gardening, part 2

A couple days ago, Alicia shared her love of gardening. Today I want to share my love of gardening. Except when I say "love of gardening," I really mean "I try, but everything I put into the ground dies." But I did plant a fig tree a few weeks ago, and so far, she is doing alright, despite the fact that I forgot to water her as the summertime heat arrived.

Look past the cat, past the planters, to a black bucket. Then that tiny stick poking up beside/behind it. That's my fig tree! (The rest of the garden belongs to my father. And behind me is my brother's garden. I think the green thumb only extends to the men of the family).

This is "figgy" a couple weeks ago, looking fresh and well with a handful of leaves. When I purchased her from a nursery, she was just a stick!

I may not be a master gardener, but I love nature. I love the bursts of green in the backyard of my childhood home. I love the fruit trees that grow there, the ground covering that eats everything up, the planters that my dad built himself, and the newest garden that my brother has so faithfully built from nothing. I love the crisp springtime air, and the warmth of the summertime sunshine on my arms.

And here's hoping that figgy makes it through the season alive.

gardening

I really love gardening. I love the flowers and the butterflies and hummingbirds that come to the flowers. I love wandering around nurseries and the home depot garden department. I always find something else to buy (today it was more bird seeds, moss, creeping phlox, and rockcress). If it wasn't already so dark outside, I would be out there, moving the bushes and planting our new friends.

This year in our veggie garden we planted tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, basil, and lettuce, just like last year. But we decided to add to it butternut squash, strawberries and raspberries. The basil is just starting to show its face and the the lavender from last year smells just like relaxation. I'm still trying to figure out the best way to get grapes going too. We don't have a big yard but what we do have I am putting to use.


Do you have a garden going this year?
Flowers and veggies?
What do you love to plant?

"How I Stay in Shape" by Marilyn Monroe

Loved this. Sometimes we forget the basics, but that's really all you need 

to keep yourself healthy and happy, as Marilyn reminds us. Read the article here. 

(Found on Sarah Wilson's blog, a worthy read in itself).

To be whole:

Last night I had an amazing conversation and I wanted to share some of it with you. The woman I was speaking with had been married for about 20 years to (what sounds like) a compulsive liar. It was a draining relationship for her, but she is so happy now. She is free and learning to love the world around her again.

I then shared some of my own story with her, some of what I have been working through lately. She then said "Someday you will find a man who will love you no matter what. Even when you are having an 'off' day, he will still see you as whole."

Whole.

What a beautiful thought. Here is a woman who has had her heart betrayed so terribly, but she still has hope. There is someone out there for everyone, and in the meantime, we can keep learning and growing from the relationships that don't quite work out.

Side note: don't rush into things. I think she would have wanted me to say that as well. Trust me, this woman knows her stuff.

Interview: Fat-Activist Jenn Leyva

I'm a huge proponent of modesty. I prefer baggy over tight, no midriff over exposed, long jeans over daisy dukes. I believe that the human body is sacred, and should be treated as such.

And even more so, modesty hides my belly pooch. Win-win.

But when I found out that an old friend of mine, Jenn Leyva, had become quite a prominent "fat activist," primarily through her blog "Fat and the Ivy," but also in outlets like the Huffington Post, I decided that honesty may override modesty in this case. Maybe I should be honest with my belly pooch and love it for what it is! (I'm cringing at the thought. Obviously I'm not there yet).

Friends, brace yourselves. Today we will be talking about our bodies.

photo by liz naiden

I recently sat down with Jenn to ask her some questions about her work as a "fat activist." Here is what she had to say:

Interview after the jump:

Healing

You probably know this already, but I'm a musician. I used to play in a folk band a few years ago, and now I've taken up music again as a solo artist. Many of you also probably know that I have suffered from severe depression. One of my resolutions this year was to be more honest about that.* Whereas before I would seamlessly hide behind a mask of happiness and wellness, I am telling you straight: I have struggled with depression, I still struggle with depression, and even though you can't always see it, it's there. And I'm not the only one who suffers this way.

Luckily, something productive sometimes results from these bouts of depression. Usually for me, that something is in the form of music.

There are lyrics from this compilation of songs that capture exactly where I was in my darkest moments, and in some cases, where I still am.

Can you feel the winter war? Broken branches, shattered core.
Will you love me though the scars echo willows?


But as the lyrics turned to songs, and the songs turned to recordings with some of my favorite people at my side, I felt the beauty surface from those broken branches, that shattered core.

And then as my dear brother took a sort of "press photo" for me, he captured it perfectly. He captured those feelings, but also the quiet beauty of healing.

I will never be completely rid of depression, but as I pursue those things that bring me even the slightest bit of comfort, I can find healing.


*Other posts include this and this.

women in art

I always seem to be drawn into art that features women. I am not even sure what it is that pulls me so completely to the painting but I know when I am walking through an exhibit, the stories told through the paintings are enchanting.

What are some of your favorite pieces of art featuring women?

Mary Cassatt(1845-1926) by Mary Cassatt

Young Girl Reading by Jean-Honore Fragonard

Mother and Child by Cassandra Barney

They All Drew to the Fire by Jessie Wilcox Smith

It's Not Fair by Caitlin Connelly

Queen Ester by Minerva Teichert

Women Fishing by Claude Monet

Jane Austen by Candace Jean

Learning from your fellow-bloggers:

 

One of the many reasons I love blogs is because you can learn so much! About anything! Here are some bloggers who have talked about their favorite makeup products:

The Alison Show: The BEST Drugstore Lipsticks
(She even bought a bunch and tested them out. She's pro.)

Mormon in Manhattan: mascara posts here, here, and here.

A Beautiful Mess: How to Style Mod Eyeliner, and tons of hairstyles.

Rockstar Diaries: Lipstick.

Lyndsay & the Johnsons: In the Bag.

...then there are the ladies who have amazing senses of style, like Stacey and Emily. Too good.

I have barely seen the tip of the iceberg of makeup/fashion blogs, so now I'm coming to you, dear reader. What are some of your favorite style resources?