A Twist on Gratitude

Every

Twinkling of starlight,

Scent of magnolia blooming,

Wondrous emerging bulb,

Song of nature,

Billowy breeze 

is

            a

                             gift…

Your turn.

A Twist on Gratitude

 

Every...

step forward,

joyful sprouted seedling,

morning of stillness,

noontime church bell ringing clearly,

soothing cup of tea,

IS

        A

                         GIFT.

Your turn...

A Twist on Gratitude

 

Every...

effortless breath taken,

warm, soothing shower,

tasty morsel,

heartfelt connection made,

reciprocated smile,

IS

           A

                              GIFT.

Your turn…

Abundance

 

Abundance:

an extremely plentiful or oversufficient quantity or supply.

 

 

 

 With all of the tragedy going on in the world these days,

it would seem to be difficult to find positivity.

This is the challenge for every one of us

to find the abundance in our lives.

It's in the simplest of things,

like having a full pantry, rain watering our gardens,

or merely having good company.

 We all have a choice on a daily basis,

to focus on what is wrong, or on what brings us hope.

In the springtime, it is so rewarding to notice

the burgeoning  beauty all around us.

New life bursts onto the scene at every turn.

It is our decision to be a witness to it,

or to utterly ignore the gifts in front of our eyes.

 

Abundance does not only exist in the material world,

although it is a real treat to reward oneself with new things

that give us comfort, pleasure and leave us with a feeling of contentment.

Rather than be consumed by commercialism,

it's best to concentrate on a few quality or sentimental items

that truly add to one's surroundings

as well as one's inner well-being.

 

 God is always surprising us with unexpected treasures.

It is up to our discretion to find these unforeseen tokens of abundance.

Each time we do, it's an opportunity for gratitude.

Beginning every day with a thankful heart

motivates us to live up to our potential.

With each rising sun, another chance to do better

is offered.

The feeling that we are connected and 

living our lives on purpose makes all the difference.

I know this to be true.

"Doing what you love 

is the cornerstone of having abundance in your life.”

- Wayne Dyer

Thanksgiving 2020

 

 

Hoping you have many blessings to count.

God bless us, everyone.

~daisy

We Have Enough

When we moved from Florida,
we were hoping to find a nice piece of property
where we could settle down for the rest of our lives.
Acreage was important, as there were dreams that needed to be fulfilled,
and nothing less than a few acres would do to make that a reality. 
Small town living was our first choice,
as none of us like the big city and its complications.

We rented a house for 6 months while we were house hunting.
What an experience that was!
The house was over 100 years old and not well cared for,
so we spent most of that winter  
C-O-L-D 
and easily got tired of the noise of the busy street out front.
It seems that when we started our search,
the housing market went bonkers again
and we just couldn't find what we were looking for.
The property would be fabulous, but the house was falling apart,
or the house was in good shape, but it was on a busy road
or too close to neighbors.
Ya know what?
We ended up right where we were supposed to be.

 We landed on just over a half acre of land,
on a corner lot in a rural neighborhood.
Yes, we have neighbors, but everyone has a good bit of privacy,
and we know every one of them by name.
The best part is that we were able to pay cash for the house,
and were able to remain debt free.
Huge.

 Our property has a large front yard for Big K (he likes his grass),
a huge area for the vegetable garden,
and a good bit of wooded area for the birds and other critters to enjoy.
It's a blessing having this piece of dirt to call our own.
I think of it as my half acre of freedom.
Was it what we were hoping for when we started our search?
Not really, but we choose to focus on that with which we have been blessed,
and know that there is a plan for this journey.

We share this space with birds, bees, caterpillars, butterflies,
squirrels, snakes, and even an occasional deer or two.
My goal is to make it pretty, yes,
but more important, a comfortable place for us
and all who choose to call it home.
We have worked on creating a butterfly and wildlife habitat
by fostering those critters any way we can.
In doing this, 
we stay constant in our gratitude.

 One of the biggest blessings of this homestead is the chance to follow my passion
in creating food for myself and others.
I plant the seeds, God does the rest.
What a wonderful arrangement.

It is something that never gets old, this gardening lifestyle.
Each new season presents different challenges,
as well as considerable rewards.
There is always something new to try,
and having this little piece of heaven on earth is such a gift.

Creating happiness out of disappointment is a choice.
It would be easy to think about all the things that could have been,
if only...
Instead, the opportunity is taken to see the potential in what is already there.
We can turn this place into anything we choose,
if only we are willing to dream and take steps toward that intention.
No one would accuse me of being afraid of hard work,
because it feels like part of God's plan for me.

 Becoming more self-sufficient is the goal of many,
and we are no different.
Growing some of our own organic food,
cooking from scratch and making our own cleaning products,
as well as repurposing items and buying used
are all a part of this homesteading lifestyle.
It doesn't matter whether you live in the country,
in town, or somewhere in between,
everyone can do something to be more interdependent.

 For me, the objective is not to merely exist alone,
but to become a part of a well-oiled community,
where folks can volunteer, barter and work together
for the betterment of everyone.
One of the best steps taken since moving here
was enrolling in the Master Gardener course through our local Cooperative Extension office.
Not only was I able to pursue my passion for growing,
but the friendships I've made are something I treasure.
It is comforting when I realize that we most likely will be here
for the rest of our lives,
and I'm so grateful that we have friends with which to share these years.

 The older I get, the more I love staying home.
I don't have the desire to venture very far
when I know that everything that I hold dear is right here.
There is just nothing like settling down with a great book or an old movie
on a cold or rainy day.
Surrounded by the people you love in a cozy nest is the ultimate in contentment.
What could be better?

My wish for you is that you find that space.
It's there, it just needs to be recognized.
We all have so much for which to be grateful.
Yes, things go wrong or don't meet our expectations,
but we can choose either to let it ruin our day,
or take action to improve the situation.
It begins with gratitude.
Find something to be thankful for,
and it will multiply.


We have enough.

Saving Money on the Homestead

olive bin turned rain barrel

Being homesteaders,
we naturally lean toward frugality.
It's not a four-letter word.
In fact, there's a bit of pride involved
when we are able to go for days and days
without spending a dime.
But it's more than that.
It's the fact that by not succumbing to the commercialism
that runs rampant in our world today,
we are expressing the gratitude for that with which we have been blessed.

There are so many ways to save money
without feeling deprived in any way.
There are folks who feel the need to shop til they drop.
In fact, I remember a former friend telling me,
"I need to buy something E-V-E-R-Y D-A-Y."
Huh?  It didn't make any sense to me.
Maybe it's just the way I was raised, or the part of me
that always seems to go against the grain,
but the less I find myself in stores, the better I like it.
After all, there are so many other more rewarding things to do
with the allotted time we have here on Earth.

We are fortunate to be debt-free.
We've never had a mortgage
because we chose to pay for our homes with cash.
Although I really wanted longed for acreage when we moved to NC,
I wasn't willing to go into debt for it.
And that's what we would have had to do.
By not taking on a mortgage,
both of us are able to work part-time,
instead of struggling with the 9 to 5 daily grind.
We are blessed, we know that.
And we try to show our gratitude in everyday moments,
like making good use of the cash flow we do have.

In any case, if you find yourself wondering how you can save money,
these simple ideas have worked well for us.

1.  Pass up unnecessary services~
By taking our trash and recycling to the dump ourselves,
we save about $300 a year.
We decided when our trash service stopped accepting recyclables,
it just didn't make sense to pay for trash pick-up,
and still have to take our recyclables to the dump
(there was no way I was giving up recycling).
The other reason is that we pay a standard yearly fee
for the privilege of using the dump,
so it was like we were paying twice.
We are young(ish) and healthy enough to do this ourselves,
so why not?
We have scaled down to one kitchen-sized trash bag per week,
so it's really no big deal to haul our disposables ourselves.
(We are still working on ways to do better 
with buying things with less packaging.)

minnow basket turned porch light

2.  Find new uses for what you already have~
We repurpose as much as we can,
turning everyday items into useful or fun things.
Check out the canning ring wind chime recently created here.
Our porch light used to be a minnow basket,
our desk was simply some weathered old planks,
and this sign that adorns our fireplace wall
are all handmade things we love.
The best part of this decor is that they are uniquely US.

3.  Find folks who enjoy your hobbies and share~
As a gardener,
there are innumerable opportunities to share the bounty of the garden.
Whether it's seeds, veggies or ornamental plants, the joy in sharing
with others does one's heart good.  Plant or seed swaps are a great
way to save money as well as gather new varieties to try.
Most gardeners I know are extremely generous people.
I'm sure that's most likely true of folks who share other hobbies.

As a vegetable gardener, the lesson in frugality has been
planting from seed instead of buying transplants.
Not only does this save money, but there is more control over how the plants are grown.
Using organic practices is important to me,
and that means from the soil I use to the seeds I sow.
The sheer joy when seeds actually sprout before your very eyes
again emphasizes the feeling of gratitude in an everyday activity. 
 It may cost a bit more to grow organically,
but good health is priceless.

 

 4.  Whenever possible, buy used~ 
Although I'm not a shopper,
yard sales and thrift stores do get my blood going.
Especially items with a history are appealing,
because I always wonder about their past life with the previous owner.
For the most part, vintage items last longer,
because they were made better to start with and will stand the test of time.
 New clothes are rarely bought these days,
because I can go to a thrift store and pay $3 for a long-sleeved (like new) shirt.
New-to-us deck furniture cost me $30 for a table and 4 chairs
at a yard sale.
You just can't beat that price at the stores!



5.  Be willing to research and make changes~
We changed our home owners' insurance carrier,
after being with the same company for over 40 years!
This was a shocker for me.
My family had always had the same insurance provider for home and vehicles,
and so when I started out on my own, I stayed with them.
After Big K and I got married, we continued with them,
until we got tired of the rates going up each and every year,
even though we never filed claims.
We called around to several large insurance companies
and found one that saves us about $500 a year.
So far, they haven't raised our rates.
In fact, our home owners' insurance actually went down this year.

6.  Look into other sources for help with expenses~
We found out that we could get a supplement provided by my retirement pension for our dental and vision insurance.  
The pension I receive for being employed by the school system in Florida is small,
but this benefit alone, pays for our yearly dental and vision insurance.
At this point, we pay nothing for any of our health-related insurance,
and that means there is extra money in the bank for emergencies or savings.
Again, what a blessing to learn about these benefits.

homemade food is best

I hope some or all of these ideas inspire you to think a bit differently
about using what you have to improve the quality of your life.
There are so many little changes 
that can make a big difference.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Without a doubt,

my very favorite holiday of the year.

Although, I have been better

about being more thankful each and every day

for that which I have been blessed.

I hope you and yours are counting your blessings together.

God bless us, every one.

Another Dream Come True!

I recently reflected on the dream job I've been doing

for almost a year.

My self-proclaimed job title is "garden fairy",

as I am not a professionally trained gardener,

and it just seems to fit better.

 Thankfully, that assignment is still in place,

and the folks for whom I am working seem pleased with my efforts.

What a blessing they have been in my life,

in so many ways.

I started an additional job last week.

This new appointment takes place at another private home,

with someone I met through a volunteer activity.

The initial goals are to tidy up the gardens for spring planting,
(thus keeping my job title firmly in place),
and to organize the tool shed,
a secondary skill I adore polishing.

Progress has already been made,

and I'm hoping that the goals I have set for myself

can be accomplished before the harshest of weather descends.

God got me these gigs, that goes without saying.

I've learned that the more I learn to trust and let go,

the better things turn out.

I just needed to get out of my own way. 

 This blog was started many years ago

with the intention of creating, sharing, and teaching.

The name "Maple Hill 101" just came to me,

as things sometimes do without effort. 

As I sat quietly while on my lunch break at this most recent job,

it occurred to me that I was surrounded by maple trees.

It was all the assurance I needed to confirm

that God has a plan for me.

I either trust Him, or I don't.

It's almost overwhelming to think about the depth of gratitude in my heart.

I could just weep when I think of how privileged I feel

to be able to do a job that is so fulfilling, so intrinsically rewarding,

and with full knowledge that it is an instrument of service to others.

I can't seem to decide which fills my heart more,

that God is using me to help others,

or that I get paid to do what I love.

I guess it doesn't really matter,

because when you figure out what you are meant to do,

everything is right with the world.

It is my most heartfelt prayer

that others are able to live their dreams, 

as I am doing now. 

I urge you to sit back and just listen.

Even if you're a late bloomer like me,
it can happen.

Be Blissed!

"My riches consist not in the extent of my possessions,
but in the fewness of my wants."
~Joseph Brotherton