C. Fawley Fjeran

August 19, 2017 At 5:30 in the morning, the voice on the other end of the line said, "This isn't going to work." I've also had moments when I thought things weren't going to work. But, when have we ever reached a goal that we gave up on after the first failed attempt? It is helpful to remember that every person we deem a success encountered failure in some form or fashion. The following list includes inspiration from the failures of well-known winners. 1. Remember, not all opinions about you are true. - Walt Disney's editor fired him because he thought he "lacked imagination and had no good ideas." - Oprah Winfrey was fired from her job as a reporter because she was "unfit for television." - Thomas Eidson's teachers thought he was "too stupid to learn anything." - Someone told Marilyn Monroe she should give up on modeling and become a secretary. 2. Trust your potential to bloom. A viable seed when provided the right conditions...

August 16, 2017 It seemed like a good idea at the time. Kudzu is a hardy climbing, trailing, tough-as-a-boot vine from Asia introduced to the U.S. in the 1800s. In the 1930s and 40s, workers were paid to plant the vine in open fields for erosion control. Success. Wish granted. Kudzu controls erosion, but it also controls everything in sight.Once its overly aggressive habit is discovered, it's too late. The genie is out of the bottle. ~ LowTide explorer, Carolyn Fjeran

Our walk counts far more than our talk, always! ~George Mueller

Passion Flower holds religious meaning for those who see parts of the plant as symbols of the crucifixion. We interpret passion as a "strong emotion," but an earlier meaning was "suffering, enduring."  http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=passion . What's your passion?

August 12, 2017 A whiff of cedar tree during my morning run tempts me to close my eyes and soak in the fragrance. Evergreens immediately conjure memories of Christmas garland, trees, wreaths, and all-things-nostalgic around the holidays. I hold the memory and keep my pace. Beyond Christmas memories, thoughts leap to a former garden at Atlanta Botanical Gardens, which was my favorite. Tall evergreen cedar trees shaded the garden. On hot summer walks through ABG, I made a beelin e for a nook in the back corner that held a small pool sporting a copper replica of Pan of Rohallion. (Rohallion is an estate that was built in New Jersey in 1887. The original Pan of Rohallion was commissioned for the estate.  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rohallion .) Graciously, water amplifies the coolness of shade, and I frequently enjoyed the secluded nook in solitude. The path to Pan circled through a scented garden, which was thoughtfully raised to waist height. The reason? It was wheelchair accessi...

Distance not only gives nostalgia, but perspective, and maybe objectivity.  ~Robert Morgan

There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm. ~Willa Cather

August 3, 2017 I still like Marigolds. Garden connoisseurs, like fashion designers, discard the old to embrace the latest and greatest. Marigolds are old fashioned but I still like them. They remind me of my childhood in Xenia, Ohio where I planted my first flowers. The hardy, colorful Marigolds did not disappoint. Out with the old? "No, not yet." ~LowTide explorer, Carolyn Fjeran

August 2, 2017 Meme with image of haggard guardian angel: "My guardian angel was young and energetic when we first met. All those years of looking after me have taken a toll." It's laughable but true, e.g. the time my husband was leaving for work and noticed my car had a flat tire. I was upstairs getting ready for work and didn't realize I had a problem until it was nearly fixed. Me: "Oh, THANK you! I'm so glad you saw the flat before you left. Are you finished?" "Yes, I'm done. You're good to go." I closed the trunk, hopped into my car, and sped off to work 38 miles away. Once off the interstate surrounded by cars on Central Avenue, I saw a gentleman approaching my car. Intuitively, I felt he meant no harm. It seemed he wanted to tell me something, so I cracked my window. "Ma'me, you have keys in your trunk." Me: "Huh?" "Keys. In your trunk." Me: "Oh lawd, those are the keys to my husband's ca...

July 31, 2017 This goldenrod surprised me with its early bloom. Goldenrod in the Piedmont area typically flushes out late summer/early fall. Late July seems early--too early to go back to school. Today, 113, 000 Cobb County students are returning to school. Hopefully, they have windows overlooking fields dotted with goldenrod. Unlikely. Are there any fields left in Cobb County? Even if, would Cobb County students take notice of a cheery yellow native goldenrod? " I like to play indoors better 'cause that's where all the electrical outlets are," reports a fourth-grader. ~Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv The Junior Master Gardener Program is an avenue to keep children plugged into nature.  http://jmgkids.us/  Your local Cooperative Extension Service can provide information about opportunities in your area. http://extension.uga.edu/county-offices.html At your fingertips, the Junior Ranger Program through Georgia State Parks offers a booklet design to teach childre...

And in the end it's not the years in your life that count; it's the life in your years. ~Abraham Lincoln

July 29, 2017 Taking pictures of the field of sunflowers was not as easy as I anticipated. The drive to the side of the field where I had to park was downhill, which limited the view from my less-than-6 ft. elevation. I suppose I could have climbed a tree, but that didn't enter my mind at the time--next time. (I'll be sure to have someone take a picture of that!) "No Trespassing" signs were firmly posted. Visual challenges from the edge of the field included mud, weathered string  tied with hot pink flags around the planting, and overhead power lines. How do I frame the view to focus on the desired image and screen out the undesirable objects? There was a time when I saw something that I wanted to photograph, I zoomed in and later discovered all of the incidentals I wished I had screened out. We've all done it, e.g., Aunt Mildred with a pineapple growing out of her head. Now I know to look beyond what is capturing my attention. Practice makes perfect. I'm stil...

July 26, 2017 My toaster broke last week, and I've missed this modern convenience. Toasting bread on a stove top in a pan took time but was necessary to carry on my morning ritual of tomato sandwich for breakfast. We replaced the broken toaster, but I wonder, is new and improved always better? I had to read the label at the antique shop to identified this item. It's a toaster made by Hot Point. CAT 119T 24 W 660 V.115 Made in U.S.A. by Edison General Electric Appliance Company, Inc. Chicago, Ill Ontario, & California Right away, my father-in-law recognized and fondly remembered the one in his mother's kitchen. I've never seen one like this. Visually, it beats the new models hands down, although, my guess is fewer pieces of burnt toast are served from the modern appliance. (My dad hinted that Mom must think he is a god because she kept giving him 'burnt offerings'.) Burnt-toast syndrome likely drove the invention of the modern pop-up toasters. The garden is b...