An actual staycation vacation and restoration of my yard

I took this week off from work...and everything else! I thought I would be emerged in my art...pammagination!!!... but...I didn't...I was simply tired and needed a break from everything...and needed and wanted be just totally and completely lazy! I just laid around watching TV ... or reading books...but nothing much else. However,I did complete one of my annual personal targets...I got my yard professionally cleaned up and started landscaping!...I want to restore my huge!!! yard to it's full potential and to a garden again...I really miss my garden...and the joy of cultivating food from seed to plant. My gardener and I think it will probably take a year to create the yard and garden I dream of. After, dollmaking and beading...gardening is one of my life's joys...another form of creating. My yard has been such an embarrassment for the last couple of years...I called it my " life after people"(you from the Discovery Channel series) yard ... one more year and it would have taken over my house.

before: (the view of my backyard from my Lanai)


after: (the view of my backyard from my Lanai)



I usta really love entertaining. Now, I can entertain again and have garden parties...or barbecues again...well come Spring at least...it is getting a little cold for outdoor entertaining...lol. However, I am inspired to plant my color pots out front. I think after church tomorrow I am gonna go pick up some fresh potting soil and some winter cabbage and mums to plant.

My daughter's photography business is really taking off. I am so very proud of her....she has been taking classes, organizing her business, and networking, building community and shadowing with seasoned photography professionals. She is still a scientist...but she definitely did inherit some of my creative genes!!!! they just materialized through a different medium./

Also , check out her friend and mentor's ( Latasha Hayes) work at http://www.photomelatasha.com/

It's been a good week of R and R!