Image by Sarah Hughes. Confetti Spring book on Kindle. All rights reserved.
If you’ve enjoyed reading the Honey it’s Thursday blog, check out Confetti Spring by Sarah Hughes. It’s a poetry book written a poem a day as a part of the May Musings writing challenge by BookLeaf Publishing.
Copies became available on Kindle through Amazon as of Sept. 14, 2021. Kindle copies can be purchased at https://tinyurl.com/34sc4vea. Copies became available on Nook through Barnes and Noble as of Aug. 13, 2021. Nook copies can be obtained at https://tinyurl.com/6wbkbm9d. Paper copies are still to come. Check back next month for an article on the writing process for Confetti Spring.
Image provided by BookLeaf Publishing and Sarah Hughes. Confetti Spring cover art. All rights reserved.
Activities: “The temperate climate here allows for a lengthy recreation season, including boating, canoeing, and fishing. There is a large playground for the children and horseshoe pits for the adults. A large pavilion will be great for big family get-togethers.”
Amenities: Water Hookup, Accessibility, Picnic Table, BBQ, Fire Pit, Lantern Pole, Full Hookup, Electricity Hookup, Grills/Fire Ring, etc.
Reservation only
Distance from Clarksville: 38 min
Notes: 30 min drive to Nashville, if arriving late it’s highly recommended to call the campground to notify the Park Attendant.
Image by Sarah Hughes. Trees and table at Piney Campground. All rights reserved.
“Nestled in the woods of Pembroke Kentucky, we are a family owned and operated farm, campsite and RV Park. Come and enjoy the outdoors and get away from your fast paced life.”
Amenities: Laundry
Reservation only with application process
Distance from Clarksville: 39 min
Notes: “We are a family owned and operated campsite and farm nestled in the woods of Pembroke Kentucky.” “Dogs must be pre-approved”
Image by Sarah Hughes. Trees and lake at Piney Campground. All rights reserved.
Activities: “swimming beach area, archery range, ball field, bike trails, a campfire theater, hiking trails, two boat ramps, and a fishing pier”
Amenities: “The newly renovated Piney Outpost provides campers a place to purchase food and drinks, ice, firewood, tick repellent, limited camping supplies, and other perishable goods. Soft drink machines are located behind the gatehouse and some shower buildings. Washers and dryers are available at Areas B, C, and D shower buildings.”
Walk in and Reservations accepted
Distance from Clarksville: 54 min
Notes: “Piney Campground is now open year-round and offers 384 well-defined lakefront and wooded sites with 283 electrical hookups, 44 sites with electric, water, and sewer, and 57 primitive sites. Most sites are capable of handling large motorhomes and campers. Campers have access to modern facilities, including a swimming beach area, archery range, ball field, bike trails, a campfire theater, hiking trails, two boat ramps, and a fishing pier. Piney also has 19 primitive cabins available for nightly rental. In addition, the summer season offers weekend recreation programs for all ages. Since 1973, in mid-September Piney holds its popular Camper’s Fair with a variety of activities including a campers’ flea market and dealer showcase of new RVs, fifth wheels, and motorhomes. It is open to the public during the weekend.”
Image by Sarah Hughes. Bug friend at Piney Campground. All rights reserved.
Activities: Pool and pool lift, Cable tv, mini golf, bike rentals, WiFi, playground gym, climate-controlled bathhouse, giant connect four game, Lego wall,Disc golf, kids arts and crafts table, ping pong
Amenities: Snack bar, firewood, laundry, wheelchair accessible, store
Reservations accepted
Distance from Clarksville: 56 min
Notes: KOA, Open March 1 to November 30
Image by Sarah Hughes. Trees and lake at Piney Campground. All rights reserved.
The pastime of camping is a good way to get to know the landscape and reconnect to nature. Camping is something to do and provides its own entertainment such as hiking, swimming and barbecuing. It’s a great activity for friends and family. Philosophically, it can be used to reconnect to the simple life and find inner peace. It can help revive circadian rhythms by putting you out under the stars and sunrises, according to intuition and a study done in Feb. 2017 and published in Current Biology.
“These studies suggest that our internal clock responds strongly and quite rapidly to the natural light-dark cycle,” said lead author and CU Boulder integrative physiology professor Kenneth Wright. “Living in our modern environments can significantly delay our circadian timing, and late circadian timing is associated with many health consequences. But as little as a weekend camping trip can reset it.”
“Weekend exposure to natural light was sufficient to achieve 69 percent of the shift in circadian timing we previously reported after a week’s exposure to natural light,” Wright said.
Image by Sarah Hughes. Trees at Piney Campground. All rights reserved.
Most people go camping when the weather is nice. It’s important to pack gear to shelter and protect from weather, as bad weather can be fatal. Many campgrounds are only open seasonally, with open months listed online or by phone. In general, camping season tends to be Apr. or May to Sept. or Oct. Many campers wait for weather patterns to solidify.
“If you’re planning a camping trip, a good rule is to wait until May for the weather to work itself out” says Bottles and Banter’s section on Family RVing and Travel (see more at https://www.bottlesandbanter.com/2021/02/13/when-does-camping-season-start-best-month-camping/).
Image by Sarah Hughes. Rained out tent at Piney Campground. All rights reserved.
Since quarantine has limited travel and entertainment options this year, understandably camping in the USA has increased as an activity. A study by Kampgrounds of America predicts camping interest will remain high in 2021.
According to PR Newswire’s article on the study, Fresh Data Indicates Camping Interest To Remain High In 2021, “More than 60% of these first-time campers plan to camp the same or more in the coming year; across all campers, families are the group most likely to spend more nights camping in 2021.”
“Camping had been steadily growing in popularity prior to the pandemic, but experienced aggressive growth across the U.S. last year,” said PR Newswire, “The 2021 North American Camping Report, which surveyed U.S. and Canadian campers’ sentiments and behaviors on the outdoor recreation in January 2021, shows that more than 86 million U.S. households consider themselves campers and 48 million of those households took at least one camping trip in 2020 – up more than 6 million over 2019.” (see more at https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fresh-data-indicates-camping-interest-to-remain-high-in-2021-301273611.html).
Be aware of fees and facilities offered at your campsite of choice. Some locations are illegal to camp in or have specific regulations. Most require reservations, and some permits for specific activities. Some have websites or a phone number for reservations. Be sure to get the proper equipment. Leave no trace.
Image by Sarah Hughes. Outside The Looking Glass Café. All rights reserved.
Clarksville’s The Looking Glass is a collection of restaurant, bakery and event space with an Alice in Wonderland charm. Locals and travelers alike should check out this cafe’s unique and whimsical heart.
Image by Sarah Hughes. Café table next to a fountain. All rights reserved.
In addition to candy bar flavored coffees and large beautiful slices of cake, the Looking Glass offers breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner options throughout the day. They are an excellent spot to meet someone for brunch or to sit with a coffee.
Image by Sarah Hughes. Lily pads in a koi pond. All rights reserved.
“I suppose I ought to eat or drink something or other; but the great question is ‘What?’”
—Lewis Carrol, Alice in Wonderland, Chapter 4, The Rabbit Sends in a Little Bill
Image by Sarah Hughes. Giant lily pads in a garden pond. All rights reserved.
The decor is sweet and colorful, with homages to Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carrol. Along with meeting a variety of meal or caffeine related needs, the multipurpose layout offers a wide open feeling, providing intimacy for each table’s conversations. Whether you are there for coffee, a meal or just cake, there’s plenty of space to stretch out. Once full, there is a sweet garden out back to admire.
Image by Sarah Hughes. Crab Cake Eggs Benedict with Home fries. All rights reserved.
I found the spot while trying to find a unique eggs benedict that reminded me of granola-cafes back home in San Diego, CA. I enjoyed my crab cake benedict, and my fiance enjoyed a breakfast burrito. We got chunky monkey and oreo mochas in giant teacups. Looking around on my visit, there were many ladies luncheoning. It reminded me of the now sold Claire De Lune Coffee Lounge in Northpark, and an old Hemingway story. Spots like these are a passion of mine and worth our patronage. You can feel the love and history poured into them.
“It is the light of course but it is necessary that the place be clean and pleasant”
― Ernest Hemingway, A Clean Well Lighted Place
Please consider checking this great spot out and supporting a great local small business. I’d rate them four out of five stars.
Image by Sarah Hughes. Whimsical table in a garden. All rights reserved.
Their hours are as follows:
Mon 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Tue 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Wed 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Thu 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Fri 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Sat 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Sun Closed
Image by Sarah Hughes. Koi pond in a garden. All rights reserved.
The restaurant is located at 329 Warfield Blvd Ste H Clarksville, TN 37043.
Walt Whitman’s Civil War Poetry and Prose ages well for all the turbulence of 2020. Here are some quotes from poems and letters to remind the modern reader what’s old is new, and allow reflection on the past year’s tensions.
Normal abruptly stops
/How you sprang – how you threw off costumes of peace with indifferent hand,/
/How your soft opera-music changed, and the drum and fife were heard in their stead,/ (1)
Image by ml991 from Pixabay. Picture of a flute set down. All rights reserved.
/The mechanics arming, (the trowel, the jack-plane, the blacksmith’s hammer, tost aside with precipitation,)/
/The lawyer leaving his office and arming, the judge leaving the court,/
/The driver deserting his wagon in the street, jumping down, throwing the reins abruptly down on the horses’ backs,/
/The salesman leaving the store, the boss, the book-keeper, porter, all leaving;/ (2)
/Leave not the bridegroom quiet – no happiness must he have now with his bride,/
/Nor the peaceful farmer any peace, ploughing his field or gathering his grain,/ (4)
/No bargainers’ bargain by day – no brokers or speculators – would they continue?/
/Would the talkers be talking? would the singer attempt to sing?/
/Would the lawyer rise in the court to state his case before the judge?/ (4)
Image by Peter H from Pixabay. Picture of abandoned café or workplace. All rights reserved.
Pent up turbulence
/Forty years as a pageant, till unawares the lady of this teeming and turbulent city,/
/Sleepless amid her ships, her houses, her incalculable wealth,/
/With her million children around her, suddenly,/
/At dead of night, at news from the south,/
/Incens’d struck with clinch’d hand the pavement./ (1)
Year of the struggle
/Arm’d year – year of the struggle,/
/No dainty rhymes or sentimental love verses for you terrible year,/ (3)
“with all their large conflicting fluctuations of despair & hope, the shiftings, masses, & the whirl & deafening din” (80)
New fashion and pounds
/With the pomp of the inloop’d flags with the cities draped in black,/
/With the show of the States themselves as of crape-veil’d women standing,/ (28)
“I miss you all, my darlings and gossips, Fred Gray, and Bloom and Russell and everybody. I wish you would all come here in a body – that would be divine (we would drink ale, which here is the best). My health, strength, personal beauty, etc., are, I am happy to inform you, without dimunition, but on the contrary quite the reverse. I weigh full 220 pounds avoirdupois, yet still retain my usual perfect shape – a regular model.” (64)
Longing for loved ones and focusing on simple things
“Dearest son: it would be more pleasure if we could be together just in quiet, in some plain way of living, with some good employment and reasonable income, where I could have you often with me, than all the dissipations and amusements of this great city – O I hope things may work so that we can yet have each other’s society – for I cannot bear the thought of being separated from you – I know I am a great fool about such things but I tell you the truth dear son.” (75)
Image by No-longer-here from Pixabay. Picture of a civil war letter. All rights reserved.
Meaning in turmoil
“When I found dear brother George, and found that he was alive and well, O you may imagine how trifling all my little cares and difficulties seemed – they vanished into nothing.” (60)
“there is something that takes down all artificial accomplishments” (75)
“I do not feel to fret or whimper, but in my heart and soul about our country, the forthcoming campaign with all its vicissitudes and the wounded and slain – I dare say, mother, I feel the reality more than some because I am in the midst of its saddest results so much.” (77)
“I will write you a few lines – as a casual friend that sat by his death-bed.” (82)
Whitman writes surrounded by death, commenting on the circumstances of his world and missing loved ones, even writing some letters while sick. It’s as if life has halted for war and injuries of war.
Americans are gardening more in a post-pandemic world than in the year 2019.
Garden sales jumped from 13.8 billion in 2019 to 104 billion in 2020, according to nurserymag.com and statista.com.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of radishes in a container garden. All rights reserved.
The trend is expected to grow in 2021 based on projections, according to prnewswire.com.
It’s possible the change is due to people being home and wanting to look at something cheery, while adding curb appeal. According to Ferry-Morse, a popular seed company, ten times more people planted flower seeds than fruit or vegetable seeds, which is a reverse of last year.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of strawberry pot. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of raised bed container. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of mailbox garden bed. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of a raised garden bed. All rights reserved.
Important Dates for Gardeners
Feb. 6 through June 4 – Last Frost date depending on hardiness planting zone
Apr. 14 – National Gardening Day
May 9 – Mother’s Day – A day that some people wait to plant till to avoid frosts, per folklore
Aug. 25 through Dec. 13 – First Frost date depending on hardiness planting zone
While retailers seem to be bustling, there is a growing trend to sell inventive one-stop bundled kits and better quality items. New plants are being released with novel features and enhancements aimed at making them easier to grow.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of bricks for a raised garden. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of a raised garden bed in progress. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of young plants. All rights reserved.
New “plantlings” are one of many new options from Ferry-Morse. The product consists of partially grown young plants shipped directly to consumer’s doors.
Whether investing in time-honored gardening methods or newer products, the gardening trend is a great inspiration for expanding your garden.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of a tree at Cheekwood 2021. All rights reserved.
As temperatures rise and blossoms cycle through their hues, it would appear Tenn. has entered the Spring season. One way to enjoy it is to visit the Cheekwood Estate and Gardens.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of an iris flower at Cheekwood 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of a columbine flower at Cheekwood 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of a large tulip flower at Cheekwood 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of a daffodil flower at Cheekwood 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of a tulip flower at Cheekwood 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of tulip flower around a tree at Cheekwood 2021. All rights reserved.
Located at 1200 Forrest Park Drive in Nashville, Tenn. Cheekwood draws residents, members and travelers alike. With 55-acres of botanical gardens there is plenty of space for social distancing in accordance with safety protocols listed in their entirety on Cheekwood’s website.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of a fern at Cheekwood 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of a leaf at Cheekwood 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of a tree at Cheekwood 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of a fern at Cheekwood 2021. All rights reserved.
“Cheekwood, in accordance with CDC guidance, recommends individuals stay 6′ apart and travel in groups no larger than 10. All visitors are required to wear cloth face coverings when entering buildings including the Historic Mansion & Museum, Botanic Hall, and the Frist Learning Center. Cloth face coverings are strongly recommended in outdoor areas except when maintaining a physical distance of at least 6’ from other visitors,” says https://cheekwood.org/knowbeforeyougo_covid19/
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of a flower at Cheekwood 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of a tree label at Cheekwood 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of a flowering tree at Cheekwood 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of a flowering tree at Cheekwood 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of a landscape at Cheekwood 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of a tree at Cheekwood 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of a tree in a maze at Cheekwood 2021. All rights reserved.
Cheekwood features year round activities. Arbor Day, on Apr. 30, 2021 can be celebrated with a walk and an arboretum map available online and from Visitor services.
“The Arboretum at Cheekwood includes well over 2,100 trees, curated to serve Cheekwood’s mission as a collecting institution and offer the community enjoyment and education. Cheekwood has documented 1,267 deciduous trees; 576 evergreens; 16 deciduous conifers; and 238 dogwoods,” says https://cheekwood.org/calendar/arbor-day/
“Our arboretum map, available online and from Visitor Services, presents at least 120 distinct species and cultivated varieties of trees to guide an exploration of the campus canopy.”
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of a flowering dogwood tree at Cheekwood 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of a flowering dogwood tree label at Cheekwood 2021. All rights reserved.
Their website blog even has tips for caring for Dogwood Trees, available at https://cheekwood.org/dogwood-tips/
Although Bloom Season for Cheekwood is officially Mar. 6 – Apr. 11, 2021 and National Gardening Day Apr. 14, 2021 there is still a great deal to see at Cheekwood in the lushness of warm months. The grounds are an excellent inspiration for the hobby gardener featuring different gardens every month. Summertime also promises seasonal festivities and beautiful scenes.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of a card table at Cheekwood Estate 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of a dining room at Cheekwood Estate 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of ceramic dishware at Cheekwood Estate 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of a painting at Cheekwood Estate 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of patio room at Cheekwood Estate 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of a card table at Cheekwood Estate 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of study at Cheekwood Estate 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of study at Cheekwood Estate 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of a dining room at Cheekwood Estate 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of a painting at Cheekwood Estate 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of patio room at Cheekwood Estate 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of entry at Cheekwood Estate 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of entry at Cheekwood Estate 2021. All rights reserved.
Tickets have the option to be purchased for just the grounds or to include the art museum located in the mansion of the historic Cheek estate. The building houses historically furnished rooms, paintings and permanent collection pieces.
“Originally built as the home of Leslie and Mabel Cheek in 1929, Cheekwood is one of the finest examples of an American Country Place Era estate,” says the Cheekwood website.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of wooden play structure at Cheekwood 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of ornamental structure at Cheekwood 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of landscape at Cheekwood 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of turtle fountain at Cheekwood 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of swan pool at Cheekwood 2021. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of pond with sculptures at Cheekwood 2021. All rights reserved.
If planning a visit, it is best to reserve a time. Ticket and membership options are available through the museums website at https://cheekwood.org/buy-tickets/
I recently moved to Clarksville, Tenn. from San Diego, Calif. which means I had to register my car and exchange my drivers license to my new state. While I expected this process to be cheaper in Tenn. it was also much faster than any experience I’ve ever had in a Calif. Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
The Clarksville County Clerk had me out in 18 minutes and cost $94 to exchange a CA car title to a TN title, and to pay registration for the 2021 year. Just my registration for Calif. would have been $244 in 2021. I brought a few necessary documents outlined on a government website, and showed up on a Wednesday without an appointment. Additionally, my boyfriend was able to drop by a couple days before we went in to ask the Clerk for guidance on how to proceed.
The Clarksville County Clerk had me out in 18 minutes and cost $94 to exchange a CA car title to a TN title, and to pay registration for the 2021 year. Just my registration for Calif. would have been $244 in 2021.
Likewise a trip to the Driver Services Center went well without an appointment. We arrived about 8:00 AM, knowing the Center opened at 8:30 AM and bracing ourselves for typical DMV lines. The line at this particular center was about half the size of what I’ve seen at Calif. ones 45 minutes to an hour before opening.
We were being staged before the Center opened officially. To me this aspect of the Center’s procedure seemed revolutionary and also a simple bit of genius. Two people staging where people need to go will of course make the rest of the day go quicker and verify people have required documents before they go inside.
Photo provided by Google. All rights reserved.
The 20 spots for people who needed road tests were full by about 8:15 AM, which seemed the only downside. However, my personal Calif. Road Test experience many years ago involved two trips due to an appointment the DMV lost info on and overscheduled. So I can’t say that this is really even a point lost for the Clarksville Center.
My required documents were checked and I only needed what was listed online. I believed I needed a written test, but was delighted to be informed I did not even need to take that as my Calif. license was still valid. (Dear Reader, I have never been told something by a DMV worker in Calif. which has reduced my workload in any way. I was overjoyed at the efficiency and service I received in Clarksville).
I believed I needed a written test, but was delighted to be informed I did not even need to take that as my Calif. license was still valid.
I was in the building by 8:30 AM as the seventh person in the particular line I needed. Due to Covid-19 health protocols, my boyfriend, who did not have DMV related business, was not able to enter with me as the Center was limiting capacity as a precaution. This was understandable and expected. It was very cool that he was able to wait with me outside however.
I waited patiently inside before I was called to reaffirm answers to questions related to what typically goes on a driver’s license. I had my picture taken and presented my documents. I paid $28 and was given a temporary paper license complete with a picture. I was told that my permanent license would be mailed to me in two to three weeks. I was out and we were on the road at 9:25 AM.
I paid $28 and was given a temporary paper license complete with a picture. I was told that my permanent license would be mailed to me in two to three weeks.
I recount my experience with the Clarksville Driver Service Center with utter amazement. I knew it would cost less to register, but I am pleasantly shocked by the other differences in Tenn. I was done so much faster and helped so much more.
Photo provided by Google. All rights reserved.
I’ve heard friends in Calif. recently mention experiences with the DMV during Covid-19 that lasted between 45 minutes and 2 hours. It is unclear if this has to do with necessary health protocols which have changed the experience.
In the past, I have counted myself lucky if I got out of the Calif. DMV in less than 2 hours without an appointment and in an hour with one.
Watching my social media feeds, it seems that we are all hitting some mentally turbulence as we come up on the anniversary of entering Covid-19 quarantine.
Though I certainly have not had the easiest year in taking care of myself, I have found some solace in building a few positive habits. One of these is a mindful effort to journal how I’ve taken care of my mental state each day.
There’s a common psychology saying that GRAPES a day keeps the psychologist away, much like eating an apple a day keeps the doctor away.
“I am talking about the acronym “GRAPES”: Gentleness, Relaxation, Accomplishment, Pleasure, Exercise and Social,” says BurdTherapy.com. “These elements help keep us happy and content and are ways to practice healthy coping skills. Use the acronym as a way to quickly remember activities to practice self care.”
The acronym is meant to be a tool for people to take care of their mental health each day. Each letter is supposed to be a reminder to do something to feed the realms of life in a way that engages them. It is essentially breaking down the elements of happiness to be intentional about fostering happiness and care.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of a journal with notes on GRAPES acronym. All rights reserved.
What I did with this is determined to reflect on what I’ve done for each letter each day, often noting how I performed each in a journal. Recording a quick sentence for each keeps me making rounded progress at taking care of myself and improves my mood.
Journaling my progress at GRAPES reminds me that I am not just the A for accomplishment. I’ve realized from the exercise that I struggle with finding time to feed G and P the most. It’s hard to be mindful about treating myself with grace and being happy each day. I believe I struggle with those activities because I feel that my to do list must be completed for me to indulge in pleasurable activities or give myself approval. The exercise made me realize how weird it is that happiness and self-love aren’t daily goals for me.
I hope that journaling how you take care of your happiness elements can also bring you more of it during our present times.
Looking for a way to support Clarksville culture and have a great Valentine’s day? Reserve your own themed date night in a box from the Custom House Museum and Cultural Center.
Photo provided by https://customshousemuseum.org/. All rights reserved.
As of 6:30 PM, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, The Custom House Museum and Cultural Center is taking orders for special Valentine’s treat boxes. The boxes will be available for pick up and delivery in February.
This offering is presented by the Museum Guild as a part of an event called Valentines Delivered: Date Night in a Box. The event replaces an annual winter fundraiser, Champagne & Chocolate.
Funds raised go towards artifact conservation, collections, exhibits and educational programming. It’s a gift that helps the community, and allows for easy social distancing.
Exterior shot of the Custom House Museum and Cultural Center. Photo by Sarah Hughes. All rights reserved.
The boxes contain assorted goodies, including a few locally manufactured items. They are perfect for sharing with a date or group of four. However, sharing is not required.
Delivery and Pickup will be Feb. 8 through 12. Orders can be placed through the museum’s website. Limited quantities are available. https://customshousemuseum.org/valentines-delivered/
The original spire from the top of the museum on display. It was removed from the landmark building in a tornado Jan. 22, 1999. Photo by Sarah Hughes. All rights reserved.
Honey it’s Thursday
…because honey’s sweet and we put out on Thursdays…
After some googling and soul-searching, I decided to disable commenting on this blog. This decision has to do with a few thoughts I’ve had. One is I would rather focus on my craft of writing and learning small-time website design, than devote my limited time to sorting and approving comments. The next is most of the comments I received tended to be advertisements/bots/possibly shady snippets of software code, and not people wanting to have a real conversation or build some type of community. I was starting to worry a little too much about the shady category. I still am. Perhaps as I get better at this, I will start to add comments back in and talk about how to prevent code-insertion or identity issues in blogs.
However, there have been some impressive commentators who have graced this site with a quick line. Notably, a Donald Trump, who I’m pretty sure wasn’t that one, and a website for something to do with boobsigns, whatever that is (please, for your computers safety, don’t google it, I won’t be liable for whatever horror or virus results). I’m sorry to say I removed the temptation of cluttering up the comments with perplexing snippets of dubious sincerity. Though there were some comments where people didn’t seem to have a suggestion, and were just commenting to comment without saying very much. Some of these also made me wonder if those people had read my article, because the comment often seemed to not correspond to any of my content. I did sort of enjoy deleting those comments, along with what I’ll call ad-comments or mal-comments (based on adware and malware). However, I immensely appreciated all of the positive feedback and questions I received. Some of you seemed inspiringly interested in blogging. To those people, I am sorry to have cut the conversation short. I value criticism and have been especially learning to embrace it this year. I hope that the time I invest into helps to create articles and creative writing that makes up for my decision.
My problem of time limitations is partially to do with changes I’m making to do this better in the future. I’m currently taking a CSS, HTML, and XHTML class. It has been in addition to learning Javascript at home and at work, the latter of which I’ve also been spending more time at. I think I might be crazy, as it’s shapin up to be a pretty tight schedule, but somehow I know I can do it. I’ve definitely been enjoying happiness in a sort of flow state of all I’m working on.
Since you last heard from me, it’s been a pretty weird year. In May 2017, I had some health problems that took till November to resolve, and could have been cancer. Luckily, I do not have cancer, and all is back to normal in terms of body things. Yay! (Fuck cancer). Those months weren’t all bad, although other people close to me have also been sick with illnesses of their own. I went on some epic adventures and absorbed a bunch of art scenes. I’ve been getting back to performing on stage for bellydance and other styles. I’ve been doing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu since January 2017. It has been amazing! It’s a lot more mental than I thought, as well as having a great community and being a great work out. It has made me more energetic and helped my dance considerably. In August 2017, I performed at a community festival, and another performance is in the works for February. In October, I left the North American continent for the first time to see Germany, Prague, and Italy. That was also my first real vacation since I started work at my current company. It was amazing! I’ve also been crafting somewhat regularly, but have mostly favored small projects. By August 2018, I hope to get to bigger, more involved projects like a French Court dress complete with panniers. Also, I’ve been pretty into film, catching up on a lot of American Film Institute favored movies, and cult pieces of the 1980s and 90s. I’ve seen a few friends quite a bit, and have enjoyed getting closer to them.
I hope to keep writing, and inspire you. If you would like to be a part of Honey It’s Thursday, feel free to comment your interest! I’ll be leaving the comments on here so you can contact me.
