The reason I've been pondering the simple life, is that I got the usual call from S. S. is a career woman, extraordinaire. As a matter of fact, she told me that she'd like to work four more years before retiring, so she can say she worked fifty years. Her first question is invariably, "What's on your agenda for today?" How can I explain to her that the word "agenda" is not even in my vocabulary these days. Oh, I have an occasional appointment penciled in on the calender, but the days of the five-year planner are long gone. My agenda is set when I arise in the morning. If the sky is clear and the forecast says warm, I might do up the laundry. If the weather is really hot and dry, I might spend most of the day monitoring and watering the garden (as I did on Sunday). On a blustery day, the baking is done so the heat from the oven can take the chill off the house. Or the sun shining in the window, might highlight how dusty everything has become, so an afternoon spent dusting and waxing is in order. On other days, a particularly thought-provoking Bible verse, might send me in search of answers, and I'll spend all day researching and studying every aspect of it. I never miss the opportunity to enjoy nature or am too busy to talk (not gossip). Everything gets done eventually. Everyone gets fed. In other words, I am simply living.
Simply living applies to my garden too. When I had my other blog, I once posted a picture of my front garden. I received a few comments that it looked rather "wild". I'm pretty sure the commenters didn't mean it as a compliment either! Ha! But it didn't bother me any, because that is exactly the look I was going for. The front garden is completely designed around where I can plant things, being completely netted by the roots of two old maple trees. Although I'm not the most petite petunia in the onion patch, standing atop the shovel, I cannot get it to budge into the rooted ground. So when I find a little pocket of earth, I pop a plant into it. The picture at the top of this post is one of my favorite spots. It's my back steps. It's not the most beautiful garden, but I love it the most because it was completely created by the Creator. The columbine just sprouted there and the rose rooted under the porch and found it's way to travel up the wall, hiding all the ugly mechanicals that are there.Every time I approach it, it makes me smile. A special reminder to me that He loves me and wants me to be happy. Now if I were not open to the randomness of life, I probably would have tried to remove the plants and I would have missed all this joy. There are times when we need schedules and control, but there's such happiness in simply living!
I totally agree Jane. I love your picture, and the header! Is that new? Looks great!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jane! If you could have seen me only a decade earlier, you'd be so surprised. I was so miserable. I was considering suicide at one point and even researched how to do it. The only thing that kept me from going through with it was my belief that it was a mortal sin and I'd spend eternity in Hell. So for me to come to this point where I find joy in every day, is truly a miracle. (Pretty heavy stuff, huh?)
DeleteA beautiful picture Jane. I like your header and your blog. And I'm a little jealous of your lifestyle. Who knows ... ten years from now, if God gives me, maybe there will be more rest in my life.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to have the "simply living" lifestyle when you have youngster, Jedidja. But there's always time to stop and smell the roses. I guess that's what I was getting at in my inarticulate way. I've given up plenty of things to have this serene life. Like dropping fair weather, or in my case stormy weather (theirs not mine) friends.I have a very small circle of friends. I don't travel, either. Even have given up the opportunities to be wealthier. And I don't regret any of it!
DeleteDitto! I, like you, find life so full and busy, being at home! I often wonder if having a job would feel more like a rest..ha..(not in the evening or weekends I suppose though...the work would have to be squeezed in).
ReplyDeleteI agree with God planting the gardens. I used to visit an elderly lady who had the best figs (the first time I ever saw fresh figs, now I'm addicted) and she had a little garden by her front steps. She waved her hand over it and said to me, "I didn't plant any of this, the birds just must've". She had tomato plants and chives,squash, petunias, etc. I thought to myself, God certainly takes care of her! love,andrea
I don't understand those that have the empty nest syndrome, Andrea. There's so much to do! I never turn over my compost pile in the spring because I've gotten some of the best tomatoes, dill and pumpkins from it. Even have saved the seeds from the tomatoes. They were the best and certainly must be hardy to survive a MI winter and grow. Guess God does provide doesn't He?
DeleteI agree. I'm getting to think alot of women simply do not know how to keep house or garden. I have mostly elderly neighbors and they rarely go outside in their yards, let alone garden! (One neighbor who is the youngest at 70, told me she is still working so that her brain doesn't go bad...ha...then she realized she might've offended me...but really she didn't, because I feel I"m the lucky one). Yet, when I was little, all my neighbor moms stayed home, and they all had large gardens. love,andrea
ReplyDeleteIt it a shame that people still think you must have a job or go to school to being using your brain, Andrea? Goodness, what does that have to do with it? I guess it's a holdover from the old 70s feminist movement. Some of the most ignorant and lacking plain old horse sense people I know, are the most highly educated and the wealthiest. You want to meet someone that understands the economy and politics talk to a plain dirt farmer. They know the score! This past week I've studied the derivatives market and started reading Carroll Quigley's Tragedy and Hope. I've learned more about history and finance then I ever learned in school. (And I can tell you from studying those two subjects, it doesn't look good for our country.) Life can be as interesting as you make it! And it's a lot more fun because I'm studying for the pure enjoyment of it.
DeleteFirst, I want to say that I love your new header. Your garden might be "wild" but it's full of life and joy (I just had to throw the word "wild" in there because of what I read in your post :)!
ReplyDeleteAt any rate, I agree with what you are saying. It seems that people today are in a big hurry to do just anything in order to keep themselves busy. Schedules are nice, but they usually end-up giving me a headache after awhile because I can't "keep-up" with them. It's better for me to go at my own pace.
Thanks Mara! Schedules all have their place and time, but when they become so rigid, we forget to live. You're probably too young to remember when everyone used to carry around these five-year planners. Who knows what they will be doing in five years? Ridiculous! Not to say we shouldn't have goals like to get our mortgage paid off in five years or have the money to pay for Johnny's college ready when he graduates. But to plan things like doctor's appointments a year in advance, just seems silly. Whenever I do, I end up rescheduling them anyhow. I know that I used to belong to a lot of clubs and committees because I had low self-esteem and I need proof that I was a worthy person. Not that there's a lot of worthy causes out there, just at the end of the day you need to be comfortable in your own life.
Deletedear jane
ReplyDeletei agree with you!!!!! I like your new header!!!we have beautiful summer -weather......perfect for working in my little garden.
i planted a few of my tomatoes,today. more tomatoes are waiting to plant....maybe tomorrow. All my tomatoes are growing in bucket.
I hope you have also nice weather in your country,
wish you a wonderful time,
love regina
I planted my tomatoes this weekend too, Regina. Then I had to work like a dog to keep them alive because it turned so hot and dry! Who would think watering the garden would turn out to be an all day chore? Hope you have sunny pefect gardening days ahead, Regina! Are your aches and pains going away with this warmer weather?
DeleteI do the same thing in my garden. I don't like manicured gardens, so mine tend to be very wild indeed! :)
ReplyDeleteSimplicity...the misnomer of the new century. I have discovered that simplicity is just living in the moment and not allowing anything else, outside of our loved ones and Our Lord, dictate our lives.
Schedules are not in my agenda either...I live pretty much the same way you do...by way of the weather...
Great post as always Jane!!
m.
That sounds like the perfect definition of simplicity, Maria. I'm trying to get down to the bare essentials of life in my quest to be nearer to God. Peeling back all the demands of society, so I truly can be still and know. From what I read on your blog, you are on the same journey. Not easy is it? So many obstacles get thrown in the pathway!
DeleteI've never had much of a scheduled life, nor is my garden especially well planned. I often wish I could be more tidy, but its not going to happen.
ReplyDeleteRetirement gives us some leeway with our days that we didn't have through the long years of being self-employed.
It's nice to get to the point of life where you don't need to live by everyone's schedule isn't it? I cannot understand why people become lost and bored when they no longer have work and school schedules. There's so much to life! I know you don't let any grass grow under your feet. Hope your back is feeling better!
DeleteThere are quite a few things I love about this post...
ReplyDeleteYour daily "agenda" - I think you've found your perfect agenda and that's deciding what each day brings and what needs to be done. I really like this and think I'll use it as my approach to each day. Hope you don't mind if a borrow it. :o)
I really like the term "simply living". You're description of simply living is exactly how I want to live. I like the ideas and thoughts behind simple living but isn't it actually simply living each day? You've put into words how I've been feeling!
And lastly, I always enjoy a garden that's a bit messy or jungle-like. I don't think the Garden of Eden was manicured; I think it was a beautiful abundance of flowers, food and animals. Besides, it's your garden so let it be as messy or wild as you want. :o)
Thanks for sharing a great post, Jane!
Glad you enjoyed the post Sandra. I always envision the Garden of Eden that way also. But on the other hand, I really love the look of a neat vegetable garden like those Beatrix Potter illustrations of Farmer MacGregor's garden. I always fall short though. But hope springs eternal and maybe this year!
DeleteI have a sister who is that career woman...I recently spent some time with her and her husband and the stark differences between us seemed even bigger.
ReplyDeleteBut at the end of the day you realize that work is work.
I like this verse: ~And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.~
I love your God-grown garden!
That's true isn't it? Thank you for the Bible verse. It's a little sad between S. and I. We've known each other our entire lives but the chasm keeps getting wider. I accept the fact that she loves her career, but she thinks my life is unimportant. Oh well, I still love her in spite of it. What will it matter in a hundred years, anyway?
DeleteOops! forgot to reference the above scripture...
ReplyDeleteIt's Colossians 3:17
Dear Jane,
ReplyDeleteI really love this post. I like the term old~fashioned living, because much of what we do here isn't exactly simple! Your right it takes time to do all these things are self ~ but we get such a sense of satisfaction!
It's nice to be blogging again. I look forward to more of your wonderful posts. Hope all is well with you and yours!
HUgs))
Laurie
Hi Laurie! I'm so glad you are blogging again. I really missed all your lovey posts. Have you become a grandma yet? I'm expecting a grandson too. In October. And another grandchild in November. I'll make sure to put your blog on my blog roll so I won't miss any posts!
DeleteI really enjoyed this post. I am one of a very few full time homemakers left in my peer group and community. Most other Moms returned to work when the kids went off to middle school, but I wanted to continue baking, cooking, and gardening full time for my family, as well as working to create our home in a way that would nurture my family. My daily schedule is much like yours, determined by what would be best for that day, according to the weather, as well as the activities of my teens, and hubby.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed what you said about the more wild parts of your garden, I always feel like it is a special, happy gift from God when a pansy or marigold sprouts up out of no where, I always just let it bloom where it sprouts up. One year we had no money at all for our front yard annuals, and a beautiful marigold grew up out right outside my front porch, we all though it was so cool.
Have a great week out in the garden! :)
Thanks April! It's not easy to be a stay-at-home mom in a career woman world, that's for sure. That's what I like about blogging. You find out that you are not alone. I just discovered the prettiest little white flowers underneath the hydrangeas. Where did they come from? I certainly didn't plant anything under there. Those types of things make my day or week for that matter! Hope you have a love extra long weekend too!
DeleteJane,
ReplyDeleteSuch a pretty picture. I love the one for your header is that Lily in the Valley, I think its called? Your so right the day depends on what the weather, or if my husband needs me to do something for him or the kids, or a friend in need in some way. Maybe all of a sudden I have a crop of something that needs tending that day. I love those random sprout ups they seem to grow the biggest and prettiest.
Have a wonderful gardening week
Erika
Those are little miniature lilacs, Erika. I wish I could grow some Lily of the Valley plants. They've been a major failure in my garden although it wasn't for the lack of trying. At another house we had, I had so many. I once dug up a bunch and gave some to a friend that had a nice little gift shop. They grew so well there, that she used to make bouquets for brides with them. Those flowers made a lot of people happy. After being away for years I stopped by her shop and there they were, covering her lawn and blooming in all their glory. Made me so happy to see them again.
DeleteHi Jane! Your town sounds like mine! Thanks for the reminder about the gun salute...I forgot...I don't know how...I was always (and still am squeamish) afraid of the guns firing! (I'm not good with fireworks either...then or now). love,andrea
ReplyDeleteI always flinch when they give a twenty-one gun salute too, Andrea. But I'm not sure if it's the sound or the emotions involved with such things! We can watch the fireworks from our front yard. They're far enough away so they are too noisy, but close enough to get a nice view!
DeleteHi Jane, I love your post today, I know just what you mean. It is wonderful when we can be happy in the moment and enjoy the simple things that bring so much meaning to life. I love wild gardens too, they are my most favorite. My mother-in-law on the other had loves manicured bushes and does "by the book" plant pruning and everything else. It was a little challenging when she first moved in with us, to learn how to mesh both of our styles. We had the prettiest little garden back in our old house in California. I planted all the "wild" things and experimented with trellis and wandering vines that took over the whole neighborhood and Mom grew the most beautiful roses I have ever seen. Georgia though, at least our little neck of the woods has every flower eating bug known to mankind and the deer eat everything the bugs leave behind! :) We have a friend who is a landscaper and he is helping me with new flower beds and picking out plants that will do well in our area. We got kind of a late start though and haven't got the plants in yet. I am hoping to have the project finished in a couple of weeks. Have a good evening ahead! Delisa :)
ReplyDeleteThat's so exciting Delisa! I'm sure it will be lovely and you'll get a lot of enjoyment out of it. Ran is the pruner in our family. He just "pruned" the rhubarb today. Took the hedge trimmers to it. It looked so pretty before his little job. So big and leafy. Now just a bunch of stalks sticking up. You can never leave him unattended with the hedge trimmers. I think he has a bit of Edward Scissorhands-itis!
DeleteI always love what you write. Sometimes you write my heart. This was a heart moment.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Debbie
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteHad to delete that reply because of a spelling error! Said, Ah, shucks, Debbie, that was so sweet of you to say! Thank you! Guess where I omitted the "h"? Totally different meaning!
DeleteHi Jane,
ReplyDeleteNice post.
I like your style of gardening. 'All in together' and 'where ever you find a spot' makes for a relaxing and full of suprises garden.
I garden in pots and regularly move pots around and mix them up for variety.
Have a good week
God Bless
Barb from Australia
Hi Barb! I suppose your gardening season is winding down? Gardening in pots is a good way to go. Lot less weeding!
DeleteWhat a lovely, inspiring post dear Jane.
ReplyDeleteI love your style of gardening, it's also mine, it's called 'cottage style', where everything grows happily together. I was gardening this way long before I heard the term 'cottage style'.
That photo of your back steps is wonderful and I would love to see more pictures of your gardens.
FlowerLady
Hi Rainey! Just like that song "I Was Country Before Country Was Cool", we've been cottage gardeners before cottage gardens were cool! I'll share more pictures of the garden as things come into bloom. We are getting the vegetable garden in this weekend. Whew! What a big job!
DeleteSounds like me: Yesterday my brother asked me what I was going to to do today, and I thought, "I'll know when I get up." Like you, whatever needs done that day (or not) is on "the agenda". I like your flower area too.
ReplyDeleteIt's a nice way to live, isn't it Joy? Of course, you have to get to the point of your life where you have the luxury to do this. Unfortunately, you have to reach a certain age, where you no longer have children at home or a nine-to-five job, to get there.
Delete