20 GIU 2024 · Summer Solstice is a great time of year, but it is especially noticeable near the Arctic Circle - where the sun does not set.... literally.... there is no sunset.... which is a wild phenomenon if you have never experienced it.    Despite all the extra hours of light in the far North, a tomato plant given to us by a friend, produced fruit that never made it past the "green ball" phase.  We learned that the plants up there need a greenhouse to get them to ripen - because they need the consistent warmth along with the sunlight to get the job done.    Even though tomato growing was a little different up there, our dog son wasn't. He had his schedule and every evening at 8pm he would come to let us know it was his bed time. Even though the sun was high in the sky. He wasn't afraid of missing out, he knew what he needed and kept that foundation in place no matter where we traveled.     I've learned a lot about self-care from my dog - thank you Munge!

16 GIU 2024 · It's turned hot and humid in the South, so we've had to work a little smarter and less harder to manage the heat.     During our time outdoors working and clearing brush, I had a chance to really appreciate the world around me. No screens, no ear buds, just me and nature. It was such a wonderful moment of peace, that I took the time to truly appreciate what was around me.    Taking time to do this helps recharge our system, just like watering the thirsty plants out in the garden. 

12 GIU 2024 · Crows are amazing, and even those who have studied them for decades are mystified by their intelligence and social behaviors.    Crows keep a close family unit and the hatchlings of last year, are the babysitters this year. A baby crow lives and learns for several years before heading out to start their own family.    Crows can count and communicate important information along great distances to other members of the group.    And because of this, they are wildly successful at adapting and raising young.    They are stronger together than a single bird alone.    Just like us.    There's never been a better time to find a community - in real life or online. Learning and sharing with others fills a deep need and can help us be happier, healthier, and live longer - better.    If you are struggling to find a group - check out a community center near you, or online for groups that are connected to an interest or hobby that you have. And it's OK to shop around - the best groups are the ones that you feel at home in, like birds of a feather.

9 GIU 2024 · Do you ever find yourself thinking the same depressing, negative, or pwerless thing about a situation, or person?    Why does this always happen?    There she goes again....    I guess there's nothing I can do...    Our brains are hardwired to see dangers and problems everywhere... and in the good old days, when life expectancy was age 35 for men, and even less for women - it was a helpful path for our brains to develop (like survival of the fittest).     But, that same survival mechanism creates a heaping help of misery for us today. The other cars on the road are not predators about to devour us, and the printer at the office is not a plastic demon bent on making us angry... well, maybe that last one is true...    However, the truth is that we focus and hardwire way more of the negative into our brains which then creates a negative result when we try to be happy. But is there a way to change the path? In his book Hardwiring Happiness, Rick Hanson, Ph.D. shares a means of creating new paths over time to help our brains notice and create positive experiences leading to a positive mindset. Here's his website if you'd like to learn more: https://rickhanson.com 

5 GIU 2024 · Human Nature is a pretty negative thing, we are tuned into the worst, the bad, the danger.... so what can we learn from the Mockingbird to change the station? Want to learn more about this amazing bird? Or hear some recorded riffing? Here's a trusted source to learn more (including a handy map of where they like to sing): https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Mockingbird/overview# 

2 GIU 2024 · We've just had a day of rain, with cool temperatures and a dreary sky.   But, it's evening and the birds are singing all around the yard and garden.   As I pause to take in the beauty of the sound, a peace and sense of contentment fill my soul and I want to share this with someone.    What makes for happiness? Why do we tend to notice all the negatives?  I've just started a new book on the topic of happiness and will be sharing more about my discoveries on this topic. Here is the book called "Hardwiring Happiness" by Rick Hanson, PhD https://rickhanson.com/writings/books/hardwiring-happiness/

30 MAG 2024 · Did you know that God's first name is Andy?    It's a cute joke, but as I walked in the garden today it reminded me of a hymn and the joke.   I started this podcast as a way to share stories and lessons from the garden that have helped me and others grow a positive mindset.  But, this podcast almost never happened. I had never thought of doing a podcast, and didn't like the idea that I might not be good at it.    But that fear is true about anything we've never done before. Every successful person that we know about has had a lot of failures, and they also all started as beginners.    The trick is to be willing to be a beginner, and to keep doing the things that you love and are excited about - because, over time, and with repetition - you will get to be good at them.   Need some encouragement? There are lots of great groups out there online (or in real life) that help teach, train, and support new hobbies and interests. I mentioned one that has really helped me this last year as a new entrepreneur - it's called DinoMite Entrepreneurs and you can join the free Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/share/1FziC8aLb5oE1eaX/ 

24 MAG 2024 · The garden is growing and is actually further along than we've been in years past.      And we are celebrating the excitement of green tomatoes growing on the vine.  But we also have some things that just aren't going the way we planned, planted, or hoped. So, how do you deal with things that don't happen the way you wanted? It really comes down to saying "so what?...now what?" and moving into a solutions phase rather than staying too long being upset that it happened.  Sir Ken Robinson has a super TED Talk about Children and Creativity :      https://youtu.be/aT_121H3kLY?si=9zBgd-iQMqCRPGo4

17 MAG 2024 · Grit... Strength... Survival... Determination....  What does it mean to be a survivor?   How does adversity and challenge make us stonger?      In this episode, I share the story of an extraordinary red-winged blackbird that we nicknamed Zachary Bass, after a movie character who survived against all odds.   This one bird, inspired us to become "bird nerds" and learn more about our feathered friends, and the true meaning of challenges that make us stronger.

13 MAG 2024 · We've had a lot of rain and I'm standing outside the garden looking at the growth and considering our deer fence - a simple set-up of metal posts and fishing line.    How in the world does something so simple keep out the deer?     They brush against it at night and it startles them. That's it... the fence isn't really keeping them away from their goal, their fear of the unknown is what keeps them away from the delicious okra and beets they want to gobble up. Hopefully the deer never Google the solution to this issue...    But, in a similar way, we can be held back from the things we want to do, from the garden we wish to create in our own lives. Gaining information, support, and professional help where needed can get us past the things that are holding us back so we can grow again.