organic garden

I love having a pretty yard.

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I love having a pretty yard but I don’t want to work so hard at it any more. Last year, I planted vegetables in my back corner garden next to my limelight hydrangeas and blue kazoo spirea. I did harvest a few cucumbers, and I had butternut squash that grew out of my homegrown compost. It was all kind of a mess. It was a lot of work without much reward. This year I’m simplifying the yard. I am slowing down and not being so impulsive, I am committed to making the back garden a more permanent garden. I had our struggling concolor fir taken down. It was our live Christmas tree years ago and grew to be a very tall tree. It never looked good. I finally had it taken down. Now, I have more sun in the corner. I moved 7 At Last roses from the front yard to the back. They are beautiful apricot colored roses. They were in the front yard and the deer just loved them for early morning snacking. I was tired of spraying them with Deer off.

By moving the roses to the back it has simplified my foundation planting as well. I put down a nice layer of mulch and it looks good.

I am so grateful that I am able to do my own work. I stay strong, healthy and fit. My OutdoorFit workouts keep me that way. Interested in learning more about OutdoorFit? Click here. You can get in shape in a short amount of time and maintain your fitness level working out only a few days a week. You will be able to do what you want to do. Do you love gardening, or chasing your grandkids around? Maybe it is keeping with a 5 month old golden retriever puppy. It is important to embrace being Fit and Fabulous…Aging Optional and OutdoorFit!

I hope to see you soon.

Love,

Mary

“We will know what action is ours to do.”

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This election season, I took it upon myself to research the candidates and to know what is going on. I have talked to people whom I know don’t agree with me. I would like to better understand why they think the way they do. They have been difficult conversations, and very triggering for all involved. I certainly know we are not going to change each other’s mind. The whole experience has left me feeling stressed and agitated. Sunday afternoon, I decided I needed a break. I went outside in the sunshine and moved 8 of my At Last rose bushes.

Is gardening therapeutic for you? It is for me. I felt so much better. There is nothing like getting down and dirty. This is the time of year when I look at what has worked in the gardens and what I want to change for next year. I am always very inspired and motivated in the spring. I have visions of gardening, and taking care of my family with organic homegrown vegetables. I see myself in August, sweating while I am canning the tomatoes and pickling the cucumbers. Last spring, I planted cucumbers, zucchinis and tomatoes by my Lime Light hydrangeas. Bonus round, I had butternut squash that grew out of the compost that I had used to fertilize the soil. I love when God plants my vegetables for me. The butternut squash did well and I had a few cucumbers, but little else. I need to leave most of the food growing to the farmers. Next year, I will stick to my small vegetable bed. I will plant lettuce, herbs and maybe a tomato plant.

I harvested the vegetables and I decided to plant roses in the back corner. I hope they will thrive and flourish in a safe place. The were in my front yard and the deer were enjoying them as an appetizer. I am tired of spraying deer repellent. I hope they will be beautiful and have enough sun in the back yard. I will keep you posted. I have decided as you are my witness to make my gardens more permanent and not redo everything in the spring.

I am so grateful the OutdoorFit workouts enable me to pick up a shovel and plant pretty roses in my garden.

Love,

Mary

 “From a contemplative stance we will know what action is ours to do, which words we are called to say, and how our spirituality must be fully embodied in our political choices.” Richard Rohr

Simplicity

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Simplicity is  my favorite word. There are many wonderful words but, if you were to ask me my favorite I would answer simplicity.

When my stress level is high, and life feels uncertain, I start physical projects. In January, I began painting our house shades of white . I have continued on during the pandemic. I finished the kitchen, mudroom, den, hallway, bathroom and even the basement stairwell.  My husband Dan polished all of the brass door knobs. It feels so much better. I have decluttered along the way. I am working on keeping what is functional and what I love.

Simplicity

I am now working out in the garden. I planted lettuce, arugula, spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers and wildflowers. Today, I am heading out to plant potatoes. I don’t get a lot of sun in the back yard, so I ordered fabric grow bags. I have a walkway alongside the garage that gets all day sun. It is my new garden. So exciting!

Simplicity

I watched a Master Class with gangsta gardener Ron Finley. He plants sweet potatoes in coffee bean bags. I called Booskerdoo in Asbury Park and picked up a few jute coffee bean bags for myself and two of my gardening friends. I am waiting for my sweet potatoes to grow slips so I can plant them.  I will keep you posted! Today, I planted potatoes in the coffee bean bags. I couldn’t wait for the sweet potato slips. I will find another place for them.

Simplicity

I also bought Alice Waters My Pantry after watching her Master Class. I loved her class. She inspires you to cook fresh whole organic in season food from your local farmer, or just grow your own. Plant potatoes into a coffee bean bag and wait for the magic to happen.

Simplicity

“Homemade Ingredients That Make Simple Meals Your Own.”

Thanks for reading.

Love,

Mary

Plant your lettuce and make a salad!

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People say organic is expensive, you can buy a packet of seeds and grow heads of lettuce!

I invited myself over to Rosanne Monroe’s Organic garden on Sunday because I wanted to be inspired! I love creative passionate people and Rosanne is one of them. She loves to garden, grow her own food and make delicious meals from it. You never leave her home empty handed.

Eating organic healthy food is so important and to love the process is even better.

Fit and Fabulous…Aging Optional!

Here is a short video of Rosanne in her garden…the birds singing in the background and the church bells ringing are the perfect background sounds!

“I put the seeds in the ground and ten days later MIRACLES HAPPEN.” Rosanne Monroe

If you are inspired to plant please share and post your comments.

(Special thanks to RED our camera guy!)

Thank you!

Love,

Mary

PS. Grow your lettuce, make a salad, eat a salad and take your vitamins🙂