If you're happy and you know it

If you're Happy and you know it, Then your face will surely show it.....

I love to see people smile. I love expressions of Joy, I love to hear laughter . It is all the sounds and sights of love and I'd love to share these with you.

Smiles are contagious, Go and contaminate as many people as you can.

Negative Nancy and the Thief of Enthusiasm

Do you have a Negative Nancy in your life? ( Sorry to some of the very positive Nancy's out there).
At some point I believe everyone does. There always seems to be that 1 person who thrives on squelching someone's joy.
I am dealing with a Negative Nan now as is my favorite artist Campbell Jane. This Nancy is consistently dropping hints that my ideas aren't good enough, or my work isn't good enough, or I shouldn't even bother with my plan, because nobody is going to be interested anyway or it's just going to be too hard. It gets frustrating and disheartening to say the least, but the discouragement is hardest to take.
Maybe Nancy is jealous, maybe she is afraid that I will steal the spotlight from her for a little while, or maybe is just that she is determined not to wish success for anyone but herself. Maybe she doesn't even realize she is doing this.
 Either way I have decided that it must stop. I will not let her negativity hold me back for another minute.
This first and most important step I can take to stop it is to realize that I don't need to tell her all of my ideas, ( hairbrained or otherwise) I am in control of what she knows.

Thank goodness I am old enough that I don't need anyone's approval or permission, hers included.

Second step is to view her negativity as a challenge. ( Oh Yeah, watch me!). I do love a good challenge.

The third step is to realize that I can't change her attitude and I still love her. She is a very special friend.I will just have to pray that she sees things in a more positive light.

I will admit that not all of my ideas are Genius, but how will I ever know if they aren't given a chance because I let someone else shoot them down before they are ever tried.

Now at the risk of talking to much and driving you away, I will simply say, "nuff said".

Wednesday's Word

Why I do this..........

If the plants bloom or make fruit, then it is all the better: 

Here are a few flowers  blooming their hearts out today.

This gorgeous brugmansia suavoleans blooms in the fall. It is normally still blooming when we get our first frost.

This gorgeous beauty is Confederate rose hibiscus. Aka Hibiscus Mutabilis.

It normally begins blooming in October and will continue until the first killing frost which here is sometimes not until January.

Meet Charles Grimaldi, another gorgeous brugmansia. It too likes to bloom in the fall after a long hot summer these breathtakingly beautiful flowers are not only pretty but smell fabulous.

Hope your fall is beautiful!

A little Bouquet Experiment

Last week I was blessed to receive some flowers from a florist delivered to my door. You can imagine my surprise, because I work as a florist and I am not really on the receiving end of floral arrangements very often. This was a beautiful little arrangement made up of Peruvian Lily, Purple Statice, and Butterscotch daisy mums . It was collared with variegated pittosporum and variegated leatherleaf fern. It was just such a treat to receive such a gift.

During the week, I changed the water about every other day and today, when I went to change the water, I noticed something in the little bouquet was putting out little water roots. Oh yeah, I started doing the happy dance. I don't know why I get so happy when something roots, but you know me, I was overjoyed. 

I decided to experiment. I know that since some things had begun rooting, the others, if they will root at all will not be far behind. I couldn't help myself. I planted my bouquet in a pot. Yes, you heard right. I have never done anything like this before, but  held the bouquet together and just planted the whole thing. Then I inverted a bottle of water to keep the soil evenly moist and put the whole thing on a shady table. I cannot wait to see what happens. This is what it looks like today

 

It makes a pretty little pot full of flowers too. I will keep updating this post as things root. I know the pittosporum will probably root, but I am not sure about anything else. Wish me luck.

Sunday's Psalm

Coastal Homestead and Low Country Healthy Living Delivery Service: A truly Awesome Service

Today, I cannot wait to tell you of my new interest. Amber at Coastal Homestead has been running a non profit business collecting fresh, organically grown, healthy produce direct from the local farmers and delivers it to her customersLow Country Healthy Living. I recently received a box that I was delivering for her ( okay to my Mom) and was blown away not only by the amount, but mostly by the quality of the produce. I am here to tell you, the quality was much better than any offered in our grocery stores here.

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I checked out her website, ordered my own produce for next week, and proceeded to read a series of articles on her website page.
Amber covers frugality ( another subject I enjoy ) DIY and so many other things as well. If you get a chance check out her website, just don't hate me for the time you will lose to evaporation. I could spend hours on her site.Amber's online farmers market.
Okay, now that I have helped make your day evaporate, I will wish you a Fantastic Friday!

Amber @ coastal homestead I am your fan!