Gardener's Group discussion
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Our plans for 2010
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Happy New Year to you too!You sound so ambitious and organized! I was out for dinner with a couple girlfriends last night and one of them announced she would be spending today making her list of everything she needs to get done this year. This sounded exhausting to me. I guess I am kind of a fly by the seat of my pants person. I usually make a list each evening of what I need to do the next day and give myself an attagirl when I finish it. However, if something fun or interesting comes along the list goes by the wayside.
My current favorite word is "imagine". I am planning some big life changes this year as I am seriously considering retiring in the spring so I am busy trying to imagine what life would be like if I didn't leave my home at 11PM three nights a week to go to work, but instead sleep at night like a normal person.
I have no qualms about what to do with myself from about mid April until Nov 1, but the winter months might be a different story. I'm in the researching and cogitating stage at the moment and need to decide in the next couple weeks if I want to retire in time for spending max time outside in the spring.
I do have some vague overall plans--continue to clear out my house (I've worked on this for years, getting rid of my kids' stuff and unwanted items of my own. I keep finding new or maybe I should say old deposits of past treasures). I need to work on my scrapbooking. I was faithful doing my grandkids' pictures for about 4 yrs and since then I've dropped off. Also have plans to do a memory book of my parents' family pictures and momentos. I'm currently researching possible options for volunteer time and want to settle on a couple of things I can devote free time to. I am going to join a garden club this year and a friend and I are considering doing a Master Gardeners course. I usually plan one major gardening project each year. I haven't decided on one for this year yet, but have some possibilities in mind. I'm going to try winter sowing for the first time this year, I'm planning for that project right now. The other thing I'm thinking about is writing. I used to a long time ago and had to give it up because I tend to disappear into my make believe world and become a hermit. We'll see.
Wow, Cheryl and Jo, you sound so ambitious! I find I'm sharing many of your same goals, I'm just not sure I'm as organized about listing them (let alone accomplishing them)!Cheryl, I highly recommend the Master Gardener program. I've been a member since 2001, first in Mobile and now in Wichita, and I love it. You meet and work with wonderful people, and there are almost always so many ways to get involved that the hard part is choosing how to limit yourself! Most of all, you keep learning, and that makes life so much more fun.
So my goals are to really start working through all of the things (including books) that we have collected through the years to try to cull out the unessentials and properly organize the essentials. Concurrently with that huge project, I want to get back to working on my families' histories, especially including "capturing" family stories and displaying photos and mementos in a pleasing and memorable way.
I also have the normal, post-holiday desire to lose some weight and tone up. Then there's journalling. It really helps keep me grounded, but I've let myself get sidetracked from doing it daily, so I'm going to get back to it on a regular basis.
Scrapbooking, more reading, writing more regularly in my gardening blog, learning to create collages and, as summer gets here, continuing to expand my flower beds and to restore the native prairie grasses and wildflowers to our little acreage.
I don't think that keeping busy is going to be a problem!
Cynthia--thanks for the encouragement on the Master Gardeners Program. My friend and I have kind of been held back by the distance we have to travel to take the classes because we want to do it in the winter and driving can be iffy this time of the year. We'll have to talk about it some more.
Hello, I am new. Just wanted to say I love all the ambitions. Also, Yoga is wonderful and as always, this year I am reminding myself the more I practice, the more at peace I am. Jo, just remember to listen to your body. Any good yoga teacher will tell you that. It's amazing! Not sure what my garden project will be this year, but it's always fun to think about. Thanks for the reminder about making the list. I always accomplish more if I write things down. And simplifying! Thanks for all the ideas! I have not read the book yet, but I think I will try to find it at the library.
Looking forward to being recommended garden themed books and whatever else you guys do. Happy New Year:)
Hi, Ang! Great to have you join us. We'll be looking forward to hearing what your garden project will be for this year. What types of gardening do you like to do?
Welcome Ang--so nice to have someone new join us. I have done a tiny bit of Yoga and think your comment about listening to your body is right on the money. I think it's especially true when it comes to sleep. I tend to want to stay up and do just one more thing when my body is saying--go to bed now. Thanks for the reminder.
Welcome Ang! I look forward to getting to know you here and on goodreads! I'm going to start off with Yoga at home and we'll see what happens. I've bought a dvd of Yoga for people with arthritis (like me!) which was rec'd to me by my ortho doc and plan on starting some time this week depending on how I feel. I did start walking again, every other day, either outdoors or on the treadmill, for at least a half hour.
Listening to our bodies is such an important and vital thing for us all! And so easy to put aside unfortunately.
Cheryl & Cynthia, thank you also for sharing your goals & hopes for the new year. I've so wanted to do the Master Gardener program for our County, but it's on the other side from us, public transportation out there is next to nothing and I don't drive much anymore (if at all) because of my health so it has to wait until we move elsewhere. I can't wait to do it one day!
I hear you about the transportation, Jo. We recently got literail into the twin cities from a town only 18 miles from us so this may open up some options for transportation to the University of Minnesota and the Master Gardener classes. We're going to check it out.
That's great Cheryl! Hope it works out!
That's great Cheryl! Hope it works out!I did complete a 2 year degree distance learning in horticulture, gardening & landscape design in May of 2008 (Wow, time flies!) and from chatting w/my cousin who had to become as Master Gardener as a part of her master's degree, what I've learned is very similar (just minus the hands on demonstrations & field trips). I'm very glad I took it! I learned so much and the course books are staying on my shelf because of all the good info in them.
Jo, That sounds like quite a curriculum you took - truthfully way past what you'd get from a standard Master Gardener program. (Although you can learn some awesome stuff on field trips, especially.)Cheryl, The literail option sounds wonderful! Good luck with it.
Cynthia wrote: "Jo, That sounds like quite a curriculum you took - truthfully way past what you'd get from a standard Master Gardener program. (Although you can learn some awesome stuff on field trips, especially..."Really?! Wow! It was an awesome course. Total time was 2 years.
Thanks for welcoming me!:) I love doing flowers most of all, dream of having them everywhere. Ok, almost everywhere. I love my lawn. Always dreamed of having a big yard and got that wish in 2006 with an acre:) Dream come true, and also a bit overwhelming at first. I also like to grow veggies, would love to do bell peppers, got a few last year, but need to figure it out. Just got somewhat of a greenhouse and used it for the first time last year and that was really fun. Every year is a new adventure.:) Oh and I love shrubs! Would love to be able to buy the ones that are already big though! lol. Well, thanks again:)
p.s. Hope the yoga helps your arthritis! Tai Chi is good for that too :)
Thank you Ang! I'm hoping for the same. I love flowers too. They make me so happy!
Jo--That distance learning sounds very interesting. Would you be willing to share the name of the program and talk a little bit about how it worked?
Ang, To help you along with your dreams of planting your yard....Your shrubs will actually acclimate better and grow faster if you buy them small. (Just be sure to pay attention to their final size - don't plant a tiny redtwig dogwood somewhere that you want all plants below 18" tall, for example.) That way you can afford a lot more plant material!
Cynthia--I've been doing exactly what you recommended to Ang. Over the past two years I have planted 9 hydrangeas and about a dozen other bush/shrubs and am amazed at the amount of growth they have put on even in only one year. I find this to be one of the more enjoyable aspects of gardening---planting small and watching things develop. There have been a few surprises along the way--most of them good.
Cheryl, I'm glad it's working out well for you. I guess that plants aren't too different from people in that way - it tends to be easier for us to adapt to new places when we're young too!
Cheryl S. wrote: "Jo--That distance learning sounds very interesting. Would you be willing to share the name of the program and talk a little bit about how it worked?"It's from Stratford Career Institute (http://www.scitraining.com/) and the course is now called the Gardening Distance Learning Course (http://www.scitraining.com/Courses_US...) and here's the course outline which seems to be very similar (if not exactly the same) as what I did: http://www.scitraining.com/Courses_US... .
One class module is sent to you at a time (you don't receive the next one until you've finished with the current one) and you receive that portion of the text book, assignments, postage paid envelopes for tuition payments & correspondence with instructors), a folder and so on. Once you've completed a module, you take the exam - you submit your answers online and it will tell you immediately what your grade is and send you an email confirm of it as well. (Yes, it Is possible to get answers wrong even with the book right there with you!!!) Once you've completed all of the modules and exams and have made all of your tuition payments (and own no more $), they send you a Diploma within 6 weeks (which is proudly displayed on our living room wall!). I really enjoyed it! The text books are Very detailed.
I worked on it at my own pace but did finish it as of 2 years (you can take longer if need be) and was paying monthly payments of roughly $33/mo then. If you click on the "send for free info" button, they'll send you about the same as what appears on the site but usually with a discounted tuition price and down payment offer.
I'm actually taking their interior design course (just for my own knowledge), which was long ago paid but because of my health, I haven't finished yet. I hope to complete this one by then end of 2010. I may want to take at least 2 more courses after that, but we'll see when I'm done with this one!
I really liked their time flexibility because living with disease isn't always a consistent life!
Jo--First of all thanks for all the information. I'm going to look into this shortly. I currently have to do a lot of education for my job and adding this at the same time might be overload. However, if I actually do retire this spring this just might be the perfect thing for me to sink my teeth into.
Secondly I have to say how much I admire your tenacity and dedication to learning new things. I think I told you in the past my mother had severe rheumatoid arthritis so I am familiar with the extreams and disabilities that entails. Having so many interests in your life has to contribute to your ability to cope with your disease. Bravo!
Thank you Cheryl! Thank you so much, I appreciate your kind & supportive words very much. :-) Thank you!
Welcome, Brenda. This is a great site and you'll see we discuss many things besides gardening!
Welcome Brenda!!! Glad to see you ever here!
This has been a big day for me and I'm mentally exhausted this evening but wanted to share I have made the decision to retire at the end of April and today set those plans in motion. I've worked in the same job for 30 yrs and I love the people I work with--we're a great team--so this was a tough decision. I will definately miss working with patients and being exposed to the interest I have in medicine, but while I am still in good health I would like to branch out and have time to do some other things. My family is supportive of my decision and tonight I'm feeling happy and like I'm doing the right thing.
Congratulations Cheryl!!!
That sounds like a hard decision. Congratulations on your retirement!!!
Thanks for the encouragement. I hope I'm still feeling great about it 6 months from now.
I'm sure you will have your ups & downs with it as anyone would with a life changing decision such as this, but just remember what you said at the end of your announcement above, "My family is supportive of my decision and tonight I'm feeling happy and like I'm doing the right thing." And you always have us here for support!!!
Congratulations, Cheryl! It will be a big change, but perhaps you could go back part time if you find that you miss it a great deal after you retire.Meanwhile, I hope you have a great time preparing for retirement and looking forward to being able to do many of the activities that you just haven't had time for before. My prediction is that you'll keep yourself so busy you'll wonder how you used to fit work into your schedule!
Jo, Cynthia, Erika--thanks so much for the kind words. Now that I'm through the "figuring things out" stage I'm feeling really good. It is confusing and I still have a couple questions but for the most part I think I'm okay. In my opinion retireing is not for sissies and neither is old age. I don't feel old and sometimes I can hardly believe I'll be 65 in April, but as one of my friends is fond of saying--it sure beats the alternative! I am excited about having the time to try some new things and to spend more time with the people I love.
Personally speaking I've found I avoid calling any of my goals or plans for 2010 "Resolutions" because I feel doing so dooms them before the start no matter how good my intentions are to follow through with them.
My main things to focus on throughout the coming year are Writing Every Day, editing past manuscripts, Exercising and managing my time (instead of flying by the seat of my pants!) in addition to whatever my seasonal goals will be. These are both difficult things for me but it's a necessity that I become better with both of them. Also, I would like to re-read at least 1 all time fave book each month along with whatever new books I'm reading.
Way before vision boards became so popular, I used to create what I called vision or inspiration journals for myself. I'd take any images or words that struck something inside of me and pasted them into blank sketch books. I still look at them from time to time and I think it's something I should add to my "2010 To-Do List." I enjoyed it so much and it helped me a lot with my writing.
In finding a word to focus on throughout the year which would also help with accomplishing overall goals (or resolutions) for the year, I picked "simplicity" for 2009 (which I felt would bring "clarity" which would bring "harmony") and I feel I did well with that overall in 2009 and want to continue in 2010.
My word for 2010 is "Simplicity." I'd like to continue focusing on my word of the year (which I'm carrying over from 2009) and keep simplifying myself, my life & our home and in doing so continue getting things organized.
Additionally, my Winter (seasonal) goals are:
~Make sure I exercise at least every other day (and begin Yoga)
~Write Every Day
~Journal Every Day
~Read Every Day
~Narrow down & order my seeds
~Get caught up on my to-read shelf in the living room
~Get caught up on knitting projects
~Focus on our room (since the spare room is finished for the time being)
~Print 25 pictures out per month (at home or from the store)
~Get out whenever the weather isn't raining & nasty (like today) even if it's only to sit outside on the porch.
What are your plans for 2010?
What would you like to see more of here at Obsessed Gardner's in 2010? (I've decided to carry our current group read (Animal, Vegetable, Miracle A Year of Food Life) through Winter until Spring).
A Blessed, healthy, prosperous, bountiful & Happy New Year to you all!
Love,
~Jo