Dallas Arboretum Visit

After living in DFW for 17 years, I finally visited the Dallas Arboretum!  I already can't wait to go back in the winter for their highly-recommended holiday light displays!

My friend Amanda and I went and I have to say I'm so glad I went with a friend who loved the scenery as much as I did!  And she would see things I didn't even notice, which was a joy to view her perspectives.

Here we are - took us about 1 minute to pose for a selfie as soon as we walked through the gates, because the row of amazingly beautiful pink flowers stopped us in our tracks:

Needed many collages from the Dallas Arboretum, WOW!   I couldn't possibly choose just 6 photos for one collage, because there were a TON of great shots from the beautiful gardens.   I'm speechless honestly.  But, here is a fun one first, that makes me smile and laugh! "Selfie with a frog!"

I could have done these themed collages, EASILY:  Single flowers, plants, statues, flower beds, colors, insects, waterfalls, ponds, benches, etc.

Instead, here are two collages I created among the 100 photos I prolly took with my camera, lol:

Seriously stunning!!

Going to the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens this year, too, with Amanda.  Can't wait for another amazing memory-maker of beautiful colors and flowers and scenery!


(click any photo to enlarge)

Just in Time Versus Just in Case

I found myself less interested in Dr. Oz's magazines for some reason lately but I like to read helpful articles, so I went to my stash of Oprah Winfrey magazines I hadn't yet touched, and just, well, grabbed one out the fifty or so on the shelf.

(Oh the funny irony of finding this article among hoarding these magazines lol)

One of the first articles I read in that magazine from 2004 had to do with this:

There are two ways of going through life: Gather everything in sight, just in case you need it. Or, trust that you'll find exactly what you need, just in time. Guess which one lets you really stop and smell the roses?

I wasn't that intrigued by the preface, but as I read along, it turns out Martha Beck learned a lot from Toyota.

Just after the first paragraph....

"Shortly after World War II, executives at Japan's Toyota Motor Company made a decision from which, I believe, we all can benefit. They decided to make cars the way they'd make, say, sushi. Unlike most manufacturers, which bought and stored massive stockpiles of supplies, Toyota began ordering just enough parts to keep their lines moving, just when those parts were needed. This made them spectacularly productive, and turned the phrase "just in time" into business legend."

...I was intrigued and couldn't wait to read more.

And I'm glad I didn't stop!

Just in Time versus Just in Case can be applied to businesses, home life, eating, love life (or like life), money, etc.

About so many aspects of our lives!

And, just in time personally for me.

I got a lot out of it.  Hope others will, also.

Read the entire article here: http://www.oprah.com/spirit/martha-becks-strategy-to-lower-stress-and-improve-your-life

Throw Back Thursday - Gift from My Mom

You would think the best gift my Mom gave me was life.  But in reality, it was about death.

I hope this blog post from August 2012 helps at least one person:

Gift from My Mom

Did You See?

Been walking at a lot of new parks this year.  I set a goal to walk in a new park at least once a month and I have way surpassed that! 

Well, received some feedback about my last poem, so wrote this yesterday about my walks:


Did You See?

Did you see the intricate spider web?
Or just the normal, pretty flower bed?

Did you see the small white flower catch your eye?
Or did the larger purple one push it aside?

Did you hear the bird trying to sing for your attention?
Or did you not even notice the distinction?

Did you see the clouds staring down at you?
Or only when the sun broke through?

Did you see the beautiful shades of blue in the sky?
Or did you not look up, your mind was occupied?

Did you see the path?  Dirt, gravel, or grass?
Or did you just walk by and simply pass?

Did you see the complex shape of that rock?
Or did you not stop and just kept your walk?

Did you not see all the amazing different colors?
Or did you not even realize your heart flutters?

Did you feel the breeze on your face? 
Or just not realize its’ grace?

Did you see the colors, the beauty?
Or did you just not really study?

Did you See. Look. Watch. Feel. Hear?
All that nature was trying to really reveal?

It’s more than colors.  More than things.
Nature is a feeling, riding high on our wings.
Beautiful flowers that it brings.
Animals that explore like kings.
Pretty colorful birds that sing.
Lovely tree branches that swing.
Crisp and clear meandering springs.
Filling our heart and mind with nature’s everything’s.

How You Were Raised

I beleive one of the reasons why I'm so responsible is because of how I was raised.

Yes, going back to that all-important philosophy how you were raised impacts you as an adult.

Growing up on Saturday mornings, if my parents and I were not out camping, I was helping them do yard work or things around the house.  It has helped me become the person I am today.  And I really like this person! 

I love doing yard work. I love getting things done around the house. I can do a lot of things on my own.  All because that's what my parents taught me.  I can put together a bookcase, install a new light fixture, do all the yard work myself, work on things around the house.  Etc.

The difference is I like to do it all.

A friend of mine dated a guy who didn't do anything unless asked.  He didn't do the laundry on his own, he didn't do the dishes if he saw them piling up, he wouldn't put things away.  He wouldn't even help her bring in the groceries when he saw her walking into the house with her arms full of bags.  And in my opinion, this is just the way he was raised.  I would find out later that all his brothers are the exact same non-assertive way.

I remember the days as a teenager kicking and screaming being dragged to Home Depot by my Dad.  Now, I'm thankful, tho, as I can find just about anything on any aisle because of all those tantrum Saturdays.  lol.

Even in my lower 20s, I had an ex that didn't understand why I couldn't tell my parents no, and instead go to a movie with him one Saturday morning.  Little did he know, why I became so much more responsible than him.

Being independent and self-sufficient is one thing, but truly enjoying being productive is a pretty cool character to have.

For instance, a couple of months ago I met up with a friend who works on homes and we talked about things I wanted done around the house.  As we walked through the house together, he asked me about things and we would add them to the list.  Like, new light fixtures, installing a new back door, adding window film art, replacing rotting wooden fence posts with metal posts, fixing some of the cracks on the back patio, etc.

We didn't set a deadline, so I noticed on my open Saturdays I started to do some of the things on my own, lol, that was on the list for him to work on.  Sure, I let him install the new back door and easily let him put in new metal fence posts, but I just wasn't the type of person to sit around and not do some of the things on the list myself.

For instance, I removed the large and obtuse florescent lights and their containers from my living room ceiling, then added a new, cool light fixture:

My friends were like, really?  Yea, really.  And the handy man was just as confused as he was impressed I was doing things on my own.

I also installed the window film art, and I am going to paint the walls myself.

Some people seem to be shocked when I do things on my own.  But to me it's a direct attribution to how I was raised and how grateful I am of the woman I've grown into. 

Beautiful upbringing and blessed for sure.

Village Creek Historical Park

Hopefully you all aren't getting tired of these collages.  Because today's quite amazing walk is brought to you by me, "The Nature Whisperer."  :)  The armadillo didn't run away, the absolutely​ beautiful and friendly butterfly who said hello to me for awhile, the turtles and squirrels who aren't even in the pics, and the stunning scenery under God's beautiful sky.  Another new park, another wonderful memory-making walk.

It's so cool there are so many sweet parks to walk in just in the Dallas Fort Worth area.  And I've barely even started!

Tandy Hills Natural Area

Another new walking spot!  Got a tad lost, lol, as trails aren't marked.  But got back to my car, right as the large rain drops started to fall on Wednesday.  Perfect timing!

To be honest, I was nervous I had to park on a residential street to walk in this area.  No parking area at all.  Too bad, too - this place has great trails and is pretty, even though I really did get lost because the trails aren't marked well at all.

I hope to go back some day.  Maybe on a weekend when more people are out.  This day I was the sole hiker - a tad intimidating because at that point you *hope* you really are alone so no one messes with you.

Tandy Hills Natural Area, Fort Worth, Texas.  Nestled between Interstate 30 and a residential area.  Hidden.  Good spot!

Throw Back Thursday - Life Through My Eyes

I like re-reading some of my past blog posts because they help my current thoughts and feelings.

I had an idea to start to share some of them every once in while via the "Throw Back Thursday" (TBT) theme that is utilized a lot on social media.

Today I'd like to share an uplifting piece I wrote about back in 2012:

Life Through My Eyes

I've been through some really tough times, but I don't view them as "bad" things.

Not Even Interested in Looking

Life has many different paths...
Some come with aftermaths

The memories at times stored...
Because too hurtful i was ignored.

Holidays i fear...
No warm words do i hear

You might think it was your body or eyes...
Instead it was how you are so wise

I know this much to be true...
No eyes for anyone but you

Still adore you too much...
It's almost like a crutch

I don't seek, look, or care...
About anyone else out there

Heart still thinks about you...
So no one else will do

They say the next...
Should be better than the ex

That's going to be tough to beat...
You're too much of a treat

Intelligent, deep soul, artist, funny...
Mentor, best friend, gambler, sexy

Your words, that deep voice...
Fluttered my heart, no choice

I learned so much...
My mind was touched

Like no one ever before...
Influenced me to the core

Your advice, words, and thoughts...
Those are missed... lots

Just know you're​ missed, and why...
And that's why sometimes I still cry.