Inconsequential Journals

           While I would love to announce that I have, in fact, won the lottery. This post is not about that fantastical meme. However, it is very much about signs. As many of you know, I have a garden for the first time this year. It is still unclear if my efforts will produce a successful yeild but there have been some encouraging signs. Several plants are flowering, we've already harvested some lettuce and the celery I am attempting to regrow is still alive. While I am very happy with these results, I have somewhat more intriguing proof of favorable growth. We are attracting wildlife. I have spied the usual suspects such as rabbit and groundhog. However, there are many more subtle pieces of evidence popping up around the yard. My strawberries have teeny tiny bite marks. Something gnawed through a guide wire and a bird of prey tromped across my car! I am going to record all these incidental surprises in my journal to celebrate catching someone's or someth...

           Today is Memorial Day, the end of a three day weekend with a big agenda. Not only is it a time to honor our fallen soldiers, but it is also the start of summer, the blockbuster movie season, graduation parties and first trips to the beach. Many feel conflicted wanting to wish everyone a "Happy Memorial Day!" but knowing that the sentiment isn't quite right.  I spoke with a few members of the silent generation recently. They remember the holiday celebrated very differently in their youth. Each of them recalled reflective trips to the cementary and simple picnics with a small group. Memorial Day wasn't a business opportunity. It was a day of rememberance. This is not say that we shouldn't enjoy our day off. These older individuals were  thinking back to years shortly following the end of World War II when the world was healing from a collective grief. But, we can pause briefly and acknowledge the sacrifice of those who served sometime in ...

           If you spend any time at all on-line, you have likely come across a "trail" in your state that highlights something for which your area is known. Often it is wine or cheese but it can be more distinctive like chocolate. My state has several. Yet, it is not all that exhaustive. Several popular food items can be found in a wonderful variety of places not currently listed together. This summer is a great opportunity to collect places for your own list. Set a mile limit and create a trail with a specific theme, it doesn't have to even be food. Try to visit as many as you can in the coming months. Record it all in your journal to look back on next year. 

 It's May the Fourth! A day to celebrate Star Wars and recognize one of the most well known catchphrases of all times. Movies, television shows and other forms of social media have changed how we communicate with one another.  Some have even become part of our everyday language like "my bad" which was around long before Clueless but made much more popular by the film.  What phrases do you find yourself repeating often? Is "D'oh" or "...we're not in Kansas anymore." on the tip of your tongue? Write down some of your favorite in your journal today. Be sure to highlight the origin and give it plenty of flare. 

     Today I am thinking back. More specifically, I am remembering a time when I was learning how to draw. Art class in school was helpful, of course. Yet the fun little features that make something cute or stand out, I aquired from family or friends. Do you remember who showed you how to make a cube? Bubble letters? A rose? I bet you still use these doodles in your journal even now. Perhaps you have a trick for how to easily turn a letter into a person or a series of circles into a dog. Today, we are celebrating those skills and (if you can remember) the people who trained us how to complete them. Dedicate a page to step by step instructions, a colorful collage or a sweet homage to the instructor.  

           The leaves are just about to start budding out in my area. It's that time in the year again when I start to have a bit of interest in the out of doors before the bugs, heat and humidity arrive. It's a hopeful few weeks. In years past, I have planted flowers and painted garden stones. This year I am attempting... a vegetable garden. At this point you may wonder why this is something unique. Perhaps, it is a long held yearly activity for you. I, on the other hand, am a known plant killer. I have brought the green and living into my home numerous times in the past. With the exception of one very hearty ivy plant, they have all die. Even the ivy didn't survive a move. Planting a garden for actual food is a big, scary adventure for me. A  few regular gardeners have told me that it just takes hard work. I dearly hope that they are right. Checking for signs of growth has become the new first step in my morning. I've read page after page of good an...