A sense of accomplishment

“Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end.  It’s not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it’s a day you’ve had everything to do and you’ve done it.” – Margaret Thatcher

Yesterday I talked about priorities.  I made a choice to concentrate on the priorities I had been putting off for far too long.  I do enjoy the sense of satisfaction when I accomplish what I set out to do.  How about you?  Do you feel satisfied when you get stuff done?  Maybe it is preparing and running your first ever 2 mile, 5K, 10K, 1/2 marathon, etc. or simply working through your to-do list and crossing off items.

Once you set your mind to do something you have to work at it to make it happen.  You can't just sit idle and wait for things to happen.  I didn't run a marathon yesterday or today for that matter.   But...I did accomplish something close to the ground, after a short 4 mile run!  Mission #1 accomplished - ah...now that I've weeded through some things, I can definitely see my priorities better.  I think I'm on to something.  Time to head out and get on with more!

Happy Sunday - Thanks for stopping by!  Enjoy your accomplishments of the day!!

No more weeds!!

Now the flowers can take off and grow!

Now I've got to put some controls into
place - time to find the Preen!

It's so nice to see things clearly now!

Soon, this flower will bloom where it has landed!

Thoughts on weeds

Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them. – A A Milne

I've been thinking a lot lately about priorities.  I'm wondering if by accepting the fact that I can't always do everything I want to do, is it an okay thought or not?  It really hits home when I walk around my yard and look at the pathetic flower gardens of this year's crop.  I can definitely tell they have been low on my priority list.  Last year, I made them a priority, and they were a lot more fun to water and look at.  I personally love flowers, but a green thumb effect takes way more time than available this year.  I guess it is just a matter of deciding what's really important to you.

I wonder if that's what AA Milne was talking about in the quote above?  Weeds in the garden can teach us some lessons.  The weeds tend to blossom and spread faster than the real flowers.  They have a level of admirable tenacity.  Their lack of fear of taking over and carrying on can be inspirational.  Well, at least that's my observation when I look around at the flower beds.  I could think the same about the glads I planted again this year.  I did put a lot of effort into preparing them for storage last fall.  I waited much too long to plant them because I wasn't sure of when the last frost was really going to be, and they were low on my priority list.  Planting them on Father's Day this year is really too late, but they too are showing some tenacity. Guess through the weeds I can still see some of my original priorities, which is comforting that I didn't really give up everything.  

If your priorities take you down a different route, is it worth the guilt to hold on to the old priorities?  Maybe it is just better to get to know the new priorities, learn from them, weed out what isn't essential to your priorities and enjoy the feeling of getting to know something new.  

Happy Saturday!  Thanks for stopping by!  Enjoy sorting out the priorities in your life!

You can see what is winning the space here.

I find this plant interesting, how did it get
all wrinkled as it grew?

Baby marigolds.  They are generally very
easy to grow...not this year!

Old faithful - 8 years now this plant still blooms.

First pass of the "weeding" session.  Just what
I needed...another "to-do"!  Maybe the blossoms
on the weeds will be pretty enough to enjoy and
I won't worry about it?

Discovering serendipity

There will always be serendipity involved in discovery. – Jeff Bezos

 I'm feeling a little awkward about finally getting around to posting.  I don't think randomness means just dropping off the face of the blog world for a long period of time, but that is what happened.  When life just gets so busy, it is hard to take the time to discover simple moments to enjoy.  Sometimes you just have to force yourself to take time.

Yesterday, as I was debating whether it was really too hot outside to sit and enjoy some sunshine or if I would rather sit in the air conditioning to relax, my camera caught my eye as I walked by.  I stopped briefly and turned around and stared at it for a moment.  I thought to myself, this silly camera brings me joy when I take random pictures just to see what they turn out like.  Thinking back to a time, not too long ago, I was getting better at taking pictures.  My framing and composition was getting a bit better.  Then I just ran out of time, and I had set it aside as it had become more of a forced thing than fun.  At that time, I had really exhausted the objects in our yard to take pictures of so why bother.   Nah... I just needed to remind myself that it's just the process of discovery that I enjoy.  I talked myself into picking it up and venturing out into the sunshine to discover a few serendipity moments.

Nothing spectacular, just a process of discovering different angles, and different techniques.  Simple serendipity.  Thanks for being patient with my lack of posts...thanks for stopping by!  Enjoy your moments of serendipity!!

Framed to the right

Framed to the left

Close up

Further away - just relaxing!

Better lighting...different angle

Too harsh of lighting

Darn, he turned - so serious isn't he??

Always on the look out for something to chase

What's that new scent??

Still there...

Wrong setting!

Huh...this setting is a bit better...love all the crazy clouds

Copper...my little partner in crime.
I even caught his cute little tongue in this close-up!

Conscience

Cowardice asks the question, ‘Is it safe?’  Expediency asks the question, ‘Is it politic?’  Vanity asks the question, ‘Is it popular?’ But, conscience asks the question, ‘Is it right?’  And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because one’s conscience tells one that it is right. – Martin Luther King, Jr.

Can you imagine living at the time when Martin Luther King lived?  I bet it would have been interesting to watch him in his quest for doing what is right despite the odds.

As I sit here typing this morning, and my little dog is pacing around my feet because the storm is scaring him, I'm having a hard time deciding what the right thing to do is.  He's being a coward for sure.  There's no consoling him, especially when it is storming outside.  Is that what it is like for people at times?  Do we tend to focus on what our needs and our safety instead of the bigger picture?  Do we just start to panic or become selfish?  Probably, we've all operated that way at times.

For expediency, I should just pick him up.  I should hold him, but he wants to just sit and panic.  Would that be right to console him and reinforce his panic?  I'd probably be popular with him if I pick him up.  Or should I just remain calm and steady and do the right thing by not reinforcing his panic?  This storm shall pass.

Lucky for me...my husband just got up and he's following him now.

Happy Friday!  Thanks for stopping by - I'm wishing you a great day!

 

Moving target...no smiling from him!

Panting is his mode of operation this morning!

Busy randomness

One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn’t pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself. – Lucille Ball

Holding true to my randomness - I've been away for quite a few days in a row.  I can't promise regularity right now.  With summer upon us and many things going on, finding the time to share thoughts in the blog format is minimal.  For several days, it has been frustrating me that I haven't carried on my commitment to blog daily.  I'm choosing to give myself permission to be more random, blog when I feel like it and keep on keeping on.  On the bright side, I'm sure there will be a day again where I can get back to a regular schedule.  Until then, random is the way to go!

Thanks for stopping by - enjoy your Thursday!

Too many rainy days in a row to get time out
in the sunshine!  My chair is calling me....

Enjoying all the creations from Sarah

So many unique designs

Way more creative than I was in my pottery
class.  Gotta love creative moments!

Penciled in moments

Map out your future, but do it in pencil.  Jon Bon Jovi

That sums up my week!  I've been extra busy, so haven't been around posting!  It's okay to give yourself permission to adjust to life's ups and downs!  If you can't be willing to adjust, life is just one big frustration!

Happy Friday - thanks for stopping by!  Enjoy the moments you've penciled in and out of life!

Sometimes it's hard to see the right direction,
especially when more than one thing
is moving in your life!
Enjoy the beauty of the variety!

Yesterday is finished

The only thing that has to be finished by next Tuesday is next Monday. – Jennifer Yane

Well, well, well...if life were that easy to just let each day roll by.  Every day it is important to say, "That's finished."  It helps you prepare for the next day, right?

It's Tuesday - I'm finished with yesterday - time to get on with today!  Thanks for stopping by!  Enjoy being finished with something and the moving on to the next!

Whatever storms happened yesterday, let them
go, be finished and move on!