Today

Today, I'm going to remember that patience is a virtue.

Last fall, we planted a crepe myrtle tree in our backyard because it brought back fond memories of living along the Gulf Coast. 

This spring, we watched as all of the other trees leafed out, and our crepe myrtle remained bare. We saw that our neighbor's crepe myrtles got leaves while ours remained naked. I was ready to call the nursery where we got the tree and ask for a refund. And then, lo and behold, we saw our first leaves. I guess our tree was just taking a little longer to get used to its new surroundings.

So, today. I will remember this tree and try to practice patience when I start fretting over something that I don't think is happening fast enough.

T is for Today

 

April marks the 15th anniversary of my blog, so during the A-Z blogging challenge, I will be sharing previous posts from over 2,100 I have written.

Through the years, I have occasionally written a Today post. In these posts, I have a picture I have taken, along with reminders of ways I want to live my life better. I liked looking back through these, and I think I should make it a practice again. Below are a few of my Today posts.

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Today, I am going to think about the things outside of me that are gradually affecting my life.

This is part of Wally and Theodore's tree house that Ward built years ago. As you can see, the tree is slowly growing around one of the supports and has pushed up a floorboard. I need to think about whether or not I have a "tree" slowly changing me. Am I letting outside forces determine where I'm going and where I'm going to end up? I'm not sure, but I do know that if I don't think about it, they very well might.

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Today I am going to be organized

 and not run around in circles.

Some days are more productive than others, and it usually involves being organized and having a plan. I have a plan, so I am not going to get dizzy trying to get things done today.

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Today I am going to stand out from the background.

Six-spotted Green Tiger Beetle

Some days it is easier to just go with the flow, but today I am going to put forth the extra effort to stand out from my status quo. I'm going to do that by trying something out of my comfort zone. So many things to choose from...

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Today I am going to step back and look at things from a distance.

Sometimes I get too caught up in the details and forget the big picture. Today, I am going to look from a distance so I can get a new perspective on things.

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Until next time...

Refrigerator Wisdom

I love Winnie the Pooh and his outlook on life. This paper lives on the front of my fridge but had started to blend into the background. I thought I would bring it front and center this morning to remind me having a good day is much about choice. Hope this your favorite day. :)

 

Outtake: 

The kitchen lighting wasn't very good, so I took the paper down to photograph in another room. Here's my first attempt when Leo thought he would help.

Today...

Today, I'm going to remember that

 "From a little acorn, the mighty oak grows." 

Sometimes, I get so overwhelmed with big projects I find them hard to start. I need to remember that doing just a little bit will get things going and soon good progress will be made. I'm getting better with this, but I still need a reminder now and then. This little oak tree I found while weeding was just the reminder I needed.

R is for Rainbow

Today... I am going to remember

 that after a storm, there can be a rainbow.

Today...

Today I'm going to put my geese* in a row, and
then let things happen as they may. 

I like to have a plan. I like to know what is going to happen and how I can best use my time and efforts with it. But you know what happens to best laid plans...**  When that happens, I am going to just go with the flow*** and not get stressed about it. Because try as I might, there's only so much that is under my control.

*The phrase is actually, "Get you ducks in a row," but I didn't have any pictures of ducks, so I said geese. And the rest of my family can't tell the difference between a duck and a goose, so maybe it doesn't really matter. I wondered where the phrase came from, and as with most of these sayings, there are several ideas. The first is a mother duck getting her ducklings in a row behind her. Another says that it is getting bowling duckpins in a row for the next ball.

**I tried to remember what came next after, "Best laid plans..." but I couldn't. Turns out the whole phrase is "The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry," and comes from a Robert Burns poem, To a Mouse, written in 1786.

***Another wording of this is "Go with the tide".

Photo by Theo.

T is for Today

Today is going to be filled with...

Tissues, Throat lozenges, and Tea.

Turns out that it wasn't allergies after all. 

I have a Terrible cold. :(

Today...

 Today I'm going to enjoy the attention.

I am like many people and don't want a fuss made over me. It makes me uncomfortable. However, today I'm just going to sit back and enjoy it. 

Today...

Today, I'm going to drink more water.

Drinking the recommended amount of water has always been a problem for me, but I'm trying to correct that. Do you drink easily and often like the males do in my family or do you struggle to fit in all in like I do?

Today...

Today I am going to enjoy low hanging fruit.

Sometimes I think too much and make things more complicated than they need to be. Today, I'm going to relax and do what is easy and smart.

(Raspberries from Miss Lander's garden.)

Today...

Today, I'm going to go with the flow and embrace change. 

Adjusting to change is not always easy for me in both little and big ways. Yesterday, the weather reminded me once again that change can be a good thing. It went from cloudy, to rainy, to a rainbow all in a matter of minutes. Each stage was spectacular to see.

Cloudy

Rainy

Rainbow

Today...

Today, I'm going to eat some fudge.

At Christmas time I made fudge and put the leftovers into the freezer. Today, I am going to retrieve it and have a special treat. It's good to indulge yourself then and again. Sometimes I forget that.

Today...

Today, I'm going to be like my cats and adapt to wherever I am.

With all of the upheaval in the house, many of the cat's favorite lounging spots have disappeared. Not to worry, cats can always adapt, and so can I.

 

Today...

Today, I'm going to try to not lose the mail.

Some days it's good to just have a simple goal. That's what I have for today--to not lose the mail. We are in day nine of construction and the chaos continues. To put order to some of this, last night I set up a station in the basement that will hopefully take the place of our desk and drop spot upstairs. The mail will probably get sorted into the bins here just as it always has. Hopefully, it will not go the way of the hats and gloves that are nowhere to be found. Now where did I put those? :)

Today...

Today I'm going to look behind the walls.

Sometimes I rush and jump to conclusions. Today I'm going to slow down and think about what is behind the obvious. Who knows what I might figure out.

Today...

Today I am going to count my chickens after they hatch.

Actually, I'm not sure how many chickens I'm going to count today, but I am going to smile every time I think about this picture of my aunt.

Today...

Today I'm going let the mess be.

We're getting ready to go on a little trip. When I go away, I like to come home to a neat house. However if I spend too much time worrying about the house, I take away from the fun, relaxing time the trip is supposed to be. I am going to leave some of the mess and leisurely clean it up when I get home. Bye, bye.

Today...

Today I am going to step back and look at things from a distance.

Sometimes I get too caught up in the details and forget the big picture. Today I am going to look from a distance so I can get a new perspective on things.

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Today...

Today I am going to be full of energy.

Sometimes the amount of energy I feel is a mindset. Today I am going to imagine I have all of the energy of these waves and have a very productive day.

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Today...

Today I am going to stand out from the background.

Six-spotted Green Tiger Beetle

Some days it is easier to just go with the flow, but today I am going to put forth the extra effort to standout from my normal status quo. I'm going to do that by trying something out of my comfort zone. So many things to choose from.