Shifts

Lots of things are shifting in my life. It’s a good thing. I’m giving all the credit to my 30 Habits project. It’s changing (or shifting) my perspective. I thought I’d attempt a weekly update on where things are in an effort to document the changes.

This week I weighed in both physically and figuratively. Thanks to my goals around whole food eating, more walking and hiking I’ve managed to shed 15 pounds since starting the project. I’m feeling lighter both in body and spirit. Nature is such a healer.

Weekly 5 mile hike check in.

Celebrating friends and family came easy this week. I had a house full of out of town guests and we celebrated the birthdays of two family members. Nothing fancy - just lots of good food, conversation and beautiful weather. My garden showed off a little for everyone with some beautiful buds here and there. Friends commented on how far along I’ve come with the garden project which started three years ago.

Out of town family members visiting Hollis Gardens in Lakeland, FL.

As far my letter writing and journaling endeavors, I received multiple letters this week and have several to catch up on in the coming week. One of my pen pals sent the most impressive Jane Austen mail - it really got the creative juices going. I’ve got so many ideas swimming around in my head, its’ hard to stop and focus long enough to implement them.

Mail art by Michele Cano.

Speaking of inspiration, I’m really enjoying learning more about writer and illustrator, Tasha Tudor. Her garden and artwork speak to me and I look forward to reading more about how she dealt with the shifts of life. The following quote is enough to pique my interest:

“Life isn't long enough to do all you could accomplish. And what a privilege even to be alive. In spite of all the pollutions and horrors, how beautiful this world is. Supposing you only saw the stars once every year. Think what you would think. The wonder of it!”  - Tasha Tudor

Turning Over A New Leaf In 2018

It's been so long since I've posted on my blog, I'm almost ashamed to pick back up where I left off. Let's just say 2017 has been quite challenging. However, there have been many rewards. The challenges have formed me into a new and better person. I like it. 

I'm taking what I learned this year and attempting to turn the lessons into something positive. As for PaperTams, my journey continues and I will work harder to keep up this blog along with my YouTube channel and social media platforms. It will take some discipline and organization, but I've got some ideas about how to get it all done. 

Journal Prompt: How Do You Give Back?

When I sat down to journal about my vision and goals last year, I organized my thoughts into four different categories: Mind, Body, Soul, and Earth.  The Earth category includes any and everything I can do to give back to the universe. I feel it is very important to give back.

Over the years, I've found many ways to give back. Mostly it's been through volunteering my time or giving financially. But, this year I'm taking a different approach. I am working hard to give back to the earth. 

My home sits on two lots and the yard is quite large. When I first moved in 8 years ago, I did what most people do when they buy a home. I started taking care of my precious green lawn. The house came with a really nice sprinkler system. And, I hired someone to come each week to maintain and care for this lawn. Over time, I started to notice a few trends. 

First came to constant need to seed, fertilize and water the beast. As I watched patches die, I wondered what I was doing wrong. I was told to water more. This immediately bothered me because I felt like I was already using too much water. Add to that, I was learning more about Florida's fresh water challenges as we are seeing sea level rise around the coastal areas. 

A few years ago I decided to stop watering and let nature take it's course. The weekly lawn service was reduced to just cutting what grass managed to grow. Here's what happened. Half my yard turned into dirt and mud during the rainy season. The other half turned into mostly weeds.  

Then something magical happened. New neighbors moved in beside me and I watched as they slowly ripped out their lawn and turned their back yard into the most beautiful butterfly garden. No grass. Just gorgeous plants, shrubs, trees and natural walk ways. I loved it so much I started spending several evenings just sitting with them in the garden and enjoying wine. Not only was it beautiful, it took less water and maintenance than a lawn. Many of the plants they used are drought tolerant. Their garden also gave back to nature, feeding the butterflies, bees and other beneficial critters. 

So this year I'm working hard to turn my back yard into something that gives back to Mother Earth instead of just taking her resources. The project is a slow one because I'm doing all the work myself and I have a limited budget. But, it is so rewarding. If you are interested in what has happened so far, I've shared some highlights in my most recent journaling video below.