cff May 2015 | Simple and Serene Living

Saturday, May 30, 2015

VERTICAL GARDENING FOR SMALL SPACES

We may be downsizing, but downsizing does not mean we want to give up our gardens. However, smaller living spaces often correlate with smaller outdoor spaces, and that means we may have to get creative with our gardens. That is where the concept of vertical gardens may become something that will work for us. 

I think this is a great idea for growing herbs. Mason jars are everywhere and I love the look of these on a wall.



I love this. When my children were young, we lived in California and had grape vines over a portion of our patio. There was always a healthy snack close by. I would love to have strawberries ready for picking.

strawberries trellis garden overhead
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So many vegetables can be grown vertically. All you need is a sunny space and a little ingenuity.

squash tomatoes vertical garden
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And don't forget the flowers. This is such a cute idea using an old shutter.

old shutter flowers garden vertical
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So let's get vertical, because there are so many ways to keep on gardening even when we have a much smaller space.

Find more posts on indoor and outdoor gardening here.

You can also find me on Amazon here, the LTK app here, and Etsy here






Thursday, May 28, 2015

FIVE WAYS TO BE KINDER TO YOURSELF

Why does it seem so difficult at times to treat ourselves with the same kindness respect, and compassion that we show to others. How can we be truly kind to others if we are not genuinely kind to ourselves? Also, our treatment of ourselves is mirrored in the treatment that we show to other people, and the way that we treat ourselves tells others how we want to be treated. 

kindness self

How do we break the habit of not treating ourselves with kindness?

1) Decide that you will begin to start focusing on the positives instead of the negatives. Reflect each day on what you did right instead of the mistakes that you made. (Everyone makes mistakes. It is how we learn.)

2) Take time to do something that makes you happy. Instead of telling yourself that you are too busy or that it will cost too much, allow yourself to do something special. It is important to give yourself a treat.

3) Take care of both your physical and emotional well-being. Eat a healthy diet, go out for a walk or a bike ride, and take time to sit quietly. Yoga and meditation are both activities that will help to calm you.



4) Be open to change. What you wanted in the past for your life may not be what is best for you now. Explore new possibilities and know that it may not only be okay to make a change, but it may also be the best thing that ever happened to you. Changes do not have to be big. Even small changes can make a difference in your well-being.

5) Allow yourself to love and to be loved. Open your heart to the people around you, and open your heart to loving yourself. Even sharing a smile is something that not only makes others feel better but can be a loving thing you can do for yourself. 



Learning to treat yourself with kindness is like any other habit. It will take some work, but it will definitely be worth the effort.

Until we meet again join me on PinterestInstagramLTK, and Etsy.



Tuesday, May 26, 2015

I AM SOOOO NOT PERFECT

Give me a show of hands please. Who here is perfect? Wait, you in the back there....the one with your hand up....you are not perfect, so put that hand down. 

okay, they can raise their hands, because in my eyes they are perfect
When did it happen that we all were made to believe that we had to be perfect? We have to have the perfect house, be the perfect parent, be the perfect grandparent, be the perfect friend, practice the perfect religion..........just be soooo perfect that we couldn't possibly stand ourselves. 

WHEW!!!! what a relief to get all of that out. No wonder we are all so stressed out we can't seem to accomplish anything. We are so busy trying to live up to the standards of perfection we find on the internet every day, we have forgotten what it is to just be in the moment. 

I remember when my daughters were young, I told them I was going to be a normal mother. You know the kind I mean. The perfect June Cleaver mother who did everything perfectly. After about two minutes they told me to knock it off because I was creeping them out. So I just went back to being me, a very not so perfect kind of mother. The kind of mother who let them do the kind of things you can find here

via
I am here to say that not only am I not perfect, I make all kinds of mistakes, and it is okay. 

I often say the wrong things to people. OOPS!! Sorry I didn't mean it the way it sounded, but I am not perfect. 

My house gets messy. It is not one of those look at my house I am the perfect decorator who never makes a mess kind of houses. I live in my house. Sometimes I am so tired at night that my clothes get thrown on the back of a chair. They may stay there for two days. It's okay, I am not perfect. 


Just as I wasn't the perfect mother, I am also not the so called perfect grandmother. But guess what, my grandchildren love me anyway. We always giggle together when we talk or see each other. They don't know what a perfect grandmother is supposed to be like. They just know that I love them and they love me.

So now here is a message for that person in the back row who had their hand up. Relax!!! It is okay that you aren't perfect. None of us are. Look around at the people in your "real" life. They aren't perfect and they don't expect you to be either, and if they do expect perfection from you, maybe it is time to set them straight or to get new friends. 

I am not sure when this need to be perfect in a very imperfect world started, but maybe it's time to start living in the moment and stop comparing ourselves to everyone else. I intend to spend my day with not perfect hair, wearing not perfect clothes, and driving a not perfect car. HMMMMM!! Those just might be the ingredients for a perfect kind of day. 

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Friday, May 22, 2015

DUSTING OFF MY LIFE

Hello lovely friends. I am so glad that you are still here. That you have managed to fight your way through the cobwebs on this blog this past week.

historic greenhouse summer

Mom is moved into her new apartment. Hooray!! There are still boxes to be unpacked and pictures to be hung, but I told her I needed a day off. Besides the fact that every muscle in my body is complaining, my life has gotten a bit dusty, and I'm not just talking about the furniture in my home (although it definitely needs dusting). My blog, my Etsy shop, my antique booth, and my life in general have been in a holding pattern and they all need to be dusted off and put back into circulation. 

greenhouse florist historic

Life has gotten to be anything but simple and serene with this move. It seems that when you look away for a bit, problems seem to mount up, as if they are just waiting for you to lose your focus so they can sneak in and disrupt the flow you have worked so hard to create. 

historic greenhouse rustic

Today I will work to recapture that flow and to get rid of the dust and cobwebs. I am making my list. There are phone calls to be made, items to be photographed and listed in my shop, blogs to visit, advertisers to catch up with, an auction to attend, and most importantly of all a Facetime date with my grandchildren this afternoon.

historic greenhouse plums

It will be a busy day, but it feels good to be getting back to my life today. No matter how much we love our families and want to help them, we have to remember to take care of ourselves too. 


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Thursday, May 21, 2015

SIMPLE OUTDOOR TABLE SETTINGS

Outdoor dining doesn't have to be elaborate to be fun and entertaining, and I found some great ideas for simple outdoor dining at Country Living

Pulling out some vintage items from around the house to use as props for an impromptu Friday night fish fry is always fun.



I love old fashioned picnic tables. This one has been painted white and topped with a basket of lemons for a fresh simple look.



An eclectic mix of vintage china and chairs under the shade of an old tree is a wonderful way to cool off on a hot summer day.



Summer is the perfect time to bring out those colorful table accessories. A brightly striped galvanized tub is a fun way to serve up cold drinks at a summer picnic. 



Summertime entertaining doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. A little imagination and using items you already have on hand may be all you need for a fun gathering for friends and family.

All photos via Country Living.


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P.S. I am busy helping my mom move this week so Women Speak will return next Thursday. Past weeks of Women Speak can be found here.

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Monday, May 18, 2015

AGING DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PAINFUL


I recently had the wonderful opportunity to sit down with four other bloggers and a renowned gynecologist, Dr. Mary Jane Minkin in a Google Hangout, to talk about changes women can expect before, during, and after menopause. Like many women in this age range we had many questions we wanted to ask the doctor. 

I have to admit that I was just a wee bit nervous beforehand. First of all, I hate being videotaped and secondly I come from a generation that doesn't always sit down and openly discuss these topics. However, once the Hangout began there were no nervous butterflies. I felt like I was sitting around my coffee table talking with a group of friends I had known forever. 

I am not sure when the last time was that I laughed so much. I knew that we were all in this together. We were kindred spirits who all shared many of the same problems and concerns about our aging bodies. This was true even though we ranged in age from the late forties to the early sixties. Three of the women were married, one was a widow, and I have been single for a long period of time. 

Not every question that was asked pertained to each of us, but I think we each could relate in some way. 



This Hangout was sponsored by Replens vaginal moisturizer, and I was particularly excited about getting more information because I had just recently purchased the product. About two months ago I went to see my woman's health care provider because I had what I thought was a stubborn yeast infection. Turns out I have a common problem that happens to many women as we age. Apparently our vaginal walls tend to dry out, thin out, and become itchy as we age due to lack of estrogen. Not very comfy I am here to tell you. So what's a girl to do? I knew enough to add lots of moisturizer to my drying skin, (I love hearing people say I am young looking for my age, but believe me there are days when I feel like my whole body is turning into a dried up prune) but I wasn't quite sure what to do about this problem. That is where Replens came in. My healthcare provider said it would really help my problem. Still, I am ever the sceptic and I am not one to add things to my body without lots of research. My research was handed to me in the form of the wonderful Dr. Minkin.

Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., F.A.C.O.G, is a Clinical Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at Yale University School of Medicine.  Dr. Minkin has a special interest in reproductive health and menopause, and has written several books for women on these topics.

I felt like I had the best expert right in my own home. It was just like a good old fashioned house call where you can take your time and share all of your concerns with a caring doctor. 

There is so much more I could tell you about our get together, but lucky for all of us our session was videotaped and you, my sweet readers, have the opportunity to learn what those of us in the group did. Although I am being compensated by Replens for this post, all opinions are my own and I am very, very happy with the product. I hope you enjoy the video.

The opinions expressed in this video are those of the participants and are not those of Church & Dwight Co., Inc.


Replens is the clinically tested, doctor recommended brand of long-lasting vaginal moisturizer. As with dry skin that you experience on your face and hands, regular moisturizing treatment with Replens Long-Lasting vaginal moisturizer may be necessary to prevent dryness from recurring. Replens Long-Lasting vaginal moisturizer is different from most other lotions or lubricants because it contains a patented bio-adhesive ingredient that allows it to attach to dry vaginal cells and deliver continuous moisture for up to three days. Click here to learn more. 

What questions would you have had for Dr. Minkin? Leave a comment below to enter for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card!


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Wednesday, May 6, 2015

OUT ON THE PATIO AND RAW HONEY LEMONADE RECIPE

If you are knocking on the door or ringing my doorbell I probably won't hear you. The weather here is beautiful and I am out on the patio cleaning things up. Everything is really dirty after the winter and once I got out there I decided the furniture needed to be rearranged. I won't show it to you because it is really icky. 



I also had some house plants that needed to be repotted so that is happening too. I'll be putting some of them outside for the summer. 

So if you are looking for me today, just come on around to the back. I can use all of the help I can get and I'm sure I can rustle up some raw honey lemonade. 





Raw Honey Lemonade

Yield – 8 cups
Using a blender to quickly emulsify the lemon and honey, enables the cook to preserve the beneficial enzymes and delicate nature of unpasteurized raw honey.
Ingredients:
1 cup raw honey
1 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
6 cups filtered water
Instructions:
In a blender, combine raw honey and lemon juice.  Blend on high for 30 seconds.  Add water to blender.  Pulse until combined.  Chill until served.  Serve over ice.


Hope your day is simple and serene.











Monday, May 4, 2015

INHALING AND EXHALING

I had a very early appointment this morning that took much longer than I had planned. As I prepared to exit the building my mind was taken up with all of the annoyances of the day and how this appointment had put me very far behind. 

Then I stepped outside and breathed in the amazing day. The air was clear, the sun was shining, and the temperature was perfect. I just stopped where I was, closed my eyes, and breathed it all in. I realized that I needed to let the morning go. It was past and I was looking forward to what the rest of the wonderful day was going to bring me. 


It made me realize how often we get stuck in the past. How we let the past cloud our days. How we need to let it go and look to the future.

So that is the main thing on my agenda today. Yes, there is a long list needing my attention, but I am going to tackle it with a fresh outlook while I inhale and exhale. 

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P.S. Be sure to check out more Monday Inspiration.

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