Mrs. Peasant's Bookshelf: Clutter's Last Stand by Don Aslett

The New Novel, Winslow Homer. 1877

Butterfly in the sky, I can go twice as high.

Take a look, it's in a book, a Reading Rainbow!

I can go anywhere.

Friends to know,

and ways to grow.

A Reading Rainbow!

I can be anything.

Take a look,

it's in a book.

A Reading Rainbow.

-READING RAINBOW THEME

Today, I'm going to share why I have a book collection and why I think it's important. I also want to introduce you to the book I am reading and LOVING, Clutter's Last Stand by Don Aslett. There is one area in our home that I can't seem to declutter. This area is our book collection. I find the books to be both beautiful and useful. It is the one area besides the garden that I feel the joy of the abundance. Just like a garden, I am constantly devouring my books. My bookshelf is a stocked pantry for my mind. 

When I was a little girl, my father would drive us kids to the downtown library and let each of us pick out 5 books. I felt like I was in heaven. I spent hours on the carpeted floor flipping through beautiful picture books of Hummingbirds of North America and books on caring for rabbits and paper crafts. The library had a feeling of wonder and abundance. The shelves were organized and I would quietly escape reading a book in a corner of the library where you wouldn't see another soul for hours. But I digress. . . My favorite books were the non-fiction and reference books. Some of the reference books were so treasured, you couldn't even check them out! 

Shelves of Central Library, IITD, 2024

My parents, my brother, and my husband were all English majors. My father was an encyclopedia salesman. I come from book people. It is in my blood. I even love the smell of old books. Over the years, I have created my own library on topics that relate to my weird interests. These topics include 80's Christmas Books, health/food as medicine books, gardening, frugality, spiritual Catholic reads, fairy tales, Peanuts paperbacks, and home repair. I have found most of these books used for under a dollar. My reference library is my analog Internet. I can't tell you how many times I've solved a problem or found the answer by pulling a book from my bookshelf. It's a great feeling to not be tied to the online world. 

When I read my books, I don't usually read them all the way through. It is rather boring to read a cookbook or a gardening encyclopedia from cover to cover. I skip all around when I read my books. Sometimes, I'll just look at the pictures. Other times, I will read a chapter that interests me like tomatoes, soil making, or ground covers. Sometimes, I just like to take bites and eat them slowly. For example, I like to read the intros to my Southern Living Christmas Books from the 1980s just to smile. I nibble through my books like a book mouse. Or, I search for an answer like a detective mouse. Eventually, I read through my books over and over again. My books are like old friends that I visit with over tea many times a year.

I am currently reading Clutter's Last Stand by Don Aslett from 1984. The book is 275 pages of every type of clutter and bad thinking that keeps us stuck. It is the most comprehensive clutter book I've read. And trust me, I've read lots of them. One of my favorite things about the book are the awesome 1980's illustrations. I love the expressions and the silliness of the illustrations that leave the reader never missing photographs. It is filled with tough honesty and humor which I love. It really dives into the psychology of clutter. I am enjoying it! It has wording which is gloriously dated but so true like this passage:

"Junkees are afflicted with the endless urge to have more. Enough is never enough. The have-notters want some, the have-enoughers want more, even the have-too-muchers want more. Ever wonder why most frauds, schemes, cons, embezzlements, etc., aren't committed by the have-nothing desperate but by the nice well-to-do citizen? People with plenty, position, and more things than they can already use are often the people who defraud to get more. Jails are filled with people who never could get enough."

I hope you never feel guilty over your active personal library. I also encourage everyone to enjoy their books more. When we enjoy and read our books, they become a treasure instead of a dusty hoard. Make the time and read your books. Thank you for reading and God bless you! 

"Dig". Poster by Sadie Wendell Mitchell. Part of the artist's
 "Girls Will Be Girls" poster series. New York, 1909.

Decluttering Tip: Find Out Who You Really Are

 

I can put on a hat, or put on a coat,

Or wear a pair of glasses or sail in a boat.

I can change all my names

And find a place to hide.

I can do almost anything, but

I'm still myself inside.

I can go far away, or dream anything,

Or wear a scary costume or act like a king.

I can change all my names

And find a place to hide.

I can do almost anything, but

I'm still myself,

I'm still myself,

I'm still myself inside.

MR. ROGERS, I'm Still Myself Inside

I have run the gambit of perfumes in my life. I think it started with Love's Baby, Primo body spray, Malibu Musk, and then Sunflowers. Do you remember how strong Sunflowers was? I've also had the fancy department store stuff in my 20's. I went to Bath and Body Works with my very patient sister. I needed a new lotion and spent over an hour sniffing 70 different bottles for the right one. The one I liked the best was fresh linen. Now that I know myself, I realize my favorite scents are Suave strawberry shampoo (smells like Strawberry Shortcake dolls), a plain Dove bar soap, apple cinnamon Renuzit cones and Bounce outdoor fresh dryer sheets. Who I am is not Ja'Dior but actually dryer sheets. Knowing yourself can save you so much time and money. 

We are influenced to think we need to try something new. We have to update and reinvent ourselves. I think if you are over the age of 30 you know the scents you like. You've probably liked them always. You know you. And if you truly don't know your favorites, here are some clues that will help you find out who you really are.

What you really wear is always in the laundry basket, and is worn out with holes. This is the outfit, style, color, and fit that you really like. 

What you really eat are the items that you never throw out, never get freezer burn, or left to rot. A frozen bag of green beans or peas, grapes, tomatoes, wheat bread, or almond milk don't last very long in our house. That isn't the most exciting spread, but this is who we are. What you really eat are the things you are constantly running out of. These are things you always grab every time you are at the store. 

Once you get to know yourself, it helps you stop wasting time. 

1. WHAT YOU LIKE VS. WHAT YOU LIKE DOING

I like to eat complicated dishes, but I don't want to cook complicated meals at home.

I like to see elaborately decorated Christmas homes but I don't want to mess with the production of decorating my home like that. 

When I do something, I want that something to be easy. I know that about myself. If it is not easy, I won't be doing it very often. Garfield is definitely my spirit animal. 

2. ARE YOU MORE MARTHA STEWART OR GARFIELD?

I think generally speaking there are two types of people: Garfield and Martha Stewart. Martha Stewart types live for the details. They have a high drive to create the perfect thing. We all love these people and partaking in their splendor. I think our online world overly highlights the spectacular Martha Stewart types and vilifies the simple folk as lazy bores. Since I am a Garfield, I can't speak much on the Martha Stewart types mindset. This post is mostly for Garfields.

Ask yourself some questions. Do you like upper level things or basic things? Do many finishing touches feel extra special  or overwhelming to you? Do you enjoy the details enough to put in the added effort? Is a complicated way worth it?  Or, do you look for a simpler way?

MARTHA STEWART TYPES:

The Dinner Party, 1911. Jules-Alexandre Grün

Do you like all the small details of something? Do you like elaborate decorations, meals, and gifts? Do you like elegant spaces and many options? Do you like to go big on projects or ideas? Do you enjoy making things just right? Do you like to stand out with your fashion style, house decor, or projects? Do you have a sophisticated palate? Do you like to change things up every year? Do you grow tired of things quickly? Do things bug you if it's not what you envision? Are you constantly thinking of a new idea, place, restaurant, activity, or product to try? 

If you answered YES to these questions you are a Martha Stewart type.

GARFIELD TYPES: 

Evening Spell (After Dinner), 1900. Elin Danielson-Gambogi

Jon strip 28 April 1977

While the Martha Stewart type may find ways to elevate a recipe, an outfit, or a room with lovely details and finishing touches, my Garfield mind is always thinking about how I can make something easier and simpler. Garfield is definitely my spirit animal. I like things simple and easy. I find something I like and stay happy with it. I think of myself as easily content not lazy. I have no desire to chase the next thing. I like rituals and nostalgia. I'm 80% ritual and 20 % novelty. I could eat lasagna everyday and not get tired of it. I know some people who won't eat leftovers the next day.  I get overwhelmed easily with elaborate stuff. I love a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I think Ben and Jerry's ice cream has too many things in it. If you are a Garfield type like me, you can easily declutter....   

1. ITEMS THAT ASK TOO MUCH OF ME

-Recipes with crazy ingredients, multiple steps, crazy appliances, complicated preparations. Recipes that if they don't turn out I would have wasted a lot of time, effort, money. Recipes that have to be done just right.

-Books that are over 300 pages long, that I need a dictionary to read, that are way too scholarly for me, or stories with a lot of characters to remember.

-Albums with only a few good songs so you have to skip songs.

-TV Shows that will leave you in suspense for 7 years. I only watch shows that are stand alone episodes like Murder, She Wrote.

-Anything that involves complicated payment systems, logins and passwords.  

-Too many decisions, or options. Researching an Amazon purchase can drain me. Why are there 200 can openers?

-Things that are very delicate, precious, irreplaceable or fragile. I got rid of all our glassware. I was dropping them or knocking them over and spending hours picking up shards of glass and worrying about stepping on glass. I ended up buying plastic diner tumblers. The problem is solved, and I never have to worry about it again.

-High maintenance plants, systems, and clothing. High maintenance furniture or objects that are hard to clean or dust. High maintenance rituals and meals. Skin care routines. Exercise programs, budgeting or calendars.

-Are you forgetful? Maybe houseplants and clutch purses aren't for you. I only wear cross body style bags for fear of sitting it down and forgetting it. 

-Are you clumsy? Maybe the delicate plates and high heels aren't really you. It's okay. I got rid of all our glasses and now use only plastic cups.

2. CLOTHES. WHERE ARE YOU REALLY GOING?

Do you have too many fancy clothes?  How many times a year would you dress fancy? Do you have clothes you love but would feel too uncomfortable to actually wear out? Are you the same person or size you were when you bought the items 15 years ago? Do you want to be noticed or does it make you feel uncomfortable now? Do you want to iron and go to the dry cleaners? Is it age appropriate?

3. HAVE YOU CHANGED? DO YOU HAVE LESS ENERGY OR TIME? WHAT SEASON OF LIFE ARE YOU IN NOW?

Think about the meals that you and your family like that are easy to make. Think about the meals you make that are a real pain in the butt. Does anyone really like them? Can you scale it back to the most essential parts?

Our first Thanksgiving married, Mr. Peasant and I made a blended feast of all of the foods we were used to having. It was quite a spread! Over the years, we have scaled it back to the core foods that are non-negotiable and wouldn't be Thanksgiving without it foods. This is a fake turkey cutlet, canned cranberry sauce, stuffing with mushrooms, and green beans. (Lovely bonus, but not crucial. Mashed potatoes and gravy, pecan pie bites or yams. This is our Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter meal uniform. It is super easy to make and inexpensive. We love it. 

Things I am currently figuring out ways to make it easier....

How to make changing ceiling light bulbs easier. Easy light fixtures to replace the bulbs without a ladder and a prayer. Easy to prep and freeze vegetables to grow. Easy to maintain landscaping. Easy bread recipe. 

4. THINGS YOU ARE AFRAID TO USE  

Are you scared to use it, eat it, wear it, make it, or try it? This could be a pressure cooker, a power tool, a recipe, or a racy outfit. I decluttered my Chinese herbalism books with weird recipes. Would I really trust ordering herbs online in packaging in a different language? Other things you may be afraid to use including weird spices, toxic cleaners, a medicine, beauty products, old tupperware, bug poisons, or that expired can of food you are afraid to actually eat.

5. THINGS THAT CREATE MORE WORK

Some items can create more work for you. Think about what items are frustrating and eliminate them. Here are some examples of things I've gotten rid of:

-I switched from deodorant sticks to roll on deodorant. I no longer have to scrub out the white gunk from the armpits of my shirts. 

-I try to always buy dark colored hand towels so less white lint on my dark clothes. I like to wash everything together in one load.

-I threw out my polyester microfiber bath mat that always stunk after getting wet once. Now, I only use a folded cotton towel on top of my rubber bottom bath mat. I can throw it in the wash easily and hang it up to dry after each shower. It never smells.

-I stopped using a liquid bug killer with a pump sprayer for around the house. I used to have to wear a face mask, goggles, long sleeves, and gloves. I sweat my butt off in the summer. Now, I  only use bug granules I shake around the perimeter of the house.  So easy!

I hope these questions will help you weed out the clutter in your life. Having less stuff to manage can help lower our stress. Even removing just one thing a day will quickly add up. We have a staging area where we place potential items to declutter.  That way we can really think about it. This isn't a race. You can do it intentionally, slowly, and thoughtfully. Thank you for reading. God bless you in the new year.

Be the Best of Whatever You Are

If you can't be pine on the top of a hill

Be a shrub in the valley but be

The best little shrub by the side of a rill

If you can't be a woods be a tree

If you can't be a highway then just be a trail

If you can't be the sun be a star

It isn't by size that you win or you fail

Be the best of whatever you are

Be the best of whatever you are

MR. ROGERS 

An End Of Summer Lesson: Plant Something Beautiful Among The Disasters

Fausto Zonaro: Young Girl Carrying a Pumpkin 1889

You can learn a lot of things from the flowers.

 — Alice in Wonderland

I hesitated making this post. I wondered whether it was important enough to share. It's a very small update. But I decided I want to share my life even when it's small. Our summer garden was a huge failure. No watermelons. No cucumbers. No sweet potatoes. No eggplants. No zinnias. Only three squash. All the heirloom tomatoes quickly yellowed, died and produced nothing. We were in heaven over the 20 tomato sandwiches we ate this summer (all Early Girl tomatoes.) The four Sunshine Blue blueberry bushes we planted 4 years ago are now gloriously productive. We harvested so many blueberries.

My view of Rudbeckia blooming from the back of our yard.

Mr. Peasant has been suffering an IT band injury, and I have been suffering a shoulder injury due to trying to get the heavy lifting tasks done.  Both of us have been sidelined, and the yard and garden show it. The backyard is covered in tall grass like a highway strip in August. Every time I'd stare out my back door, I was confronted with our failures and inability to tend to our property. The property we prayed and saved for now made me feel overwhelmed.  

But something really amazing and small happened. Two years ago, I dug up a piece of a rudbeckia from the front yard. I planted it near the walking track and forgot about it. This year the plant grew almost 5 feet high! And then, one October day I peaked out the back door window and saw 50 bright mustard yellow flowers. It was incredible. 

Here is the point I want to share. Once that rudbeckia plant bloomed, my view changed.  I'd peak out the back door, and all I saw were those happy yellow flowers swaying in the breeze. It might as well been a Christmas tree with how it lit up the whole yard. I never noticed our awful yard after that rudbeckia bloomed. I only noticed the huge beautiful flowers. 

All the flower seeds I planted in the ground in spring were quickly gobbled up by rabbits. I planted a new bed in August. I didn't think anything would grow so late in the season. I planted the new bed with chocolate cherry tomatoes, an early girl tomato cutting I rooted, candy roasters, basil and zinnia seeds. We got 3 more tomatoes and a few handfuls of cherry tomatoes. Everything in the bed failed except the Zinnias. I've gathered vases full of colorful flowers all month. I'm so glad I sowed more flower seeds. It was the best Zinnia harvest I've ever had. 

Planted 3 tiny clearance mums under each tree of the allee.

Plant the flower seeds late, find a spot for a dying mum from the clearance rack, divide a perennial for next year, and plant a bulb for Spring.  Plant beautiful things in the middle of the disaster. One lovely thing can lift up your soul and your heart. One candle can light up a room full of darkness. Bake some oatmeal cookies, play a happy song, and put a vase of flowers on your sticky kitchen table. We will always have the weeds with us. Remember to plant the good. Remember to plant a beautiful thing. 

I set the Lord always in my sight:

for he is at my right hand, that I be not moved.

Therefore my heart hath been glad, and my tongue hath rejoiced: 

moreover my flesh also shall rest in hope.

PSALM 15:8  DRA

Mrs. Peasant's Spooktactular Halloween

Unknown French Master: Allegory of the Vanity of Earthly Things 1630

Tempus Fugit, Memento Mori

Time Flies, Remember Death

It's officially October. I am so excited to share our simple Halloween plans. I use the Fly Lady holiday planner (see page 9) to help me plan for each holiday. I try to keep our traditions super easy. Here are our Halloween must haves. 

 1. TREATS

Since Mr. Peasant is plant based, we don't eat a lot of regular candy. I am making rice crispy treats with Dandie vegan marshmallows, and this vegan peanut butter cups recipe which tastes exactly like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. I didn't use the coconut oil and just froze them. 

Used a Dayquil cup to cut the rolled out peanut butter mixture into circles.

I just spread the chocolate on one side and then kept them in the freezer.

2. DECORATIONS

I use a capsule style decorating philosophy. I use items that are easy to put up, easy to take down, easy to store, and extra happy. Our decorations total 15 items, and they can fit into a shoe box. I also have three pumpkins wrapped in grocery bags. It only took me 5 minutes to decorate for Halloween. Here are our minimal Halloween decorations. I think the mantel is bursting with joy. 

Halloween Capsule Decorations. Only 15 items but big impact.

Mantel before decorations. 

I use a thrift store polyester curtain that I cut into a mantle scarf and doilies

Topped the lace runner with a plaid scarf. Halloween decor up in 5 mins.

3. THINGS TO DO/ THINGS TO WATCH

We will be watching spooky movies on the four Friday nights in October. 

--Ghostbusters 1 and 2. 

--The Batman Animated TV Series ( a few episodes each Friday). 

We always watch the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown Special on Halloween night.

Here are some of my favorite spooky movie suggestions and links to the most terrifying radio episodes I've ever heard. (Perfect to listen to in bed with the lights off. If you dare!)

👻👻👻 SCARIEST TRUE STORY RADIO SHOWS 

Woman dies and goes to hell

Exorcist Priest Malachi Martin

Bob Cranmer's Haunted House

🎃🎃🎃 MY FAVORITE SPOOKY MOVIES

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Coraline

The Haunted (The true story of a Catholic family in a demon possessed house) 

Garfield's Halloween Adventure

Return to Oz 

Unico In the Island of Magic 1983

4. NEW TRADITIONS YOU MAY LIKE TO TRY

--For a fun Halloween night dinner, I bought a box of vegan corn dogs on sale.  

--I want to try a new chili recipe. This one is a copy cat recipe from The Natures Table Restaurant in the mall food court. Do you remember that place in the 90s? This one is a Cincinnati Style Chili with chocolate in it. I'll put all the ingredients on a Halloween grocery shopping list. 

--Create a prayer plan. As a Catholic, Halloween will always be the eve of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day. I like to remember our loved ones throughout October. I write a list of relatives and friends that have passed, so we can offer up our nightly rosaries for them throughout the month of October. 

5. THINGS THAT YOUR FAMILY DOESN'T LIKE TO DO. (It is better to know now and be able to discuss it than to suffer and everyone be miserable.)

We decided last year to stop handing out candy after the third small child fell on our property. The parents were not watching them, and they ran across our sloped front lawn. The last little girl couldn't have been more than 4 and faceplanted in the grass. We decided it wasn't fun anymore. We put the pumpkins on the mantel and enjoy a cozy Halloween indoors now. 

I hope this post inspires you to take a few moments to quickly jot down your simple plan for October. Thank you so much for stopping by and God bless you!

And when this mortal hath put on immortality, 

then shall come to pass the saying that is written: 

Death is swallowed up in victory.

O death, where is thy victory? 

O death, where is thy sting?

 Now the sting of death is sin: 

and the power of sin is the law.

But thanks be to God, who hath given us the victory 

through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast and unmoveable; 

always abounding in the work of the Lord, 

knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

1 CORINTHIANS 15:54  DRA

Memento Mori still life with musical instruments, books, sheet music, skeleton, skull and armour
Carstian Luyckx 1650

The Importance of Celebrating Fridays and Weekly Treats

Siesta with Wife Hulda in the Hammock, 1885 by Johan Krouthen

I Hate Mondays. 

          -GARFIELD

13 years ago, Mr. Peasant and I were married. The fall of that year, we went on a vacation to a little cabin in the North Carolina mountains. It was the one and only typical vacation we ever went on. On this trip, we decided that we wanted to start saving for our own little cabin. Spoiler, we never got a cabin in the scenic mountains. We did save up and got a little house in our small town ten years later. All this to say we cut out vacations completely to save up for a house. We eventually realized that we wanted a life we didn't need to take a vacation from living. We wanted a quiet life. 

In lieu of trips, we do treats instead and lots of them. These are not once a year cruises or credit card fueled weekend get aways. We want our treats weekly. I think most people would be a lot happier and richer if they ritualized their joys into scheduled weekly treats. You can look forward to these treats. Frequency matters. A two thousand dollar cruise once a year or a 700 dollar beach getaway weekend is still one moment in the year. I say spend small amounts every week on little treats and celebrate Fridays or Saturday nights. You can make an Aunt Bea Sunday meal or pancakes to add something special for the Lord's Day. 

If you are at a loss for ideas, try to jog your memory of times past. It wasn't too long ago when small treats were the norm and travels were a very rare occasion. A big trip or cruise would be for a huge celebration like a 25th wedding anniversary. When I was a kid there was an excitement over Friday pizza nights. The radio station echoed the friday celebration of the end of the week by playing "I don't wanna work I wanna play on the drums all day" song. Ice cream, air popped popcorn, or potato chips and a night of watching SNL would be something to savor together. 

Five teenage girls with ice cream cones, Gainesville, Georgia, 1952

The truth is you can have a lot of treats throughout the year for a fraction of the cost of a big blow out treat once a year. Let's say every week you spend 25.00 on treats. That would be only $1,300.00 a year! We are very frugal so we keep our treats simple, at home, and spend almost nothing. But you could go bigger with a movie at the drive in, a dinner out, a pint of ice cream, a fancy coffee at Dunkin' Donuts, a frozen pizza tv night, buying a magazine to read in bed, baking a sweet every Sunday or cooking tacos on Tuesdays. Whatever you do, make it easy to repeat financially and planning wise. Set it and forget it so you can look forward to something special every week. 

Mr. Peasant and I have movie night on Fridays. We pick out the movie early in the week, so we can get super excited by Friday. I play the local 80s radio station and get excited for the night. We make popcorn and watch the movie with battery candle lights in the living room.  Saturdays, we watch a Perry Mason TV show episode. We don't eat sugar much, but on Sundays I'll make a frugal sweet treat to enjoy. These little treats are weekly rituals that refresh our hearts. Life is hard. And it's easier to enjoy small frequent child-like joys than to plan and pay for that one week dream vacation. Keep your treats simple, inexpensive, uncomplicated, planned and frequent. Ultimately, what we really want is time together with our loved ones. Spending quality moments together doesn't have to be expensive and only once a year. Start scheduling treats now.      

This is the day which the Lord hath made: 

let us be glad and rejoice therein.

-PSALM 117:24 DOUAY-RHEIMS

The Reagans eating on TV trays in the White House, 1981

Mrs. Peasant's 10 Small Things for a Cozy Summer at Home

Summer Evening, 1886.  Frederick Childe

People Say Nothing is Impossible but I Do Nothing all the Time. 

-WINNIE THE POOH

It is hot and humid here in South Carolina. Summer is here, and Mr. Peasant is still recovering from his leg injury. This injury has forced me into an accidental, four month long, no buy challenge. I still go to the grocery store a few times each month. I've watched the weeks go by and have calmed down all my urges to go shopping at the thrift store or garden center. I have made do with what we have here at home. This post isn't about swimming at the beach or the joys of a vacation in the mountains. I'm tired of feeling influenced by women showing off their incredible flower gardens, beautiful homes, and expensive dresses. I'll be basic and show what a simple person does for summer smiles. Most of these things don't involve spending and shopping. This post is about tiny ways you can have a simple cozy summer. I don't think summer gets the attention it deserves. And when we do talk about summer it's always linked with trips, travel, busyness, and events. I think summer has a low key vibe that doesn't cost anything. Here are some ways I'm enjoying summer without spending money or going anywhere. 

1. FLOWERS FROM MY YARD

Every spring I long to go to the garden centers to buy some beautiful plants and mulch. Every year, we never make it to the garden center. A brain injury really makes small tasks way harder to accomplish. So, I have had to enjoy the flowers in the yard. Big shout out to DAY LILIES. The downside is the flowers only last one day. I cut off stems with three buds on them and I get a few days of flowers. I grabbed some Nasturtium seeds at the Food Lion produce section kiosk, and they are so lovely. And, of course, we have the very neglected and beautiful gladiolus. 

Knock out roses and Veronica (Speedwell). I love purple and red together.

2. PRISM LIGHT CATCHER RAINBOWS 

I finally found a place to hang my light catchers. The sun hits the prisms around 5:00 pm which is perfect. I'll be cooking dinner, and the prism covers the kitchen in rainbows. I also watched Pollyanna last year, so the prisms have even more meaning to me. If you have never seen Pollyanna, you must. Summer would be a great time to watch it.

3. BOX FANS

The sound of fans blasting is the ultimate summer vibe. Hang your laundry in front of the fan, and it cools the room. Hang your sweaty clothes and scarfs to dry after working in the yard.

4.  BLUEBERRIES

One of the first things we did when we bought our house is plant 4 Sunshine Blue Blueberries (13.00 dollars each at Lowes.) At the time, I had to push through the pain of spending 50 dollars on them. Four years later, I am glad I bought them. They are finally pumping out serious amounts of berries. I think I've picked a gallon so far. I have them right next to the tomato plants. Their stories are night and day. I have started the tomato seeds in March, hardened them off, pruned them, and caged them. I check daily for bugs and disease. Even with all that babying, half of my tomato plants look yellow and terrible!  As I picked from the bounty of my entirely neglected blueberry bushes, all I could think of is that I need to plant more! If you live in the South get some blueberries growing today. They are so easy.

I love the color of my thrifted vintage avocado green colander with the blue.

5. MUSIC

This is some of the music I am listening to as we stay home. There are lots of local oldies radio and 80's on my kitchen boombox. I try to keep the music upbeat and sweet.

Frank Sinatra Easy Does It Album This album is so sweet and lovely for summer.

 Van Morrison Moon Dance Album This and the Motown below are great cleaning and cooking music.

 Motown Sound AccuRadio  Great Motown oldies Radio Station

1.FM Love Classics online radio box This one is SO SO good. It's just like an easy listening radio station from the 90's with artists like Phil Collins, Gloria Estefan, and Debbie Gibson. We are talking about hearing songs like "Eternal Flame" and "More than Words."

6. USING UP EVERYTHING 

Since I am not going to the store often, I have been forced to really dig deep into my pantry and freezer.  I am pulling out all sorts of goodies and not so good things. I am really enjoying using things up as a form of decluttering. I am pulling out frozen blocks of fruit and making smoothies. I am using up frozen bread, and almost empty bags of vegetables. I am using up cans of pumpkin from fall and just plain throwing out the bad stuff. Here is the truth. You don't know it's bad until you go through the freeze pile. Some of it was junk after being thawed and refrozen during a power outage. Here is another truth. Eating the stuff you already bought is being a good steward of your money. For frozen fruits and veggies, rinse off the ice first. That gets rid of that bad freezer taste.  

I've also used up a face mask gift from Christmas. I finished a jar of lotion I didn't like by keeping it on my nightstand and putting it on my hands nightly. I used up some cleaners that are not my favorite. I've been drinking more hot tea in hopes of going through my stash. 

7. GARDENING POORLY

I also bought zinnia and cosmo seeds from Food Lion. I dumped the two packs into the ground and watched many pop up. Slowly, I realized the 100 zinnia sprouts were being eaten by rabbits. I know. I love rabbits so much. But they completely killed my flowers. So I picked up some plastic forks at the grocery store for a dollar. They are working. I have to guard my 3 surviving zinnias. The tomato leaves look terrible from the downpour of rain we've been getting. The lawn is 2 feet high. I spent 15 minutes pulling thorny brambles from the front of the house. I am gardening poorly. But we do have North Georgia Candy Roaster Squash coming in and blueberries. The summer garden is the lottery, and you are going to lose a lot. But you can only win if you play. 

8. PROPAGATION CUTTINGS

Cuttings in the window show the vibrant green of the vitamin bottles. 

It is almost July, and I have not gone to the Garden Center. I decided to try making my own plants through propagation. Surprisingly, in theory, a lot of my plants can be propagated through cuttings in water. What the heck, I have nothing but time. I have hydrangeas, mums, salvia, knock out rose and even a few tomato cuttings in water. The tomato cuttings are a plan B back up if the tomato plants succumb to disease. 

I really like using the emerald green plastic vitamin bottles for root cuttings in the window. I love the way the light makes the colors pop. I think brown vitamin bottles would be pretty too. 

9. DOING NOTHING

We have also spent a lot of time doing nothing. Mr. Peasant works on a word find puzzle every night. The topic was celery. Ha! Doesn't get more exciting than this folks. We are reading books we already have, decluttering, identifying bugs in the yard, catching up with family on the phone, and making a Sunday peach cobbler. This peach cobbler is not with fresh farm stand peaches or peaches from your back yard. These are peaches from an old dusty can that was about to expire. The cobbler was delicious.  

10. SITTING ON A STOOP 

Lastly, it's nice to just watch things on a stoop. I like to watch the mockingbirds beat up other birds. I like to watch the doves and the robins. I like to watch the butterflies, the planes flying above, the clouds or the flowers moving with the breeze. I like to hold hands with Mr. Peasant and just watch the yard. 

I hope you are enjoying your summer without spending a dime. I hope it's lovely, small, and imperfect. I want to de-influence us from all the grandiose vanities and expensive vacations society tries to push on us. Enjoying the sweetness of summer does not cost us anything. You don't have to go anywhere. Thank you for stopping by and may God bless you. Please pray for Mr. Peasant's healing. 

Do what we can, summer will have its flies: 

if we walk in the woods, we must feed mosquitos: 

if we go a-fishing, we must expect a wet coat.

                                                                                       -RALPH WALDO EMERSON

Summer Sunlight, 1894. Louis Paul Dessart

Mr. Peasant On Sunshine And Slobber

H. A. Brendekilde 1896 Spring. A young couple rowing a boat on Odense

All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.

CHARLES SCHULZ

I heard someone say that if we could translate the birds chirping we would find that they were all screaming for sex. That makes sense to me because I notice the birds chirping mostly in the spring when birds and bunny rabbits are looking to make more birds and bunny rabbits. Nature is obsessed with reproduction.

Spring is naturally a romantic time when flowers bloom. These lovely weeds with their multicolor petals set the tone and the mood especially in the hovel of the Noble Peasants. Mrs. Peasant grows and collects these flowers all season long. Tomatoes and sweet potatoes may or may not grow, but there will always be zinnias and daffodils in the kitchen window.

Women love flowers. This is because flowers represent love. And love leads to slobber. Pick some flowers for your wife, and she will repay you with kissy lips wet with slobber. This is kinda gross, but I have managed to put up with it. There's a rumor floating around that I like it. Mr. Peasant will neither confirm nor deny the rumors. He just knows he has a weakness for putting a dimpled smile on her lovely face.

P.S. Krøyer - Roses. Marie Krøyer seated in the deckchair in the garden by Mrs Bendsen's house 1893

Sitting on the back step and holding hands while watching birds is also known to happen. The Peasant backyard is a wild kingdom of activity. The war between the robins and the mockngbirds never ends. We root for the robins because mockingbirds are the thugs of the bird world. I like to watch the bumblebees bumble their way from flower to flower.

As the sunshine increases, it will get hotter. Mr. Peasant has lizard blood, so he acclimates to the heat which makes him feel better. Mrs. Peasant has bunny blood and turns red and miserable. She prefers the winter to the sunshine. Winter is Mr. Peasant's kryptonite.

For a handful of days in the spring and fall, we have pleasantly cool temperatures. You have to take those days when you can get them. They are gone before you can check the thermometer. Those are good days for hand holding and slobber. Make them count.

Gentle Reader, I hope this post finds you in pleasant times and pleasant weather and pleasant company. Thank you for reading.

Luigi Monteverde Ertappt 1888, Caught

The No Effort Spring Cutting Garden: Flowers that Don't Need You

Herbert Wilson Foster, 1846–1929

Ain't nobody got time for that.

MS. SWEET BROWN

To be honest, I haven't been very enthusiastic about the garden.  All my hopes of planning the perfect vegetable garden stopped when Mr. Peasant injured his IT band. My garden dreaming was derailed by life which is exactly how life goes. I still did my have to do's. This would be the minimums. I started my tomato, pepper, and eggplant seeds indoors. I also started some sweet potato slips. 

I've been labeling, watering, and planning. Some seeds sprouted and others were duds. The past few months, God has given me comfort through flowers coming up in the yard. These are flowers that I have done NOTHING to help grow. NO watering, NO planning. Life indoors has been colored gray by Mr. Peasant's painful recovery that seems never ending. Having beautiful flowers indoors has brought joy to both Mr. Peasant and I. Best of all, I didn't have to do anything. These are literally no work, no hassle flowers. So, for all the regular ladies out there who love the dreamy English country cutting gardens but don't have the energy or the hired gardener, there is hope. I have been cutting spring flowers from the yard, and I didn't do anything. Here is a love note to the cutting flowers that don't need you--daffodils, azaleas, and irises. With an honorable mention to purple salvia as a great filler. Our purple saliva has been blooming since March here in South Carolina (zone 8).  

Walter Grane, 1902 From the book Flora's Feast

DAFFODILS

First week in March, the very first flower to come out was the small 'Tete-a-Tete' Daffodils, and then the Slim Whitman.

First week in April, we have the Yellow Cheerfulness Daffodil. The Cheerfulness Daffodil is my first scented daffodil. I didn't know what to expect. These smell light and green exactly like walking into a florist shop. They are not sweet smelling but have a little note of spice. The smell is not strong. so I have to put my nose right in there.

AZALEAS

These came with the house, I don't know the names. I never thought of Azaleas as cut flowers before this year. I actually was considering removing the bushes because I thought trimming them after bloom was too much work. I never trim them properly, and they still always bloom. I love them. They last 5 days in the vase. Cut a small branch off and watch it slowly unfold into blooms. It's like a firework show. One bloom will fall and another will open. It's lovely. And the leaves round out the bouquet perfectly, so that one cutting feels complete. I even like just one azalea flower in the bathroom.

IRISES

These came with the house. I do not know the name. Our iris is a show stopper. The coloring is a homage to God's attention to detail and beauty. These are elegant. The color shimmers, and they have a smell similar to a Stargazer Lilly. I don't do anything to help them outside. She just has a will to live. 

I hope this inspires you to consider adding some easy no work flowers for cutting and enjoying. I think loveliness doesn't have to be so hard. I always appreciate you stopping by. Thank you for reading and God bless you. 

Consider How the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin.

Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor 

was dressed like one of these. 

LUKE 12:27

Francesco Saverio Altamura, Young Lady with Boquet of Flowers 1891