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June

Sunny days, an abundance of life in the garden, and swimming at the beach are just a few of the reasons I love the month of June. As a child, June meant the start of my summer reading list and weekly trips to the public library. I still enjoy summer reading, and last week’s trip to the library brought me a copy of “The Dutch House” by Ann Patchett. Do you enjoy summer reading, too?

June is a favorite time in the garden, and my roses are the stars of the garden right now. The relentless sun and heat of August will soon relegate them to understudy roles, but for now, they are shining. June’s birth flower is the rose – if you are growing them, soak some petals in water and you can make a bottle of fragrant rose water.

We need not plant small farms or travel to faraway places to enjoy the month of June. We can do small things with great love at home. However we choose to celebrate it, June marks the start of summer – may you find some relaxation, refreshment, and revival. “It isn’t the big pleasures that count the most; it’s making a big deal out of the little ones. ” -Jean Webster, American author

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May

Enjoying a nice meal or buying a special outfit is certainly fun, but bringing a little joy to our everyday lives need not cost anything. Though it be May, I have placed a wee pink Christmas tree in my family room. What brings you a little bit of happiness or some out-of-season joy in your home?

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“March brings breezes loud and shrill, stirs the dancing daffodil.” – Sara Coleridge

“In like a lion, out like a lamb,” March signals the beginning of Spring. Signs of the changing season are plentiful in nature – birds are beginning to migrate, plants are beginning to grow, animals are beginning to mate, and insects are beginning to hatch. What are the signs of Spring where you live?

At my pink home, the March garden is full of color and gentle blooms that fare well in the milder temperatures of early Spring (in August the gardens look very different). Foliage plays a central role in my Spring garden too, with chartreuse greens unfurling in fiddlehead ferns and new leaves emerging on citrus trees. Do you see daffodils? Robins? Forsythia buds? Let us go out and put our faces to the sun, for all the woods are waking.

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Signs of Life Even in Winter

“In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer. “- Albert Camus

This year, the sun will cross the equator and bring spring to the northern hemisphere on March 20. Yet in these still-cold and gray days of winter, we must remember that life is hiding in plain sight – we simply have to take a closer look.

Do you see any brown buds starting to set on your forsythia’s branches? Do you see any tiny leaf buds starting to poke their heads up on the twigs of your trees? Winter jasmine may be starting to open. Bluebirds may be returning to your yard to stake out their territories for nesting season. Daffodils and crocuses may be trying to climb through snowy grounds.

How about footprints? What do you see as you walk along riverbanks, in the sand at the beach, or in the snow? What might be in those holes you’ve been passing by while walking your dogs? Stand still and listen for a few moments. Do you hear the tapping of a nuthatch or woodpecker? The song of a cardinal? Take a closer look at the bark on the trees, or the frost on your window or grass; it is art, it is science. There are lichens on rocks and branches in winter – can you count how many shades of green you see? The lessons are many, but the sentiment is this – even in winter there is life.

Winter can, of course, effect some of us deeply, and cold days can make us want to curl up until the sun shines again. But we must try to get outside if we are able. Everyone needs fresh air and some light. Open the curtains and look outside. What do you see out your window? The winter landscape is not a wasteland. “In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy.” – William Blake

Let us be remember to be conscious of life in every season. – Theresa

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My Hopeful Little New Year Alone

Confetti fell on largely empty streets in New York City’s Times Square this past New Year’s Eve. The fireworks at the Eiffel Tower in Paris were cancelled. Germany will be on lock down until January 10, 2021.

But the new year still came.

2021 arrived quietly, bearing a burden of expectation. We are yearning for a life beyond COVID-19. We are looking for something up ahead, something signaling a return to the life we once knew. Yet we will need more than optimism to accompany us into this new year – we will need hope.

Psychologists define hope as a desire for something that’s possible but not certain, and a belief that we have the power to make it happen. Hope is not wishful thinking; it is an action-filled process.

What if we were to make hope a part of our PPE? Hope protects our mental and physical health. I read about making Hope Kits – isn’t that a wonderful idea? What would you put in your Hope Kit? Mine would include music, pictures, books, sunrise beach walks, baking (and eating) treats, cooking healthful meals, dog walks, and piping hot cups of tea. I would also include permission slips to rest and to slow down when feeling overwhelmed. Time with friends and family members via text, phone calls, social media, and Zoom chats would also be in my Hope Kit.

Things will change. Spring will come after this winter. The waves will still crash on the shore tomorrow. We must hold on through this storm, for we will, in time, see the sunlight again. We will.

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My Little Christmas In The Time of COVID-19

This year, there won’t be any gatherings with family and friends at The Pink House to keep everyone safe from COVID-19. Though sometimes this doesn’t feel very merry or bright, I know I am not alone.

Many will not be celebrating the holidays with others due to the coronavirus pandemic and social distancing guidelines. Though we will likely have some feelings of loneliness or sadness, this does not mean we have to have a blue Christmas.

Coping will look different for all of us this year, and our needs will vary depending upon our health and circumstances. When I am feeling low, I give myself permission to just do what I can. Sitting outside in my garden, feeding the birds, walking my dogs, and getting out to the beach for the sunrise are all things I can still do during the pandemic. The fresh air and physical movement soothe my soul and cheer me up. When I practice self-care and gratitude I simply feel better. We can make the most of the holiday season by choosing to do what feels right to us.

So, I put up my Christmas tree, and did not unpack all of my ornaments or decorations. I consciously decided to have a “scaled-back” holiday home this year. I am having a small Christmas.

I sent a recipe to my sister and some friends so we could bake together across the miles.

I am baking treats for elderly neighbors and young parents in my community who will be staying at home this year.

I am making weekly donations to my local food bank.

I purchased a small leg of lamb for my Christmas dinner, an expensive meat that suddenly became more affordable in it’s small package.

I ordered new books to read.

I purchased my favorite tea from England.

I got out my favorite holiday plates.

I am watching classic television shows and Christmas specials.

I am lighting candles at night, and reciting some favorite prayers.

I am making room in my heart for my small Christmas. It is not a bad Christmas. In fact, I believe it has already offered me some little blessings.

“It came without ribbons! It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes or bags! – The Grinch.