Finding the good things

1. Yard work. With the aid of my bestest guy friend, I FINALLY finished cleaning up from the ice storm this weekend. The ice storm was three months ago. And finally, save for one huge dangling branch, there are no visual reminders of it in my yard. This is a good thing, for my mental health. Now if I can just stop freaking out every time the electricity flickers during a severe storm (hey, you'd freak out too if you went 120+ hours without).

1a. Also, I got my hands in my garden for the first time this spring, and YAY! I didn't kill everything last year! I was so terrified that my neglect and abuse (and the monsoon season we suffered last year) killed off all my perennials. Not so! My rudebeckias and coneflowers are already emerging, as well as my day lilies! Even my miniature rose bushes look healthy! The only thing not emerging yet are my cannas, but I've read that those are slow to come up here in Oklahoma. So maybe my garden will be absolutely beautiful again this year, like it was last:



My big project in the yard this summer is going to be a vegetable garden. I'm determined to grow my own vegetables. It remains to be seen whether or not this will involve building a raised bed (a.k.a., lots of hard work), or just working out of a few containers. Either way, I plan to grow tomatoes, peppers, green beans, okra, and zucchini. I'm still evaluating my site and planning the layout.

2. This.


Yes, I'm a member of "the cult." And I highly recommend this etsy seller! She included a bonus print, for free! So I got the one in blue AND the one in yellow. How nice. It will hang in my dining room, once I get a nice mat and frame.

3. Planning paint for the kitchen. I'm so excited about working with my kitchen in any way I can- who cares if I'm poor and can't afford new cabinets or a new dishwasher yet! I can paint, and I can re-contact paper the shelves and drawers.

4. My cat. A.k.a., my sweet kitty boo. My boo-bear. My Dante. He turns two years old this Wednesday! I love him dearly, and overall, he's a pretty good cat. Most of my friends say he is the BEST cat they've ever met. Even my friends who normally hate cats *love* my Dante. Happy birthday, boo-bear!!

(here he is passed out on his catnip scratcher, shortly after I moved in last year)

5. Spring time, which leads to summer time, and Oklahoma sunsets.

(as seen on the drive back from Okie Noodling last June)

6. Approaching one year. The end of April will mark the one year anniversary of closing on this house. Looking back at all the changes I've made so far makes me feel good. I feel proud of myself. I don't often give myself credit for my accomplishments, but damnit- I'm 25, single, and I OWN THIS HOUSE. That really is something to be proud of.