Reflections on a busy life

I see the banner on this website states, 'Never stale, presented hot', yet the last update was almost a year ago. The banner is based on intention, the time since the last update on practicality. Life is full!

I have to say that I like a life that is full. It's just after midday and here's what I have already done today.

• I have read most of chapter two from 'Incarnate' by Michael Frost. I'm enjoying this book so much. He is saying that we need to be real, present for one another, not just writing blogs and commenting on Facebook (ahem!) The point is, we are made to relate and interact bodily and personally, not only through media like written words and pictures. If blogs and Facebook were my entire life I would be unbelievably poorer for it. Conversation with friends, acts of kindness and compassion, sharing food together, laughing - these are real.
• I checked that one of my blogs, Journeys of heart and mind, was running correctly on its new web address following changes I made yesterday. I made some changes to my other websites to improve the way they link to JHM.
• I spent a while on Facebook, scrolling through to see what my friends and family have been posting and replying here and there.
• I updated my diary and made some notes on some things that happened yesterday. My diary is a mix of logging how I spend my time; making notes on what I've done, where I've been and who I've met; and the thoughts I've had about this or that along the way.
• I read a chapter from the Bible (2 Samuel 2) and thought about it.
• I walked to a nearby cafe, Ambiance, to met my friend John. He didn't make it today so I drank a coffee alone, wondering what the other customers were doing and thinking. Ambiance is something of a social hub where people meet and talk animatedly with friends and family.
• A couple of other friends, Ash and Chris, dropped in and we talked briefly.
• Back home, I chatted with yet another friend, Dagmar.

That's a lot to pack into one morning. This afternoon I need to do some ironing, washing up and tidying around the house. I might get a little done in the garden too. Donna will be home from work later and I plan to meet with Jim and Kevin this evening at Kevin's home.

So it will be another full day - but for once I did manage to post an item to 'The Daily Toast'!

Flowers on a building

Wednesday 3rd July - Donna's Mum and Dad were with us today. We ate at 'The Pig' and then returned to our holiday home at Bailey's Hard and watched the birds on the veranda for a while. Then we walked to Beaulieu and back along the footpath, stopping at Steff's Kitchen for coffee.

Flowers in Lymington

After waving goodbye and watching her parents drive away, Donna and I drove the short distance to Lymington, bought fish and chips, and ate them near the yacht club in Milford-on-Sea.

Just before buying our fish and chips we spotted this fish restaurant in the old part of town near the harbour. It had a glorious show of flowers.

Isn't it amazing how a bunch of plants in flower can brighten up any building? Adding a bit of living material to some bricks and mortar brings the entire place to life. Suddenly it's more than a building. It's a structure supporting life in all its crazy mix of tumbling colours and fragrances.

It's the same with people, I think. Inject some real life into a person and suddenly they blossom. Smile wherever you go, laugh with people, give gifts, encourage everyone you meet, help those in trouble, listen attentively, be sympathetic. If you do these things, those around you will come alive and will blossom and flourish like plants in a well-tended window box.

(If you liked this you might also like Journeys of heart and mind and Quote me on this.)

Planting up the urn

Newly planted in the large urn

Donna and I visited Waresley Park Garden Centre for a light lunch today. After munching ham and cheese toasties and swigging our excellent coffees we spent a short time browsing around.

I bought a new hose for the garden and a trailing Petunia. Donna bought some chilli pepper plants and a Father's Day card.

Back at home I planted up the Petunia, a white Verbena, and a couple of Mesembryanthemums in a large earthenware urn we have in a patio outside the back door. It will be interesting to see how they develop over the summer. Hopefully they'll put on quite a show. I have no idea what colour the Mesembryanthemums will be, they came from a mixed tray and are not in flower yet.

The wonderful thing about organic systems is that they grow all by themselves. It will involve almost no effort on my part. Perhaps I'll need to apply a little fertiliser, enough water if rain is short, and cut off some dead flowers. The plants will just grow and flower abundantly.

What would we do without organic systems? We are organic ourselves, of course. We are far more capable than any robot and we are not in short supply. Maybe there are even too many of us in this world! Like all life forms, people are just amazing. Provide air, water and food and we multiply over time; we think and invent and write and make things, we interact in society, we are utterly amazing.

Perhaps the most amazing thing of all is that we can take one another so much for granted. We should treasure one another and rejoice daily. Truly, familiarity breeds contempt. Sadly we see wars and struggles all around. People can be unkind, thoughtless, greedy and arrogant. But we are truly amazing even so.

So let's remember that we are amazing and love and respect one another as we should.

(If you liked this you might also like Journeys of heart and mind and Quote me on this.)