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| Bleeding hearts |
During the chaos of preparing for my debut novel
Spark's release, I've missed what's happening outside. Winter has finally released its hold on Pennsylvania, and spring has moved in. I managed to get outside to enjoy the sun and take some pictures of what's blooming around our house.
Forsythia: one of the first signs of spring in our community. Unfortunately, our bush needs to be cut back almost every year. It grows really close to the house--too close. In the winter it gets covered with ice and sticks to the siding.
Daffodils: my favorite spring flower. A few years ago, I bought a bunch of bulbs for naturalizing. Now they've begun to multiply and fill the flower garden.
Hyacinths: so pretty, but rough on my allergies. I've only had them a few years, and their dark pink color always surprises me.
In a month or two, the lilac bush will bloom, and the bleeding hearts will show up. I'll also have to buy a flat (or two or three) of my favorite summer flower: pansies. Summer will also usher in the peonies, the daylilies, and the three clematis vines climbing the trellis.
Standing in the sun, the wind messing up my hair, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. In spite of the writing projects on my to-do list, I need to take time for the things I love: planting flowers, spending quality time with family, and other pursuits, like reading or crafting. I always struggle with balance--making sure I've made time for faith, family, work, and personal wellness. I've found if I'm doing fantastic in one area, the other areas suffer. As someone who makes their own hours, it's easy for me to get caught up in the work arena. But after spending some time decompressing during Easter Sunday, I realized how desperately I need "down time," or I'll burn out and my work will be inferior. So I'll keep striving to balance my life. Maybe I'll master it in a few decades.
Have you managed to balance your life? If you have any tips or tricks that work for you, please share them in the comments.
Great post, Jill! I really struggle with balance, too - working from home seems like it should make for such an ideal work/life balance, but in reality it just means if you don't set boundaries you end up working all the time! I'm glad you were able to get some down time this weekend, and I hope you're able to keep it up! Similar to your experience, I think the thing that helps me most with balance is getting out of the house (it helps that I don't have a Smartphone), because then I can't work during that time and it draws my focus elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteThanks Laurie! I've set some boundaries, but you're right -- working from home makes it difficult. :-)
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