  FIGHT BACK! Charlton Tavern Website ---click on photo Tavern Benefit photos Click Photo below for 2009 Garden Tour Information!  Soroptimist International Schenectady 2009 Garden Tour 2008 Garden Tour 2007 Garden Tour 2006 Garden Tour 2005 Garden Tour Stockade Secret Garden Tour 2008 Stockade Secret Garden Tour 2006 Stockade Association My photos at Webshots 
        The Lady Recommends... The Katbird Shop NWF Backyard Habitat The Visit Scotia site D.R.C.C. Pyramid Life Center Still Point Kent Nerburn.com B:>compatible Aunt Katies Attic My Friend's Pages... Jill Batchelor.com From the Heart Southern Somedays Blog Mary Frances Millet Glassy Beads.com Jenndes Photography Cast of Characters (GardenLady's Plants) Email Me: Gardenlady at gardenlady.us |
You have found the homepage of the Garden Lady! News pages will fill you in on what's wrong in the world, my aim is to share what is right with the world through my camera. It's a BEAUTIFUL world out there. Life...a blessing, gift and a 'Magical Mystery Tour'.... Come on out and play! February 7, 2010 -A Happy Day  It was a clear and chilly but happy day today as I made a commitment as a Dominican Associate at the Retreat House. The program is pictured above...I cloned out last names just as a matter of course. I work closely with the Sisters, as I have mentioned here, and love the work at the Retreat House. So last March I began the discernment process which culminated with today's ceremony where I and one other woman made our first commitment, and the other Associates renewed their own commitments. It is a special and wonderful bond...and I am so grateful that I had recovered enough to be there. You make your commitments for a year, as many times people's circumstances may change and they take that into consideration. You couldn't ask for a more wonderful group of women. They have been such a blessing in my life. Otherwise, things have been quiet. I get out here and there but I am getting myself well so that when spring comes in, I can be back out in the woods. It is a good winter to have had this happen, as there has not been much snow, ergo, not many photo ops. Just as well! February 1, 2010 -Hermit Days It's been a kind of blessing to have been "stuck" indoors the last few days as we had some old fashioned cold come in with daytime temperatures in the single digits and nights below zero. It IS better now, and we have small amounts of nuisance snow. I am still taking a lot of naps but able to get some things done that require staying put long enough to accomplish them... something I am not usually good at. Sifting through old papers...organizing files...little things that just make you feel better when you get them done. I also get some reading done and spend most of my time in my"office"...almost like a kind of hermit retreat except I am not alone. And friends have been dropping off food, offering help...I am overwhelmed by the generosity. It is one thing when YOU do things but quite another to be on the receiving end. You find out that you have many, many caring friends. That makes times like this easier to take. For now, it's back over for a quick nap, and then dinner later. January 26, 2010 -Weather Watching  While I may not be out and doing things as usual, I have been interested in following the strange weather happenings around here and also reports from friends far and wide. The photo above was my front yard (a veritible lake). We had heavy downpours and with the frozen ground there was no place for the water to go right away. It got up to 55 here. In other places, I have an online friend near the White Mts. of Arizona and their ski resort is closed due to 6-8 foot snowfall. In his own yard the snow is past his knees. Today it looks like day in March - some snowbanks - small - and flurries now and then. Odd weather everywhere. January 23, 2010 -Never Never Land How time flies. And I've been in one of those places where it passes by almost unnoticed save in terms of 'time to take the tylenol'. I am still getting over what turned out to be a whopping case of pneumonia - not the flu. So finally I got the antibiotics to help fight the infection that had spread literally unchecked for a few days.I am finally making inroads and figured I better write something before I lost my audience! But what on earth do you write about when all you have been doing is sleeping? Document the cat's favorite positions? Give a critique of various brands of chicken soup or juices? Better to emphasize how blessed I am to have access to the care I need and after many working years have the time to work on getting well. So many don't have that. And for the loving care of hubby and friends - even though I am not yet much up to 'receiving guests' their help made it possible to stay OUT of the hospital. For now it's back to bed for awhile and hopefully get back into life again. I'm missing the routine! January 18, 2010 -Down for the count I really haven't forgotten you all, just that since last Tuesday night I have been flat out sick with what we thought might be the flu. Yes, I did have the flu shot. But after a week of low temps of 100 and high temps of 104...plus a LOT of coughing it might be something else (like pneumonia). I will be seeing the dr. later today...they didnt have me come in if it was the flu because there is nothing you can do but rest and liquids. I would just like to find out why nothing seems to be working. Hubby decided this morning that enough is enough and got thru to them early and set up an appointment. And the worst part...the weather has been gorgeous the past few days! Grrrr!!!!! January 12, 2010 -Settling in  I got back yesterday from a weekend at the Windmill, and my day of retreat held on Saturday at the retreat house. I had a good number of people attending - 19 - and after a snowy Friday where we had squalls but little accumulation the day dawned cold and clear. In my retreats I do SOME of the talking but far from all of it. The retreat is meant for the people to have free time to work on their individual gifts, and also there is time to share these gifts with others. This group was very open to all the day had to offer and it delighted me to walk around during 'free time' and watch them intently at work. Some of the folks have attended my retreats before and some were new but we all had a wonderful time. Sunday, I spent the day reading a book I picked up "The Hermitage Journals" written by John Howard Griffin, the author of "Black Like Me". These were the journal entries written by Mr. Griffin as he worked on the biography of Thomas Merton...and the hermitage he stayed in was the same one that Merton used at the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky. In the afternoon I invited my friend Pat to come and see the Windmill, she has only seen the outside. So we shared mugs of coffee and also some ice cream that she brought with her. Cleanup at the hermitage Monday morning, back home and unload and do laundry at home and it is back into the routine. Much the richer for the weekend. And also - the funeral for my friend Bill was very quiet and low key, much like the family itself. It is strange to look out my window and see their house and know that he is not there. He is somewhere infinitely better. January 8, 2010 -And away I go Off on retreat, I have my day of retreat Saturday and it looks like this year we will be spared the snow we had LAST year for my "Snow Day" presentation. The only downside is a good friend died on Tuesday and the funeral is tomorrow. I will be there, then on my way. He fought the good fight especially the past couple of years. Rest in peace, Bill, you will be missed.. To everyone else, see you next week. January 3, 2010 -Happy New Year! I cant believe it is already 2010, it seems like yesterday we were worried about the possible effects of Y2K on our systems. But here we are, at a kind of starting point and a fresh slate ahead of us. A year filled with possibility. We welcomed the New Year at the Dominican Retreat and Conference Centers' "New Years Eveving of Reflection" as we have done for the past 13-14 years. On Saturday I will be there GIVING my winter day of reflection "Spark of Creativity". I am working on the presentation and getting the laptop loaded with the programs it had...I have since installed Windows 7 and need to reload all my favorites. The weather looks to be better by next weekend and that is good, because it is VERY cold out there the past couple of days and there have been high gusting winds. But it is winter, and seems to be stacking up to be a winter like we have not seen in a few years. For now, I will finish my blurb here and get back to work...enjoying the warmth of my office and being surrounded by my books, music, my work and of course - my helper, the cat! Stay warm. Past Diary Entries - The Archives. |