A Good Day to Start

Today's the day for reflection:

December 31, 2011

Overall, it was a pretty good year.  Mitchell's little dance with cancer turned out ok.  He is passing the follow-up tests with zero's - which in this game is great.  The company I work for had a banner year, thanks in part to a huge project that Mitchell helped make a success.  The garden was wonderful, and a new cutting garden is already waiting for spring weather to grow.  I made peace with Mother's death and successfully closed the Estate.

Didn't make quite the progress that I had hoped on weight loss, but it was a wonderful year for exercise.  Friday I attended my 200th Jazzercise class!  Had set a goal of 150 classes for the year and just blew that out of the water!  Clearly regular exercise has become part of my life, now I need to work on fewer (and healthier) snacks.

December 31, 2011

Today's the day for looking ahead:

Tackling the weight loss thing is at the top of my list.  I shall set a new goal of losing the rest of the weight by [drumroll here, please] 12-12-12!  It's hokey, but we all know the value of goals.  Logging exercise and food and continuing to dance regularly are important here.

We shall finish putting our financial house in order so that I can retire someday.


I will make more time to enjoy the garden, especially the cutting garden.  And, most importantly, I will build the raised bed for sweet peas by February 15th!



Today's the day for appreciating those who support us:

December 31, 2011

All of you who visit the Garden Bench are at the top of my list.  Thanks for your friendship and support that keep me picking up the keyboard and the camera.  Thanks for your comments that encourage me and give me new ideas for moving forward.  Thanks for your time - you could be doing so many other things!  Thanks for your inspiration.  And, especially, thanks for your love.

For 2012 my resolution is to try to give you the support you give me.  You know who you are!  Huge, enormous hugs all around!

Loropetalum 'Pizazz' TM - Due in March, but blooming on December 31, 2011

As Time Goes By

This is what my world looked like on March 2, 2009. Feeling completely closed in and, deciding that I could take a semi-snow day, I sat down and wrote my first blog post.

Two years and two hundred nineteen posts later, I am still here. I had planned to write lovely essays (like Sam) and there is a pile of books somewhere on how to write non-fiction. Instead, I have mostly told you what is on my mind or what projects are at the top of my to-do list for the week.

Most of all, I have discovered the wonderful group of bloggers who read and support each other. Whether you're in Arlington or Arizona, you have become friends. I have laughed at life in a small village in Provence, and met wonderful ladies who live in England, France and Australia, to say nothing of Texas, Illinois and Georgia. I've cooked wonderful dishes from a small roof-top garden and a french country home. I've shared bee news and bird sightings with bloggers in western Virginia, Minnesota and Arizona. I've drooled over wonderful flowers that Jane, Denise and Alison arranged and shared with us and learned about wrapping beautiful packages from Sande. Jill has set high goals for me in art work - goals I won't get to for a couple more years, but I want to learn from her. Belinda has gotten me interested in growing more flowers for cutting, and I have shared many a Friday glass of wine with Ally.

Charlene nudges me to maintain a better work/life balance and some weeks I manage to accomplish it. Savvy gives me great ideas on what to read to broaden my horizons and Vivianne and Kiren brighten my day as they raise their families and share that adventure. Ms. Caroline Bender continues to be my muse. I can't leave out my favorite cat, who mostly complains, but is a hoot to read.

And then there are a few hardy followers who - for some unknown reason - seem to come and visit. Special thanks to those of you whom I don't even know, but who have signed up anyway, and to James and Elizabeth who come regularly but never tell me.

It's a lovely journey and I am so happy when you come along and comment. I know year three will be every bit as much fun as year two. Thanks to you all.... and love.

ps: Here's what it looks like today!

Every Blog Needs some Bling!

Many, many thanks to Savvy Working Girl for passing along the Every Blog Needs a Little Bling! award. It was most unexpected and came in a week that needed some bling. You know. You all have them.


This is an award that I need to pass along, with thanks to these bloggers whose writing I enjoy, and who give me something. I've learned from you and laughed with you; I've been in awe of your writing and sometimes your guts. It's a chance to say a huge thank you to my heroines in the blog world. So, I hope you will check out some of these blogs.


To Denise at Little Pheasant and to "Flower Jane" at Small But Charming. These two intrepid florists do gorgeous work. Denise will show you something special she created today and tell you about it, and Jane could tell you ... well, anything. She and I have discovered that we grow doppleganger gardens about 100 miles apart, so we are frequently caught comparing what bloomed today?

To Anneka at Living a Dream and Deb at Sand Creek Almanac. Anneka and her guy have moved to Arizona and are living on a farm, complete with horses, veggie gardens and beautiful vistas. She will take you on a ride in the hills with photos that will leave you breathless. Deb lives in the wilds of Minnesota with her family. She plays the flute, mandolin and banjo and writes wonderful posts from - what is to me! - the frozen north. And, she makes a mean dandelion wine.

To Charlene at The Balance Beam and Vivianne at Vivianne's Vista. Charlene is an expert on bringing balance to one's life and has great advice, written in a witty, fun way. She needs a little extra love right now, so go visit her and send some her way. Vivianne is a survivor, with a capital S. Share her success story and you'll be uplifted.

To Jill at Third Age Musings and Pink Fairy Gran at The Three R's. These are my English bloggers. Jill is a retired teacher who takes wonderful photos and does perfectly gorgeous handwork of several kinds. You will be inspired to do something when you read her! Pink Fairy has been silent for a while, so I hope she is well. She writes about life in a small village in the English countryside. Perhaps more interesting to those of us "of a certain age", but well written.

To Appalachian Lady at Appalachian Journal and Barefoot Gardner at Barefoot in the Garden. Appalachian Lady is a retired college professor who lives in the mountains of Virginia where she writes about birds, bees, flowers, and life. Excellent photos. Barefoot Gardener is a relatively young gardener who is building her first "real" garden with help from her two small children. It's nice to follow a budding gardener as she works it out the way she wants it to be.

And, finally, to Marie at 66 Square Feet and Miss Caroline Bender at Drawing In. Marie is a South African expat, professional garden designer and cook par excellence. She posts little bits several times a day about the flora of NYC and the wonderful things she has cooked. She also gardens on a rooftop terrace that is only 66 square feet. You will be entranced! And Miss Caroline Bender is my muse. It was her blog that got me started. She always has a different insight into life and tells it imaginatively. Always many thanks to her.

So, I hope you will find a new blog somewhere in this list to add to your list. Read and enjoy! And, thanks again, Savvy!

Kudos to NCDot

Driving thru North Carolina - even on the Interstate - is a pleasure this time of year. For more than 20 years the great state of NC has planted acres - and acres - of wildflowers along the right-of-ways. Two weeks ago it was just beginning to bloom, but today it is glorious! At many intersections there are poppies and dame's rocket and other festive florals growing in apparently wild abandon. The daylilies are just starting to open and everywhere one looks are red, pink, white, blue, purple and yellow blooms - it's just lovely. Almost makes one happy to be driving a long distance.

Bank accounts are slim this year - even for states - but this long term investment by NCDot continues to reinvest itself and produce an income of blooms anew each spring to make life a little prettier.

Way to go, North Carolina!