This Perfectly Imperfect Life

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Off and on throughout recent years, I have debated about whether or not to change the name of this here blog.  To something that feels more... Me. Diggin' Around was originally Just Diggin' Around.  Because I didn't know what direction anything was going in at the time.  I dropped "Just" when I realized it seemed to diminish any seriousness behind topics or intentions.  (Like I was just messing around). After nearly kicking the ole bucket in 2010, I considered changing Diggin' Around to Upheaval Into Revival, because that certainly seemed to fit me at that time, but thought "revival" might have too much of a religious tone to it (giving a different impression of why I changed the name), so I kept that as a column title/category instead. Ever since I changed the name of my gardening memoir column, which appeared on Connect*Share*Grow , from Adventures In Gardening to The Portable Homestead earlier this year, (click here and scroll down to S

We're heading into what's likely to be our first heat wave of Summer here at The Portable Homestead. At 8am this morning, it was 75* with 89% humidity, which is nothing new in our neck of the Jersey coast, but we're headed to the 90s today and y'all know I'm not much of a fan of the heat. (I am the equivalent of those who hate/complain about Winter!) So I headed out into the soupy air for a quick garden walk and found 'Mardi Gras' floribunda starting its' first round of blooms! I'm even more excited than usual to see Mardi blooming right now. Not only did I lose more than half of this rose due to Hurricane Sandy, but I accidentally pruned a large section of what was left back in May! (What I now refer to as the 'pruning oops or incident'). Add that I've been dealing with black spot to varying degrees in all of my roses this year before they had buds or blooms (a gardening first here at The Portable Homestead), I cried when I saw

'French Lace' floribunda. 'Pope John Paul II' hybrid tea. 'French Lace' florbunda. 'Mardi Gras' floribunda. Summer has arrived here at The Portable Homestead and with it, the second round of rose blooms. These are my favorite photos from today. Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Acceptance seems to keep coming up recently with respect to me, my health and my limitations. Funny how it sneaks up on you when you least expect it, but it's a welcome companion, bringing with it a kind of peace as well. I may finally be getting the hang of this living with disease thing. I made a difficult decision day before yesterday, but feel good about it because it was the right thing for me to do. It's often a position I'm in unfortunately, (not being able to do everything I want to do because of my health).  As much as it saddens me and despite only having attended my first meeting in April, I've left the Friends Of the Library (aka FOL).    I am crushed with disappointment, but, the negativity that was hanging over my head because I couldn't be the member I had hoped to be was even more crushing and I just don't have room for that kind of negativity.   I wanted to tell them in person, but the next meeting is tomorrow and we'll already be he

My first of three slideshows.

If the slideshow doesn't appear/load automatically, click here for the online album. My first of three slideshows from the Keyport Garden Walk, "Close-Ups."

I went back for more today! More gardens on the Keyport Garden Walk that is. Above are a few of my favorite photos taken with my BlackBerry. (Going through the ones on my Polaroid begins tomorrow!) Yesterday was humid and very cloudy, not to mention full of drizzles. Today it was sunny. And hot. Very hot! I forgot sunblock. And wore a tanktop. Thankfully, I'm not as sunburned as I thought I'd end up being. For the most part. (My shoulders wouldn't likely agree at this moment). The heat did get to me fairly quick. And, of course, the ole feets swelled up again. (And, of course, I forgot my flip-flops to change into). But, I met a lot of nice people & gardeners, from all backgrounds and got to take a peak at properties and homes I've only ever dreamed of which was so much fun! I was a little surprised (and honestly, disappointed) there weren't more roses in the gardens I visited, (can't help it, I love me some roses) but that's not to

Please visit my latest #GardenWalk post on #gardenchat Connect*Share*Grow by clicking here to find out who our #GardenWalk Thursday & #GardenWalk Weekly Featured Tweeters are this week! You're sure to be inspired by this rosy pair!

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

These are just a few of my favorite photos from today. I've yet to go back through the ones I took with my Polaroid digital camera so there are more to be shared for sure! (These here were taken with my BlackBerry). Thankfully the upwards of 6"s of rain from Tropical Storm Andrea (Thursday through the wee hours of this morning) didn't dampen the beauty of the gardens I saw today (or the ones I will see tomorrow from what I heard). There's barely a petal left on my own roses here at home! Keyport is a beautiful community my husband and I spent a lot of time in (before we met and after), having lived minutes from it before we moved roughly 13 miles south along the coast back in 2005. While I was out & about exploring a few gardens, Hubbs dropped by the grand re-opening of the American Legion, where we used to be members, which was damaged by Hurricane Sandy this past October. I met him there when passing rain cut the garden walk short for me. (Trying

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

While awaiting of the first tropical storm of the 2013 season to make landfall here today isn't exactly the most relaxing way to spend the day, the letter carrier delivered something of a bright spot amid the clouds and rain. A few months ago I wrote about how I was under review (my health more specifically) and about the utter strain it put on me (click here ). Today I received a letter in the mail, enabling me to quit holding my breath and breathe a sigh of relief. My benefits will continue. (And I will be reviewed again in three years but I'm not thinking about that again right now). Thank God! We could not make ends meet without it and I've been in a near panic over the what-if's. I am so relieved. To the point of tears. Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

With Tropical Storm Andrea on the way, clouds grew progressively thick throughout the day today. I'm always fascinated by the amazing imagery in the sky as a storm approaches. These are my favorites from today. Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Knock Out Rosa 'Radrazz' in my garden today. It's not only #GardenWalk Thursday, but our "Featured Tweeter" returns to Connect*Share*Grow this week with a few new twists! Every Friday, I will post two #GardenWalk "Featured Tweeters" on Connect*Share*Grow , picking one as the #GardenWalk Thursday featured tweeter and another as the Weekly #GardenWalk featured tweeter.  This way, those who share daily and those who only share on Thursdays all have a chance at being a #GardenWalk Featured Tweeter on Connect*Share*Grow .  (Depending on the shares in a given week, there may be weeks were the featured tweeter will be the same person for both). If you are chosen as one of the #GardenWalk Featured Tweeters, I invite you to share a bit about yourself with us on that post in the comments section that go along with it on Connect*Share*Grow .  (A few brief questions will be included in the post for you to answer). Participating is super easy: Post

It's not a big thing, at least not for someone who is a normal, healthy folk, unlike myself. Our yard isn't large, as you can see from this photo (there is grass out of sight, but not much more), and taking care of the grass, along with my garden, has been very, very important to me. (Excuse the bare patches. With our wacky weather and cooler temps, I've held off on re-seeding). But, as time has passed, cutting the grass has become more and more difficult, not to mention more painful, for me to do. Now my arms literally shake for two days after cutting the grass and hurt for a week. Due to re-landscaping at the other end of the property and subsequent widening of both of our gates, the landscapers now have to come through our gates with the mowers to access the back end of the property. They could have fit through the one gate with their old machines, but knew I preferred to take care of our section and let it be. The idea of them coming through our yard with machi

Greetings fellow Southern Lit Lovers : First off I'd like to welcome all of our new members!  Please drop by the "Come Sit For A Spell & Tell Us About Yourself" thread and say hello here .  No worries, we're a great bunch of folks who don't bite! Our May group read of Lee Smith's The Last Girls   is under way!  Join us here .  I've posted the thread for July group reads noms.  Please read my initial comment in the thread before you post your nom (I've added a new guideline).  Click here .  All past group reads are now archived in the Archived Group Reads folder here . Feel free to comment on any of the past group reads if you're reading one now! We've got lots to chat about in the following sections: Classic & Gothic Southern Lit Genres Within The Genre Set In The South, but... Buddy Reads & Favorite Authors We have a Midwest Authors & Book Discussions folder here .  What are you currently reading, just fin

For more info and to join in: Grow Write Guild More catching up to do with my Grow Write Guild prompts! Then I will be up to date, though I've just learned that prompt #6 has been posted, so perhaps I will forever be playing catch up with these, as I usually feel in other areas of my life. But, I'm having so much fun writing because of the GWG prompts, I don't mind being behind with posting. Prompt #4: Write about your garden mentor or muse. Written May 13th: Welp, this is the first prompt I've had a little trouble with.  I didn't begin gardening until my 20s and I did so rather accidentally, out of the blue and on my own.  (Click here to learn more).  I've never given much thought to a mentor or muse before. The first place I turned to, the first place I turn to with anything, even now, is books.  I don't recall if I took many out of the library or not, but I did buy a lot of bargain/clearance gardening books at (the now defunct) Borders and B

For my latest post on Through My Eyes 360, click here . For my latest Garden Walk Thursday on Connect*Share*Grow, click here .