Tag: garden

Thoughtful Thoughts

Jennifred Jones

So much going on – inside my head!

So many thoughts – the more I listen to others’ thoughts, the more thoughts there are inside my head!

It occurred to me thoughts can be like weeds springing up seemingly out of nowhere. Some don’t need any water; they just appear and grow in the garden of my mind.

I’ve got to tend my garden, or the crabgrass will overtake me – sending tentacle claws every direction – rooting down causing many other growth thoughts to have to be weeded. But I am the gardener of my mind, and I must do the work. I am the only one that can. Others may tell me what to think, yet I am the master – the controller of my mind. I am not powerless over myself, but it takes control – me controlling me!…pulling out or chopping down one weed at a time, one leg of crabgrass rooted here, one baby thistle getting started there – ‘but wait! thistle flowers are so pretty, and they smell good too!’ But their thorns are very sharp, and they grow tall and strong and will take over.

The sun is coming up now and I must be busy tending the garden of my mind. What am I going to listen to – or not listen to?…to keep the weeds down and allow room for the real crops I wish to grow.

Work Therapy

Jennifred Jones

The therapy of work. How does it work?

I don’t fully understand it. What I have experienced is when a problem gets me down – I am stumped – something is bothering me I cannot solve, if I get to work with some manual labor, it either eases the problem or solves it.

Back in the day the labor was done at the ironing board. Really cleaning of any sort will do the same thing. Then it became gardening, just digging my fingers in the dirt. Piano lessons were another. I could bang it out on the piano whatever was bothering me, and when the piece would get too hard, I would go out to the garden and start digging. When I came back in, my fingers were all limbered up and I could play through the piece too difficult before.

So I’ve come to the conclusion…rather than sit and stew, it’s better to get up and do!

Many hard projects have been accomplished this way. As the body works, the mind thinks.

Maybe that’s where the saying, “Work through your problems” comes from.

Every Window Needs a Garden!

Jennifred Jones

Today is May 1st, May Day, when children used to hang flower baskets on someone’s door, ring the bell and run away so they could be surprised.

Years ago, in ‘Fine Gardening’ magazine, a woman told how she wanted every window of her house to look out and see a garden. She submitted pictures of her home and lovely flower gardens as examples.

I decided to do that at my house. Why shouldn’t I have something pretty, and inspiring and beautiful to greet my family’s eyes when they looked out the window? I made it happen and loved it. I wanted others who came to visit able to see beauty also.

Houses and windows change as we move from here to there. Maybe you live in an apartment and have no control of a pretty outdoor view. Can you place a plant in your windowsill, or on the counter or table near it? Can you hang a floral patterned sheer curtain or window shade for the view?

I feel it’s important to have something living…plant-wise in our homes. We need to see green life, it helps purify the air we breathe. Plus we need something to tend to. If you don’t have a green thumb or travel alot, why not bring home a bouquet of fresh flowers from the grocery store. Costs about the same as a coffee and lasts about a week.

Try it and watch it change your mood. It really will!