Dear sisters,
I hope this note finds you someplace cool, listening to the slow song of summer.
As I was thinking about what pearls from the shorelines to share with you this week the word ‘ nurture ‘ popped up! And more than once I might add. That’s when it hit me! I’ve spent most of this summer wearing my ‘ nurturing hat ‘. I bet some of you have put in a fair amount of time in yours too! Grab a beach chair and settle in. Go on! Dig your toes into the sand and take a nice, long deep breath. Better? Good! We’ve got lot’s to catch up on!
Nurture by definition means:
•take care of young thing: to give tender care and protection to a young child, animal, or plant, helping it to grow and develop ~ CHECK!
•encourage somebody or something to flourish: to encourage somebody or something to grow, develop, thrive, and be successful~ CHECK!
•keep feeling: to keep a feeling in the mind for a long time, allowing it to grow or deepen~ CHECK!
Not everyone is a nurturer. But, I think Farmgirl’s (which is mostly everyone says MJ) are different. Nurturing just seems to come second nature to us! We look after our families, friends, parents; homesteads and farmsteads as if it’s the best job in the world. And, you know what? It is! Here’s why. I believe when we nurture other’s we get a double shot of goodness right back. I always feel better when I’m able to help someone else. Whether it’s someone in my immediate family, a friend or one of my sisters! I’m not talking about the kind of nurturing where you wear yourself out caring for others to the point that you forget all about yourself. We’ve all been there or will be; maybe you are now and know you need to make some changes. It’s taken me a while but I’ve discovered that there really is such a thing as ‘healthy nurturing’.
Here’s my simple Healthy Nurturing Recipe
1) Include yourself in the nurturing. Make sure you find ways to nourish and nurture yourself as you go about your daily rounds of helping others. Here’s what I do when I feel like piling on the pampering.
Take naps when I need one, have my toes done, get a massage, drink plenty of water, ( and ICED GREEN TEA ) laugh, see friends, walk, stretch, dance, listen to music, garden, read, write and go to the beach.
2) Don’t pile on more than you can handle. It’s really okay to politely say NO to things that don’t have a positive impact on you or your family.
3) Plan things to look forward to (alone or with loved ones) that are FREE and FUN
4) Go downtown for an ice-cream or make your own.
5) Make a complete meal out of your farmer’s market basket of goodies.
6) And always, always be grateful!
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This summer has been nothing short of a nurture fest for me. It all started with planting that first dream seed for my backyard flower farm. I have been wedded to each and every stem since their tender beginnings.
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Remember the dahlias I thought I planted upside down? Farmgirl Jan reassured me that they would come up either way and she was right! Not only did they grow they are starting to flower despite the slugs, earwigs, and leaf-chewers. I haven’t been so ‘ nurturing ‘ with them! My mothering instincts came rushing to the surface when I saw what they were doing to my precious little sprouts! I waged an all out bug killing war with
organic slug bait pellet that can be reapplied a few times a month as a preventative and so far it’s working well. Whew!
Here’s a peak at what’s blooming right now!
Dahlia’s~
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Zinnias
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Sunflowers
Cosmos, California Poppies and Bachelor Buttons.
Encouraging our teenagers as they navigate through the ups and downs of becoming young adults is no small nurturing task either. But it is fun (most of the time) even rewarding. All too fast my time has gone from wiping noses (and other parts) to encouraging our son to prepare for his driving permit test, and get his ducks in a row for his Eagle Scout project. But what does my heart the absolute most good is encouraging them along their separate paths of creativity. Both of our children are musically talented but in different ways. Our daughter writes lyrics and composes music and our son writes RAP lyrics. Now, before you jump out of your beach chair in utter disgust let me tell you how I used to feel about RAP music. NOT A FAN AT ALL but when you have a child who spends most of his waking hours with a pencil and notebook in hand; at the ready for the next inspirational ‘ line ‘ you have to have an open mind and get involved. Besides, this was my homeschooled kid who never wanted to write when he was young! I’ve come to accept and admire that Rap music is really just another form of poetry. (Did I just say that out loud?) And, if done well (in our house that means clean and clever) can even be inspiring to listen to. Here’s what we told our son when he said, “I want to be a Rapper “. Fine, we said, we will support you. But, you have to be yourself, don’t be a copycat, no swears (okay, mostly no swears) or disrespecting women and always write from your heart.
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Since that talk he’s written 15 songs and is working on producing his first homegrown C.D. recorded in his bedroom studio. I must confess, I like some RAP now! And his RAP especially. I’m inspired by his passion and drive and I’m honored to be on his team. He also loves the producing end of things. He’s already decided he wants to got to college for Music Producing.
As if tending the garden and encouraging children to follow their dreams of a life making music aren’t stretching my looking after gene to the fullest my sweet husband has been in need of a little of summer nurturing too. He started a new job in June which he loves but support and encouragement are needed there too! It’s always stressful to start over even when you are excited about the changes to come. I can only do so much! The thing that really does it for him is to feel the wind in his hair as he buzzes across the bay in his fishing boat.
Come to think of it. That sounds pretty darned good! Wait for me honey!
I’m headed to the shorelines for our annual summer respite where no doubt the summer nurturing’s will continue albeit at a much slower pace. Ah. I can hear the song of summer off in the distance. Can you?
Until our next shoreline visit…
LIVE YOUR PAGE~ Young Boz
And remember the right amount of HEALTHY NURTURING is good for everyone…. Even you!
BEACH and SUMMER BLESSINGS to all!
Love,
Deb xo
P.S. Sisters gather round’. I’m sure you’ve all heard by now about the shooting tragedy in Colorado at the movie theatre. Let’s all send prayers to the families of the dead and wounded and healing thoughts to the state of Colorado. God Bless them all!
Oh Deb you are always a great read in all the ways a read should be and I love your flowers – I’m going to do better next year. Thanks for the visit – enjoy the shore. And thanks for all the great advice on the painting of my chairs.
God Bless
Hi Joan! Nice to see you here on the shorelines! Thanks so much for reading and good luck with your chairs! They are going to be great! Post on facebook when you are done and share with me! I want to see them finished! xo Deb
yes, I can relate to the joy of nurturing. Since having kids, it has become a priority. And my gardens mutually nurture me as I nurture them.
I can relate also to the tastes of teenage music not really coinciding with my own tastes. Little by little, some of their music has broken down my resistance (although the swearing is very hard to take…) I can also relate to getting the Eagle Project completed, as my oldest has done so and got all the paper work in by his 18th birthday, has been approved by council and now waiting for the national level approval. I am very proud!!
Thanks for sharing your blessings ! As always, its a joy to read.
Laura, Oh, it’s so true about the tastes of teenage music not coinciding with my own. " broken down resistance " well said! I don’t care for the swearing in the least! Congrats to you and your son on getting his Eagle under way! It is a huge accomplishment and the years leading up to it are worthy of such recognition! Thanks for reading… Love Deb xo
Good morning Deb, I hope you are relaxing on the beach listening to the waves roll in and out. (I hope it is cool there) lol. My son started writing rap songs when he was young and then he went on to become a youth pastor and now an evangelist. Rap isn’t always bad. HA! (That son is now 37 years old.) Every now and again he still will rap something out while he is speaking to youth groups. lol. I pray the Lord’s blessings on your son as well. He must get his writing from you. I love reading your blogs. Be Blessed. Neta…oh by the way will be sending more finished pics soon of the camper, got the floor in now. just a few more things my husband has to do, then I can get in there and glamp it up!! can’t wait.
Oh Neta… I’ll have to share this story with my son. I know he will be inspired to hear this! Thank you! You’re right! Rap isn’t always bad! Our son’s old scout den leader is the sunday school teacher at our church and she has heard some of his music and wants to share it with the pastor. Who knows where it will all lead… it’s the journey that counts. I’ll be waiting for those pics of your camper! What fun Neta! Thank you for the blessings and right back atcha! Hugs! Deb
Deb,
Love the flower photographs, just beautiful.
I myself am a bit behind on my container gardening.I had geraniums left over from the winter and they were blooming like mad and I just didn’t want to move them, but…
I must get crackin on a trip to the nursery to find something suitable for my pots and the summer heat.
Lori
Hi Lori,
Well, thank you! It’s hard to get in all the gardening we want every year…I love container gardening you can grow just about anything in a pot! Stay cool!
Deb xo