Are the Flowers Blooming in Houston?

Dear Blog Followers,

The title today is actually a line from my all time favorite movie, Apollo 13.  In the movie it is a metaphor (of course!) used when Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks) is asking if Ken Mattingly (Gary Sinise) got the measles.  No, I don't have the measles and I doubt the flowers are blooming in Houston today (didn't they just have an ice storm? or was that Dallas?  I don't watch the news.)  The reason it is the title of my blog is because the flowers are blooming in the sunshine state.  The flowers on my bean plants that is.

The seeds that I wrote about weeks ago have grown into plants and have started to bud.  Last week I had to move them out of their recycled cups and into recycled milk jugs because they'd outgrown their living accommodations.  Not everything grew, however the ones that did are happy happy.  I have four cherry tomato plants, two bean plants and a sunflower.  There is also a late bloomer coming from the original planting, though I have no idea what it is yet.  We will have to wait and see what grows.

Beyond tending my little garden, I have just been working and doing the usual stuff.  For different reasons, several people at work have left in the past week so there are plenty of hours that need to be covered.  The plan is not to hire anyone new until after the holidays because trying to train new staff when we are super busy would only add to the chaos.  It took me a while to get used to how fast things can move there and  I'm thankful not to feel so overwhelmed by it anymore. It's amazing how a little time can make a world of difference.

That reminds me of one of my hope-isms, that the slightest shift in circumstance or perspective can make a mountain of difference.  So.  Be kinder than necessary to others and also to yourself.  Express gratitude and love to those who are near and dear to you.  Sing along to Christmas carols in Target.  Buy yourself a little Christmas present (because you deserve it, Santa said so!).  And most importantly if a restaurant offers to let you take your sweet tea to go by all means say yes.  Sweet tea makes everything better.

Until next time...
Peace & Love,
Hope