Where has the year gone?

Time seemed to pass so quickly, I feel like I lay down in January to take a nap and woke up in December. It’s not that I haven’t been aware of the passing of time, it’s just that it’s gone by so fast.

2011 was a good year for me; one filled with ups and downs. I began writing a weekly blog in January and have faithfully posted every week. I started writing a transformational daybook and just finished my last page yesterday. I finished a class on Freelance Writing and began a new one on Shaping and Writing a Novel. The part of my life that’s involved in writing has been full. I’ve noticed that when I’m not writing, I’m reading about writing and/or studying about how-to-write. I do not have an educational background to support my passion for the written word, so I have to apply myself and learn as I go.

My personal life has taken a few twists and turns, but I’ve survived them all. In fact, I have more than survived, I’ve grown in my understanding of who I am and what I want. I watched my mother turn 90, which was amazing, and at the same time suffered the rejection and harsh judgment of my family over a decision I made. I’ve felt the pain of losing my home to foreclosure, went through my husband’s seven weeks of unemployment with no income during that time, and found out my 16 year old cat has kidney disease and a growth in her abdomen. That’s been the rougher spots in my year.

On the up side, I regained my prior level of high physical energy that I’d lost after having open-heart surgery last year, got to spend Christmas day serving the homeless at our local rescue mission, made new heart friends, found a lovely home to rent and move into, found out what it feels like to have someone take up for me, learned the meaning of unconditional love from my husband, and have seen more of my loving, amazing soul.

I am walking into 2012 with joy and high spirits.  I can’t wait to see what the year will bring in my personal life, in my circle of friends and family, in my hometown and state, and In the world at large. I’m anticipating a lot of change and continued growth. Happy New Year to all!

Brenda Marroy 

Thanksgiving, a Matter of Eco Perception by Silvia Hoehns Wright

(Due to moving the blog posts the dates of publication are off by 2 or 3. Sorry a bout that delay. Contents remain the same.)

According to a report issued by USA Today, bad weather is brewing. From blizzards to heat waves across the nation, we face the prospect of ongoing natural disasters fueled by unhealthy shifts in the environment.

As one of the people who ‘dig in the dirt’ and dwell in the central Virginia Interstate 95 corridor, the fall of 2011 hopefully will be recalled as an once in a life time experience. In late August, the landscape experienced drought. Next, the earth shook with such vengeance that many of those who lived near the core of this earthquake were left homeless; and then, rain generated by the force of tropical storms occurred. At first, we gardeners were pleased to see the landscape recover its green but as the winds and down-pour of rain increased, each of us sought shelter from the rage of these storms.

In the aftermath, one-hundred plus year-old trees litter our communities, storm debris blanket open green spaces, and 21st century utility services were unavailable. If you were fortunate, personal property such as your home or vehicles were unharmed. So, hear me when I say, I relate to USA Today’s warning of bad weather as brewing. Still, I believe we need to view our world as a glass half full, thankfulness for the world’s natural beauty. For nature is resilient and leaves us each season with a promise renewed.

Nevertheless, why (you question) would I view my glass as half full? Over the years, I’ve learned being thankful is a matter of perception. I’ve adjusted my plant choices, moved plants that once flourished to more sheltered locations and extended a regional planting zone guideline of 7 to zones 6 through 8, considering both extreme cold and hot. In other words, I listen to national environmental warnings and incorporate change into my gardening strategies.

So, while many view the Thanksgiving holidays as a time to celebrate family and host feasts, I urge you to be thankful for the world’s natural beauty. Together, let’s appreciate the resilient of nature: the promise of a season renewed. For, we not only have opportunities to make a difference through personal choices but can influence others through our use of green space, both rural and urban. View your world as a ‘glass half full’, make thanksgiving a matter of eco perception. For additional tips and strategies, visit web site http://www.thewrightscoop.com/