After an extended unannounced break...

I've found my way back to this space. I had a lot going on. Those things took me away from the freedom of blogging about my simple life. I have a lot of catching up to do and a lot of things to update about in this dance we call life.

So...hello out there Internet! I hope to share more and learn more everyday.

Rosemary Bread

It's been really cold here, and actually it appears the whole United States is really cold this week. So, that has led to more baking around here. The Boy and I tried out a new recipe yesterday. It came out delicious and was really easy. This is the recipe we used. By the way, the fresh rosemary I used is a potted plant I have had for a year now. It is one of the easiest plants I've owned.

Rrrrooooaaaar!

That's the first thing the Boy said when we finished putting this 3-D puzzle together. I can honestly say, I needed better directions than the one that came with this. Luckily, the Boy doesn't take after me in that respect. He figured it out right away, and we worked it out. He hasn't decided about painting it yet. I think the Boy and I are going to pick out some more to stow away for other days.

2009

I'm not even going to try to list any resolutions here. Mainly because I've learned that I don't stick to them. I'm more likely to stick to something if I don't write it anywhere. I think it's a mental block.

There are some things I would like to do more this year though. It plays right into my previous entry. I want to spend more time at the beach. For some reason, we rarely go to the beach. I used to blame it on the bath water feel to the ocean this far south, but now I am thinking maybe that isn't the reason.

I'd also like to take my yoga a bit more seriously. Again, not really sure why I keep putting things off that I love so much.

And, for instant gratification, I would like to change the color of my living room. Actually, since our house has such an open floor plan, that would mean painting almost my entire living space.

Most important, I want to not let life move too quickly. I don't want to miss any of the moments with the Boy and the Husband. I need to just enjoy the moment more. I'm shocked how quickly life passes by.

Happy New Year! May you all have a wonderful 2009.

Expanding

We've been living here in Florida for a bit over 4 years now. My son has grown up here, and other than a brief stint back up in Maine, this is all he knows. Yet, I've always just had it in my head that I wouldn't be living here for long. The first week we moved here I was homesick. So homesick that I would just lay there at night trying to figure out how to get the hell out of the sunshine state.

I guess now, I'm realizing that maybe if I give it more of a chance......I won't have as much time to hate it. The Boy loves it here because there is rarely a day we can't spend outside. This is the place I've suddenly found my green thumb. Lucky for me because it has helped keep me sane amidst my acclimation to the heat.

I have friends and family up in New England still. And, though a certain cousin will hate that I'm writing this...it was down here that I became a baseball fan. Thanks to the Tampa Bay Rays, I've finally understood what all the hype was about.

I guess my point is, I should stop dwelling and ruminating about getting out of here. I'm here, and I should focus on now.

Houseplants and fungus gnats

I'm pretty new to houseplants. Actually, with the exception of two rather large "lucky bamboo" plants I have in my kitchen and a couple of cactus plants, I only plant things outdoors. I recently have been reading and getting more interested in growing indoors.

After some random trips to garden centers, I ended up falling in love with the golden pothos. It is pretty fool proof according to all the books I've read, and it also looks nice hanging in my house. OK, so I ended up buying four. Three for us, and one for a gift for my Mom.

I noticed that we seemed to have some "fruit flies" hanging around. No big deal, considering I live in Florida. Right?

Well, then I realized they were living in my beautiful newly potted golden pothos plants. Not on the plants, but in the soil. So, after much research, I have concluded they are a common pest called fungus gnats. And, I had to inform my Mom that I gave her an infested houseplant.

If anyone knows of another solution to the problem, feel free to tell me. But, for now I'm trying the solution I found on gardenweb. Soak a mosquito dunk in water, and when it is fully dissolved water the plants with it. It should kill all the larvae without causing any environmental issues in my home. I guess sometimes you have to do it a couple cycles, but they do not harm your plant. Oh, and apparently they don't harm humans either!

Hello poor neglected blog.

It has been awhile, hasn't it? Almost two months since I've posted. I think I have been busy focusing on so many other things, I just didn't know what I had left to give to my blog.

But, I'm feeling a renewed energy lately. I'm going to try to post a few times a week and go from there.

So, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year. May you all have a wonderful 2009!