late bloomer

As I went out to water the garden this morning, this sight awaited me. I had thought this wisteria plant hadn't made it through the winter, yet here it is, suddenly sprouting new leaves! It made me so happy! I had stopped watering it even, thinking it was a lost cause, but it has persevered and triumphed! You can be sure it got a hearty drink from the hose first thing!

Ultimate Torture

I was on assignment for my husband during my lunch hour today: purchase 6 pretzels for a Home Teaching lesson tonight on prayer (the pretzel looks like folded arms....get it?). So I ran over to Wetzel's Pretzels in the mall and had to wait "7 minutes" so they could make up that many at once. Mission accomplished, I'm in my car on the way back to work and suddenly am hit with one of my favorite aromas: warm, soft, fresh bread....and here I am on day 5 of being gluten free (which may warrant a blog post of its own in the near future...)

Happy Birthday for a special granddaughter

Make your own digital greeting card

Whole foods

My haul at the Tuwmater Farmers' Market today: Local, raw honey, organic strawberries, oatmeal-molasses bread, organic carrots. A total meal in itself! I just got a new app for my iphone that lists for me the Clean 15 and the Dirty Dozen that I use at the grocery store, but buying local simplifies it.

cobblestones

Just finished reading Beatrice & Virgil by Yann Martel. Which led me to want to read Dante's Divine Comedy, which led me to recollect that I had seen all 3 parts in the library booksale this week....yes! still there! Interesting, also, that Dante was from Florence, and I will be in Florence in a few months. I hope I can get through all 3 parts of the Comedy before then! By the way, Beatrice and Virgil is a very disturbing book--(hmmm...also an allegory, as was the Comedy...) about the Holocaust.

When asked what book he wished he'd written, Martel said, "The Divine Comedy." Just as Beatrice & Virgil guided Dante through Hell and Purgatory, so Martel's Beatrice and Virgil guide the reader through the Horrors of the Holocaust.

Make Your Own

Read this article in Psychology Today that I found interesting. Want to increase the incidents of serendipity in your life? Try the following:

1. Change your routine. Be flexible.

2. Think of yourself as "lucky."

3. Be open to possibilities.

4. Enlarge your circle of friends and acquaintances.

5. Relax. Anxiety gives one tunnel vision.

6. Slack off (a bit!) If you are too conscientious, (see: tunnel vision) you may miss out on the unusual, and hidden opportunities. Think of it as fostering creativity.

7. Say, "Yes!" Follow the opportunities. Don't ignore the negative, but don't let it cripple you, either. When in doubt, ask yourself, "what's the worse that can happen?"

8. Embrace failure. Seizing the moment may not always work out, but it will at the least add variety, which will increase happiness and stimulate those little gray cells!

Fresh, Local, Organic

Wednesdays are Farmers' Market days in Tumwater. Today I went fully prepared, after reading an article on 10 Mistakes to Avoid at the Farmers' Market.

I had to watch for a break in the rain deluges, but managed to get there at a reasonable time before all was picked over.

I had my reusable market bag.

I made sure I had plenty of cash.

I looked through the whole market before purchasing, then bought something from 3 different vendors.

I had resolved to buy something I had never bought/cooked before. I saw some Bok Choy and asked the vendor how to prepare it. So...tonight I will have stir fry with Bok Choy, onions, garlic....mmmmm....

There wasn't any fruit, meat or dairy, and I don't have a pet, so I think all in all I successfully negotiated the market!

Speaking of negotiate...not only did I NOT try to negotiate prices, but I had my broccoli on the scale, prepared to pay $4 for the pound, but she "rounded" my bill to $10, which means I only paid $1 for the broccoli!! Whoohoo!