D.O.S.H.H.D.

     My father was what you could call a self made man. He dropped out of high school and joined the navy during WWII. He was a member of the Seabees stationed in New Guinea and the Philippines until the end of the war. After the war he got his GED, got married and went to work for the City of Los Angeles as a laborer. By the time he retired over thirty years later he was superintendent in charge of running the Los Angeles Convention Center. He got there by hard work and study.

Milton aka Mel     1943

     Although he did very well for himself, he felt deeply his lack of college education. Because of this it was very important that his three children attend college. He didn't care what we chose to study as long as we got a college education, and we all did.

     He was veracious reader. He mostly read for his personal education. If he didn't know how to do something he would read everything he could on the subject. I always considered him a very intelligent and informed man. There was very little that he couldn't do. He set a positive example for his children when it came to hard work and education.

Mel  1946

     When I was about 12 my father bought a ping pong table for our patio. He then proceeded to teach my younger brother and I how to play the game. Needless to say we weren't very good at first. So of course my father always won. I remember thinking at the time, 'I'm only a kid why doesn't he let me win sometimes?' The more we played the harder I tried to beat him. But I was also getting better at playing the game. Until one day I finally did beat him, just by a couple of points, but I won fair and square. I remember jumping up and down and running around screaming, "I won, I won!" My father just smiled and laughed. A little while later my brother also finally beat him. We continued to play, I lost some and I won some. It wasn't until I was an adult that I realized I had learned a very important lesson playing ping pong. When I won it was because I worked hard to improve my game. I earned my win, it wasn't handed to me. Because of that the win was that much sweeter. That's the kind of man my father was, he always tried to set a positive example.  Although he's been gone since 2005, those positive examples are still very much with me.

Mel at the LA convention center (early 1970's)

     Are you wondering what the D.O.S.H.H.D. has to do with this post?  I guess before I end I should explain. It stands for Dear Old Soft Headed Hearted Dad. We got this from a cartoon we watched in the late 50's early 60's, called "Augie Doggie & Doggie Daddy" by Hanna-Barbera. My brother and I started calling our father this in fun.  Our sister took it up as she got older and it continued into our adulthood. We would address his birthday cards with the initials and even had a t-shirt made.

A thought to ponder: "The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary."                       Donald Kendall

Participating: No Rules Weekend, Weekend Blog Hop

Garden Therapy: DIY projects

     I'm sure I'm not alone in starting to think about spring. Our snow had melted leaving the brown grass and bare trees staring back at me. But it didn't last for long and more snow came in the last couple days to cover the ground again. It will be a while yet before we'll be able to start planting anything. Maybe it's the same for you. So how about a couple DIY projects for the garden that you can do inside.

     I made the above birdbath a couple years ago for about $15. Can you guess what I used? A trip to the Goodwill store and I found a lamp and brass ornamental tray. By the way the lamp came with a shade, which I didn't need, so I just donated it back to them. Here's some before pictures.

     My husband removed the harp, socket and wires from the lamp. He then bolted the tray to the top using a little caulking to prevent leaking. I roughed up the surface with some sand paper then sprayed with primer. I used a stone textured spray paint for the final coat. It is decorated with glass tiles I bought at a craft store. It makes a perfect shallow bath for small birds and butterflies. We do put it in the shed for the winter, they can get pretty harsh here.

Here's a closer view of the top

     Another fun thing I created was from things I already had. A number of years ago I bought two solar butterfly lights. At night the lights would rotate colors and shine through the plastic butterflies. Over time the sun faded the butterflies and they really weren't very pretty anymore. But the lights still worked and I hated to throw them away. So what to do?

     I took an old CD disc and spray painted the non shiny side black. On the other side I glued flat clear floral stones, which I bought at the dollar store. I was then able to put the rubber piece, that held the butterflies in place, through the hole of the disc and mount it on the light.

 This is what it looks like during the day. Not only do I get lovely changing lights at night but I also have sparkles and rainbows during the day. Two for one.

     Here's a look at it at dusk. It changes from red to green to blue and back.

     I hope I've inspired you to make something pretty for your garden. As I look out my window at the snow I know underneath are lovely plants just waiting their turn. 

A thought to ponder: Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going too fast, you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.                              Eddie Cantor

Participating: Outdoor Wednesday, Tuesday Garden Party, No Rules Weekend, Weekend Blog Hop

Ain't Nobody Got Time for That, Part Two

     Hopefully you've finished your decluttering. Now it's time to organize what's left. Organizing can be as simple or as complex as you would like. One of the simplest ways is to put like things together. This might seem like a no brainer  but it's surprising how many people don't get this concept. An example is my pantry. I put all cans of fruit together, pineapple with pineapple, peaches with peaches. The same for vegetables and everything else. I also make sure the front of the can or package is facing out. All of this takes no extra time when I'm putting away groceries. But it does save me time when I'm looking for a particular item or making out my grocery list. To me this is the main point of organizing, making the mundane things of life easier. If everything has a home and it's put there when not in use it can be easily found when needed.

     Take my herbs and spices for instance. I have quite a few and I have them on "lazy susans" in alphabetical order. Some might say this is over kill. But do you really want to spend time rummaging through a drawer or cupboard looking for the one you want. Maybe to find that it's almost gone because you forgot to write it on your list hanging on the refrigerator. 

     You do have a notepad on your frig that you can write down things you need at the store don't you?  Meal planning is another area that can be made easier. Unless you're lucky enough to have your own personal chef somebody has to plan meals and grocery shop. I think most of us have our old standby recipes that we make most of the time. We might try a new recipe here and there but for the most part we fall back on the old favorites. What I did was put my recipes in categories e.g. pasta, rice, beans, salads, etc. Then under the name of each recipe I listed the ingredients needed.  I don't put staples such as salt, flour, vinegar etc. These would be put on my refrigerator list when they are getting low.

     I grocery shop every two weeks. So I pull out my list of recipes and write down meals for two weeks. As I'm doing this I'm also writing the ingredients I'll need on my grocery list. I then add anything on my refrigerator list and take a quick look through my cupboards to make sure I haven't forgotten anything. In about thirty minutes I'm good for two weeks of meals. I might have to go to the store in between for some fresh things, but usually only once. I don't assign a day to my meals, I like to have the flexibility to decide what I feel like making. But I always know I'll have ingredients for 14 days of meals.

     I do like to try new recipes. I have to do something with all those food pins. If the recipe is a hit I paste it in my book and add it to my meal list. If not it goes in the trash. 

Three ring binder

     I don't love cleaning house but I do like a clean house. There are also other household chores that need to be done, like laundry, dishes. Everything can be divided into daily, weekly, monthly, etc. Also don't forget to delegate. There's no reason others in the household can't do a chore or two. I use the zone approach. You can learn more about this at: Flylady. I have modified her concept to fit my needs. You can write your plan out and put it in a notebook as she suggests, but another option is a handy App I found called - Home Routines. It's all about what works for you.

     Another big area that can bog us down is paper. That is: bills, receipts, insurance papers, basically any paper you need to keep for a short or long time.  I have file drawers with hanging file holders. They are labeled to fit my needs, e.g. Auto - purchase & registration, Auto - repairs, Insurance - auto, Insurance - home, Medical, Utilities, Taxes. You get the idea. I have made categories that work for us. If I have a receipt for new glasses, that's tax deductible, it goes in the tax folder. The water bill goes in my budget notebook, once paid it goes in the utilities folder. 

     It might take a little time to set up a file system if you don't already have one. But in the long run it will be worth the effort. It will save you time and headaches if you have a home for each piece of paper (sometimes that home is the trash). If your letting papers pile up on a desk or counter top it's just adding to your stress. Deal with paper as it comes through your hands, that way you don't miss paying a bill or some other important matter. 

     Remember being organized isn't a contest. It isn't about who does it better. It's about making your life easier. It's about customizing everyday activities to give you more time for the fun things in life. I have refined my system over time to work for me. Hopefully you can find some ideas and inspiration to get started on your organizational journey. 

A thought to ponder: If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?"          John Wooden

Participating: No Rules Weekend, Weekend Blog Hop

     

Ain't Nobody Got Time for That, Part one

     The New Year is a time for resolutions and new beginnings. We all have at one time made a vow to do this or not do that. All of which goes out the window by February. One thing I don't need to make a resolution about is being organized, because I am. Now I'm not bragging, I am an organized person. But the main reason I'm organized is because I'm lazy. Now you might wonder how these two things can go together. It's simple, being organized saves time and energy. If I can find an easier way to do something you can bet I'll do it.

     I can hear the moaning now, I just don't have time to get organized. I have too much stuff. Ok that's the first step in becoming organized, get rid of stuff. Don't even try to organize until you've done this step. If you say you need more containers, more cupboards, more house, then I say nooo, you need less stuff. What is clutter? It is anything you don't use, need or want.  There is plenty of information on the internet about decluttering. Two good sites that address minimalism are: Becoming Minimalist, The Minimalists. Everyone's needs are of course different. If you have children, what you need is going to be different then someone without kids. How far you want to go with minimalism is up to you. But if you do nothing else, at least become a more aware consumer. Think before you buy. 

    The first step to decluttering is to start.  Just begin with one room at a time and one drawer or closet at a time. It's amazing what you can accomplish in   15 -20 minutes. If you run across something and say "oh, I forgot I had this", it needs to go, because obviously you didn't miss or need it. Don't get caught up in the "one day" or "what if". If you haven't used something in several years what makes you think you're going to start using it now?

   Do you feel like your life is chaotic, that you never seem to get everything done? This is what clutter can do to you. Even if most of your stuff is out of sight in closets and drawers. It's still there and your subconscious knows it's there. You own your stuff, it shouldn't own you. We each must decide what is important in our life. When you're bogged down by too many things that require your care, you loose time from the things that you really want to do. Yes, it's going to take some time to declutter and organize, but in the long run you will save time, energy and frustration.

     Are you still whining that you don't have time to go through everything you own? Let me ask you this, if someone in your family asks where something is, can you put your hands on it right now? If you're spending time looking for something that you know is "around here somewhere", then you're wasting time. Even 10 - 15 minutes a day spent looking for things can add up to over an hour a week. An hour that you could have spent doing something more enjoyable. 

     Your things should have a purpose whether functional or aesthetic. I'm not saying your home should be a bare box. But if you're not using and/or enjoying your possessions then they are owning you, they are controlling your life.  By having less stuff it means less time spent deciding what to do with that stuff. Here is a blog post that can get you started: Jumpstart Decluttering. 

     If you really want your life to be less chaotic then you'll make time to declutter, otherwise you'll just continue to make excuses. Hopefully I've convinced you to start a house cleanse. Stop by for part two, I will go over a few things I do to keep organized. 

A thought to ponder: "Clutter isn't just the stuff in your closet it's anything that gets between you and the life that you want to be living"    Peter Walsh

Participating: No Rules Weekend, Weekend Blog Hop

Foot In Mouth Disease

     There seems to be an epidemic going around. My fear is that there is no cure. It seems like every other day you hear of someone apologizing for something they said or wrote. There seems to be this need to chime in on everything that happens even things that aren't really that important. Now don't get me wrong everyone is entitled to their opinion/belief. We all have them and we all believe ours is the right way to think. A good discussion is always worth while. But why do people have to be so nasty and snarky about what they say?

     The internet certainly has made it easier to express our opinions. With Facebook and Twitter you can comment instantly on anything that happens. The problem is that a lot of people forget to put their brain in gear before putting their mouth in motion, or in this case their fingers. You find people blurting out the first thing that comes to mind. They don't seem to take the time to think about the affect their words will have. Or perhaps they don't care, which I think is worse. Every time I hear of someone who is apologizing for something they said, I shake my head and think, "Well why did you say it in the first place?"

     I guess I'm old fashioned in that I still believe if you can't say something nice, don't say anything. Certainly you should have an opinion and certainly you have the right to express it. "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain, and most do." To me this is where the problem is, people think this is ok. They might say they're just being truthful. NO, you're being hurtful.

     Here's my opinion, if you're going to criticize and complain about something then you'd better have some solutions. Otherwise, keep your mouth or keyboard shut. If you're going to condemn someone, you'd better be perfect. There are such things as tact and constructive criticism. Winston Churchill said, "Tact is the ability to tell someone to go to hell in such a way that they look forward to the trip."

     Constructive criticism is just that, constructive. It is helpful not hurtful. When I paint a picture it's of no help to me if someone says, "that sucks". Sure that's their opinion and maybe the painting does suck. But that doesn't help me make it better. Rather pointing out ways I could improve the painting would be of more benefit.

     Maybe not having to talk face to face with someone makes it easier to say unkind things. Ask yourself would you really say that to a person's face? Maybe the fact that you don't know the person makes it alright. And of course there are the people who make anonymous comments. These are the cowards of the internet. They don't even have the courage of their convictions or opinions to put their name on them.

     In the end when you make cutting remarks it really is a reflection of who you are as a person. You might think you're being clever and truthful but "a sharp tongue sometimes cuts it's own throat." If you read or hear something and have the need to respond, think first. You don't have to agree but come up with some thoughtful reasons why you disagree. Because if you can't do that then your opinion/belief is on very shaky ground.

     There will always be people who feel the need to condemn and criticize. We can only feel sorry for these people for they are very unhappy indeed. Let's work to end "foot in mouth disease". Maybe we can't wipe it out entirely but we can at least reduce it from an epidemic to just a random case here and there.

Maybe we need to wash some mouths out with soap, like we do for hands, to reduce the spread of disease.

A thought to ponder: The biggest communication problem is we do not listen to understand. We listen to reply.

Participating:No Rules Weekend

Can You Speak Wyoming?

     Travel can be such a life enhancing experience. It doesn't really matter where you travel, you will always learn something. I've been fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel to quite a bit of the United States, also to Australia, New Zealand and a number of countries in Europe. All have been a wonderful learning experience and I hope to do more.

A trip to Italy (2006) Florence 

Trevi fountain - Rome

A trip to Greece (2008)

     I've always been interested in history. I love reading books about historical subjects both fiction and nonfiction. I find it interesting to learn about other cultures. It's fascinating to see how people do things in other countries or even in other parts of the U.S. Another way, besides travel, I've been able to learn about other cultures has been hosting foreign exchange students. When our children were growing up we had several: two from Germany, one from Switzerland, one from France. This experience was of benefit to the whole family. 

A trip to Costa Rica (2011)

     A couple years ago we had the opportunity to have a young lady from Japan stay with us. We had a wonderful time learning and laughing with Mariko. Although she is now back in Japan we keep in touch and she is considered part of our family. She calls us her American parents. Our grandson hit it off with Mariko and they became great friends.

Rex with Mariko and another good friend, from So. Korea, Taesub 

     Whenever Rex came to our house he would want to hang out with her if she was home. One day while they were together Mariko was watching a video on her computer. It was in Japanese. She explained to Rex that they were speaking Japanese, like he speaks English. He replied, "No I don't speak English, I'm not from England. I speak Wyoming".  They have a family friend who is from England and of course speaks with a British accent. So I guess that's his idea of English. 

    Although Rex hasn't been out of the U.S. yet, he has been to a number of states. He's visited: California, Montana, South Dakota, Kentucky, Louisiana and Florida. He was able to communicate very well with the inhabitants of those states. As he gets older he will have a better understanding of how Wyoming is a part of a larger United States. And that the U.S. is part of an even larger world. But he's already had the opportunity to meet people from many other places. And perhaps learn that although the world can seem large we have more in common then we realize. So what language do you speak?


A thought to ponder: Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.



Participating: Share Your Cup, No Rules Weekend, Share the Joy, Grand Social

Who's in Your Garden?

     Our garden offers us many hours of enjoyment. Not only do we enjoy the beauty of our flowers and the bounty of our vegetable garden; we also can delight in numerous types of wildlife.

A finch picnic

     Our bird feeders and bird baths give us a wonderful opportunity to view many types of birds. It is always fun to watch their antics.

A classy swimming pool

A puddle will do nicely too

     It doesn't seem to matter the time of year, we always seem to have some kind of avian visitor.

This robin is wondering what happened. This picture was taken in April.

A Lazuli Bunting

Here's a Northern Flicker, a type of woodpecker. They hang around into winter. I always leave some grapes on my vines for them, well what the robins don't get. The woodpeckers love frozen grapes. 

This hawk is scouting for lunch. I know they have to eat also but I sure don't like them getting my little sparrows. Fortunately the sparrows have a nice place to hide in a prickly rose bush near the feeders.

I think this is a Rose-breasted Grosbeak

This is "Morty" our resident pheasant. He has been coming and going in our yard for several years now.

Here's Morty last spring with one of his female friends, he had two.

These guys showed up in our yard one day this past August. They poked around for awhile then waddled on their merry way.

We always seem to have one or two rabbits that like to make a home under our shed. Like the other wild life they come and go.

This doe stopped to take a drink last week in front of our house.

Here's the doe's friend munching on some grass. We see this buck and several does frequently this time of year roaming around the neighborhood.

    A first for us, a couple weeks ago we had raccoons in our yard. We found the dog's water dish tipped over one morning and were wondering how it happened. That evening our motion sensor light in front went off and my husband spotted four raccoons before they scooted around to the back. The next day the water dish was tipped over again. We're pretty sure they were eating fallen crab apples. They have since moved on to greener pastures. I wish I could have gotten a picture.

     These are a few examples of the wildlife that visit our yard. Over the years as our garden has grown and evolved we've noticed more birds. Not only the number of birds but also the variety.  So who's in your garden?

A thought to ponder: "When man moves away from nature his heart becomes                                         hard."    Lakota

Linked to:No Rules Weekend, Outdoor Wednesday