re-artist

When in doubt, nurture a plant!

2009-06-02T12:40:00.000-07:00

Springtime weather in southern Califonia is so pleasant. I wish that this season would last longer than the eye-blink that it usually is. The blossoms are so plentiful and the hummingbirds remind us why they are there.

Here is a recent photo of my front yard make-over to more drought tolerant plants and a cleaner look with a wide border of natural-colored pea gravel. There were drainage issues that this design corrected as well. So, when in doubt create a new look!

Simplicity and ease-of-care also dictate my choice of yard design and plant choices. As much as I enjoy being outside in nature, I like to look at it more than work at it.

Tomato plants are a different story. I love tomatoes and I'm willing to take the time to nurture the vines along by stringing up supports and hand-watering regularly. They respond to this attention by surpassing my expectations. Yum! So, when in doubt, nurture a plant.

When in Doubt - Learn Something New!

2009-04-16T19:39:00.001-07:00

I've been busy and missed blogging at this site. I have a new website at http://www.patmonahan.com/ that has kept me occupied lately. It's good to be back here again. So, when in doubt ... immerse yourself in learning something new.

I have been busy with the garden and this spring has not disappointed me. The blossoms are stunning everywhere! I only have to step out the back door.

The front yard is currently getting a facelift. Photos of that on the next post.

When in Doubt Think Outside of the Box!

2009-01-27T09:58:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had a gnawing feeling that "something" is about to happen and we need to be prepared? We don't know what that something is. The events of our day and the events in the world feed into the sense of not knowing what to expect and how it will affect us. It's a sense of uncertainty and a knowing that our world has shifted in a way that demands us to be more attentive. It creates a cautiousness in us. We are compelled to become more aware of our world and our role in it - to operate on a deeper level.

One way to feel more "grounded" is to become more observant, to listen more and to read or watch programs that inform us. We need to seek the knowledge and find the truth about our world. Talk with others who are also concerned. Then make choices - wise choices that benefit ourselves, our family and our community. We can establish our priorities and set about to achieve them one by one over time. It's a process. It starts with one. It starts with me and you.

We are faced with many challenges. Challenges are opportunities. Opportunites create innovations and propel us (humanity) forward. And, innovation is the result of creative thinking - outisde of the box thinking. So when in doubt, think outside of the box, then tell others and get support to push that new idea along. It will thrive, if it has merit.

When in Doubt - Observe a Sleeping Cat.

2008-11-12T10:09:00.000-08:00

When you're wrestling with a mental/emotional burden, it will seem less burdensome if you watch a sleeping cat - just for a moment or two. You find yourself thinking about the carefree life that cat represents. How lucky, you think, to be so worry-free! Like that cat you picture yourself worry-free for just a moment. Somehow the grip of the burden you were carrying just a moment before is less. That's why it's important to have distractions in your life. It's healthier living when we stop to consider something or someone or someplace that can take us outside of ourselves for just a moment.

When in Doubt - Visit a Garden!

2008-10-31T17:02:00.000-07:00

One way to relax and reconnect with your sense of purpose is to visit a garden. My backyard is one such place.

I love the outdoors! Nature is beautiful in all stages of development - budding, bloming, maturing and re-setting itself to repeat the process. That's the take-away message. Nature is always reinventing itself, adapting to the conditions. We observe it and can learn about ourselves in the process.

In a garden we get to be part of the cycle by watering, feeding, weeding, pruning and transplanting or removing. It's like oil painting for me. It's all about creating and deciding what elements to put in the garden or into a painting. What's the common benefit? You - the viewer!

After completing a project in the garden or on canvas, I want to share it with others hoping that they find it pleaseing to the eye. I also hope they "connect" with it and with that part of themselves that is life-affirming and hopeful. What do you do to achieve that?

When in doubt - cover a canvas in oil paint!

2008-10-22T16:46:00.000-07:00

The times they are a changin'! One way to stay grounded for me is to oil paint. It requires patience and a connection to a feeling or impression of what I am painting. The results are satisfying (usually) and the experience is relaxing and refreshing. It gives me joy where before there may have been doubt.