Lazy W Marie

Carpeing all the diems in semi-rural Oklahoma...xoxo

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inspiration, recreation, & the only stream that flows

Hey friends, how are you? How is your spirit? Is it at play, or is it suffering, or have you even checked in with yourself lately? Are you getting enough water and sunshine?

I tell you what, for my answers: Yes, to all of the above and then some. It’s a grand mix, and I adore every detail.

Inspiration abounds. I’d love to share some beauty and goodness with you, but first I’d like to real quick establish what the word recreation has come to mean to me and also mention a concept about the stream of well being.

Recreation, by modern definition, is, “refreshment by some means of pastime, agreeable exercise, or the like; a pastime, diversion, exercise, or other resource affording relaxation and enjoyment.” The word’s Latin origin points to “restoration and recovery.” This is fine and great. I bet we usually accept recreation to be play, and in America maybe a certain type of play, and maybe most commonly, whatever can be squeezed into a weekend or weeklong vacation. I think it must legally include hot dogs, organized sports, or at least matching outfits and group photos. I’m mostly kidding, but my point is that it can be a trap to chase R&R in the social sense. It doesn’t have to be like anyone else’s, and it doesn’t have to be relegated to weekends and rare vacation time. I like to look at the word and see that its root is create.

The elements that create me, who I am deep down, are probably somewhat different from the elements that create you, despite our basic similarities as human beings. Anyway, when we get ourselves to a dangerous level of depletion, either pysically or spiritually, and we feel the need to build ourselves up again, to re-create ourselves, I hope we look for more than what we think should help, more than what everyone else is doing habitually. I hope we tap into gleaming instinct and wisdom to pursue the things we know are nutritious and long lasting.

The DNA of our personalities or souls, or however you like to call the invisible essence of you, is precious and God-given. Let’s not settle for only rest or only mind-numbing comfort; let’s encourage each other to seek replenishment of the very best stuff of life.

Okay.

And now some quick thoughts on, “Well Being is the only stream that flows.”

There is a philosophy which says that our sense of well being is always available to us, and we have control over how much we experience it in life. That we are not so much in a maelstrom of warring energy fields like good versus evil; rather, we are in control of our own access to Love. We either allowing Love to flow freely or we are not allowing it. Similar endings to the story, but very different ways to get there. This was hard for me to see when I forst read about it, and it’s still hard for me to swallow at moments when I am exactly the reason why I am not feeling my best, ha! But the more I experiment with it, the more true it feels. At the very least, it’s a great touchstone for asking myself whether I am suffering over something by an outside arttack or by choice, and how can I adjust my perspective to experience life differently? Am I consciously or unconsciously damming up the river of goodness that is very much available to me, and wondering why I am dying of thirst?

Another metaphor for this is electricy and lightswitches: We do not sit in a dark room because someone has “turned on the dark.” There’s no such thing. We sit in a dark room because someone has turned off the light. Something has broken that electricity circuit. This one is easier to see.

How liberating to think that, at the moments we seem to be sitting in the dark, we can invite light back in, all by ourselves. Or, when we are parched for goodness and Love, we really can find a way to allow the stream of well being to flow to us, through us. We can, largely, quench our own thirsts.

How?

Release fear. Forgive someone. Forgive ouselves. Spark curiosity instead of holding judgement. Better yet, open a bold and loving conversation. Connect. Do difficult work that builds confidence and destroys self doubt. Stop outsourcing your abilities. Choose to see the best in a person or a murky situation. Count your blessings. Count your talents. Extend help to someone. Make their whole day! Accomplish something big on your Long List, and bonus points if it’s something that cannot be easily undone tomorrow. Donate clothes and household belongings before you scratch the itch to shop. Weed a garden. Walk your dog. Call someone out of the blue. Bravely imagine a tough situation working out better than you have ever dared to dream, and hold the details of that imagining until you feel the effects in your body. Write it all down to make room for something better. Pursue beauty. Notice more details. Gulp it all in! Bake for someone you love, and pray for them while you do it. Release fear.

Release fear.

Release fear without punishing yourself for having it in the first place.

Release fear over and over again. Fear is the opposite of Love, and it blocks so much goodness in our lives. In my own heart, fear has been the root of every failure and every excruciating pain. Fear is the reason I shrink back, too. Fear becomes my jealousy, my bitterness, my selfishness. I forget way too often how simple it is to release my fears straight into God’s hands. But when I finally do it, it always works.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on either of these ideas!

OK, how about some inspiration lately? Take it or leave it, and please swap me for something in your world!

((reflective moment on our pond, autumn 2025))

Inspiration Lately!

The Elton John song Tiny Dancer as performed by Florence and the Machine. You know what, all music by Florence inspires me.

Original paintings by a young local artist named Savannah Scholz. She has new swan pieces that I am very interested in purchasing! Everything of hers that I have seen is dynamic, emtionally charged, and just gorgeous. She uses themes like fertility, loss, new life, partnership, birds, motherhood, and the balance of masculine and feminine power. Find her on Instagram!

((one of two pieces we bought from her a couple of years ago… I love seen them every day))

I love how my friend Cathy arranges her dining room table for every season and every little shift in life. Recently she set it beautifully with an Edgar Allen Poe vibe, and I am just so dang jazzed by it. What meal would you seve at this creepy, elegant table? I’m thinking prime rib, rare, with something very garlicky.

The Rich Roll podcast interview of Chip Conley, all about the “Modern Elder.” The episode is #905, dated April 24th. If you are a fan of work by Richard Rohr, Victor Frankl, and Arthur Brooks, you’ll get lots out of this long, meandering conversation. Quickest takeaway: Project your life at least ten years into the future. Projected regret is your secret wisdom.

An audiobook biography called, Clementine: the Life of Mrs. Winston Churchill. Whoa buddy I got so much out of her life’s story. I have certainly made the mistake of putting people like Churchill on a pedestal, for their contributions to history or much quoted wisdom; so at first I felt startled by all the humanness and “green young woman” behavior of Clementine’s early years. But I swallowed that down and injested with an open mind the rest of her story, just as it was told. I am so glad I did. This biography provides a unique behind the scenes fullness to WWII stories we have heard before from the men and historians.

Pamela Anderson’s jaw dropping rebirth. I am riveted somewhat by the unpredictability of her path and especially by her devotion to hearth and home. Have you seen her home and garden show? There is also a cooking show too, which I loved.

Cal Newport’s podcast Deep Questions! I am a new listener. He is the author of books like Deep Work, Slow Productivity, and Digital Detox. So far I am finding his tone and pace in audio to be a lot more energetic that I expected, based on his books. Great material too, just a bit long winded. Which is funny coming from me, ha.

Also Emily Freeman’s podcast, The Next Right Thing. I am a long time listener but had lost track for a while. Her voice is soothing, her messge is sane and good, and her mothods are digestible. Episode #372 is all about space clearing, both physically, spatially, and emotionally Loved it.

A memoir titled Hope is a Verb by fellow Oklahoman, Amy Downs. Holy moly, friends. More on this will soon come your way in the form of a true book review. It deserves the loving attention. She is an OKC bombing survivor, a self made executive, and a triathelete. A fascinating and beatifully written story!

These painted rocks I keep seeing around the park in Choctaw. A local church is repsinsible for the commuity project, and it is all so uplifting. I have seen them hidden in secret places and grouped together out in the open. Just like people. Colorful and misshapen and beautiful too, again just like people.

The quiet work of friends who are pouring themselves into creatve pursuits. I have too many to list quickly, so I will share some solid gold stories soon. Our community is so rich because of these folks! Just know that my heart is full of love for our real life friends doing creative work.

There’s a wealth of internet eye candy right now, calling itself 90s Nostalgia, and y’all, we are kicked off hard and happy for Halloween right now but Christmas can go ahead and buckle up for extra colorful lights, cozier corners, and all things happy and good. Never have I been so thankful to be married to a guy who adores the holidays as much as I do. In addition to 90’s Nostaligia, there are accounts popping up left and right that show us crafts made from nothing but garden scraps: Willow branches become adult sized witches. Hydrangeas and maple branches are shaped into magical archways. Orange slices? You already know. Give me all the homemade, hand crafted magic.

Earlier this week I had the lucky chance to visit Handsome’s office for an employee appreciation event. I arrived at the tail end of the fun but still got to see so many friendly faces, and afterwards he walked me around part of the building for some quick introductions and to see old friends. Every single time I see these fine people, I am inspired by the work they do and the community they have built. Oklahoma is incredibly well served by the people who keep the Corporation Commission running smoothly. It fills my heart so much that I cried while driving away.

A book based on a podcast (that’s a modern switch!), both titled The Anthropocene Reviewed, by John Greene. Our incredible son in law Alex first led me to the podcast a few years ago, and I got hooked. I finally ordered the book a couple of months ago and fell for it imediately based on the introduction. In that, the author shares enough of his own story to help the reader develop a flavor for his quirky, deeply meaningful, and also hilariously irrelevant commentary on different features of modern life. That’s the best way I can explain it without robbing his explanation of the five star rating system. I know, this doesn’t make sense here, but it’s worth reading. Green has a knack for connecting the mundane with the profound, which you know is my favorite hobby besides gardening. Here’s a quote he shared, attributed to the poet Maurice Sendak:

“Pay attention to what you pay attention to.
Live your life.
Live your life.
Live your life.”

At a monthly meeting with the Master Gardeners last week, I took a few minutes to explore the Children’s Sensory Garden outside the Extension office. It’s small but packed with details and interesting dimensions, and ooofff it got my wheels turning for the school garden at Chavez! There, we have seven raised beds of various shapes and sizes, and we have plenty of challenges, but I wonder how much we could accomplish to this end. The kids are so smart and so interested in the physical experience of gardening, a sensory focus feels like the logical next step.


Friends, thanks a million for hanging in there with me today. I have more to share, but this is already so much. I would love to see something that’s inspired you lately!

“Break often.
Not like porcelain
but like waves.”
~Scherezade Siobhan
XOXOXO

dare you

A few days ago Handsome and I were at our favorite Mexican restaurant, filling our bellies and trying to stay awake. It was the day after our big annual Talent Show, which is draining in all the best ways, and we had not slept well after it. We required much ice cold caffiene and many warm tortilla chips with great salsa. Our waiter was exceedingly nice and attentive, but he kept doing something so funny that, in my state of exhaustion, was pushing me to the edge of uncontrollable laughter: Whenever he checked on our drinks or asked us a question he would punctuate the brief exchanges with a wink, a soft clicking of his tongue, like how you would giddy up a horse (two syllables, like clucking), and a weirdly comforting, “I gotcha!” About half of those times, he also did finger guns at me. I am not kidding you.

One singular exchange ending in this kind of animated friendliness would absolutely have grabbed my attention. But you guys, he did it so many times, and in such close successsion one time to another, that, as I said, I was on the verge of a giggle fest.

“I gotcha…”
Wink.
Giddy-up sounds.
Finger guns.

Repeatedly. Just sit with that for a minute.

I actually started wondering if someone had dared him to do this, becuase it reminded me so much of a few Decembers ago when we were out with friends and I low-key dared everyone to say “Merry Christmas” to the same person as many times as humanly possible. We happened to be at a Mexican restaurant that night, also, but in a dfferent part of town. Our waitress caught on at some point and confronted us directly. “What exactly is going on here, are you doing that on purpose??!!” We laughed and laughed and laughed because we regard ourselves as comic geniuses, then we let her in on the whole thing. I think it was a printed Bingo game that night, filled with the Merry Christmas dare plus lots more silliness, so we offered it to her to try for herself. She accepted with unveiled enthusiasm. I would love to know how she fared in the wild with these meaningless but joyful dares.

((Life is always better when you’re laughing. Laughter heals. ))

So I guess what I’m getting at is this: I dare you to dare someone to do something silly. And soon. It’s worth the energy speed bump. It’s worth the brief awkwardness. It feels so great to have some nonsensical laughter folded into the mundanity of daily adult life. We are too bound up in seriousness, I think.

And if you need some ideas?
I gotcha. Wink.
Giddy up sounds.
Finger guns!
XOXOXO

highs & lows lately

Life lately has been, as it so often is, a study in constrasts. And I love it.

Just for fun, here are some highs and lows that have caught my attention. The first two happened early Wednesday morning, within fifteen minutes of each other.

HIGH: Discovering that a new paperback I had ordered secondhand from Ebay was in large print. Large print, you guys!! This is cause for celebration. It’s not quite large enough for me to skip reading glasses, but it’s large enough for me to relax and enjoy reading. Five star experience.

LOW: I found a small tree frog on the toilet seat in our upstairs master bathroom. It was still very dark in there, barely half of a slight moon beam glowing through the window, so the fact that I saw it rather than felt it is a miracle. Maybe this should be in the high category by the miraculous criteria alone, but it’s not. Still a low. One star experience.

HIGH: Laughing so hard and so gluttonously with our friend in her hospital room that a nurse opened the door to see what the heck was going on and demand, a bit crankily, is everything ok? (Insert disapproving scowl.) hehe

LOW: Seeing this beautiful friend in her hospital bed, facing new difficulties and uncertainty.

HIGH: Celebrating our cute nephew’s fifteenth brthday!! He is living in Oklahoma for the first time ever, and our family is so happy and thankful! We love him to pieces. He is saving for his first car, is upbeat and gregarious, affectionate, smart, funny, and just so much fun. What a true gift to get to spend time with him freely!

LOW: Missing Jocelyn on her thirtieth birthday this week. I knew that despite any effort to look on the bright side it would be a painful day, so I prepared for that and was very choosy about what outside commitments I made. I cried plenty and had to summon my energy over and over just to be minimally productive. I am thankful to have learned the importance of processing my emotions in real time, of not staying so busy that I’m numb; but it can make the hard days pretty uncomfortable.

HIGH: First day of fall semester Garden Club! This happened to be on Jocelyn’s birthday, so it took lots of effort to be fully present for the kids, but I was able to. In fact the afternoon passed so quickly, and I left the school smiling, of course. God let it all feel light and jam packed with purpose. And the little gardeners had an absolute blast. I predict a successful autumn for their flowers and veggies!

LOW: Back at the farm, I discovered a whole row of okra had grown so much overnight that not a single pod was edible. Womp womp.

HIGH: A bowl of cheese tortellini with Alfredo sauce, piled high with grilled chicken, roasted garden tomatoes and bell peppers, and fresh basil. Flavorful and satisfying. Gratifying, too, that I could use garden produce.

LOW: The return of a weirdly high heart rate and some difficulty running. Nothing scary, just frustrating.

HIGH: Sweet, mild, breezy, cotton candy daybreaks and equally sensuous sunsets. The once-again-hot days lately have been hemmed in by such painterly details and full body pleasures, I am addicted. I adore the transitions weeks betwen seasons, because they are such a fun mix of physical experiences. The contradictions keep me guessing and help me feel less desperate for the next thing.

These are just some private highs and lows. I cannot step into the arena of global issues right now, because they are too big and too heavy for me to articulate well. I feel them. I am paying some attention. But I am not allowing any of it, neither the widespread grief nor the overarching silver linings, to dominate my attention. For me, this is a moment to haress my own energy and focus. I’m spreading myself thickly and with great intention on the things that matter most to me, because I’ve learned that each individual person’s energetic contribution to the world matters. It matters a great deal, so I am being deliberate about mine. Take care of yourselves, friends.

“Pay attention what you pay attention to.
Then live your life. Live your life. Live your life.”
~Maurice Sendak
XOXOXO

to Judy at her baby’s milestone birthday

August 26, 2025

Dear Judy,

Fifty years ago you were likely preparing for the hospital, anxiously awaiting your much loved and much planned love child with Harvey. Actually, knowing your nature, you had been ready for a while! Your suitcase was probably already packed, and you had long since made plans for the older kids to be at Grandma Goldie’s house. I wonder if you had Mexican food one more time before going into labor. Did you know you were having a son, or was that a surprise? I don’t know if I ever heard that detail.

What I do know without a shadow of a doubt is that you loved being his Mom. I think possibly, of all the passions God gave you in this earthly life, you loved nothing more. And he has flourished because of it. He flourishes still, drawing constantly on your love, your belief in him, your character shaping, and the hope that your prayers “hang in the air around him,” as the saying goes.

We would love to be partying with you this year. This milestone. This week to celebrate so much, not just the passage of a truly stunning volume of time but also the achievement of deep and hard earned peace. You might not agree with every single choice he has made in recent years, particularly this tattoo that’s about to happen, but most of those would just earn some smirks and jokes and a prized onery look of mock judgement over your eyeglasses, after which you would probably smile again and ask him, “Well, have you ate?” And even if he had eaten, he would say no and choose between a few favorite restaurants.

You would be proud, though, deeply proud, of so much. I hope you can see the best highlights from wherever you are, because he is carrying the mantle for you in ways we could not have dreamed of before you left. You should see what he has accomplished at the Commission. The storms he has navigated, the spiritual infrastructure he has built. Not aligned with any political party, but aligned with doing the right thing, he frequently invokes stories about you and your party-indifferent love for people and getting things done efficiently and transparently. He is the manager you always declared he would be, just on a much larger scale. We still have that concrete planter you gifted him to celebrate his first bank branch manager job on May Avenue in Oklahoma City. Every time I see it I think of you and how firmly you saw his future, decades ahead of time. People commonly talk about a mother’s love, and that’s good and true; but you also demonstrated the power of a mother’s vision. Thank you for that. Thank you for holding it for him, and thank you for showing both of us how vital it is to see through the storm into a beautiful future, an unclouded day.

He is an excellent father in law, as you were an excellent mother in law. His instincts and affection are so genuine and tender, it makes me fall more deeply in love with him every time I watch him with Alex. And if the kids’ wishes come true, he will be an excellent Grandpa, too. He’ll spoil those babies rotten and never apologize for it. We already have so much energy built up here at the farm for future grandbabies, and I know you would be happy to watch it all unfold, so long as we don’t let them have three wheelers.

Sometimes he laughs in a way that makes it feel like you are in the room with us. Sometimes he looks at me over his glasses in the exact way you would. And did you know we have a dear friend now, named Cathy, who has about a hundred uncanny traits similar to yours? When we finally acknowledged it to each other, it was such a comfort. I think her likenesses to you draw him in for weekend touchpoints. A sacred rhythm.

He is still finding ways to “Take care of the children,” as you implored him to do. The opportunities and inspirations change seasonally, but it’s always a natural fit when it happens. I wish you could share in some of it. The Batmobile in particular is a project I wish you could touch and hear and experience, bodily. There is no doubt you are woven into it.

He still loves your chocolate fudge cake and lemon ice box pie more than any other holiday dessert. He still has the same, soft old Snoopy you gave him. He still holds every good thing about childhood up to the high standard you provided. He still tells all his stories to anyone who will listen. You are here with us, is what I’m saying. We miss you terribly, but you are still here. You are very much alive in his personality, and I hope you feel it.

Thank you for loving him so well for the thirty eight years he had you that he still feels it. Thank you for raising a boy who could become the man that he is, the kind of man this world desperately needs. Disciplined, in control of himself, ambitious, protective, fiercely loyal, fun loving, and God fearing. Thank you for managing to establish so many traditions and cravings in him that endure to this day. Our life is so rich because of that. Your vacation-loving, Batman-crazed, video game-playing baby boy is all of that still and much more.

Fifty years old this week, more handsome than ever, and healthier than ever, too. Your son is doing great. Your motherhood continues. I just wanted you to know.

We love you, we miss you,
and we wish you could be here for his birthday.
xoxo
Marie

late summer garden care & self care

Hey friends! How are you, and if you are growing a garden this summer, how’s that going? I’m feeling better than I have in a long time, thanks truly for asking, and my gardens are surprising me daily with their resilience and beauty. Nothing is perfect. Not life, not my tomatoes, certainly not my fruit trees; but all of it is more miraculous and more deeply satisfying than I sometimes dare to dream.

((Chanta, age 26, and Klaus age 10, overseeing my greenhouse activities.))

The other day I was giving some thought to late summer best practices in the garden. I have the immense pleasure and privilege of guiding Jessica through her own growing adventures, though she needs me less and less these days, and I want very much to save her from the common overwhelm gardeners tend to experience this time of year. So I distilled my thoughts into five points and readied them for sending.

As I read over my advices, it occured to me that all the wisdom I would hope to share with a fellow gardener also applies neatly and unironically to just people. Self care, as it turns out, looks a lot like gardening.

We are tending things, after all. We are tending our relationships and our health, both physical and emotional. We are tending our communities and careers and more. Cultivating, just like we do outside. Planting new seeds some days, watering, fertilizing, pulling weeds, pruning, rearranging. I love the reminders that human beings are not machines; that we have different and shifting needs day to day, just like the garden does.

Let’s go.

ONE: Water Deeply. Insted of sprinkling water on just the surface of the soil, water the roots deeply and gently. Do it in the evening if possible, when the temperatures have been dangerously hot, so your plants can spend the nighttime moving that moisture around and greet the new day refreshed. Then water again the next day if needed. Without overwatering, just make sure your plants are fully hydrated. Similarly, if you are in a hard season of life, I think going deep on a regular basis with what refreshes you is important. Read scripture if that’s precious to you. Read anything that centers and cools you on a cellular level. Choose to actually read instead of scroll the internet. Reach for the dopamine that counts, is what I try hard to remember. Spend meaningful amounts of time with people who help you feel as close to heaven as possible. Do work that is uniquely satisfying, all the way to your roots. Shun the cheap, easy, surface stuff. It will train your roots too close to what will kill them.

TWO: FEED. Take time in August to feed your plants, especially your vegtables. All that deep watering can leach the soil of good nutrients, and growing and producing food takes lots of energy. I add gorgeous black farm compost between and among my plants all throughout the growing season. I also feed myself well, too, especially in hard times. Not just comfort food, but all the things that I know will actually help my mind and body cope wth whatever is going on. Nutrition keeps us strong and resilient when we are overtaxed, and the right foods and supplements keep us productive.

THREE: HARVEST & PRUNE CONSTANTLY. It’s crazy to me how easy it is to forget to collect the literal fruits of our labor. The hours and days can pass so quickly, and maintenance often seems more important. But lifiting tomatoes from the vine or cutting a joyful bouquet of flowers is not just our prize; it’s also a wonderful way to lighten the load on our plants. Make it a regualar habit to carry a basket and snips, walking around your garden cutting off fruits and vegetables, pruning suckers, topping leggy vines, and deadheading flowers. Pruning and trimming makes everything look so fresh and well kept, and it returns a shocking amount of energy to the plant rather than signaling that its life cycle has been completed. Does this resonate in other parts of your life? To me it does. I want to fully enjoy the gifts given to me, first of all, leaving nothing to rot on the vine. I want to see clearly what is being offered, day after day, every season, and accept those gifts joyfully! I also want to prune away what is finished. Remove parts of me or my routine that no longer serve the greater vision, so all that valuable energy can be reinvested. This part can be hard, because once I find a comfortable routine I am unlikely to vver off course, ha! But I have found it useful to reevaluate constantly to make sure I am choosing habits wisely, ones that serve me and my family well. Our life cycles, just as in the garden, can be either stunted or lengthened by our habits. I vote for continued beauty and abundance.

FOUR: LOOK FOR BLANK SPACE. Naturally, for a myriad of reasons, some gardens have more blank space than others. Some years do, too, some schedules and seasons. That’s natural. In my new “Summer Garden” as I have named her, there is still oodles of available growing space, mostly because back in April I carved out the beds and planted kind of in a rush. You can see all the grass between the skinny rows, below. It’s year one here, so I have spent lots of time just watching and learning her. I see gaps and opportunities, and I may still sneak in a few fast growing fall crops. In other gardens here at the farm, blank space is harder to spot, and it’s so fun to find ways to freshen up a view you’ve grown used to. The point is to look for openings and opportunities. Protect them then press them into service. Be on watch for what your imagination craves, both in your garden and in your life, and remember that you are the gardener. If you want something, figure out how to grow it. Plant the seeds. Bring it to fruition. Blank space is such a gift.

((My Summer Garden in her first year, July 2025))

FIVE: STAY ENGAGED. August in Oklahoma can be challenging, but it’s far from the end of the season. And most years, just when you think you cannot sweat through one more weed pulling chore or cry over one more grasshopper or haul the thousand pound water hose any more, the weather shifts, just enough. A new flush of tomato blossoms appears. The grass softens under a surprise rainfall. The lettuce grows sweet and bright again, and we rememeber, just like we did last August, that it was just a little while that we had to suffer. Hard times always end. Refreshment always comes. And most importantly, I try to remember that no matter what is happening in August, it is everything I dream of and long for in February. Whatever life difficulty and uphill effort is folded into dreams come true, they are still immeasurable blessings. Don’t wish any of it away, not one detail. Stay awake and enganged for it all. It will make you a better gardener, and it will set your garden far apart from what it would have been otherwise.

((lightning bug on a cucumber vine))

This is what I am sharing with my beautiful Jessica, and it’s what I would share with you if you came to my garden to chat and maybe get a pep talk. It’s also what I need to hear myself sometimes, when the endurance of a hard season slows me to a crawl.

Water your roots deeply. Feed yourself well. Collect all the gifts available to you then edit ruthlessly the parts that are dead. Look for blank space to grow new beauty. And, at all costs, stay awake and engaged.