For years I worked at my own business and wrote novels, articles, lots of non-fiction, even did a weekly business column (shoot me, please) for the local newspaper. With one husband, 3 children and a dog, I ran like crazy.Recently, I closed the business. After 21 years, it was Time. The children are gone. Grown. Educated. The husband is still here! And am I glad of it!
I write full time. And am thrilled to do it, too. This is what I always wanted to do. Indulge my creativity to the max. Indulge my desire to perfect my cooking. (Which I do to the questionable benefit of my waistline largely because good wine must go with that, yes?)
As I divested myself of clients over the past few years--and wrote more, I also took time to learn yoga. I am limber but cannot do every noodle pose they've invented. I also go to the gym more. Trrrrrrrrrying to get in the habit of 3 x a week to do my circuit. And I allllllmost make it. (It's the circuit that kills me. Exhausts me. But I sleep better, by golly.)
I have also begun to grow herbs. Yes, it was a huge challenge in hot, dry, sun-scorched southwest Texas.
Now, this spring I have added to my repertoire. How?
Growing roses! A new step for me, where here in southwest Texas the only things that grow naturally (and without major injections of nutrients) are the cacti, your hips (from the queso and chips) and the deer who eat every thing (and would eat every ONE if they could).
But after 15 years of trying to grow plants and herbs here, there and everywhere in my garden (where things fry from approximately April through October), I have got a system down.
What is it?
POTS.
Yep. Growing everything in pots. And fencing! All for my herbs. Pansies. Geraniums. Impatiens. And now--ta-dahhhh--we are going to nurture roses.
These, seen here, are my first pot. (Like great lingerie, I always try out one before I buy more). This is right after I transplanted it. Spoke to it. Whispered sweet nothings. Fertilized its little ass. And so stay tuned here, as I show you more as the season wears on!
Wish my green thumb well!
And tell us, are there things you have wanted to do to smell your own roses in life? Have you started? Can you soon?
What have those activities done for your state of mind?
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