A Habit of Joy, Gardening.

"Flowers are the earth laughing," Ralph Waldo Emerson.

A friend and fellow blogger wrote recently about her habits of joy, which included watching an amaryllis bulb sprint to bloom in January. 

This morning I walk out my door to see the daffodil greens emerging out of brown and cold and my heart sings. I never tire of seeing this minor miracle; determined reminders that Spring is coming and that soon the light which beckons these emerald beauties will coax them into explosions of white and yellow. This planting and watching daffodils has been my habit of joy for at least 20 years.

According to Mother Nature Network 43 million Americans or 37% of the population had food gardens in 2009 and the National Garden Association claims that 3 out of 4 Americans have some kind of garden. Growing and tending living things benefit us in so many ways; gives us exercise, gets us outside in the light, deters depression, provides us something delicious to eat, something beautiful to see and a deep sense of accomplishment. If you are one of the 3 out of 4 you already know that.

Adaptive Gardening can bring many if not all of the benefits of gardening to you if you are in some way housebound. Here are just a few ideas.

Put your favorites in pots
Many plants can be tended in a pot. From daffodil bulbs to tomatoes, pansies to parsley, your favorite plant can be brought near to you in the form of a pot. If your garden is right outside on the porch or inside on the patio you will be able to enjoy it and watch it's progress.

Ask for help
I know that fellow gardeners are usually helpful friendly folks and I know some of them would help you weed, or re-pot or sow in season. Even a small assistance from someone, like sowing your marigolds in Springtime or pruning your rosebushes can keep you "in the garden".

Try something new inside
If you haven't explored indoor gardening, now is a good time. If you have sunny windows you can try a small herb garden,  a succulent arrangement or some other tropical addition. Orchids used to be rare and difficult plants to grow but they are now readily available in many grocery stores and simply need steady indirect light and water once a week. Experiment!

Go outside as much as possible
When the temperatures warm, when the sun shines, the gardener wants out! Go outside and see if the maples are reddening, whether the Mockingbirds ate all the holly berries, if the Hellebore's blooming.

Arrange to see another garden too, whether it is simply the neighbor's down-the-street, J.C. Raulston Arboretum or a lovely visit in the garden section of Lowes. Indulge your love for gardening and let me know how you cultivate your habits of joy.

Bond Park Winter Fun

What fun it was to go for a walk to Bond Park and witness some man made and natural delights.


Kids as well as adults were thoroughly enjoying the artificial snow tube/slide area.

The gulls were having a gala time on a blustery, yet bright sunny day on the lake.

Knightdale Chamber of Commerce 2015 Economic Forecast

The Knightdale Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual 2015 Economic Forecast at the Knightdale City Hall, on January 6th, 2015.

Kudos to the chamber team primarily Mary Yount, Executive Director and Sherry Samuels, Administrator for pulling together an excellent event.

NC State University economics professor Mike Walden discussed the national climate and impacts to and from other global economies.


Wake County Manager Jim Hartman talked about the county forecast, and overall it was a good prediction.

Knightdale Mayor Russell Killen covered local predictions.

Pedicures for Seniors by Sunny Miller of Adara Spa

I recently spoke with Sunny Miller, owner of Adara Spa.

Among the various services she and her team provides at Adara Spa, one of them is pedicures for seniors. Adara Spa is located near both Cameron Village and Downtown Raleigh. Sunny has built a wonderful community around her clients, and as always looks for ways to add tremendous value to their lives.




http://www.adaraspa.com/

The Caregiver Wellbeing Talk

Michelle McCoy, Certified Wellness Coach from Treasured Wellness, came in to do a talk for our Caregiver/CNA team. She serves Johnston and Wake counties, has expertise with migraine and digestion issues, and is generally focussed on women's health. She's a former CNA, and her daughter is now working towards her own CNA certification.

While Michelle's talk was about overall wellbeing, she specifically discussed how the foods we eat impact our body, energy and health. She talked about the adverse effect stress has on our bodies, how to counter it, and how to care for ourselves that are uplifting for both our body and mind.

She also treated us to wonderful, healthy snacks including lemon water to help alkalize our bodies.

We had a small holiday gift (that Michelle personally put together) for each team member, to support what they learnt during her talk.

5,000 Years of History in a Tea Bag

What do safe drinking water, workers' rights, women's rights, pottery manufacturing, the American Revolution, clipper ships, taxes, smuggling, beer, and ancient Chinese legends have in common? Tea!

Sponsored by Resources for Seniors (organized by Susan M, Senior Care Coordinator) and the NC Museum of History, senior attendees of this event learnt how these small dried leaves affect our past in a story worth raising a cup to!

They also enjoyed a cup of spiced tea that Susan had given us a recipe for. One of our Caregivers, Kim P prepared the tea onsite and served it as part of this well attended program. Here are some pictures and the recipe...

Holiday Expectations

It's a perfectly decorated home and you have perfected your holiday plans for your perfectly healthy family. Even in this unlikely scenario there is the unexpected. Uncle Joe arrives with an uninvited guest. Aunt Josephine forgets to turn on the stove for dinner, Nana gets lost on the highway and misses the event altogether. Every person has a story of an unexpected turn of events on the most perfectly planned gathering.

When you have a loved one struggling with loss; of health or mobility or ability, how do you adapt your plans? Can you expect something good, even joyous, or do you just shrug away the holiday and call it a wash? Three Christmases in a row I had a close family member in the hospital or recovering from a serious illness, or both. The following three suggestions culled from my own personal experience and my years working in long-term care helped me survive and thrive in a less than perfect holiday.

Adapt expectations;
but hold onto the most precious.

No, Mother is not going out Christmas shopping with you this year, but what can she do? Perhaps she can still brainstorm ideas, view items on-line, help wrap. If time spent together was the most precious part, find a way to still do it.

Adapt expectations and allow time to grieve.

Change is hard for everyone, but especially when that change involves loss. Give yourself and your loved one permission to weep, to be alone, to express sorrow even during the holiday. Allowing these times will make the smiling times more authentic.

Adapt expectations and create something new, maybe even better.

Sometimes having to slow down and do it differently means an opportunity to change a habit or tradition that wasn't serving us anyway. Maybe a desk-top tree and fresh greens will bring just as much if not more pleasure. What foods really mean celebration and which ones just tend to after-season guilty gut? Is there a food that could replace the sweets or fats currently off-diet. I have included clementines as our traditional holiday food which everyone can eat. Other changes have included more than average phone-calls and weekly letters which a care-giver reads. It is a small but meaningful way we celebrate.

Maybe you have already made these changes, share them if you can and I hope you can experience good, something joyous this holiday season.