Managing Time

I need to work on my time management.  My beautiful niece Eliza is an expert at this, fitting absolutely everything into her day.  She multi-tasks with elan - Uni assignments, social things, time with her man and family, things that nourish her.  She is as happy as can be!

So I need to emulate her somehow.

I work random days, anywhere from three to five days a week and travel (drive) nearly an hour each way to work, not returning home till around 6.30pm.  I do get tired and need down-time to recharge my batteries.  I fit in some cooking, shopping, housework and gardening.  Then there is art to be made.  Or not, as has been happening for the past few months.  I miss it and would like to somehow find the energy to fit it into every day, like I used to.  There is time there, I know it!  Ditto for morning walks with Jess the Border Collie!

And energy giving Yoga, where has that gone?  And reading books - it's been an age since I've read anything more than a magazine!

I need to up-pedal and grab some up-time, making sure there is still down-time too.  It's that balance thing again!

Plan of Action:

• Ditch TV in the evenings - and make art after dinner
• Wake up earlier in the mornings - and take the Jess the Border Collie for a walk before breakfast.

Your thoughts and suggestions on time management are welcome...................

A Magical Garden

I've been jazzing up my back patio area that is shared with the clothesline and have been attempting to create a focal point, so that the clothesline recedes into the background.  Eventually I will organize a screen of some sort, but in the meantime a frangipani tree in a pot and some gardenias will do the job.  Today I found a copper coloured bird bath that I filled with shells and pebbles and a pottery starfish.  It looks just how I want it to look!

I took my car in for a service today and across the street was the most amazing and magical garden I have ever seen.  Large jacaranda trees out the front, stephanotis climbing along the picket fence, beautifully tended beds and a house that you could barely see for lush greenery!  There was a huge frangipani tree with decorative, sparkly hangings on it.  It was a peaceful scene that has stayed in my head all day!  'The gardener' popped his head over the fence and I had the opportunity to tell him what a beautiful garden he had.  He thanked me and went back to patiently tending his garden.

Indigo Tree

Indigo Tree

I had a much needed day off today.  I saw 'The Descendants' at the movies (loved it!), then wandered over to the Art & Craft shop where I bought a set of Prismacolor  pencils.  I've had a fun afternoon experimenting with the beautiful creamy smooth colours.  I bought a prismacolor pencil sharpener too, so that I can get a really sharp point or a rounder point for blending (need to practice this some more!)

I don't think I will ever get tired of making art with bright colour.  It makes me feel happy.  The man who I send my art to for framing commented that my house must be very colourful - and it is!  If I had to name my favourite colour, I would find it really difficult!

Good to be back being creative & colourful again!