A Week of Ducks

Last week was one of those funny weeks…and I realized that it was a week of ducks!!

In my preschool movement class we are wrapping up the year with all of the most amusing games and activities. So, believe it or not that silly game where you sit in a circle and pick a “goose” to chase you is still one of the all-time favorites. If you ever need to laugh, just get a group of 2 year olds to play Duck, Duck, Goose with you. The reason is that when you finally pat that one chosen person on the head and say "goose," every single child in the circle gets up and starts to squeal with delight. Everyone running in different directions. It is the most hilarious moment of group “JOY!” I have learned that clapping my hands and saying, “Park It!” Gets everyone to come back to the circle and sit down waiting for the next duck and the group frenzy that follows.

So not to be outdone by the duck and the goose….I saw a friend of mine for dinner. This particular friend has entered into that amazing chapter of being the “Mother of the Bride.” Oh, it is always fun to hear what is going on with the wedding drama. When I sat down to join her last week, I looked down and realized she had on the bracelet that I had made her when she had just been sporting her new title of M.O.T.B. 

She called me one day and said, “OH, Corinne, I need a duck (or, for some, "duct") tape bracelet. I need it to be silver with blue elastic. It is becoming so difficult to keep my mouth shut that the bracelet will remind me to TAPE IT!" 

She had already had a bad week and her mouth was getting her into way too much trouble.  Since the wedding is still two months away, she has been wearing the bracelet faithfully and I think it is working!!!

Last week was all about ducks! Wonder what animal will cross our path this week!!!

Have a wonderful week!!!

Inspiration

Last week I met a new friend. Her name is Joyce. She is going to be a new inspiration for me I can already tell. Sometimes you cannot believe when life drops the perfect person into your lap at just the perfect time. She needs a bracelet for sure!!!

Here is something she sent me via email. She said this is one of my favorite poets…her words are so inspirational!!

Who inspires you???

What words can help you face the day?

Share them…hope is contagious.

Garden Angel

A wheelbarrow of dirt, tomato plants and a shovel.

Emily and I have spent some time trying to come up with different ideas for the Healing Knots blog. One of my favorite ideas was for us to come up with Recipes for Life. That is anything you could explain in the form of ingredients, directions, and final goal that might bring something to your life that is worth sharing with others.

Well, we have gotten away from our “Recipes.” Just life and new ideas and who knows what tickles our fancy one day seems to be forgotten the next. But, yesterday I was reminded that sometimes a recipe is being made and you do not realize it has happened to you until you put it all together and see what it made.

So yesterday I lived one of those amazing “Life Recipes”. It was one of pure luck, grace, divine timing, a gift from the heart…serendipity….I have NO idea what you want to call it. But, I call it a Recipe for Life!!!

This one is worth taking note and trying for someone…but, mostly for yourself.  It was such a wonderful surprise and I am still smiling every time I think about what happened yesterday.

Recipe to lift your spirits!

Ingredients:

• 1 Truck full of good soil
• 1 Wheelbarrow
• 1 Shovel
• 1 Tray of plants (tomatoes, peppers, herbs)
• 1 Person with a really big heart that loves to garden
• 1 Person who has a heavy heart and a new flower bed to plant and is clueless
• 2 cups of ice tea

Directions:

• Start with the person that loves to garden. When dirt is your favorite thing…filling your pick up with a load of dirt is pure bliss. When you have a friend that has an empty flower bed and you can tell she is clueless, it is only natural that you would take charge and become her “Garden Angel.” So just strap on your angel wings and start doing what comes natural.

• A knock on the door….and a smile on her face, “Can I go into your backyard?” is how this Angel greeted me yesterday. Oh, I said, "Let me throw on some shorts and help." Mind you, this is just what I needed to provide an escape from a week of much drama and heartfelt struggles in my world.

• Standing on the dirt pile in the pick up and tossing the dirt into the wheel barrow is an instant moment of happiness. Learning how to navigate the wheel barrow around the house to the backyard - another hilarious lesson. Weaving around the trees to the planting area and then the big dump of dirt, followed by spreading it evenly with your hands. How can you feel sad or worry when you are playing in the dirt??? We do this about 5 times. Each time it gets easier and more fluid.  

• Next step, place the plants in the areas that will make them grow and feed off of each other.  The basil goes next to the tomatoes to make them taste better. Well, that is the best idea I have ever heard of. Then the peppers are planted and a few herb plants.

• OH, we need a sip of ice tea. We sit and talk about what else could be added to this space of fresh dirt. Flowers, more herbs, and mostly pure heart.

That is what this day was.  

Thank you Sandra for being my “Garden Angel.” You will never know that your knock on my door was just what my heart needed.

Keep shoveling and sharing your love of the dirt! You are growing so much more than just plants!!!

Happy Spring!