Wordless Wednesday: Spring Crocuses

 

Friday's Quote: Barack Obama

 

Image Credit: QuoteFancy

Since the beginning of this year, I've been reading with my younger sister's two youngest sons. She had complained (again) that her boys were behind in reading, especially her youngest. I had tried giving her several solutions before, but she either didn't implement them or it didn't work. If you're wondering why my sister (and her husband) don't read with their sons, all I can say (without judgment and in all honesty) is that they're lazy. My nephews are pre-teens and they would've already done it if they had wanted to.

So, I proposed a solution, in which I was part of the solution. Every weeknight, I call them on Google Duo and I read with each boy for 20 minutes (click here you want to know why 20 minutes per day is important) on Epic, a book app (yes, I pay for the app too).  Some days, the 40 minutes pass quickly and some days it's a chore. There have been days where I had to skip (like earlier in the month when my children had norovirus/rotavirus and I caught it from them) because my children or I was too sick. Overall, I've been consistent in showing up and so have they. With the oldest, I've been trying to teach him to read more slowly and to pay attention to what he's reading. With the youngest, I've been trying to work him up to word recognition/sight words and reading fluency (he's not a first grader, but he isn't reading at a first grader's level). I'm noticing the biggest changes with my younger nephew because his reading fluency has actually improved. This arrangement (thanks to today's technology) will probably continue into the summer.

Why am I doing all of this? Because I love my nephews and they deserve more (even if they hate reading with me and don't understand the power of literacy). Because I believe in the power of reading and the power of books to transform one's life. Because reading is a gateway into learning about other things and opening one's eyes/mind to something bigger. So, I will continue to read with my nephews and we'll see how this goes.

So, how are you doing? What is going on in your world? 

Tuesday's Tune: Miss You

It has been some time. Life got busy, as it usually does. How have you been?

I wanted to share this song with you. I don't even know how I heard the song, I think it just popped up and I decided to try out this song. It's a sweet song. Even though it's been many years since I've had a broken heart and many years since I've had to mend from a broken relationship, this song reminds me of the moments right when I was still missing that person.

Let me know what you think of this song. I hope all is well in your world.

Evolution 2022

My guiding word for 2022 is Evolution. It's time . . . 

Last year, I chose the word, Listen. I think I listened enough to myself, my conscience, my children, my husband, to others,  and to my doubts. This year, I move forward from where I was and have been for the last several years. I've had enough time to reflect and wish and plan. It's finally time that I go forth and finally walk the walk. It's time to evolve and move forward. No more waiting. No more being afraid. 

So, I look forward to what 2022 will bring and I look forward to what I achieve this year. I look to finally move beyond the place where I've been (although, I have lots of gratitude and love for that time period), and to evolve into what I can be and what I'm supposed to be. 

How are you? Do you have a guiding word for 2022? What was your 2021 like? Are you ready to move forward, too?

Blue Christmas

 I came across this article about Blue Christmas, and I couldn't help but agree with the article. I have a friend who's lost a loved one around Christmas and I know the season's hard for her. I used to sympathize with her, but this season I was able to also empathize with her. This year, my mother-in-law passed away in October, but her funeral and burial didn't occur until early December, which has definitely put a damper on the holiday festivities. I'm not complaining. I really am not. I'm only acknowledging that I am more aware of loss and it's hard to feel happy during a season that's supposed to be so happy.

My Mr. Man and I did do as best as we could to create a decent Christmas for our children. We got them a live tree and decorated it, I got them lots of holiday candies, and I even made holiday cookies. They each got wrapped gifts from family. I did all of this because I felt that I had to create some semblance of normalcy for them. They understand that their grandmother is no longer with them, but at the same time they are also looking forward to treats and gifts (regardless if their father and I weren't 100% in a festive mood). 

At this point, we are trying to find a new normal. A new way of life. Maybe next might be better. I hope all is well with you. Did you have Blue Christmas this year too? Or was it a much better Christmas than mine?

To Everything, There is a Season

 I haven't had time to write actively about my garden this year. We got spring weather early in our neck of the woods. Then it got really hot and there was no rain. To make it even worse, there were wildfires from the west and the north that gave turned our air smoky. When late summer hit, it finally rained and we had spring at the end of summer. Now, we are having a mild fall, like last year. I haven't really clean up my gardens either. It's been hectic, to say the least. Then my mother-in-law passed away.

Yes, you read that right. My mother-in-law passed away in October. She will be missed so very much. To me, she was kind. She loved to garden and I enjoyed talking about the weather and gardening with her. She had been sick for a very long time too. Even though I told her during the summer that she had twenty more years to be with us, I'm not surprised that she chose to leave us in October. She's lived a longish life and I'm happy to know she is no longer in pain. To everything, there is a season. 

Friday's Quote: Joseph Kennedy Sr.

Image Credit: Enkiquotes.com

I discovered several weeks ago that an Old Friend was, and probably still is, grieving his heart out. His oldest son passed away over a month ago in a "freak" car accident. His son was still relatively quite young, going on thirty years old. My heart goes out to my Old Friend. And of course, to his son's family and friends.

It's never easy for the old to bury the young. Especially when it's a parent burying their own child. As I thought about my Old Friend and his sad situation, I was reminded of my parents' (they too buried their son). To this day, I know the heartache and sorrow they carry for my brother has not gone away. I think it is something that just is. A different state of being and there's no cure for it.

As a mother to a father, I give my condolences and only wish the best for him and his family. I'm sure my Old Friend has lots of family and friends to lean on for support. And regardless of our spiritual beliefs, I know that love never ends and his son still loves him very much.

Friday's Quote: Audrey Hepburn

Hello, Lovelies. Is it already July? I've been gone for too long. It wasn't intentional. I've had so many blog post ideas, but life kept getting in the way. I've been trying to find time to blog and write in these semi-trying times (only semi-trying because there are effective vaccines for Covid-19).

Life as I once knew isn't the same anymore. I'm trying to get it near to what it once was. Of course, it may never get back there. Yet, I'm finally trying to insert some kind of control over my life. For the past year and a half, it's been my Mr. Man, and my boys. I was distance-learning with my oldest, and trying to entertain all of my children while Mr. Man worked from home.

Amid the chaos of living through a pandemic, the only constant I had was my gardening. In the summer of 2020, I returned to gardening again and dreamed big. Gardening saved my mental health during a time when there was so much uncertainty and so much quarantining. It was wonderful to not only see things grow and dream of a bigger garden (and a happier, brighter tomorrow), but to start teaching my boys about gardening.

Then this summer, I really expanded my gardens. I love being in my gardens and I don't even care if there's nothing for me to do. I love being with my plants and checking on them. I find watering is a chore (I have been thinking about installing drip irrigation), but it is time alone with my plants. It's also, believing in tomorrow and a future. Even though it's barely July, I'm already noting what I'm going to do differently for 2022 and what I hope to plant.

How are you doing? How does your garden grow? 
 

Go Fly a Kite (Literally)

 

Books of 2020

It's March 2021! I should've posted this back in January, but life happens. 

I thought I was going to read more, and I did read a lot. But, like many others trying to survive the time when little information existed about Covid-19 (along with the tumultuous political climate at the time), I was having a hard time focusing on reading and being productive. I also was pregnant and had a baby. Then I had three little ones to care for, in addition, to worry about keeping them safe and healthy.  I'm still happy that I read a lot.

Anyhow, the following is a list of books I remember reading last year. Sometimes, I'm not always able to write down the title (or author) of the book and I forget to include the book. Anyhow, of the books I did read and record, I'd recommend My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite. It's quite an interesting story. I hope you had a decent reading year in 2020.

1. Your Great Year
2. Leaving the Witness---Amber Scorah
3. Professor Chandra Follows His Bliss---Rajev Balasubramanyam
4. Everything You Are---Kerry Anne King
5. The Weight of Lies---Emily Carpenter
6. Winter Cottage---Mary Ellen Taylor
7. Hello Love---Karen McQuestion
8. Dear Girls---Ali Wong
9. Flame in the Mist---Renee Ahdieh
10. Stay and Fight---Madeline Ffitch
11. On Pins and Needles---Elizabeth Craig
12. Memories and Murder---Lynn Cahoon
13. Dead Until Dark---Charlaine Harris
14. Match Making for Beginners---Maddie Dawson
15. My Sister the Serial Killer---Oyinkan Braithwaite
16. Spell Booked---Joyce and Jim Lavene
17. Looking for Mr. Good Witch---Joyce and Jim Lavene
18. Putting on the Witch---Joyce and Jim Lavene
19. Fat Tuesday Fricassee---J.J. Cook
20. That Old Flame of Mine---J.J. Cook
21. When in Doubt, Add Butter---Beth Harbison
22. L'Appart---David Lebovitz
23. Night Shift Dragons---Rachel Aaron
24. The Night Garden---Lisa Van Allen

25. Pie Town---Lynne Hinton

26. On Turpentine Lane---Elinor Lipman

27. The View from Penthouse B---Elinor Lipman

28. Our Souls at Night---Kent Haruf

29. Summer Hours at the Robbers Library---Sue Halpern

30. The Last Curtain Call---Juliet Blackwell

31. Second Thyme Around---Katie Fforde

32. Murder in Waiting---Lynn Cahoon

33. Marshmallow Malice---Amanda Flower

34. A Body in the Backyard---Elizabeth Spann Craig

35. Death at a Drop-In---Elizabeth Spann Craig

36. A Body at Book Club---Elizabeth Spann Craig

37. Death Pays a Visit---Elizabeth Spann Craig

38. Cruising for Murder---Elizabeth Spann Craig

39. Cooking is Murder---Elizabeth Spann Craig

40. Death of a Wandering Wolf---Julia Buckley

41. The Big Chili---Julia Buckley

42. Cheddar Off Dead---Julia Buckley

44. Pudding Up With Murder---Julia Buckley

45. A Ghostly Undertaking---Tonya Kappes

46. A Ghostly Reunion---Tonya Kappes

47. A Ghostly Mortality---Tonya Kappes

48. Murder, Simply Stitched---Isabella Alan