April blew in with such ferocity this year!  My doorways have been moaning for weeks on end- a slightly eery sound that I have begun to liken to Moaning Myrtle.  If you have never heard your house “sing” before, I will explain.  The wind comes through the gaps with such strength that it causes the copper flashing to vibrate and intonate.  The first time I heard it, nearly 19 years ago, I was home alone with my babies while my husband was away on a business trip.  It frightened me until I was able to process what was happening.  But I digress.  Resuming….

As I sat down to write today I reviewed my posts from 2022 and I startled myself with how much I wanted to share with you.  I have let more time slip by than I intended.  So, please, pause here to grab a cup of tea, a glass of wine, or perhaps a cookie and a glass of milk.  But get comfortable and let’s catch up!

In January I shared my Intentions for 2022 and it is important to me that I continue that conversation.  Accountability.  I set these five intentions for 2022:

1. Eat more veggies!
2. Keep a cleaner garden.
3. Become more disciplined in my approach to learning.
4. Learn to create process videos.
5. Create free downloads for my website subscribers BEFORE March!

Let me start with Number 5-  I’m a little late, but I have done it!  I have created my first free download for you.  It is only the first; you can plan on more.  When visitors sign up to receive email from me they will be taken to a Thank You page where they can download the freebie.  Those who are already on my mailing list will receive a separate email with their link.  This first freebie is a bookmark.  I haven’t decided how long the free bookmark will be available, so download it when you receive the email.   If you have troubles with the download or you don’t receive your email, just let me know.  I will post a follow-up blog entry with suggestions for how to print your bookmark.

New Art!   “Hummingbird with Screen”

Number 4-  Sadly, I haven’t even BEGUN to tackle this one.  Let’s get that garden growing first!

Number 3-  Becoming more disciplined in my approach to learning has been a biggie for me.  Sometimes I feel like I am stalling out-  but when I grant myself a little grace and look at my work with objectivity I see great strides here.  I have spent considerable time painting birds lately under the tutelage of several self-guided classes with differing approaches and strengths.  The instructor in me says I haven’t earned an A- yet.  But, I will get there! 

Number 2-  Oh My!  In order to keep a cleaner garden, I have to clean it first!  The ideal time would have been Winter- but if you know me, you know I hibernate when the weather is anything less than 68 degrees F.  So, that leaves Spring.  And if you are a parent, or remember parenting school-aged children (or adults), then you remember how your calendar can simply explode overnight!

My son is a Senior in high school and just attended prom this past weekend.  Graduation events are beginning to fill the calendar.  Soccer matches have begun to populate the little white squares.  And in between grass fires, weird cold snaps, and the occasional promise of severe storms, I know the garden is calling!  But each day only holds 24 hours and I demand to sleep at least 7 of them, so something gets ignored each day.

In the past I have delayed gardening until the last possible minute holding onto the fear of losing seeds and seedlings in Spring Flash Floods or odd late frosts.  This year won’t be much different.  I have begun to clean out last year’s crops, but I haven’t finished.  We haven’t even turned on our irrigation system yet.  The baby plants are thriving in my studio nursery.  I have sown a few seeds outside, with disappointing results.  If the wind wasn’t bad enough, the squirrels immediately dug up the fresh soil.  The morning after planting seeds I discovered holes dug all over my cleared beds!

Last-  1.  Eat more veggies!      Do convenience salads count?  We haven’t made a heap of progress here-  but, if you recall, the whole point of setting Intentions instead of Resolutions is to emphasize the PROCESS or the journey.  I have eaten a few extra salads, which is easier as it becomes increasingly warmer.