants, like cats, have nine lives, this one was close to meeting its maker. Years ago, my husband and I bought …
My formative years were a weird dichotomy of first traveling the world and delighting in new sights and cultures, to life in rural Arkansas. For most of my life, I have believed that the years my dad spent in the Air Force were the best and the years in rural Arkansas left me wanting. But …
I was listening to an episode of my favorite mental health podcaster, Brooke Castillo titled “How Are You Feeling?” Have you listened to any of Brooke’s podcasts? They are amazing, so much information and personal growth – for free! She talked about increasing your vocabulary of emotion words. We get into such a habit of …
When pain gets in the way of a garden project you are working on it’s frustrating. You feel upset as a result. You feel powerless and not in control. Pain is an abusive partner in this relationship when viewed this way. Blaming pain gives it power over us When the actions of pain control your …
The Mandalorian is not a show that I would watch – normally. You see, I don’t enjoy futuristic, dystopian shows. It bothers me to think of a desolate and barren future. Isn’t there a place in the future for beauty? And flowers? And color? I also don’t like shooting and fighting. So, there is nothing …
Chronic pain turns me from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde. Well my pain doesn’t do this, my thoughts about my pain do this. This week I have ridden an emotional roller coaster as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde have mentally committed both to double, complete knee replacement surgery, and I don’t need, nor will I …
I have a pot habit. Or is it a pot addiction? How do I know the difference? According to my friend Google, you must ask yourself these four questions: Is my behavior having a negative impact directly or indirectly on my life? Do I repeatedly put myself in risky situations? Do I experience stress or …
Years ago, when I was a young adult, fit and beautiful and newly married, newly graduated from college and embarking on a professional career, I remember a discussion among my co-workers about housework. I casually said that I never vacuum the carpets because it hurts my back too much. This statement was met with outrage …
Today’s topic on pain relief is about what I call soothers. Some people call this self-care. When I say self-care what image do you conjure up? A nice massage with the calming scent of lavender essential oils being rubbed luxuriously into your aching muscles and joints in a candle-lit room with gentle music playing? Wouldn’t …
I am patrolling the outside of my house vacuuming grasshoppers. I know this sounds inane, but this is my organic method of grasshopper control. These are not the regular brown grasshoppers that love tall, dry grass. These are Post Oak grasshoppers and they only live (and dine) on post oak trees. These interlopers showed up …