Just Breathe

A few years ago on the first warm day of Spring I felt compelled to stand in the middle of my garden barefoot, eyes closed, face toward the sun and just breathe. I later found out this is called grounding. I haven't really researched what grounding actually involves. All I know is I do this often and it gives me peace.

I was searching through Pinterest and one link led to another and I ended up on something telling one how breathing exercises can help PTSD. I honestly have no idea how I got from can your own catsup to PTSD. It was actually an interesting read. Here I am sitting in bed trying this breathing exercise. You take several normal breaths then when you inhale, a normal breath not a big one like when you go underwater, hold it for as long as comfortable. You really want 15-20 seconds. I had 11. It freaked me out at first but the writer said theirs was 7. I also had been battling a cold.

Here I am breathing and counting and I fell right to sleep. Whether it was from relaxing or lack of oxygen I don't even care. I slept great.

With warm days more frequent right now I take every chance I can to get outside barefoot. I do keep this practice in my yard where I know there is no broken glass or dangerous things. If barefoot isn't your thing don't worry. But I would encourage everyone to learn to breathe. Try to be mindful of when you are getting stressed and how your breathing is different from when you are relaxed.

I know I said I keep the barefoot business in my own yard but my feet in the above picture are actually in Mansfield, Missouri. It was taken at the home of Laura Inglals Wilder where the Little House on the Prairie books were written. My hubby took me there 2 years ago and I couldn't resist walking around barefoot just like Laura did.

Simply Living

In my honest opinion, for whatever its worth, I think we have become too accustomed to instant comforts and we have lost the satisfaction on a job well done. A few examples are washing dishes, hanging out clothes, cooking from scratch, real phone calls and writing letters.

I will probably eventually give my two cents worth on all these things but wanted to just focus on hanging out the laundry today.

Hanging out clothes really only saves you about 6% off your electric bill. I spent $40 on my clothes line last year and since I can't use it all year long I probably broke even. But when you  consider I expanded the life of my dryer and every little bit counts it's still worth the little extra work.

Here are a few other reasons why you should use a clothesline.

1. The sun is a natural whitener and air freshener. Have you ever slept on crisp lined dryer sheets? There is nothing more calming.

2. It saves your clothes. Notice all that lint in the dryer? That's your clothes slowly deteriorating. So it can save you money on buying new clothes.

3. Its therapeutic. Outside in the fresh air with the birds chirping and the sun shining really perks you up.

4. It promotes family bonding. Like when a pop up shower hits and you scream " everyone help me get the clothes in".

5. If you miss treating a stain it doesn't get set in if not in the dryer.

6. No accidental shrinking. If nothing goes in the dryer nothing can get shrunk in the dryer.

You can hang your little wild ones on the line but its frowned on to throw them in the dryer ☺

Ladybug Wisdom

Wise men and women are always learning, always listening for fresh insight. Proverbs 18:15 msg

I love to learn new things. Books are helpful and the internet is nice to have around but to learn how to do something from someone can be very special.

I have a favorite pottery place I like to visit. Sara has been cranking out pottery for over 20 years. I do not question her prices and I save up to purchase them. I am not just buying a mug or bakeware I am buying art. If we visit her shop and she's turning the wheel its a special day.  If they are offering homemade punch or coffee in handmade mugs its icing on the cake. Sure I can run to a chain store and buy a mug for $1 but when I hold my $15 one from Sara I remember the purchase, I remember the story of where she gets her clay and how she mixes it, how she showed us how you make the handle and how to glaze. She shows you the kiln. I wash my pottery with care because it isn't cheap and I appreciate the hard work that went into making it.

I seriously doubt I will ever be a potter like Sara. I will guarantee you though we are surrounded by people like her with knowledge we don't have. People who will want to share their knowledge and want us to share ours with them.

It looks as if spring is finally here in Kentucky. I am actually sitting outside writing this. The chickens are foraging, the birds are coming and going from the feeders, the squirrels are waiting for me to go inside so they can come down from their trees. So here's a little tidbit of advice from me. The picture below is of one of our raised beds. We planted the onions last fall and covered them through the winter. About 6 weeks ago we planted the spinach in the back by the onions, the kale in the front and the leafy light green lettuce. We cut and it grows over night it seems. The key to success with this crop is placement. This spot gets morning sun but during the strongest sunshine it's shaded. By the times its too hot for these plants we will have eaten them up and planted something that loves the heat of summer. In late summer we can plant spinach and kale again and harvest it as long as temps arevt lower than 20 degrees. We are giving serious thought to trying to winter gardening.