Author: Nancy Marie Allen

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Redefining Ourselves in Retirement

Retirement came to me before I even had time to consider what that would really mean.  My boss suddenly needed heart surgery and at age 75 decided that maybe it was finally time that he retire.  With his surgery looming, we helped our patients find a new physician and took all the necessary steps to close the office.   There was a lot of extra work and effort involved in this and by the time we closed the door for the last time, I was definitely ready for a rest, but was I ready for retirement?

After 32 years working in the same busy medical office, my boss and co-workers had become like family to me.  We had survived many of life’s ups and downs together; we were close.  It was hard to imagine life without my constant work companions, my longtime friends.  And without my job, how would I fill my days?

Along with the two other secretaries in the office, I decided to collect unemployment.  At least that would help pay the bills while I decided which direction to go in.  After a few short weeks the unemployment office expected me to attend a “training seminar” so that I could again find meaningful employment.  I considered that for one brief moment but at age 64 taking on another job wasn’t something I really wanted to do.  Instead, I looked into Social Security, signed up and took an early retirement.

Some people say they love retirement, that their lives are so busy they wonder how they ever found time to work!  Others go through what I call “work withdrawal” where they find themselves adrift without the anchor of their job security and stability.  I found myself wedged somewhere between the two.  Although I loved putting away the alarm clock, I still craved purpose in my life.

Since I took retirement in January, it was hard to spend much time outdoors and I easily succumbed to cabin fever.  It would be months before I could enjoy gardening and I could read for only so many hours a day.  To occupy my time I spent the winter months helping my husband with his metal casting business and waited patiently for spring.

Once the warm weather arrived I felt energized again.  I was getting out for daily walks and spending time working in the garden.  I had settled into my new lifestyle feeling rested and invigorated.  I was ready for something new but wasn’t sure what that was.

Over the previous year I had taken up writing, something I very much enjoyed but had little time for when working.  Now I found myself devoting more time to writing and the possibility of pursuing this as a vocation inspired me to look further.  It didn’t take me long to look into blogging as a means of getting my writing seen and as a platform to launch a new career.   Today, I enjoy adding to my blog on a regular basis and it has truly given me a new lease on life and a new purpose.

I would love to hear other retirement stories.  What do you do to fill your days?  Are you enjoying life more or less?  How are you managing financially?  Please feel free to comment and I promise to respond in kind.  Thank you for visiting my new website, Nancy with The Laughing Face.

retirement tiara
Photo courtesy Pixabay

DISCLOSURE: From time to time I may use Affiliate Links such as the ones below.  I use these only for companies I trust.  When you click through on the link and make a purchase from the website, I may make a small commission (at no additional cost to you) which helps me to maintain my website.

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Gardening as Therapy

I have always found working in the garden to have a calming effect.  Plants are for the most part green, a soothing color which represents renewal, rebirth and hope.  Seeing green growth reappear in early spring does indeed fill us with hope of what’s to come and being surrounded by green hues is undeniably soothing.  Shade gardens, where there is little other color, can especially evoke a peaceful feeling.

The use of therapeutic gardens supposedly goes back to the ancient Egyptians and examples of gardens being used for healing can be found throughout history.  In the middle ages gardens provided medicinal herbs used to treat all manner of physical ailments as well as those of the mind.

Today, “horticultural therapy,” helps those people suffering from loss and grief, those limited by physical disabilities and those living in institutions.  A “horticultural therapist” is trained to help people engage in various garden activities as part of their treatment.  Working with plants helps people turn their focus away from negative feelings and towards positive ones that create a sense of well-being.

Gardening with children is a wonderful to way to get them outdoors and teach them about the miracle of life.   Having them plant fat, easily handled seeds such as sunflowers or beans provides almost immediate satisfaction as the seeds quickly sprout and grow.  Even young children can take part in the work of planting and watering, boosting their self-confidence and creating a closeness with the natural world around them.   I have fond memories of working in the garden with my own parents, helping pick tomatoes and green beans.

Evidence suggests that working with plants truly helps us stay healthy, both physically and mentally.  In the garden, we are connected to all that is good in life.  And so it is that I eagerly go outside and embrace my daily dose of gardening therapy.

girl wearing white floral dress beside grass plant at daytime
Photo by Maggie Zhao on Pexels.com

DISCLOSURE: From time to time I may use Affiliate Links such as the ones below.  I use these only for companies I trust.  When you click through on the link and make a purchase from the website, I may make a small commission (at no additional cost to you) which helps me to maintain my website.

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An Ode to Mulch

Caring for a garden takes a lot of time, patience and work.  Although we’re all brimming with enthusiasm in spring, the summer gardening chores of weeding and watering get old fast.  When you have to squeeze in gardening between a job, housework and children, it can quickly become a burden.  So what is the number one thing I recommend to make gardening less labor intensive and more enjoyable?  It’s mulch!

Why mulch, you ask?  Well, one application put down in the spring lasts all season.  My personal preference is shredded bark mulch, although there are many different types to choose from.  You can either buy bagged mulch or have a landscaper bring in a truckload, depending upon your budget and the size of your garden.  If you’re young and energetic, you can easily spread it around yourself.  If you’re older than dirt (like my husband and myself), you might opt to have someone spread it for you.  Avoid the dyed stuff and go with the natural product which has a fresh pine scent.  Not only will your whole yard smell terrific, a mulched garden looks elegant and gives your home more curb appeal.

Mulch keeps your garden soil moist, thus limiting the time you have to spend watering.  You should still water any new plantings and during extended dry spells, but mulch holds the moisture much longer than bare soil so you’ll have to water less often.  Even outdoor potted plants benefit from a moisture-retentive layer of mulch.  So rather than holding a hose in the hot sun, you can hold a Margarita while you sit in the shade admiring your beautiful flowers and veggies!

Another benefit is that mulch suppresses weeds.  You will always have some weeds because they’re very good at what they do and Mother Nature programs them to use any available space in your garden to take up residence.  However, you’ll have a lot less weeds germinating in a three-inch layer of mulch and much less to pluck out later.

Lastly, a good organic mulch feeds your soil.  Year after year, layer after layer, mulch breaks down into compost and any compost is good news for your garden.  By keeping your soil healthy, your plants will be nourished the way nature intended.  Mulch also acts as an insulator, keeping the soil cooler in the heat of summer and protecting your perennials from severe cold in the winter.

So, if you want to spend less time working in your garden and more time admiring it, make a yearly investment in mulch and enjoy that Margarita!

green succulent flowers on pot
Photo by Tharatip Sukee on Pexels.com

DISCLOSURE: From time to time I may use Affiliate Links such as the ones below. I use these only for companies I trust. When you click through on the link and make a purchase from the website, I may make a small commission (at no additional cost to you) which helps me to maintain my website.

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Summer Gardening

After a week in the 90’s, this morning dawned (almost) crisp and cool.  Refreshing air from Canada pushed through yesterday with thunderstorms, clearing out the oppressive heat and humidity that had been plaguing us here in the Northeast.  It will be a perfect day to get out in the garden!

I personally find summer gardening a challenge.  Although I love to be outdoors, I have to choose my time carefully.  The sun in early July is high in the sky and heats up the air quickly.  Hungry insects abound, including deer flies, black flies, mosquitos and (ugh!) ticks.  The flying types work me into a swatting frenzy soon after stepping into the yard; the ticks wait for me to step in their path where they can easily hitch a ride.

If I’m going to spend any time in the yard, I have to “suit up.”  This includes donning light-colored clothing for comfort in the sun as well as protection from ticks; you can easily spot a black deer tick on white fabric.  Depending on the time of day, I may also wear a wide-brim hat, but I’d rather get some sun exposure if possible.  I love the look and feel of sun-kissed skin but don’t go for an all-over tan anymore and sunburn is definitely shunned.

Once properly dressed I’m ready to tackle the garden chores.  This includes dead-heading my flowers to promote fresh blooms, cleaning out any dead or damaged plant debris, weeding and generally offering encouragement to my vegetables.  I’ll work until (1) the bugs drive me crazy or (2) I begin to wilt from the heat.  In spite of these obstacles, I still remain enthusiastic.  Today will be a perfect day to get out in the garden!

nature flowers garden plant
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

DISCLOSURE: From time to time I may use Affiliate Links such as the ones below. I use these only for companies I trust. When you click through on the link and make a purchase from the website, I may make a small commission (at no additional cost to you) which helps me to maintain my website.

 

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Oh, Deer!

Looking out at my vegetable garden early this morning, I noticed that one tomato plant seemed to be missing its top.  Hmmm, what’s up with that, I thought to myself.   Standing a couple of feet tall, it was unlikely a woodchuck would be able to reach the top and woodchucks aren’t careful eaters – the whole tomato plant would be a stub!  No, this was something else, something I needed to investigate further.  I walked out into the humid July morning to find nearly all my daylily flower buds missing from the same garden.  I knew the culprit immediately – Deer!

Yes, folks, it’s a sad truth that deer love daylilies as much as we do.  They wait until the fat buds are just ready to burst into bloom and then delicately nip their way through each plant.  Does the phrase “nipped in the bud” come to mind?  I never had deer eat my tomato plants before but then my previous vegetable garden was enclosed by a six-foot fence.   That vegetable garden was sacrificed to a new septic system installation and the old fence went with it, but that’s another story.  This newer two-year old garden had escaped the deer until now but I knew it was only a matter of time because NOTHING will deter deer if you don’t have a fence.

Now this is not a new problem for me.  Over the years I’ve used all kinds of sprays and planted “deer-proof” flowers around my precious hostas and daylilies – the favored snacks of deer in this area.  But no plant is truly safe from these voracious creatures.  When deer are hungry enough, they will binge on just about anything.

Oddly enough, I’ve seen deer leave whole rows of tawny daylilies unscathed on one side of the road while the neighbor’s lilies across the street were completely stripped of buds!  Deer will also leave you a couple of buds on each plant just to show they’re not entirely without a conscience.  They’re mercurial and we never know for certain when they will strike or what they will eat.  The only thing we know for sure is that if there are deer in the area, we will not escape their munching for long.

For us baby boomers, deer can bring back memories of our beloved “Bambi,” the Disney film that was so popular in our childhoods.  It’s hard not to love deer after seeing that, to sympathize with their struggle for survival.  Indeed, it’s hard not to love all of God’s creatures; that is, until they decide to have our gardens for dinner.  Then, it becomes all out war!  But take it from one who has fought the long battle with deer – the victory is always there’s.  Guess it’s time to get that fence up!

shallow focus photo of brown reindeer
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DISCLOSURE: From time to time I may use Affiliate Links such as the ones below. I use these only for companies I trust. When you click through on the link and make a purchase from the website, I may make a small commission (at no additional cost to you) which helps me to maintain my website.