As we speed through June, it suddenly occurred to me that we are more than half way through June, and are half way through the year. I have to say my life is flashing before my eyes. You might feel the same way.
I love the cool mornings that are soon to leave, and the cool afternoons. The days will get hotter and shorter at the same time. That doesn’t feel right to me. And yet I live in the perfect place, Southern California. Everywhere else is either too hot, or too cold, and I’m a Goldie Locks Girl. I get heat stroke in summer, and well I have to bundle up so I don’t stiffen up in winter.
But let’s get back to Spring! It is definitely time to plant flowers, and figure out just what color you want to splash in your garden. I love having those little faces blooming all over my yard. I even splash some yard art around for variety, and fun.
Because of our climate, and quality of soil I have grown to love succulents. It really seems like a waste of water to try and keep tropical plants thriving in our Mediterranean Climate. So we now have a healthy mix of plants that need less water, and attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and other garden creatures. It makes me happy to know that I’m contributing food for their little tables, and picnics. Yes, birds must have picnics, after all they have families too!
Plants, and their sometimes unusual colors give me joy, and happiness. My next trip will have to be to Home Depot, Lowe’s, or one of our many nurseries for a mix of six packs of little plants to stuff in-between rocks, and other larger plants.
Tell me, do you enjoy potting or gardening as well? Even one little planted pot can bring life, energy, and joy into your home.
I hope you will try a little planting soon. It always helps give me an uplift.
Thank you for taking time to read my thoughts and ideas. I’ll be back soon. Karen
I was impressed with the relaxed style Ali McGraw has at 85 years old. Maybe you would like to see her style as well.
What did you think? I thought she had many good ways of keeping up the look, and still being relaxed, and comfortable.
We are all at the point where we want to look our best, and still be comfortable. I have said for several years that I want an outfit that feels like I’m wearing PJ’s, but I’m not. Something comfortable, but stylish. After that, I am what I am. I’m doing my best, and that should be good enough for all of us!
Thank you for watching, and hopefully commenting. Until next time, be comfortable, happy, and peaceful. Karen
From the time I was a young girl my family always traveled during the summer, and Dad always planned a summer vacation for us all to enjoy. I can only imagine the hours he must have spent researching the perfect place for our little family to explore, and travel to.
Many summers we would go camping into the forest of the great Pacific North West. My sister and I would explore the forest, listening to the birds that lived in the big redwood trees. There would always be a lake involved, and several days of fishing. Dad tried to show us how magnificent our country was, and how to respect nature.
We started out camping with a tent, and slowly progressed to a small sixteen foot Shasta trailer. Mother loved the trailer because it involved a mattress. That made life a lot easier for her. We kids didn’t really care, we were still limber back then.
One time while still using a tent, Dad told us not to take food to bed with us because bears could smell the food, and try to get it. Being the perfect child I was, I complied. However, I couldn’t say as much for my little sister. My sister was afraid of starving to death, so she stashed cookies, crackers, and who knows what else in her sleeping bag. After all it was going to be a long night in a sleeping bag, in a tent, in the middle of a forest, in a camp ground!
Sometime in the middle of the night, I was awakened by a noise outside the tent. I thought I could see an indentation on the side, and noise just the other side. In my mind, I could see a big black grizzly bear getting ready to rip open the side, and take all the food my sister stuck away to keep her alive. Just so you’ll know, that never happened. But the terror was still there all because one fat kid was afraid to starve.
Everything was an adventure to us, and I’m sure Dad looked at it the same way. Mother on the other hand was busy cleaning up after us and cooking. I can only imagine how much Mom looked forward to our vacations where she slaved away feeding the gang. I never thought it was much of a vacation for her, and for that reason I dreaded the thoughts of doing the same thing when I had a family. But eventually, I did the same thing because that’s what you do when you have a young family!
Those years traveling all over the United States shaped my lust for adventure. I still crave going on trips, just not as long or maybe as grand.
I always found it fun to see the reaction of my kids as they explored, and discovered new things on our trips.
One time I sold everything, house, furniture, toys, and we moved lock, stock, and barrel to Alaska. It was a great adventure! My oldest son really loved being able to experience the vast forests of redwoods as we ventured North, the misty meadows in Canada, and the dirt roads on the AlCan Highway. Back in those days traveling to Alaska was much different than it is now. We would actually call those the Olden Days due to the dirt roads, and primitive traders cabins we would explore along the way.
It was through all these adventures that I developed my love of traveling. I still love experiencing the sounds of nature, the music of whatever region I’m in. I love the foods of new places, and the colors that people paint their houses, and the clothes they wear.
As I was thinking about all the places I’ve traveled, I realized that many of us haven’t traveled very much throughout our lives. Maybe we never get to travel as much as we would like. Or maybe some of us never had a desire to explore, and experience different cultures.
I’m curious as to where are some of the places you have traveled? Would you go back again, and would you do anything different this time around?
Can you still travel, because for me, it is becoming more difficult as time goes on. Certainly it is helpful to have travel companions. Someone to carry luggage, or figure out where to go next.
Airports can be tricky, or even more so, train stations. I really like traveling by train because the people are so interesting, and the experience more enriching. Also moving around a little while on a train is helpful. I always find interesting people to talk to, and share experiences with regardless of how I get there.
Sure flying is faster, but it’s so confining, and many times cramped.
When my husband and myself have traveled by train, we have met the nicest people at dinner, and shared many stories with new found friends. I never know what interesting stories we will hear, or where our conversations will take us. These things feed my soul.
Where are some of the fun places you’ve traveled to, some of the stories you have been told. Stories feed our imagination, and I think our imaginations are most precious.
Do you have any plans to take another trip? Even if it’s a short day trip, it’s a trip that can feed your imagination, and enrich your life.
We don’t have any plans, however as I get older, I rather like making little impromptu trips that are unexpected. I call them surprise trips that give me something special to plan, and think about.
Let me know what your thoughts are. Where you would like to travel to if given the chance. How you love to travel, who you travel with etc. I want to know it all!
Thank you for taking time to read my blog, as always, together we stand!
This morning I picked a journal from my very large stack of journals, and found this. I thought it might interest you, so here it is…..
There are a few things one needs to know and remember…
Diamonds are a girls best friend! This I have known to be true, but in the most recent years I personally have found they are really expensive, and what I really love is their bling. So I have now settled on Moissanite instead. Moissanite is just as hard as a diamond, and they sparkle their little hearts out! I’m happy!
Shop ’til you drop! It’s easier to do once we reach a vintage age, however we can still make a pretty good effort doing retail therapy. Maybe stop for a coffee, ice tea, or soda just to rest up for a second round.
Travel, Travel, Travel! As long as you can pack a bag, grab a friend, or join a travel group do it! There are so many interesting things to see even here in our own country. Just do some research, and the places will find you even if you don’t find them. Personally I think research is the most fun, because it gives our minds a chance to dream. And dreaming is the best thing ever!
Always have a home to return to! Knowing there is a cozy, comfy home waiting for the day you return is also the best. I love traveling, but I also love returning to my warm, and comfortable place I created.
Always value your friends, and family! They will support, and give you strength at a time when you don’t have much energy, or inspiration for yourself. From my experience, my friends have supported me during my darkest times.
God doesn’t give you a dream without a way to achieve that dream! That dream doesn’t fall into your lap, you have to do your share also.
Eat lots of cake, and blow out all your candles! Don’t stop celebrating your birthdays just because you are getting old. Many of our close friends haven’t lived as long as we have, so in their name, celebrate long and hard. Blow out your candles, be proud of getting to the age you have, don’t look back. Look ahead with a positive attitude, and you will enjoy life just a little bit more.
This I wrote to our Oldest Granddaughter on her Seventeenth Birthday.
I hope you enjoyed my seven most important things to remember. Oh, I can come up with more, but for now these are a good start!
Thank you for stopping to read my blog. Don’t forget, “We Stand Together!” Karen
Many of us have the idea that when we age, we can get comfortable. Maybe too comfortable! I’m one of them….. I love a soft turtleneck, and a pair of comfortable jeans. Is that wrong?
As we age with grace, and dignity we feel a lack of energy, and maybe loose the desire to keep ourselves up.
It’s a lot of work to be beautiful, and desirable, and after all why would I want to get all gussied up for who? My husband and I rarely care to go out. We find it safe and cozy to stay in, curl up, and watch a movie on TV. Not only are we not interested in going out, we are tired of trying to fit into what we all think is right for each of us. I don’t get gussied up. Here in Southern California that holds an entirely different meaning. A cleaned up casual is the Gussied up of the California Coastal people. The older we get the less gussied we become!
Other places however may have an entirely different idea of gussied up. In my mind the East Coast peopled get dressed up far more than we ever do. Maybe it’s the climate, maybe just the culture, I’m really not sure.
I believe these ladies live in New York, and they definitely dress up the street of their city.
We all have our own way of feeling dressed up. And, it’s my belief that we can get dressed up, and feel good about our selves without being guessed up. Here in California, and probably in many other places, getting dressed up means wearing a pair of jeans, a teeshirt, or a blouse, maybe a sweater or jacket, scarf, and a splash of color maybe even lip gloss.
Oh Yes, we are casual, very casual. But we can look good even though we are so laid-back.
Don’t anyone under estimate us though, we can, and do get amazing things done. We can get over the top dressed up, or we can get down and dirty with the rest of them. You might say we are camillians, and I think we can be!
Regardless, in my mind as we age, and are retired, we need to be as comfortable as we choose. That gives us a huge leeway for being exactly who we are, and how we want to be.
Thank you for reading my blog, remember “Together We Stand,” Karen
Images, and Videos are all three from You Tube. Thank you for the content.
Hair… As long as it’s on the top of my head, I’m ok with hair!
It seems that we ladies are blessed with hair in places we never would have guessed. I once had a very “sturdy” single hair above my right eyebrow on my forehead. I was in my forties at the time, and quite appalled. Rightly so, who in their forties gets a whisker on her forehead? One day I pulled it out, and it never returned.
That’s not all. I routinely check for wandering hairs on my chin, cheeks, and in my nose. Oh yeah, they are there also! Interestingly, while we continue to grow unwanted hairs all over our bodies, the hair on the top of our heads either gets wiry, or thin and falls out. Hair stylists call the thin hair “Frog Fuzz.” And now we either have to deal with pubic hair on the top of our heads, or no hair at all.
This feels like a great time to start considering wearing hats!!
But that’s not all, After checking myself all over this morning, and deciding I was ok to leave the house. But, on my way to do grocery shopping I felt something on my right arm. Maybe it was a bug or fly that had come in through the window.
Glancing down at my arm to see what had landed onto my skin, only to realize (GASP), it was my very own hair flapping around. Some of the hairs had grown to a very healthy two inches. Yikes, not this too! Who is it that is playing these cruel and nasty jokes? In the over all scheme of things, this isn’t a big deal. But in my world, it’s just one more thing I need to shave, or pluck and I’m not liking that much.
By the way, if you are a friend of mine, and I see a hair protruding from somewhere it never would have grown from, I’m obligated by the laws of girlfriend hood to point it out! Don’t be embarrassed, I can’t help myself. And what’s good for the goose….tell me if you see something sticking out that shouldn’t be, please tell me. I’d rather a friend tell me than find out later that I did lunch with my financial advisor, and had a whisker growing out of the top of my nose! Thank you in advance!
How about you? Do you have the same annoyances, or are you going to deny any rogue hairs grow in places you never imagined? I don’t blame you, I don’t want to admit the appearance of yet another happy accident on my nose, or arm.
All in all, these aren’t the worst things that could happen to us. They are annoying, but not life threatening. So after we take care of those annoyances, just take a deep breath, and know you are beautiful, and doing the best you can.
I hope I’ve set up my blog so you can comment, and let me know how you feel. If not, I’m working on it.
Until next time, Together we Stand! Karen
The picture above, and all the videos are from You Tube
Old as Dirt and Proud of it! 
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