There are Always New Beginnings

                                                                     

                                 

 

     As I write this, the new year is just beginning and my head is spinning with thoughts of resolutions and plans for the future near and far.  I really do mean to begin some things that are new to me.  It may be because my birthday is this month that my mind gets so busy with the “what are you doing with your life” thinking.  I have always had a bit of that going on and I think the older I get the more important it seems to prioritize the many things I think I may want to do.  Sometimes thinking things through, talking about them, and looking up information about them leads me to a plan of action, a change of plans or just crossing something off my to-do list.  Ideally, thinking things through comes before I make plans and take action, although this is not always the case.  Occasionally there is the need to make a change after I set out in a certain direction.

                                  Pretty trees with problem roots!                                   

                           

     For quite some time the roots of the beautiful Liquid Amber trees in the pool yard have been pushing up the patio, and portions of the old wooden fences have been needing repair.  When the back fence started to lean into the neighbor’s yard we had to take action and it seemed like a well thought out plan to start the work in the fall when this area is not really used much.  Of course, everything has taken much longer, been more complicated and produced more questions about how to proceed then I imagined.  Then there is the aspect of my husband’s ideas and the opinions of family and workers versus my ideas.  Merging ideas can be quite a process, including but not limited to on-site "discussions," measuring, plotting and looking at books and online for images appropriate to our 1917 historic property.  After weeks of demo and design we have deviated from our original plan, gone in a totally different direction and then gone back to something close to the original.  There is actual physical progress with the back fence (the almost falling down one) nearing completion and semi-agreed upon plans for the next phase. So the beginning, the starting point, of our pool yard redo has had several new beginnings, a few detours and some progress.

                                   

                                  View from behind fence posts

     This somewhat reflects my path through life.  I think about things, research, try to consider pros and cons and sometimes this leads me to take action.  Sometimes I actually complete things as I planned, sometimes I deviate from my original plan and sometimes I just drop ideas and move on to something else.  Fortunately with projects around my house and yard I make sure that the end result at least looks finished.  Other people will never know that it may be only part of my original plan.  I try to take a similar approach with my interior/personal intentions.  I want to enjoy progress not perfection, take time to enjoy the process that is my life and move on to another new beginning.      

                                        

             
                                                  Of course, Rufus supervises construction!