Balancing Act

Life is such a huge balancing act. Time and time again I am hearing from friends of their frenetic, busy lives. Time to cut back on something...many say they spend too much time on-line and the first place they look to cut back is on their blog posts. In the beginning I posted three times a week. Currently, I am sporadic, posting anywhere from once a week to three times a week. I suspect that some of the social/networking sites are partially responsible...for others life is so full of things that MUST be done. In between the MUST BE DONES are we taking time to be nice to ourselves? Are we taking time to do the things we most enjoy?

(flock of blackbirds frantically taking off en masse - this was a pure frenzy!!!!)

I no longer have children at home...an empty nester I am...Am I less busy...NO...for now I work full time and have aging in laws with serious illness and a mother that does not drive. One of my blog buddies from across the Atlantic tells the tales of shopping with her elderly rellies and being the parent of a teenager with her hilarious British humor. Others tell of their exploits of moving, sick children and the myriad trials of everyday life with great aplomb. Everyone has a full life. Are we busy LIVING it or are we surviving day to day doing what is necessary to get to the next thing. How is your TO DO list stacking up? Do you consistently add way more than you can possibly do in one day, one week or one month. I DO!!! In an e-seminar given by Christine Kane, she suggested that I spend 15 minutes each morning and choose the three most important items that needed priority that day and focus on those three items. Also to plan the day in my mind before taking off running at top speed. It works. Instead of feeling frustrated by the items not checked off...I feel productive and less stressed. She also suggests being "bodaciously" nice to yourself. For example, buy yourself flowers (I have kept flowers on my desk since around 1979)

I had a little medical procedure on Monday, so naturally Tuesday was full steam ahead...catch up day, if you will. My friend, Jayne invited me to attend a Kershaw County Show Choir Concert on Tuesday evening. At one point I was feeling too tired to even think of going out that night. My daughter called and asked if I was going to the concert as well. I am so glad I took a deep breath, freshened up a bit, picked up Michelle and met Jayne. The concert was absolutely fabulous with singing and dancing performed by students of three schools in the county. Several of the choir members also attend our church and we felt it important to support them in this endeavor. Another bonus to a great evening... Jayne, Laresa, Michelle and I enjoyed ice cream sundaes and much laughter afterwards. Michelle announced on her blog that EVERYONE should have ice cream for supper at least once a week! I agree...it was decadent!!!

Yes, we have jobs. Yes, we have children or aging parents. Yes, we must shop, eat and cook.

Yes, we must maintain our homes. Between all the yesses we must strike a balance...say only YES to those things that are truly important, to those people that are truly special, to the events that give us joy...LIVE instead of SURVIVE.

P.S. The first picture is of Carl's daughter Brandi jumping out of an airplane in combat gear! The rest were taken in various places by me.

Inspiration

Rain is splashing in puddles on the concrete, there is a chill in the air. A new season is beginning. A leaf or two begins the subtle change from green to orange, yellow and red. It's a glorious season one I love for reflection, meditation and making improvements. Preparing to hunker down for the winter to come. Or for us in the South the promise of Winter. It is a quiet Friday and I am prone to daydreaming...the dripping rain beckons me back to the window! Browsing thru some shots of things... I derive inspiration for future projects...
This humble cottage would make a lovely vacation home in the mountains. It's definitely a fixer. It is in fact in the Smokey Mountains. Can you just hear the rain tapping on the tin roof? A couple rockers on the porch. Pure Ecstasy.

The clouds rolling over the Great Smokey Mountains...all around one is engulfed in this smokey haze...it has an ethereal feel to it.

The lines of this bench and the way it felt against my back...I could nap here. Oh yeah...Me and Moe, our feline son.

On a walk in the country at the family ponderosa...I have no idea what these are...reminded me of some alien pods........

What's not to love about this wiggly, little guy. Can you look at him and not smile for all his being so very "twee" (as my friend Dorothy would have called it) This was on the dash of my friend Kelly's car. He was rescued from a thrift shop in Florida.

Nature's beauty discarded from the sea for us to look upon and enjoy. I could sit there for hours and sift my hands through the fragments. Some shells were selected to be added to jewelry projects...nature graciously provided holes for them to be re-used as jewelry or in other art.

Kinda what today looks like, shades of gray...behave... we are not talking about my hair! This day has a reflective, meditative, silent deliciousness about it...hope you enjoy your weekend!