Weigh to Roll: The Long Road Home...

 I have a most critical appointment this morning about a grant that will bring a tremendous change to my life.  

 And at 10pm yesterday,I get a call that my ride will not be able to carry me.  Stuff happens.. I have to do something  facilitate this move.

It was too late to make other arrangements so now I am face with a dilemma how I will do this.

Well what I'm going to walk to the appointment.

Fortunately, it is about 2.5 miles away from my home.  I have been able to walk up to 2 miles on my current walks,that being round trip but never 2.5 miles 1 way!

But I am so determined to keep that appointment I will not let anything deter me from keep that appointment!  Fortunately for me it will be a gorgeous day and its a scenic route. I am having now a power breakfast; on will come the earphones,stretch a bit, carry my water and off I will go!

The good thing is I will have probably a couple of hours rest time before making the return trip home.  I am going to find out today what I am made of, of what my body will do for me.

But when you are focused, one will find that weigh out of no way!

The end result will be worth it for me; I want that loft with the windows.  I want the 50% reduction in my living expenses, I want those windows  :=) .

I want to be DONE. 

So folks who when they sprout off about "THEY" as in "THEY don't want to work"; "THEY just want to live off the system" "all THEY have to do is.." "THEY should just need to lose weight" "THEY are too lazy"...  "If THEY would get off their butts" 

Yeah, yeah, yeah...

I am here to tell you 'taint so. It is not what you think and that is what you get for assuming & being dead wrong...

So if you see this 60 year old woman on a cane with earphones, sneakers with that fierce determination on her face getting to her destination...

That will be me. You can join me if you wish...

Please don't think let along say "why don't she lose some weight"?

Simply cheer her own her weigh and say

"Weigh to Roll"!

'cause I got it like that!

"Dead Last Finish is greater than Did Not Finish which greatly trumps Did Not Start." ~Unknown

Gonnas be'GONE!

What I am writing about is not unusual for most of us when we make changes in our lives wanting to do things differently, see things differently and act accordingly.  It is part of a very flawed humanity, where people often in a need to level a playing field if they feel threatened or insecure, to diminish someone else worth when they see change. We do not have to look far to see that happening.

You do not have to be famous, wealthy, beautiful, highly skilled, educated or intelligent or skinny for it to happen. Just shift a hair and see what happens...

I just for once, was curious as I've entered my 6th decade, to understand without wasting too much time or energy, into comprehend why people, especially when it comes to engaging into a healthier, fuller life, why it seems to make others uncomfortable.

In the last several months, I have released over 60 pounds doing it realistically, holistically & carefully.

I still in order to reach my goal, have another 30-50lbs to glow; but it shall be done.  I am now looking to incoporate light weights, take a dance class and other things over the next several months...


  I am not doing it to catch a man, that I was ashamed of myself before or that I want to be out of plus size clothes.  And I thought that my doing this was about me, for me.

It is...

I am not running a race.  I am not trying to compare myself to anyone else nor trying to prove anything to anyone.  I thought I was a pretty cool mama before I began...Competition has never been my forte', I dislike it intensely.

But since the appreciable weight is being noticed also come the what I call the "gonnas" who are always gonna do something but never do & then they have to find fault with you because I did, not going to.  I had to get to a place in myself to accomplish this and I will be doggone if I will let the gonnas stop me.

 I more then proud of myself that I've held my ground...

I've learned that the sun was going to rise as it did so beautifully yesterday & the rain will fall as it did today nourishing my organic garden, no matter what the gonnas said or did.

And I am not going to be any less then the sum of who I am no matter what the goonas, gonna do.

Someone commented to me today that some jealousy could be involved; that some took my ability to speak well, my (as he put it) formidable strength, that if some one comes to me "they better have their A game ready" that the sum of who I am might scare some.

And you know what? They better (have their A game ready).

I am more then pleased with myself that after a very long time and struggle, I've gotten to the point where I came to know no matter what you do, even if you laid down and whine (or not) be passive or not having a learned helplessness wringing you hands to and fro in essence saying "Please like me,please like, I am not threat to you". it will be of no avail.

Cause the gonnas are gonna get you no matter what. It is never about you.

I bring this up because as we all reach hard toward our goals, there will be one or two (or more) gonnas. Live long enough and a gonna could come & get ya. People do not like their world disrupted or patterns shifted. When you release what has weighed you down it WILL cause a paradigm shift in others apart from yourself.

And if one doesn't like it rather using the awesome energy to change themselves, will use extraordinary means & lengths to put you right back where they want you to be, whether it is healthy for you or not.

Or whether YOU want it or not. 


So what did I do?  I wrote this poem:



Anyway
 By iiammoon©11

They are gonna laugh anyway...

So I might as well go out and play…

With all the life & vigor I can display

For...

They are going to laugh anyway...

Roll their eyes…

Smirk...

Wave their hands to & fro

So... I might as well sing loudly…

That song no matter how off key

Because that song  is  for me...

'Cause...

They gonna laugh  anyway...

Since I can't seem "to act my age"

I might as well jump in, Jimmy Choo's  & all...

in a puddle as muddy & messy as it wants to be…

It will wash off once I finish...

After I had a ball.

Because they are gonna laugh anyway...

All Rights Reserved JHM ©1-30-11

Walk this Weigh~I am STILL Grinnin'

I am still grinning this morning albeit a wee bit sore as I took advantage of a beautiful day and a need to get my art shipped out for the show opening next week to walk to the post office.

Round trip it took me about 45minutes thereabouts as I was walking a tad bit slow to terst out the knees since I knew it was an increase in the distance in walking.

I had not been out in the last month because of the inclement weather which gave me plenty of excuses not to go although I did a lot of micro-walks inside my home.  Apparently it worked as apart from some minor soreness which indicated I gave my bosy a workout without over taxing it had me just a'smilin' this morning.

And I slept very well to boot!

I got to see another side of my neighborhood on streets I had not seen to see the still ongoing construction & re-sparking of homes still in disrepair from Katrina and was happy.  Some homes are far more modest but nonetheless gratifying to see what is happening.

I so wished I had my camera.

I enjoyed the birds chirping the sun beaming and the pure injoyment in the physicality of what I was doing!

And then I saw as I neared my street, first seeing him from a distance, a man who is an amputee very slowly on crutches taking HIS walk.  He had as I saw when I came up on him, had his leg amputated to his knee & the other leg was twisted inward.

But there he was walking away, inch by inch, step by step with his crutches.

He turned to come back in the direction I was so apparently he lived from where I was coming from and I lived in the direction HE was coming from.  I just ginned and spoke.  He smiled and we kept on our way.

I am going to make it a point to travel that street again in case I see him and perhaps on a good day we can walk together even if it is just a block.  I have no desire to invade his privacy or see him as a special case because he is an amputee, but as one disabled to another, we are telling the world we are "other able".

Today is suppose to be yet another glorious day into the low 60's & I will get out around noon-ish to walk again.  I had a healthy breakfast, get back to work for a couple hours of art and then get that walk going. My aim is to consistently walk 5-6 days a week as part of my current goals.

Oh oh, does it seem like my mojo is starting to work?

If it is to be, it is up to me. Author Unknown

Weigh to be whole~ Small delights that add up

Brussel Sprouts or Brocolli? Any gardeners out there that can identify?
Brocolli or Brussel Sprouts?
Mustard Greens 10-13-10



I woke up feeling wonderful no obvious reason, I been smiling inwardly for the last few days.

One of my musician friends came by this morning with his handsome son on a father /son day and what did he do? Toss my compost around and cover it with a tarp so it can "cook". I should have a wonderful nutriently sound soil for my spring garden before too long.

Great thing to do and a great lesson for his son about aiding one's neighbor.

He also pulled out of my loft space above my closet my suitcases with all my fall winter clothes stored. Kinda funny thinking of doing that now since we are still having low 80's weather for a few more weeks.

But I figured while I had the muscle & someone able to climb the ladder I better take advantage of it.

Much to my delight as I tried things on as I was gathering things to give to the woman who has a food bank and thrift shop as donations, about 1/2 of the items I could not begin to fit in with the hernia now fits beautifully which means I have now returned to my 2007 weight! are tops & tunics I had purchased some clearance, some thrift that turns out to be too tight in the sleeves or stomach & I just held onto them.

Well now they are just like they are suppose to be. I loved the fabric and/or colors and had hoped for the day I could wear them. They sat for almost 2 years and I told myself if they did not fit by 2010 I would donate them.

One in particular I held onto for 2 years after making an impulse purchase. It appealed to me though I am not normally a ruffly kind of woman. But the shirring on the sleeves got to me as well as the color.

Another 1/4 are big and half to be altered. What is funny is on the grey tweed skirt, the only thing keeping it from sliding from my waist to the floor is my still swollen abdomen. It fits like it is suppose to since it was a riding skirt so it is to be fitted in the waist & flared as if riding a horse which I won't be any time soon

The remaining 1/4 is being donated as they are too big and not worth the expense and/or time it would take to alter. And someone can get to enjoy them. As of now I have quite a few things going to this woman's clothing shop (not for sale she gives them away to people who come there for food and many of her clients need other things too).

I know by spring that many of the things will join the donation pile as I move toward my goals, but at least I got a chance to enjoy them for a season and will be willing to let them go so someone else can enjoy them!

I just acquire a blender & a slow cooker, so now I can make smoothies! Its amazing what can bring you pleasure, eh?

I thinned out my green beans. While I had a few, they are not thriving because they needed to be thinned out weeks ago & I could not, so now while the sun is shining I will get them done!

My collard & mustard greens, brocolli, brussel sprouts and Kohl Rabi are coming along nicely. It will be awhile before I can harvest but they survived my transplanting! This morning I also planted green onions, collards & red onions

Funny I intensly dislike mustard & collards as a child but love them now.

Last night I had shrimp curry with rice. It was really good. I opened the fortune cooking and saw the word "wait" on it. It was not the fortune it was the reverse side, but I thought it was interesting as that is what I am doing...

I would like to solve the mystery of which pot has brocolli and the other brussel sprouts. I know in another 60 days when it is time for harvesting I will know but I want to know now.

I'm Walkin' Yes Indeed!

Here is day 2 of my return to walking!

I double the block from yesterday and managed 4.4 blocks. I think for this week it is my set point. It was enough to bring me into a slight sweat & took me 15 minutes to complete, but that is good considering I am re-entering after convalescing. I live in a neighborhood that has lovely architecture & lots of interesting things to look at o I always have my trusty camera with me just in case


Many of the houses are well over 100 years old and some about 125-150 years old. I would love to own one of them but at least I can enjoy & dream for free.

It was interesting to se what some of my neighbors were doing in their fall gardens (or t least there gardeners were doing)


One thing I discovered from simply my micro-walk of 2 blocks yesterday was that I went to sleep around 9:30p & with the exception of 2 mini wake ups I slept soundly through the night waking up at my used to be when I had a lot of energy time of 5:30-6:00am!

If a micro walk can do that, well Whoa Nellie what will be when I am fully up to speed!

Understand I am not looking to be Wonder Woman right now. That is neither my aim or desire. My desire is regain some strength, some movement & see the world again...

I am regaining some of my life...

Yes indeed!

Weigh to Stroll~ My 1st walk since surgery.

Look what I would have missed if I had not gone for this micro-walk (above)


I had planned to wait until next week before resuming walking, but my instincts today told me get up & go for a walk. While I had my dr's ok, I was caution to be mindful if I felt dizzy or weak before starting. Finally in the last 3 days I have not had momentary dizziness or spells of weakness.

So out I went to test the market so to speak.

I only walked a very modest 2.5 blocks. It may not seem much for some, but 2 major surgeries back to back & 4 weeks out, I am pleased. It was nice to be out of the house for a change although tomorrow when I go I am aiming for way earlier so I can avoid the heat of the day.

I took my trusty camer with me & saw some of the changes in my neighbors' gardens and even some of the leaves on one very old tree in the beginning of changing colors.

I actually could have walked another 2 blocks but opted not to chance it.

There will be others and as our Gulf Coast summer fades away in Oct there will be more lovely sights to see as people prepare for the art season whick traditionally kicks off then.

I plan to increase the distance perhaps once per week as I see my stamina holds out. But I am happy to have done this today!

Weigh to Whole~Breaking bread & other Stuff with friends.

I had a surprise today from an artistic friend of mine who will turn 67 2 days before I turn 60. She wanted to take me out to lunch before I went to the hospital & she need to run away from home, so to speak on it was her job which is also her passion. Like me she was born in N.O but spent the majority of her life in Northern Cal (me Southern Cali) so we are both Southern women with a West Coast groove.

Both of us return because we were compelled to to support & contribute to the 1st recovery, and now the revitalization of our beloved home with her getting her 3 years before I.

My artist friend is scattered, impulsive, moves like the wind, hard for many to "get" her ( I do).

But she is dead on as far as her passion here. So you put up with the scattering for all the other.

We went to after her driving down the street like Mr. Magoo as she wasn't sure where she wanted to dine. Like most artist self included funds are limited but you still want a good experience.

We settled to Sukho Thai restaurant on Magazine that I had been meaning to try upon my return & never could afford so I thought.

It turns out not only is the food absolutely delicious but the lunch menu is very affordable.

I had green curry with rice & chicken breast. And I am not a fan of chicken breast, but it was right on target. And I sat and listen to my friends grand plans of knocking on the door of the city Mayor to give him a peace of her mind (she, trust me cannot afford to lose any of her mind) :=) about his seemingly inability to look into the faces of people who are still displaced or struggling to re-carve a home back in the Lower 9th Ward.

I love her boldness & her passion. She has beautiful eyes and shows all the markings of her Houma Indian/African heritage. We talked about our shared history (I am Apache,French & African), about us being elder women, artists, visionaries...

It was a wonderful unexpected gift I had today. We will probably not see each other until I come and allowing for me to rest a few days. Generally we get together every couple of months although we only live 15 minutes away from one another.

Our lives are full, interesting and we are non-judgemental of one another. We are so different in appearance I am younger, taller & weigh bigger then she. She is sooo Berkeley, I'm more San Diego. She is completely gray, I am just starting to go grey, but oh hers is so striking!

Her last boyfriend decided he could not embrace her naturalness, i.e grey hair, so he left...

His loss...

Now in the middle of this I received a package from another artist friend of mine, a CARE package today filled with fabrics (we are fabric artist), a candle of my favorite scent-honeydew melon,even tissues as she knows I will cry, a "necklace" made of spools of threads, a Raggedy Ann doll, a new tissued collage ornament (one of her creations & an assortment of trinkets. Since she is out of state of course she cannot be here next week, but showed she cared in the best possible way.



Now for a shifting of paradigms. I finally sat down & looked at all my medical X-rays and Cat scans. 1st the human body is fascinating to see & it is rather intriguing seeing your "innards". While it was a WOW thing seeing how big the hernia was, but also how really small my bones are (They are healthy, I promise)

But when I saw surrounding the hernia the fat that I need to released, I did not feel badly, I felt determined. I also felt tenderness for myself & for my poor framed doing an extraordinary job of holding me up as I weighed it down.

I've said for the longest time, if we do not get rid of what' eating us, all the albeit successful weight loss one might have, it will come back to haunt you.

That is why I never use the word "loss" but release. You can use whatever you want: relinquished, vanquish, loss, but I know one thing for sure: when you lose something you will go back & find it.

Guarantee.

So while I have been working on a more healthful way of eating, I simultaneously worked on what was needed to make this successful release party, whatever length of time it took. I am not going to punish me or berate myself or torment myself in this process.

Those things never work anyway so I do not why people keep going that route instead of taking a different approach.

As I told the doctor, my family generally lives into the triple digits and I am not going to not follow that one tradition. Other things I have had to reform or reshape but I LIKE the idea of living & living well into the triple digits.

So all in all, an unexpected but a delightful way to spend a day, breaking bread & musing...

Weigh to Sow~ doing something extraordinary on an Ordinary Day...

The beginnings of my green beans fruits
New Growth for my Bell Peppers


"Head in the Clouds" All rights reservedJHM©10

"Where the unusual occurs & miracles happens"~Dr. Dwayne Thomas 2002 CEO of University Hospital, New Orleans,La

(This quote is on the wall of the hospital where the story begins).

My story for the day (weigh to grow)

Before I had my last visit with the last part of the team I did a couple of things that pleased me to do. The people who yesterday had a change of heart after denying me access to a program that would have covered my medical expenses but in hearing my plight went above and beyond the call of duty. Because their humanity showed plainly, I decided I wanted to do something in turn for them.

I gave all 3 persons a miniaturized framed piece of my art that you see above.

I got to think how hard it must be for them on a daily basis of having to make decisions that can ultimately affect someone health. And how they probably on more then one occasion they may have been yelled at for doing what they have to do (I did not yell at them, but held my ground and my position).

I had told the initial contact person I would not forget her...

And I didn't...

So today before I had my appointment I walked in to present her, her boss & her boss' boss my art "Head in the Clouds". I am happy to say they were touched and said no one had every done something like that for them before. My response then was it was time and what a better person then me?

I did not do it to pat myself on my own back or to brag about it, but of course I did receive a reward in the sense that my endorphins rose and so was the happy feeling that lasted the rest of the day! As did my energy level & my pain level went down.

I then continued on to my appointment and got a lot of good news and also some poetic justice:

First of all systems are go now on the surgery.

And may I trill a lil bit here? My HDL/LDL is doing very well, no diabetes, no high cholesterol. I lost 5 pounds since last week AND my BP is 142/87.

Even the GP noticed I had a massive improvement since the last time my liver was checked in Nov and wondered what I was doing. I told him jokingly "been poor" ..

No, seriously, I have adjusted my eating starting with when I was across country and have continued to now. I was limited because of the hernia situation as to how much or often I could have physical activity, despite that limitation, I have improved.

Here is a big shout out to www.Sparks.com!

What has been in my control to change I have There were some external stressors I could not do a lot about (yet) but just like the turtle you just keeping moving steady.

Now for other stuff:

This morning I seeded my pots with tomatoes, mustard & collard greens, transplanted my squash into a large container & had my one and only mature displace okra plant moved to the back yard.

Since it was a tad bit cooler (who am I kidding?) I wanted to have them in the ground so I just plugged away. In the morning, I will plant Dahlias seeds, Kohl Rabi + Fennel as I want them to be germinating & growing while I am germinating and "chill-laxing" from the surgery.

A friend as offered to come in & tend to my veggies while I am recuperating . He has his own outside garden, so I know he will do well.

My upstairs neighbor Elisabeth will keep my flower front garden porch watered while I am down (?) Everything I have planted are in containers so it won't be difficult to maintain.

The other things I plan to grow does not have to be planted until Sept, so I will be up to grow by then. Since N.O has such a long growing season & a very mild winter thee are plenty opportunities. However because of our heat & humidity in the summer months certain plants and/or species have to be planted later then others. Like 'maters there are only a few species that grown well here like Creole tomatoes or Big Boy tomatoes but it is worth the wait.

And now I see the beginnings of green beans growing food! And happy new growth on the bell peppers. I am getting more eggplants bearing fruit. However, I had to pull one of my containers of cucumbers because they had gotten some kind of mold and I had to pull to save the other container. Because of the record setting 5 days of 100+ heat my cantaloupes were having an issue but seems to be rallying around now. I have 4 container so cantaloupes so if I lose some it will not be a biggy. I planted 4 as I wanted to donate some of the produce to one of the food banks since they get so little fresh fruits or veggies.


Sidebar:
PPL think that poor ppl are fat because of laziness when in actuality it is because of less access to healthy food. And most of the unhealthy food from places like Wal-Mart, (sad but true) are so much more accessible, cheap and taste good (for a minute). Peole should look into their own communities for groups like www.noffn.org assist them in starting their own gardens. The benefits are plenty!


Off sidebar:

I've learned to never underestimate what people can & will do or what YOU are capable of doing. Sow the seeds, water, nurture, fertilize and then watch it grow. Some times you have to deadhead so the plant keeps on blooming, sometimes you have to prune it back so it can grow and then others you have to pull it out by the roots and start anew. As Kenny Rogers in the song The Gambler "Know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away".

I will spare you my attempts to sing it.

Now excuse me while I go and do a happy dance!

Weigh to Hold~ From this day Forward

"No I am not a surrogate mother. I am not pregnant. It is a hernia. It has weighed me down (but not out)!
Moon o her porch needing TLC with hernia-Frontal.
Moon in her garden. It was blazing hot that day so my poor babies were wilting. (Yes I did water them)! 7-28-10
The plants like me needing some TLC

My front porch with the new plants that could use some TLC from Freecyle


Every man is going to have problems & sometimes he can be the problem for you"~N.N



No I am not blogging about men. This is about attitudes and how people that can make assumption that while initially are, I hope, without malice or intent to cause harm, can ultimately harm you.

I've spoken of it numerous times on my blogs of my challenges & frustrations, not so much about releasing weight, but more observational of life & culture and people as I continue to grow myself.

In less then 2 weeks I am schedule to have surgery to repair something that should have been cared for almost 2 years ago, but because of bias on the part of some professionals (and yes educated ones are not exempted from bigotry) access to badly needed surgery was not forthcoming..

I've had to pay for it in compromised health, economical & a wear on my heart & spirit. As of now I am so full literally & figuratively to the point there is no more room.

Literally, right now I am spilling my guts. I have what is a hernia, but it is not "just a hernia". If I was an elephant my abdomen would be right about the 2nd year gestational period for birth. The only thing that is preventing my intestines from spilling all over the floor (which would make an inconvenient mess) is my skin.

I went from an active, happy for the most part, humorous professional artist to someone who is now operating at perhaps on a good day 25% of where I was a few years ago.

All behind something that was fixable then & fixable now.

Over the course of the last 2 years, I've heard it all: People making assumptions about why you are the way you are to outright blaming while you suffer somehow holding you responsible for something that absolutely was not in your control.

Make no mistake, I do not see myself as a victim, so please do not make assumptions.

I have decided from this day forward as I continue to document this process since I 1st developed this hernia that now I will be very public from the surgery to recovery to reclamation to joy.

Despite what people may assume, I KNOW that once this is corrected I can correct all the rest.
I've been working on "the rest" for awhile, but with restriction because of the badly needed operation. It shouldn't have gotten to this point, but it has. It did. And it will be cared for.

One cannot unring that bell...

What is a weight issue will be far more manageable then it is now. I've gain 50 pounds simply from the inability to be very active. I have lots of limitations in my activity level right now because of a very real danger to my health until this surgery is done.

The surgery, I kid you not, once done, I will lose two dress sizes simply because of the distension. Several weeks down the pipeline , if all goes well, I will have my energy level back where I can be more physical. I've already been advised by the surgeon NOT to lift anything heavy for several weeks until fully healed & I will take him at his word.

I took these pictures of me the day I saw the surgeon so I can track & monitor my progress. My neighbor was kind enough to do it full frontal and side view. I wanted people to see what I look like. Perhaps for some they will believe me when I say "I'm not fat, I have a hernia" or if I am in a good mood "I am not pregnant, its a hernia".

It won't matter in the long run whether people will believe me or not. I've learned you cannot argue with beliefs. Beliefs are not often based on reality but on a person's attitudes, biases or their life's experiences and has little to do with you.

I just know from this day forward I will not be silent nor will I allow others to mar my life with their beliefs that can potentially cause me harm. I may not be able to stop all of it but I can surely stop a lot of it.

I've been enabled to gather knowledge, to learn a lot of what I did not know and reconfirmed what I knew and now I can put them into my own action plan & my vision statement.

I am in no rush. It is not a competition for me. I expect some missteps and definitely mistakes.

I have already redefine myself while here in eating, health & well being.

I've watched others in their triumphs & joys & also in their setbacks, but continue to get up.

I do not like the word "journey" It is so overused and for me when I see someone using it weigh too often I think "oh oh they are setting themselves up for failure" based on the context they use the word "journey".

But hey if it works for them, so be it.

For me, I am not going anywhere, I am exactly where I need to be.

I will spare you what the hernia looks like in its entirety, so you still will not be able to see all of it, only what is pronounced in clothing which makes it understandable why people assume wrongly I'm just fat.


A part of what is helping me immensely has been gardening. Great for your well being. A great stress reducing. A wonderful group in New Orleans, the New Orleans Food & Farm Network
www.noffn.org has been instrumental in my getting a container garden started. This wonderful group should be investigate and those of you are donors and financial angels should check into this a a cause sending your charitable dollars to aid them to do even more!

Like many non-profits, they are struggling with budget cuts, but wealthy in aid & assisting others to have access to healthy food right at their fingertips which will benefit us all in the long run.

If you are in the New Orleans area you should check them out. In other places you probably have a similar program where there are groups who will help you put in a garden as they believe it is an inalienable right we should all have accessible healthy food that is affordable.

My morning ritual is to tend to the watering, feeding & plucking. It almost puts me in a meditative state & helps me to manage my blood pressure and cope with all the external stress. Having the healthy food is almost the lagniappe ( a little extra) from this. I started gardening again2 years ago when this nightmare.

This morning I acquire because of Free Cycle: www.freecycle.org a potted okra plant, passion flowers, chives and morning glories plus empty pots & a raised bed to transplant. I am like a kid in a candy store!


"Comfort & prosperity have never enriched the world as much as adversity has. Out of pain & problems has come the sweetest songs & the most gripping stories"~ Billy Graham