This is a plant called coral bells ..it comes back every year if you baby it just a little, and the leaves come in every color from this light green with red veins to a dark crimson color. This is at my house in NC, from 5 years ago. This little thing would just bloom like crazy every year...the most beautiful and fragile looking white flowers. It's really quite gorgeous.
The yard and gardens have that yucky end of season look. Here in the midwest, when things are done, they are DONE. lol I suddenly have giant radishes coming up in the garden though...rather, they're leafing out again. I planted icicle radishes all scattered throughout the gardens because they are a good form of pest control in an organic garden. Lots of buggies are attracted to them. I've been pulling them up and feeding them to the chickens, who adore them. I even pulled up some volunteer peas...
All my lilies and roses and flowers look terrible, as we just had our first near miss of a frost last night. It's warmer today and tonight, but still chilly. 41 right now @ 10:30. Tomorrow is supposed to be much warmer than it has been. That's fine by me. lol
I brought home a 5 gallon bucket of coffee grounds today from the District meeting. The facilities guy said, I'm throwing these out. He's a friend of mine and I said I'd take them for my garden. He doesn't have a hard time giving them away in the summer apparently. I told him I'd throw 'em in my compost and on my garden beds, if he wanted to keep them for me.
It was a small meeting today, and our delegate was there to give a report on his participation at the 2009 GSO conference. He's a very nice man and it was interesting (to me, anyway). I chaired the meeting in the absence of our DCM...good practice for me. I think when the time comes next year, I will stand for the chair in the election. I've stayed active in service and it brings me great satisfaction...I know lots of people don't like this end of the AA game, but I do.
I'm grateful that I have something to give back. I'm blessed to have had lots of bad experiences in my life that have made me useful to God. I'm really grateful to be sober...to have a good life...and to be me today.
I'm grateful to have made friends in the rooms 19 years ago that are still my friends today. I'm grateful that I know somebody who's sober in almost every state in the union. I'm blessed to have an extended family that reaches across continents, and no matter where I go in the world, I am home.
Waiting for a young girl to call me back who's having a rough time of late. She's going to come out tomorrow and stay a bit and see if we can get through some serious issues and find some possible solutions. I thank my Creator for the opportunity, no matter how far down the scale I had gone, to be useful and helpful and compassionate. And for giving me just enough of everything I need to be able to help someone else from time to time.
Such a deal....
Namaste.
7 comments:
"I thank my Creator for the opportunity, no matter how far down the scale I had gone, to be useful and helpful and compassionate. And for giving me just enough of everything I need to be able to help someone else from time to time."
Such a deal....
Indeed. Such a deal. Had a great weekend in Claresholm. Cec is doing good.
When I turned 13 my grandparents gave me a coral bell plant for my very own. Mine had pink flowers. I've had a soft spot for coral bells ever since.
Every time you describe your yard and garden, I can "see" it in my mind's eye.
Love and prayers,
PG
You sound like a lovely person! It is great to remember (thanks for the reminder) that we do have something resembling a life now.... sober.
~*
In speaking about your service work, i am reminded of helping others to find the service we really enjoy. Many avenues for service exist in AA and newcomers may feel overwhelmed by all the choices. In the beginning, I was taught to empty ashtrays. Thank goodness those are gone down. So after 32+ years, I have graduated to getting the room set up and taken down. The closeness you feel with your home group members is worth all the riches in the world. My message: start small and enjoy. Love, Kathy kathyberman.com.
Hi, Annie,
Hope you check your comments. I'd email you but I really liked your post. Totally relating to the dying garden thing. It's depressing out there, but if I tackle it and cut it back, I will feel much better, I know. Been in a psych hospital for a few weeks, and have gotten in touch with the old, blessed me. Here's what I really liked in your post:
"I'm blessed to have had lots of bad experiences in my life that have made me useful to God. I'm really grateful to be sober...to have a good life...and to be me today."
It resonates with me. All things are used by God to help others. Even the rotten stuff, if we walk through it and share it with others who are walking through dark times, becomes a blessing.
Come visit me again. I'm up and running!
Chris A
Chris---SO good to see you back...I will email you. xoxoxox
Thanks for stopping by , Kathy and Chani...what a wonderful surprise when I checked the comments this morning after my hiatus...
PAxaa. Spoke with him too...I love you both so much.
Hope--I know, right?? I love them!!
PG--It's amazing how different it looks with every season though...right now the colors are stupendous. I need to get out there with my camera quick!!
Post a Comment