....fun

Yogis,
The word ‘fun’ is thrown around. It’s fun to watch a comedy. It’s fun eating out on the deck. It’s fun to go to the pool or catch up with a friend. But are there degrees of fun? Can two things be fun but one of them more fun?

Well…..when 52 people all agree something is exceptionally fun, you know you are on to something!

We returned Saturday from an incredible 37th Outer Banks trip and the consensus is that this ranks as one of the most fun things we do. Every minute of it. From arriving in the driveway with hugs all around to the last evening’s conversation under the stars. Pure fun.

Why? We were discussing this.

For one thing we have been staying on the same block since the boys were born. They have spent one week of every year of their lives going to the same beach, with the same people, same smells, same activities and the freedom of a place with very few rules. In a world of rules, this is quite refreshing.

There is also someone for everyone to play with! There are fifteen in my age group, twenty-one in the next generation and we are up to sixteen little ones from ages one to nine. Built in friends! And everyone watches out for everyone.

We have the same traditions. From digging a big hole as the kid focal point, to morphing into one big adult circle of beach chairs by late day. A bocce tournament that lasts all week to frozen pineapple pieces soaked in rum brought for the group on Thursday. Olympic games on Olympic years and even impromptu parties at one of the houses (all 52 of us).

We all know what to do and when to do it. No need for planning. No one in charge.

And did I mention laughter? Wow. Lots of it. I think I may have even snorted once or twice. Dancing? Yep. After dinner. Music loud and us singing along. No holding back. Fun!

Even my grand dog has fun.

Life as an adult can get a little serious. Buttoned up. Confined. This week is always a great reminder to let fun in.

Where do you find the fun?

Still giggling,
SARAH  

....front porch

Yogis,
I love a good front porch! They are so welcoming. You walk out the front door, plop down in a comfortable chair and watch the world go by.

Our beach house has a screened front porch. Old pine floors and a bead board ceiling give a relaxed vibe.  A couch, a few chairs and twinkle lights set the mood. It is where I am drawn after filling my first morning mug, sleep still in my eyes.  Facing east, it receives the gentle early morning rays before the day sets in. Bikers ride by while new parents walk babies to get them out of the house.

We added a front porch to our old house next door. Adorned with incredibly comfortable sturdy wicker rockers, it offered a perfect view of our boys playing with friends in the front yard. Facing west, the porch was the place to sit with a beverage and watch afternoon storms roll in….. until Molly our dog let us know it was time to retreat.

The porch of the current house faces south. Thick stone columns.  A fig bush graces the front edge while a holly stands tall at its end. Sitting on it feels like being tucked in a secret garden. A hummingbird visits.

Then there is Cape May. On our annual weekend trip, I was again awed by the porches. Deep and wide. Old and solid. The perfect setting for early morning coffee, late afternoon cocktails and dark evening group hangouts. Candles lit and soft ocean breezes.

They are no longer in our architecture. Focus has moved to behind the house. Decks, patios and pools. New homes that add a porch, do so for show. Too small for any true ‘hangout.’

We value privacy.

Porches harken back to a time before television. No phones. And no air conditioning. Entertained by life as it rolls down the road. Neighbors coming by.  A social thread.

I vote for the return of the front porch!  Front porches lead to connection and we need that right now.

Come sit and talk to me for a while,
SARAH

....judgment

Yogis,
Recently I said something out loud that held quite a bit of judgment. My personal judgment. My feelings on a situation. It was heard by one of the people I was referencing. Someone I love very much. I realized it immediately. Thank goodness.

Thank goodness I had the chance to apologize. Thank goodness I was given the gift of discussion. And thank goodness for a reminder of how unhelpful our mind can be when it is judging. But how often do judgments harm without us knowing?

Our mind is wired to judge pretty much everything, with a training program that begins at birth. We are told what is good and bad. Shown how to act, dress, what to eat and even what to believe. From this groundwork a belief system is built which we internally label ‘correct.’

We go on to experience life which may change our judgments, but often hardens them. ‘I’ did something this way and it went well so this is the right way. We believe it and speak it; sure others will eventually see the error of their ways. Black and white. Laughable when you take a step back to observe yourself.

Judgments do play an important role in our lives. Seeing smoke, we judge something to be hot. Our antennae go up and we judge something to be dangerous. A certain pair of shoes gives me blisters so I judge them to be wrong …..BUT they may be perfect for someone else. That’s the harder part.

Then there are areas where judgment is an obstacle. It has the power to hold us back from potentially deep relationships, adventures that may light a passion or even delicious foods!  Judgments make our world smaller.

Most of this done unconsciously.

Until we are awakened by something turning out to be completely different than we believed….or when our silly thoughts make their way from the mind through the mouth and hurt someone.

I have now been reminded (thank you Universe) to watch my judgments. To question them. To see if I can exhale any away with my next breath.

Thank goodness,
SARAH

....bergamot

Yogis,
Each summer I write about a few of my plant friends to get you better acquainted if you haven’t already connected. Every plant is unique. Every plant has a role. Every one deserves attention. And every plant has its own personality.

Today I introduce easy going beautiful bergamot!

 

You know those friends who don’t stress over their appearance? Wild hair, leggy, a little messy, yet always gorgeous? Well, that is her.

Belonging to the genus Monardo in the mint family, she is known to many as bee balm. There are several species of bergamot, two of which call my garden home. I have wild bergamot with lavender flowers and red bee balm. Both are in bloom now and make me quite happy.

With a name like bee balm, you know who else is happy!

Bergamot attracts many kinds of bees as well as plenty of butterflies. My resident hummingbirds too are drawn to hover and drink from tubular petals on crownlike flowers. In July it always looks like a party is going strong in the bergamot sections of the garden.

As a native and perennial, she is no fuss, no muss. Her four-foot-tall skinny stems appear each spring without fail and spread quietly over time. As a bud appears you get a hint of what is to come. Soon her glorious flower emerges. When I look closely, I feel I see ribbons and streamers. Delicate and fun. All surrounding an intricately designed center.

She is carefree yet hardy. Handles direct sun and part shade. Drought tolerant and not picky about the soil you place her feet in. Transplanting…..no problem. Leaning over…..no problem. Other plants around…..great!

She is also medicinal. Native Americans and early settlers used leaves to cure headaches, sore eyes, and colds. Her fresh leaves can be used for tea, although she is not to be confused with the bergamot orange that is used for earl grey. Dried leaves can be used in place of oregano or thyme in cooking.

Plant some bergamot today and let the party begin!

The birds and the bees,
SARAH