Garden - Days 2 and 3

Day 2:
1.  We removed 3 trees and transferred to R's parental's yard.  They're yard is looking like paradise now!
2.  We weeded; man do I hate weeds!
3.  We shoveled and dug the ground out so that the beds would sit level.
4.  Then dug out the ground on the inside so that it would be level.

Day 3:
1. Finished digging out the ground with a tiller - MUCH easier!
2. We took the dirt and used it to fill in the site for our rain barrel, plus to fill in the gaping holes where the trees used to be.  We'll use those places for butterfly and bee attracting plants as well as some berry bushes.  YUM!
3.  I planted all my above ground seeds in random things to get them started: 2 kinds of cucs, 2 kinds of tomatoes, 2 kinds of green beans, peas, limas, cilantro, green onions, broccoli and cauliflower.  I saved the root plants and lettuce plants for when the beds are finished.

R is really wanting to grow some watermelons and canteloupe :)  That should be exciting!


My only thing now is to figure out a way to cheaply reproduce these plants so that I don't need to keep buying more seeds/plants.  Check out this lady, Sharon Tregaskis, who's been producing lots just from a budget of $75!  I've already spent way more than that!  I read about her in my Organic Gardening magazine...I'll try to find a link later...

Garden - Day 1

So I've been planning and researching for this backyard garden for awhile now; even have a whole document to maintain my resources (lame!)

After a few days of phoning businesses for the best prices - with a mid day break of frustration crying - we got some supplies to get us started on the frames; knowing that the rest of the supplies would be picked up soon.

Supplies:
- 10 pieces of 2x10x8 lumber
- 32 really long nails (maybe 2 inches?)
- 4 packs of L-brackets with screws included (4 in a pack)

1.  We cut 4 pieces of wood into 4 ft. long pieces
2.  Predrilled holes, then hammered nails in to attach the frame
3.  Then attached L-brackets to the insides.  Easy peasy!

 Here they are being positioned in the byard.

Mid-2o's Crisis!

Welcome to my blog!  I'm Isabel, a teacher by day and a couch potato dreamer by night.

So I've been doing some soul-searching for awhile now, feeling really lost as to who I am and what I want to accomplish with my life.  How and when will I feel successful with the life that I'm living?  I know "success" is different for everybody, so I guess success to me means being wanted for something only i can give. Or recognized for a specific talent that I can share to other people.  Sometimes, I measure success as simply having more than one strong friendship or really connecting with my students.  Ultimately, it comes down to my heart feeling like its missing some sort of connection.  Like my whole mind and body is off because something is missing.  I'm just lost.  And I strongly believe that I am keeping myself in this lost state.

Over the years, I have realized that I...
1) dream big
2) rarely follow through
3) have too many interests so I lack focus
4) talk myself out of too many things

Here's a good example:  I asked R. today if he was tired of me talking about photography all day.  He replied, "No. <pause> You'll just be talking about something else tomorrow." And he is so right!  See what I mean?

madebygirl
If I listed all the things I wanted to dapple in, it would look like this: (in no particular order)
- wedding photography
- lifestyle photography
- photo styling
- gardening
- cooking & baking
- interior designing
- graphic design
- magazines
- hosting


Funny enough, these are relatively the same thoughts I had when I was 8.  I used to say I would one day own a huge warehouse where it was split off into different sections and floors - one part for each of my loves. The sad part - I'm still dreaming about them, and not doing anything to get any results.  I read and know of so many people who are around my age or YOUNGER who have achieved creativity and are already successful.   I won't lie - jealousy strikes me hard while at the same time I get SO inspired and encouraged to just get off my ass and to go for it!  It's really strange; I feel rejuvenated yet dread.  There's like a pit in my stomach that tells me, "What's the point?  You don't have the personality to be successful in photographing people.  You don't have the "eye" for pulling rooms together.  Who is going to care about your straight-out-of-the-camera shots when everyone is going digital?"  It's quite a battle within.  I am keeping myself from living my life to the fullest!!!  ICK!!! 

So, I'm blogging and sharing my likes in hopes that one or two will turn into LOVES and will give me some clarity and passion.  Passionate things still take WORK, so here I am - working it :)  I would love for you to join me in the process!