Thursday, September 19, 2013

"Things" on Thursday

I am a stickler for exercise. Some people have labeled me a "health nut" (have they not seen my pantry?) It's something I enjoy, something I know to be very important, and it's a great way to relieve stress.

Something that doesn't get enough exercise these days...my BRAIN. When I'm home with the Littles, things are in constant motion. I don't always complete one task before requested to do five more.
Get food on the table, feed the dogs, someone spilled, the dogs need out, "I need more cheese",      "She ate my cheeto", the dogs need in, get the laundry out of the dryer before the wrinkles set in, "ewwww the dog just yacked"......yeah - you know what I'm talking about.

Well, it makes my head SPIN.

We were in Destin over the summer and I found a book called "642 Things to Write About" by the San Francisco Writers' Grotto. When I picked it up and opened it, I immediately thought about my blog. I thought it would be a fun thing to do and maybe a good exercise for my brain.

So - I am going to start "Things" on Thursdays.

I will pick an "exercise" in the book and just go for it.

You're welcome to join in - it might be kinda fun! AND you can say you "worked out"!

Okay, here we go...

Name the trees that stood in the neighborhood 
where you grew up.

Oh, now this one is an easy one. The state tree for Arkansas is the Pine and that's exactly what we had. We had quite a few. I didn't always like them because of the blasted pine straw that decorated our yard each Fall. I didn't love to rake (I guess these memories are beyond the small window of time when kiddos actually enjoy chores), I didn't like how the pine needles and their counterpart, pinecones, would stick in my feet. I just didn't love them. They scared me at times...during a big storm, the tall, skinny pines would sway back and forth threatening to snap.


Now, we have very few tall trees in our yard. I miss the shade they provided. I miss seeing the squirrels scurry around and race up and down. I imagine my girls running around those trees playing hide and seek. That can't happen here.

I drove by the house where I grew up not too long ago. Many of the trees were gone.

Someone else didn't love them so much either.

As an adult, I have a great appreciation for trees. I love to see them in all stages and to photograph them at different angles. Unfortunately, I have not put in the time to learn the genus and species of many trees, but I truly enjoy them and admire them.

Now I feel like planting one.

Oh yeah - I've tried that several times.

I'm not having great luck. Our yard holds a lot of water, SO - the trees I've wanted and planted (several being fruit trees) have not survived.

Let me hear about your trees? Love'em or Lose'em?

4 comments:

  1. This is Jamie from Jamie's Thots...we had a sycamore, evergreens (the ugly scratchy kind with the blue balls on them) and an oak tree.

    On a side note, I love your tab titles!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks, Jamie! Thanks for taking the time to share! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great idea! I look forward to the other 641 "Things you will write about"! We had pine trees in our yard, too. I love the shade they give. It feels different than other tress.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much for stopping by! Yes...I think MOST of the 641 "things" will keep me busy for a while! :)

      Delete