Meg Evans

Changeable weather in late spring means we often go from chilly nights, when we have the heat on, to hot afternoons when we run the air conditioner. So when we get a day with pleasant temperatures, it feels especially good to open the windows, let in the fresh air, look up at the little puffy clouds high in the sky, and hear the birds singing!
 

Sometimes everyday life feels like that, too. Maybe we’re under pressure to get things done and feel that “the heat is on,” or when there’s not much going on, it feels as dull as spending a hot afternoon indoors with all the windows shut and the air conditioner running. Opening the mind’s windows regularly to let in some fresh thoughts does us a lot of good, whether we have been feeling stifled by busy days or just by too many mindless activities.

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to “give this planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.” Visit her site to find more Nurturing Thursday posts and a list of frequent contributors.

Last summer I bought a small garden fountain to put on my front porch, which faces north-northwest and is always in the shade. The porch had seemed so dark and still with nothing but the doormat to brighten it up! The fountain definitely adds cheerful energy; and for those interested in feng shui, that spot is the house’s north compass point where a fountain traditionally would be placed. All good!
 

The garden where I planted the alyssum shown in last Thursday’s entry is on the other side of the stone pillar shown in this photo. I also have snapdragons planted there, along with astilbe in a shady corner, and two varieties of hostas. It always lifts my mood to look out the window and see the flowers all summer long! Of course, in the winter there’s nothing but bare ground, and the fountain has to be brought indoors and put away until spring; but for now, there’s plenty of time left to enjoy both the fountain and the garden!

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to “give this planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.” Visit her site to find more Nurturing Thursday posts and a list of frequent contributors.

I plant sweet alyssum in my garden every May, and it always makes me feel peaceful and happy. The blossoms smell lovely—and they’re edible too, as alyssum is related to broccoli. It is native to Mediterranean countries, where it sometimes is used in salads. Alyssum means “without madness,” which comes from the ancient Greeks’ use of the plant as herbal medicine to calm angry feelings and promote emotional balance. They also believed it could prevent rabies. 

In warmer climates alyssum grows year-round, but where I live it gets too cold for that! Having to replant it every spring is okay, though, because working in the garden helps with feeling more centered and (literally) grounded. So, alyssum is good for self-nurturing whether it is eaten or whether it is planted just for its pretty blossoms and pleasant fragrance. Either way, it’s part of a peaceful and calming flower garden!

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to “give this planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.” Visit her site to find more Nurturing Thursday posts and a list of frequent contributors.

Recently I’ve been considering how many things in life help to keep us safe as we go through our days. No matter how many we can list, though, it can be hard to let go of worries (most of which have nothing to do with actual present-day events) and to feel safe. So I decided to post a photo of the handrail on the stairway leading up to my second floor to illustrate that there is always something to hold on to, and that’s where the focus needs to be.
 

Of course, sometimes we miss our grip. Last summer I slipped at the top of the stairs while carrying laundry and bruised my back. But bruises heal, lost or broken property can be replaced, and plans that don’t work out provide useful lessons going forward. What’s important to remember is that we never really have to go through life without help and totally vulnerable to random stuff, even though our worries may trick us into feeling like that sometimes.

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to “give this planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.” Visit her site to find more Nurturing Thursday posts and a list of frequent contributors.

Deciding what annual flowers to plant is always fun in early spring, before the warm weather arrives. Last month, I had in mind that I was going to plant lantana next to my mailbox. But I looked at two stores, couldn’t find any lantana, and was getting a bit frustrated. Then I ended up buying mandevilla instead—just happened to notice it at the supermarket when I was doing my grocery shopping.
 

It is a climbing plant, and I expect it will look gorgeous toward the end of the summer when it’s all over the mailbox post. I’ll also look upon it as a reminder to “climb” beyond my original expectations and always keep my mind open to finding beautiful things everywhere!

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to “give this planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.” Visit her site to find more Nurturing Thursday posts and a list of frequent contributors.

I’ve had the phrase “let go of the outcome” in my head a lot this past week, when telling myself that uncertain situations would turn out for the best regardless of what might happen at a particular time. In keeping with that thought, and with the “consider the lilies” story that I posted yesterday, I decided to illustrate today’s entry with a photo of the daylilies next to my garage.
 

I planted them under the gas meter about 10 years ago, and they’ve been growing robustly ever since. One year the gas company dug them up to put in a new meter, and that left me concerned that they might not recover properly. But they came back the next year as healthy as ever; so, just as with anything else, I shouldn’t have wasted my time and mental energy uselessly worrying about possible outcomes!

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to “give this planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.” Visit her site to find more Nurturing Thursday posts and a list of frequent contributors.

Not sure how this happened, as these were supposed to be two separate groups of bulbs—but doesn’t it look like one of the purple flowers decided to do a bit of neighborly visiting with the white flowers?
 

This little scene left me remembering childhood wanderings through meadows full of wildflowers, making up all sorts of fanciful fairy-tale scenarios of what the flowers might be doing. I believe it would do us all good to exercise our imagination like that from time to time, even as adults!

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to “give this planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.” Visit her site to find more Nurturing Thursday posts and a list of frequent contributors.

Last year I bought a crystal necklace that became a favorite string of “worry beads,” as I described in a previous Nurturing Thursday post. Sadly, all my fidgeting with the necklace had its inevitable result this morning when the string broke and the beads started falling all over my desk!
 

The necklace can easily be fixed of course, but having it suddenly fall apart like that was kind of discombobulating. Then I thought that maybe I should look at it as giving me a message that all is well, and there’s no need to worry about anything today!

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to “give this planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.” Visit her site to find more Nurturing Thursday posts and a list of frequent contributors.

Because I’ve already posted autumn and winter photos of my willow hedge for Nurturing Thursday entries, I decided that a spring photo would be in order for today’s post. It’s dark and rainy here today, with occasional thunderstorms rolling through—but now that I have resolved not to call such days “dreary,” I find that I’m appreciating their damp softness as they gently nurture the earth, and remembering how I loved playing in the rain when I was a child.
 

The catkins, heavy with rain, are falling to the wet grass and making space for the leaf buds to unfold. What came to mind as I took this photo was that although we usually think of autumn (fall) as the season when old things fall away before it’s time for new growth, letting go of old things is really an ongoing, year-round process—both in the natural world and in ourselves!

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to “give this planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.” Visit her site to find more Nurturing Thursday posts and a list of frequent contributors.

When my daughter bought her puppy, she got a plain set of metal food and water bowls in a plastic holder. That seemed just fine at the time, and we didn’t think about other possibilities until my husband mentioned that it would be good to have two sets, so that one could be put in the dishwasher while another was left out for the dog. He went to the pet store and bought a colorful placemat with two sets of sturdy ceramic bowls.
 

The new dog accessories really brightened up the kitchen! Today’s consumer society, even with all its flaws, can be a resource for better nurturing when we buy things that make our surroundings more pleasant. Of course, we need to be careful not to let spending get out of control or let clutter pile up; but within those constraints, buying cheerful little things can go a long way toward improving one’s mood! The old set of bowls is already in the trunk of my car waiting to be taken to the thrift store.

And if you are wondering—yes, that is a small piece of banana on top of the dog food. I often eat a banana in the morning, and Diva Dog decided she likes it, so I usually break off a piece for her. She is definitely a pampered puppy!

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to “give this planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.” Visit her site to find more Nurturing Thursday posts and a list of frequent contributors.