Repotted Beauties

I think I’ll have butternut squash, zucchini and summer squash earlier this year, a few weeks ahead of my usual harvest. Here it is in mid April and I have repotted these beauties. They’re vivacious and healthy with rich green leaves. I’ve made sure to water them everyday, set them in sunlight and put the grow lights on them a few hours a day. All I need to do is keep them thriving until our greenhouse is up next month and then around Memorial Day we will plant them in our garden.

Early in the morning I enthusiastically rise to check on their growth. It gives me a deep peaceful tranquility to have them. The same goes for my garden outside in the summer. There’s a profound purpose growing living things…beautiful plants that will reap fresh vegetables for our consumption. I can’t imagine a more rewarding hobby fit for me, as feeding my family makes me content and proud.

This morning I thank God for my ability to learn more about inside gardening and possibly share some of my plants with others. I wish you all have a hobby that speaks such calm whispers to you, that spark a live fire within you and touch your soul. I have found this with gardening and writing.

Have a wonderful day and indulge in an activity that brings positive light to your life.

All My Best,

Heart and Soul

Love, Not Label

Shared from annvoskamp.com

LOVE and not label…it sounds easy enough. No matter how simple it seems, the way we have lived goes against this principle. Throughout my life I’ve heard family, friends model stereotyping people and labeling them, speaking words such as, “ religious”, “ bitchy”, “ bossy”, “ self absorbed”. You get the idea of labeling, right? Maybe you do this too out of habit and possibly self preservation to protect yourself from other personalities. After all our world we experience hosts multiple personalities to understand and keep up with.

My son and his girlfriend Jojo

I’ve read about this before and tried to live by this guideline. Whenever someone rubbed me the wrong way, I would chalk it up to differences between us and try to shrug off the hurt instead of taking it personally. But doing this takes patience. It also means you have to practice self- talk quite a bit to walk the walk and live by this. Because once you start labeling people it continues and becomes part of your routine.

I stumbled upon this quote from Ann Voskamp on Pinterest, triggering these thoughts again. Maybe I should practice this again whole heartedly. The maybe will be definitely, for I don’t wish to live my life judging others. I truly believe most of us do the best that we can or know at the time.

This is a thought for today…do you label others automatically? If you do, perhaps you didn’t realize that you were doing it. Try smothering people with unconditional love and not labels. After all, isn’t that the way you wish to be treated?

All My Best,

Heart and Soul 🥰

Being Grateful for Challenges

I’m at the point of my life that I appreciate and accept challenges that arise on this rollercoaster of life. Trying trials and challenges are meant to be written in my story. They present difficulties to overcome and conquer, all that test my heart, my perseverance and strength. These are all God’s gifts, part of his master plan for us to grow inwardly, to accept in our lives and thrive once we’ve overcome the hurdles.

Every challenge in my life have taught me unique lessons, ones that I carry with me everyday. They’ve been sewn into my cloth, embedded in my inner soul and have made my path sweeter and smoother. The nerve damage injury I had for two years, the horrifying enclosed MRI test that taught me that I have a phobia of closed dark spaces. Even so I talked myself into enduring the annoying and terrifying test. It taught me right away that I can do anything that I set my mind to do!

I’m grateful for difficulties and tests because each time I made it to the top, with the help of God of course! I am much stronger than I ever knew or expected. Much of my life I haven’t known myself, adopting a sweet but meek persona. That’s okay. It’s how I survived but now I know myself better, relying on my strength to guide me. I’ve risen higher than I ever have due to my strength. It ( with the Lords help) equals steel, a permanent fixture, something that I intend to nurture and maintain.

The next time you face an unpredictable difficulty that brings you to your knees, remember that “ this too shall pass” and that it could have happened for a reason. Any adversity in your path will surely build a wall of strength. Life holds not only pleasant times but tough moments, a patchwork of sweet and sour memories. Without hard challenges we wouldn’t appreciate the joys in life!

Have a blessed week and as you maneuver through your days, have faith that the stresses and challenges are fleeting. These hard moments will fade but the lessons they provide will build you into who you are meant to be…strong!

All My Best,

Heart and Soul 💕🥰

Plants in Progress!

The cucumbers and squashes!

About two weeks ago I shared with you all my latest venture with growing plants indoors. I figured that I needed to start super early here in northern New Hampshire, zone 4b. ( according to the USDA map) Usually I buy my plants already started and we plant them in early June. This year I thought that I could start them indoors and transfer to our greenhouse sometime in May.

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In just two short weeks the Boston Pickling Cucumbers and Straight Eights are thriving and look like they may need repotting within a week or two. Now I’m on the hunt for bigger containers to repot them before we leave for Las Vegas in late April. ( I will dedicate a post to that trip soon after)

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  The tomatoes and broccoli!

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  Peek inside the mini greenhouse you’ll see promising Tomatoes rising up!

Now I know that this process doesn’t take long indoors! I’ll plant the seeds in early May next year for a month of growth before putting in the ground. So this year we will have to try to baby them until it’s safe to plant outdoors! Thankfully we have our new greenhouse to help next month.

Happy planting friends! Have a blessed week!

All My Best,

Mary ❤️

Lil’ Moments to be Grateful For

Here’s a shout out to Debbie at Forgiving Connects and her recent post with a wonderful Gratitude list I’ve been using every day. http://Forgivingconnects.com

Today’s focus was Gratitude for the little things, the small moments in a day. These are my morning thoughts of gratitude.

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This morning I’m grateful

to simply breathe in and out

effortlessly

without pain

for the ability to walk without

A crutch or cane

For my voice and

the meaningful words

I declare in a day

For the gentle peck of a kiss

always magical

the “ sweet dreams” chant

my husband and I murmur

while we softly tuck our beings into bed

I fondly think of

the cool rush of a cotton pillow

the rising sun’s beauty

and it’s flowing rays

kissing my cheek with blazing

warmth

and at the end of the day

its stunning encore

with a fleeting promise

that it will rise

Once again

Close to my heart

I’m grateful

For my son’s quick messages

sent to me

love passing through

technology

Every morning I try to thank God for everything

Simple and sweet

and even tough challenges

in my life

For all these are what makes up

my story

I hope you all find sweet little things

to be grateful for

and even the tough challenges

that build our strength and character.

All My Best,

Heart and Soul 💕

Home Sweet Home

Many years of

Renovation dreams

turn to reality

a safe place to be

to call our own

our plan

our dream

with

years of hard work

spent money on materials

boards

screws

insulation

hard workin’

sweat

all thanks to my love

a man who toils for his family

and home

We look forward to doing more on our little house this summer. Every year it becomes buttoned up more. This summer will be the fourth anniversary of our big move in, something I patiently waited for 22 years. 

All My Best,

Heart and Soul ❤