Planting Seeds and Pulling Weeds
In the last few years, I have had a strong patio container garden. However, this year, I have two basil plants purchased from the store.
I grew nothing from seed this year. I sold the containers at the old house as they weren't right for the situation at this house. I've spent this year observing how my neighbors handle the ever present colony of bunnies and scurry of chipmunks. (Side note: While I do know that a group of students made up the wikipedia article trying to call a group of bunnies a fluffle, I do think we should encourage the entire world to change to this name.) I've spent the year seeing what might come out of the ground here at our new place without our intervention.
On that front, sadly, the only thing that has come out of the ground is Canadian thistle. If you're not familiar with this horrible weed, it drains the soil around it of nutrients and water. For farmers, it can reduce grain yields by enormous amounts. My grandma paid us a dime as kids to go around and pull thistles from the ground and dump kerosene in the hole to keep new ones from growing back. I'm using the far friendlier, but so far quite effective, white vinegar. Seriously, is there anything vinegar can't help with around the house and yard?
While I have little to show for my efforts this summer, it has still given me the much needed time to think that I've enjoyed during my gardening efforts in the past. Gardening is such a metaphor for taking stock of your life. What kinds of seeds do you need to plant now so that they will grow and be ready for you when you need them later? Healthy routines, financial decisions, changes in relationships? These are all seeds we plant in other areas of our lives so they will grow and mature when we need them to.
And, what weeds do you need to pull from your life? What are the unhealthy habits that you need to break? Are there relationships that have grown past their season of life? Do you need to make bigger changes like tending to the soil or using an elevated container to keep the bunnies and chipmunks out?
I look forward, hopefully, to having much more energy next year so that I can get back to having a small patio garden. And, if you know of a good place to source elevated planters, let me know.
Some Things You Might Find Interesting
What I Published: I’ve been doing some social media publishing this week to gear up for the free virtual workshop I’m running on July 1 at 1 p.m. eastern. If you are a newbie to using ChatGPT or Gemini then this workshop is for you. We’ll go over how to get started using these tools and talk about some ways they might help in your daily life. I use them for everything from trip planning to social media posting to research for projects and so much more. Visit https://iwannabemewhenigrowup.circle.so and click on Free Events to RSVP.
Keep Up With My Cancer Journey: If you’re reading this on Monday when it’s first released, I’ll ring the bell on cancer treatment this Thursday. If you’d like to follow along in more detail on this journey, you can request access to my Cancer Journey website at https://www.mylifeline.org/invitation/Monroe4702670/c4d9a0945939697870a9267ec2cd951230b25b0e9f023ca466233659967b5e46
It’s Olympic Qualifying Time: This week, Olympic qualifying is in Indianapolis! Gayle and I will be heading downtown to Lucas Oil stadium to see the USA swimming trials being held in an NFL football stadium. We planned our day at trials so that we can, hopefully, see one of my all time faves - Katie Ledecky - swim in one of her signature races. Here she is in the first night of trials officially making the 2024 US Olympic Team.
Ways You Can Support Me
Join My Free Community
I am putting free resources into my community on a regular basis. This includes many of the webinars, articles and other things you see posted here regularly. Join now for free.
Purchase one of my digital courses and/or products
I offer courses and digital products focused on organization, planning, productivity, technology, and personal development. Check out all of the offerings currently available at the circle link above. I’ll be restructuring how you buy access to my classes as I relaunch the newsletter.
Subscribe to and Share My Newsletter
If someone forwarded this to you or if you’re reading online, hit subscribe so you get every issue delivered right to your inbox every Monday morning at 8 a.m. eastern time.
And, remember to share this with a friend and/or on social media if you read something in here think someone else might find it valuable.
Buy Me A Coffee
You can buy me a virtual coffee if you feel my work has added monetary value to your life in some way. Just visit https://www.buymeacoffee.com/iwannabeme and follow the on screen instructions.
Subscribe to Readwise
Readwise is an incredible service that takes all of the highlights you take on Kindle, on various web sites, and in so many other places and stores and organizes them for you. It generates a daily (or more often/less often as you prefer) set of highlights for you to review so that you can better remember what you read. Readwise also syncs with all kinds of apps including Evernote, Notion, Obsidian, Roam Research, Log Seq and more. If you’d like an extended 60 day trial, use my link https://readwise.io/kara
Get cash back at the pump
I’ve been using Upside for well over a year now to get cash back at the pump at occasionally at restaurants and on groceries. With upside, you can also see where gas is cheapest which, especially right now, is handy. To get started using Upside, download the app (links below) and sign up for an account. If you’re so inclined, you can enter my referral code: KARA3995. Then, join me in getting cash back. I’ve earned about $50 in six months through nothing more than a check in when I get gas. I don’t drive much anymore though so I know folks who have earned much more since they fill up their tank far more often than I do.
Get started today by downloading the app and signing up. Don’t forget - referral code KARA3995: Apple or Android
Affiliate Links
I do use affiliate links (a link that you click on and then if you purchase the tool, I may receive a little money or service in return) for products that I use and recommend.