Midsummer's Daydream

Rik Emmett Midsummer's Daydream - music for garden dreaming.

   The days have been warm and sunny, the nights cool and breezy.  The summer has been good to us.  Perfect weather for getting outside in the garden to work, then dawdle, then work a bit more.

Coreopsis

 I was wandering around early one morning when I realized that, in summer, my garden is all about attracting the birds and the bees and the butterflies.

African Blue Basil

The bees love my basil and I've planted several varieties for them to enjoy since I keep picking the flowers off the sweet basil so there will be an abundance of it for pesto making in late August.

The purple coneflowers in the back round pull in the American Goldfinches. All summer they stop by to check on the progress of the seed pods.  Then in the fall they keep coming to eat until they have exhausted the supply of seeds.

My 'Carefree Rose' holds court in the center of the herb garden, and is finally acclimated to the move.  And ready for a close-up this morning!

Just as he was purported to do in life, Francis stands so still that the birds often land on his head to rest.  He is almost hidden in the lobelia, but the doves and the cardinals know where he is.

The sunny garden has been handed over to the hummingbirds and butterflies.  There is sage, monarda, honeysuckle, lantana, butterfly bush and trumpet vine along with the lobelia to lure them into my world.

Bee Balm or Monarda

Trumpet Vine

 And of course, what hummingbird garden is complete without this aggressive climber - a trumpet vine.

Cuphea

Last year we discovered this plant, an annual called the 'cigar plant' or cuphea while we were hunting for herbs at the Peconic River Herb Farm.  The hummingbirds were crazy for it at the farm.  So, of course, we HAD to get some this year.  I'm delighted to report that we've had a male hummingbird visiting us at least twice a day for the past two weeks and he visits every nectar plant in the garden before moving on!

Coleus - center stage in the shade

I have fallen in love with coleus For the shadier garden spots.  It is an easy-going annual that can add a real pop of color in mid-summer when the shade plants are mostly green.  The best part of coleus is this.  I can take cuttings at the end of summer, root it, grow it in the sunroom all winter, then move it outside to live in the ground all summer.

Two varieties of Coleus - there are so many to choose from

 I am also spending a bit of time each day harvesting and drying herbs and flowers for use all winter.  Iam collecting chamomile, calendula and St. John's Wort flowers to make a lovely skin cream once I have enough flowers.  More on that another time.  And I pull weeds for an hour or two every now and then.
But mostly what I do is stop to smell the roses, write in my garden journal and
indulge in midsummer daydreaming!

My treehouse

Finally, when the mosquitoes arrive, it is time to retreat to my own private treehouse.  I was trying to get a bug's eye view of the sky with the bee balm in the picture, when I suddenly noticed my sunroom in the back round.  Nice view looking in or out!

I hope you find a garden for daydreaming..... today and everyday.

Waiting

  we wait

with silent winter stars

come, Lord

December is, above all, a time of waiting.
We wait for Christmas to arrive,  for the silent darkness of the solstice, for the  sun to begin it's slow return, for our hearts to change.
Too often,  December becomes a frantic time of stress with too much to do and not enough time to do it.  There is little time for reflection and self-care.  We can arrive at December 25 exhausted and vaguely unhappy.
Taking time to ponder,  to enjoy the wait, to step back from the frenzy of consumerism can be nourishing.
Although I am not a fan of what plays on most radio stations during the month of December,  called 'holiday music,' I do look forward to hearing certain pieces of music which seem to replenish the spirit and add quiet joy to the season.
Here is a bit of Advent music guaranteed to calm and bring a sense of that peacefulness,  which seems, so often, just out of our reach. Click through to You-tube, close your eyes and enjoy.





Shared with Recuerda Mi Corazon Haiku My Heart

Pre- Election Agita?

  Has the media-mania in the run-up to the election got you down?  Are you jumpy?  Angry?  Not sure why you are so upset?

  Perhaps the constant bombardment by feverish pundits and news 'commentators' has you a bit on edge?

   Have they convinced you yet that the world will end if so and so is elected or reelected depending on who is speaking?

    You already know who you are voting for, right?  So why stress out about something over which you have little control.
 
     Here's how I am escaping the hype without flying to a remote island in the Pacific.  I:

                  *** Shut the TV and radio "news" off. (OK I will watch the debate, but nothing else especially not anyone else's take on the debate.  I can make up my own mind, thank you very much!)
                     
                  *** Read the paper if I want to know the news.

                  *** Kick back and listen to some soothing music.
                         Here's and hour or so of wonderful Chopin Nocturnes to help              
                         block out the craziness.





                   *** One more thing:   Vote!

"...Won't You Let Me Go Down In My Dreams?"

         

     Wouldn't it be great if we could all continue to sleep like the babies we once were.    I often  hear friends, family and , when I was practicing nursing, patients,  complain about not being able to get a good night's sleep.   It's seems like everyone is sleepless and not just in Seattle.  I wonder why?

    Adults require 8 to 9 hours of sleep in order to function well during the day.  Missing  sleep occasionally is nothing to be concerned about, but if one is sleepless many nights a week, it can  impact  health negatively.

    Interestingly,  anxiety, depression and  obesity can all be side effects AND causes of sleep problems.  At least a dozen studies show a link between chronic missed sleep and weight gain.  

   Here are some tips to improve your chances of getting a good night's sleep.

        * Limit caffeine intake after noon.
   
        * Turn off all electronic devices, including the TV and computer,  ONE HOUR before you plan to go to sleep.  

         * Use the bedroom for sleep and sex, nothing else! 

         *  Don't eat heavy or high fat foods within several hours of bedtime. If a snack is needed, it can be a small serving of protein and a piece of fruit. (yogurt and a peach OR a few crackers and cheese.)

          *Avoid alcohol if you are having sleep issues.  A nightcap may help you fall asleep, but it only works for a few hours.  Then guess what? You are wide awake!

         *Exercise, but not late in the evening.

         * If the stress of modern life or personal problems prevents you from falling or staying asleep, consider learning some relaxation techniques.  Then practice these consistently.  For some, meditation or soothing music works wonders.  For others, prayer does the trick.

         *  If your sleeplessness lasts more than a week or two after you make these lifestyle changes, see your doctor.

         Everyone deserves a good night's sleep, every night.  If you aren't getting it, do something about it.  Your health may depend on it!

            Here's some soothing music for James Taylor fans, babies, moonlight ladies, cowboys, anyone who craves  a bit of  early '70's nostalgia and especially for anyone who needs a lullaby!! 
             







 
Take- Away for today -   Sleep tight!

Beautiful Music- Part 3

More Beautiful Music

Music - One Way to De-Stress

       Years ago, when I first began my career as a visiting nurse, I discovered that  the stress of a demanding profession had followed me out of the hospital and on to the highway.  In addition to the challenges of being out in the community, going into strangers' homes, assessing patients who were often discharged from the hospital too soon, I had to contend with  heavy traffic and finding my way from one place to the next in towns I had never been to before.  My home care career began prior to the days of Map-Quest and well before the days of the soft-spoken computer generated GPS voice smoothly correcting the driver when  she overshot or made a wrong turn.   Getting around the county involved a dog-eared Hagstrom's and the ability to make a  quick U-turn to avoid a 10 minute detour.  Needless to say, this added to the stress of an already stress-filled job. 

      I liked to decompress between patients by listening to the car radio.  Music was always a part of my day.  After  September 11, my stress level was suddenly off the charts and  I needed to find some music that would help me reach, if not Nirvana, at least a place where I could relax and mentally  calm myself for the next visit.  I turned off the Springsteen and the Eagles. I deleted the "oldies"  and I tuned out the jazz.  This music just revved me up  and added to my angst. 

        Initially,  like most other New Yorkers and probably most other Americans, I listened to the news, in an effort to make sense of what had happened.  After awhile, I began to recognize that listening to the endless talk about, not only September 11th but all things political, was, in a word, MAKING ME CRAZY. (Alright, in three words)

        One day I turned my dial to a classical station and as soon as I did, I felt myself take a deep breath and my whole body relax.  I was hooked.  Classical music has become my "go-to" choice most of the time whether I'm in the car or listening at home.  I especially love classical guitar and most works that feature a piano or cello.  Give me Mozart, give me Chopin, give me Beethoven.  Not that I really know or care who or what I'm listening to, usually I don't.   I have also discovered that there are many recordings of chant music , recorded in great Benedictine cathedrals which can soothe the agitated soul.  In a similar vein, there are numerous recordings of meditative gongs, bells, flutes based on Eastern contempletive listening.  

   A word of caution about some music designed specifically for meditation. Unlike classical music,  it is not suitable for listening to while driving a car.  The Admiral and I once visited the Southwest and during the trip  we purchased a CD of music based on the drumming of Native Indigenous People from the Southwest.  We were driving through the desert and decided to put it on the CD player in the car.  After about 15 minutes, I was beginning to get drowsy and as is my custom, I said to my husband,"  Are you awake?"  I need reassurance that he isn't sleepy before I succumb.  He said,"Actually, I am very sleepy and I was thinking of pulling over."  We both felt a strong  hypnotic effect from the drumming.  We pulled off the road and took a rather long nap.  We decided to save the drumming CD for a quiet evening at home.

     There are many genres of music and not every type of music is relaxing to everyone.  Jazz relaxes my husband but  makes me feel like I'm being tortured.   I guess one man's music is another man's noise!  

   Here is one video of music I love and find very relaxing.  Click on the video, then click again on 'Watch on You Tube'  That should take you there.. Relax and enjoy!

I wanted to embed several examples of the music I find relaxing, but I was unable to do that.   I'll post some more   another day.


Take-Away -  classical music helps me de-stress.