I just adore a flower that doesn't ask me to do anything for it. They just come back prettier and thicker every year.
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| I like that my hens (and Pete) get to roam freely around the yard and woods all day. |
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| I like bulb plants that come back every year. |
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| I like this scraggly little dogwood that shows off in every season. |
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| I like a warm spring day in April when it's time to wake up this little patch of ground from its winter nap. |
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| I like the promise of summer garden harvests in this rich soil. |
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| I like seeing my little cucumber and okra plants ready to go in the ground. |
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| I like working on my back porch. I have pleasant office mates. |
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| I think they like hanging out with me too. (That's Eleanor in the wood chip tub.) |
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| I like that my wildlife come close... unless it to eat something I don't want to share with them. (Look behind the little pepper plant. Do you see her?) |
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| I like my tiny Bantum hen, Fancy-like. She's wanted to be a mama, so I'm letting her have a few eggs to hatch. (Stay tuned! We'll see who joins the family in a couple of weeks!) |
What does your name mean? are you named for someone? Do you like your name? Have you ever changed your
name as you got older. Would you like a different name?
Helen – I hated my name. I never knew anyone my age with that old-lady name, and it started with “hel” for goodness sakes! As an adult, I learned that Helen meant shining light, bright one, one who gives light. Also the most famous Helen was Helen of Troy who was supposedly the most beautiful woman who ever lived. So, I’m good with Helen now.
Margaret – I didn’t much like my middle name either. When I was little, I could not figure out how
to spell it. I pronounced it /Margret/
but there was an extra “ar” in there somewhere. Now my oldest granddaughter shares my middle name.
It means Pearl. I love that.
How do you celebrate your birthday? Did you grow up with parties? Home made
cake or store bought? Theme parties? Did you share a birthday with someone
special to you? Do you give yourself a gift each year? Do you reevaluate the
year somehow?
I don’t have a specific birthday tradition. A present or a cake or family dinner or maybe a trip. I share my birthday with a brother. Since we live in the same area now, we make it a tradition to go out to eat with our families on our birthday. A few weeks ago, I turned 60! Ron & I took a lovely trip to Cleveland, ha ha ha, yes, Cleveland! We had the best bed and breakfast ever. We enjoyed the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and some great restaurants. I'm embracing 60!
What lessons from your childhood have most impacted your worldview?
Hmmm… I’m going to go with “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without!” That little quote sums up two important priorities to me. The first is living within our means, and the second is being a good citizen of the earth’s resources.
Do you have a morning routine?
Yes! It depends a little on which day of the week, but everyday starts with the day's checklist. Perhaps is all those years of being a teacher and living by lesson plans, but I'm still a huge live-by-the-almighty-checklist girl every day.
