Learning the Value of Rest
I’m a doer, there is a lot on my plate and I like to maximize my time to get all the things done I want to do. The problem is, that I often don’t take quite enough time for rest. Over the past few years I’ve been learning to value times of rest. Often, time spent resting will actually increase our productivity in our work lives. That’s something we often don’t like to admit, as Americans we’ve been taught to work, work, work and then work some more. After traveling last week and having family visiting this week, I realized that I had to take a day of rest before jumping back into my responsibilities in my work and in the garden.
It’s kind of like taking a sick day before you actually get sick. One day off now can often prevent a week of battling sickness down the road. One day of rest can make us accomplish more in the days ahead. One day off can make us healthier physically, emotionally, and mentally. One day off can prevent the weariness that can lead to depression and anxiety. Learning to listen to our bodies and taking that day off when it tells us we need it is a valuable lesson to learn. These days can also teach us to slow down and enjoy the little moments. Often, on these days of rest, I notice things I haven’t noticed before, simply because I allowed myself to slow down. If you can’t take a day off, take a half day off, or even a half hour off. Even a few minutes of rest can make all the difference in how the rest of our day goes. Take time this week to stop and smell the roses or to sit back and kick up your feet.
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Quote of the Day: Sen Soshitsu
“If you fiddle this way and that with the flowers and consequently they wither, that will be no benefit. It is the same with a person’s life.”
Sen Soshitsu XV The Wabi-Sabi House: The Japanese Art of Imperfect Beauty
Stop and smell the roses and read The New Codependency: Help and Guidance for Today’s Generation, you’ll be glad you did!
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Quote of the Day: Gary Cadwallader
“Flowers should be placed, in their most natural form, into vessels that enhance their beauty”
-Gary Cadwallader from Wabi Sabi House
This week I’ve been enjoying poppies in my little vase on the kitchen window. I try to cut one flower to put in there a few different times each week.
Are you cutting any flowers from you garden this week? What’s your favorite container and place to display them?
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Quote of the Day: Charles Dickens
“Reflect upon your present blessings, of which everyone has many.”
Yesterday, Mr Chiots and I celebrated our 17 year wedding anniversary – crazy, I know. It doesn’t seem like it’s been that long. We usually aren’t big on celebrating events, so we spent our day working outside and had a dinner harvested from the garden.
Mr Chiots did surprise me with a pig statue for the garden. I admired this particular statue at Fieldstone Gardens when we were there last Sunday. He left work early yesterday and picked it up for me.
After a little though we decided it should sit right by the front door. It’s a lovely piece and it’s quite perfect since we’re not getting real pigs this year. I do miss having them around, so this beauty makes me smile every time I see it.
Do you have any statues in the garden?
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Dirty Hands…
Even though I try to keep my hands nice & tidy during gardening season it’s difficult. I’ve been out weeding the back potager and the results are dirty hand and fingernails.
I scrub them up every night, but they never get 100% clean. Last year I purchased these Gardener’s Nail Brush that I really like. It works fairly well at getting all the dirt out from under my fingernails. I use one of my fingernails and one on my feet.
It’s OK with me if they’re not super clean, most people know that I garden. They’ll be clean again once the snow starts to fly.
Do you have any tips for keeping you hands/fingernails clean during the gardening season?
