susannefortune

Susanne’s Garden Moments Radio Show was cancelled last month.  That’s show biz!!  I loved having a radio show, it had its moments, meeting other fantastic people and hearing about their moments was very energizing for me and many listeners.  I gained a base of listeners in the 2 years that surprised me.  Thank you.  SGM’s Radio Show was not just about gardens, building relationships through our outdoor living, it was a connection of people, a collection of new friends and families who had an important story to tell.  I learned so much from the guests, the listeners and the adventures SGM provided, from St. Petersburg, FL, Breckenridge, CO, Rising Sun, IN, Sacramento, CA, Anchorage, AK and of course Tallahassee, FL area.  I love radio and  I’m already looking for new internet radio adventures and vendors.  Where do I go from here?  Advise, please.  What are your ideas and what is possible?  Please contact me.

Julie, a friend of mine is in the process of developing a new kind of relationship with food.  Those aren’t Julie’s words, but mine.  As I hear her talk about this new journey, looking at food differently comes to my mind.  I want to encourage Julie in this process as I am on the same journey and have been all my life.  Julie had a birthday last month and as kind of a joke,  I created this necklace for her.

It is hard work to change, getting an awareness and then being persistent year after year.  Change is hard.  My brain could not get what I was asking my body to do.  I told someone the other day that I think my brain is finally getting it.  I hope so. Does that make sense to you?

Julie thought this plastic shish-kabob necklace was funny.  I have to be honest, I wasn’t sure how she would take it.  Julie took her pearls off and put it on.  Looking at food, other relationships, anything differently….is hard to do, but awesome.  Does that make sense? 

The mornings are getting a little chiller here, in  Tallahassee, Florida chilly is not that chilly, but as the fall approaches the pool takes on a new look.  I like it.  If I am in town,  at 7:00 am,  I will be here at the Trousdell City Swimming Pool in a Water Aerobic Class.   I really love this sport, well I should say I love what it has done for me.   Does water exercise work you ask?   Well you are asking the right person.  I don’t understand it all, but I know that the water reduces the weight-bearing stress on my joints so my shoulders, arms, legs especially with my knees get an incredible work-out.  The bonus is this kind of work-out has decreased the pain in my knees and I think I am lookin’ good!

There you have it folks, the bouncing, the hopping, the running, the skiing movement, the jumping is not just for kids, but it can be.

I have been working on a project in Gainesville, Florida over the last couple of weeks.  After work,  I get in this mode of leaving the office and barreling down to my hotel.  Last night I made one stop.  As I was leaving the store, heading to my car in my barreling down motion which means for me, my head is down, I’m focused on the next stop and usually moving swiftly.

For whatever reason I looked up and there was this sky.  It was magnificent and it seemed to change with every second.  Maybe I even missed the best part of this sky.  At that point, I slowed down and was taken by this pink, blue, purple, black, gray, white moment.

How many other moments did I miss yesterday?  How many?  I have tried to keep my head up today and as I leave the office shortly, I wonder if I will have a moment.  I will let you know.

The Martin L. King Memorial was so memorable, this sculpture and its magnitude demonstrates the man in a profound kind of way.

Meet Mr. Bojangles.  This is my next door neighbor’s cat.  He visits me, relaxes in my back yard, wanders through the gardens, eyes my birds, drinks water from the low bird baths and talks to me.  The most frequent conversation  that Mr. Bojangles has with me is when he says “feed me”.  That is really the only conversation.  So guess what?  I feed him.

Some days like over the weekend when I am in my gardens, Mr. Bojangles wants two dinners, but I refrain.  It is hard to say no to him as his little voice is so sweet, but I hold my ground and tell him to make it last.

Dear Abby,

Where does the time go?  Am I the only one who thinks that?  Is it just my age?  Time has a lot of energy as it moves so swiftly.  This week I have been thinking about my own energy (again).  What gives me energy?  What takes my energy?   I have been trying to pay attention to what fills me up and what empties me out (again).  Yesterday I went to WW, ran some personal errands, but worked in the gardens most of the day.  I was dirty and exhausted by evening, but energized.

OK, I said I was trying to pay attention to what fills me up.  Check!!  Then why do I spend so much precious time on what empties me out?  Please advise.

Yours truly,

Already thinking about Monday

I have this Outdoor Room.  It is in the backyard, no walls just Nandina make the enclosure.   The Outdoor Room was once a one car garage built in the late 40’s when the cottage was built.  It had developed some major rot over the years and I decided one day (at a point of anger, but that is another story) to tear it down.  I did just that and carried all the debris to the street for pick-up.  I hesitated about tearing it down as it was there, it did provide some limited storage space, but it was dark, damp and really not functional.    I don’t remember how long it took me, but it was a major project.

Once cleared, the trees around the missing structure began to drape and the Nandina began to grow to form the most beautiful walls of protection or hide-away and the sky?  You guessed it….it is the ceiling.   But there is more, you have the sweetest sounds of the birds and even the frogs that sing their kind of song.  I mean, who could ask for more?   You like peace,  I got peace out there.

So dinner is ready and being served in the Outdoor Room.  It is a little warm right now, but there is a breeze, a cool breeze that is blowing my way.  It is called Fall and the Outdoor Room is open for dinner and visitors.

One more post about Eagle River, Alaska.  Forgive me but I just can’t get it off my mind.  Eagle River is a part of the municipality of Anchorage, if it wasn’t, it would be classified as one of the five largest cities in Alaska.  The population is around 22,240.  Think about that for a minute, I know I have.

Moving on to my heart and zooming in a little on Eagle River, Alaska, one will find the Wilson’s.  They are wonderful friends of mine.   You know the kind of friends that are too incredible for words.  They gave me an awesome gift this summer, an invitation to visit Eagle River, but more important to their home and the opportunity to spend time with the family.  I loved it.

Here is another Alaska moment, I am hanging on to those moments.  You can’t blame me, right?  A chilly moment after this summer?   One day Bryan, Mitzi, Elliott, Evan and I drove to Portage Glacier then we had lunch at Girdwood.

I am trying to remember how chilly I was that day.  You know that chilly that the wind runs down your back, through your hair, you keep your hands in your pockets even if your jacket is not that warm.  You know what I am talking about, your cheeks get rosy, but I was not going to complain, not for a moment.

I am hanging on to those moments and the chilly memories of being there.   The bonus of that trip happened in route to Portage Glacier.  We were at the right place at the right moment.   We watched Beluga Whales, yes Beluga Whales swimming in pods along the way.  I am telling you the truth, no picture to prove it, you will have to trust me on that moment.