| About a month ago, I decided to diet. I had | | | | houses with whatever you find lying around |
| tried a few crazy diet programs before, but | | | | (don't pull or cut anything that's living; |
| never stuck with them, some not even for two | | | | fairies don't like that!). Fallen bark off an |
| days. I remember the only time I did | | | | old tree, twigs, rocks, shells, and birdseeds |
| successfully diet, was a diet that I made for | | | | make a wonderful start to a happy little |
| myself. I truly believe it's the ONLY way one | | | | home. |
| can diet. It must be a diet you create for | | | | |
| yourself, one you know you can stick too. | | | | |
| Yes, you must cut down on fat and calories, | | | | |
| but if you surround yourself with low fat | | | | How about a shadow garden? This is a garden |
| food and low calories foods of YOUR choice, | | | | best made at the base of a tree with items |
| you can definitely succeed. | | | | that are weather tolerable. First you'll need |
| | | | to clean the ground at the base of your tree, |
| | | | removing all sticks, unwanted rocks, and |
| | | | other debris. Then decide on your items. You |
| Okay, so the other side of cutting down on | | | | can buy tons of little garden decors at your |
| food intake is to exercise. Let's face it; if | | | | local dollar store, but it's a lot more fun |
| you had the energy to do that, you wouldn't | | | | to make your own. Use your imagination. Have |
| need to diet in the first place! I am a firm | | | | some red and black paint? Locate some oval or |
| believer in vitamins, supplements and | | | | round rocks. Paint them red and then put |
| homeopathy. So the first thing I did was | | | | black spots, black head and black antennae |
| visit and locate medications that suited MY | | | | for an adorable little Ladybug (spray with |
| diet plan and ME. It took only a few days for | | | | clear coat or high gloss enamel). A real cute |
| my pills and green tea to arrive and I | | | | idea it to select three rocks; two large and |
| started taking them immediately. I ate less, | | | | one small for a Ladybug family. Set these at |
| felt better (no more acid reflux) and had the | | | | the base of you tree. You can make them |
| urge to just go do something. Even though I | | | | little homes from rocks of various sizes. You |
| have a little exercise routine that I found | | | | can place a terracotta pot plant next to |
| online, I really feel that I need to DO | | | | them. At the base of it paint a little door |
| something. Something that requires energy and | | | | and windows, making it appear as the families |
| makes sweat AND allows me to Accomplish | | | | home. Take tiny pebbles and incircle the |
| something. Nothing compares to the euphoria | | | | families area, or then entire tree base. |
| feeling of exercising and accomplishing | | | | Again, use your imagination. (By the way, I |
| something when you are on a diet. | | | | create the little bugs mentioned here, but I |
| | | | began by carving the rock, giving is a slight |
| | | | beautiful 3D effect, which also is wonderful |
| | | | stress relief for your fingers. I'll have |
| I know it's hot this time of year, but you | | | | them available at my store soon (by the time |
| can always go outside early morning or late | | | | you read this, they might already be listed!) |
| evening and there's bound to be shade | | | | |
| somewhere. Or make a sensible expenditure of | | | | |
| a big 'ol umbrella and make your own shade. | | | | |
| I've got many little projects to work on | | | | Another great garden idea is to Plant |
| outside, but my favorite is working on my | | | | Yourself! This takes a little more physical |
| little garden. I plan on making many more and | | | | labor than the above two, but it is well |
| even smaller. Not only do I feel the | | | | worth it. You need rocks of all sizes, and |
| wonderful sensation of accomplishment, but | | | | one large enough for you caboose. You want to |
| gardening is also therapeutic. | | | | arrange the rocks in a design that is |
| | | | appealing to you. I used a circle; resembling |
| | | | an Indian spirit circle or medicine wheel. I |
| | | | placed a large rock in the middle that can be |
| Okay for those of you who can't grow a | | | | used to stand on or to sit on. I placed four |
| thing..... I didn't say you had to plant one | | | | other rocks inside of the circle to represent |
| single thing!! | | | | to four directions. I placed a very large |
| | | | rock next to the circle; for me to sit on. I |
| | | | created a fairy house next to the circle, and |
| | | | built a large garden on the other side of the |
| Your goal is to move around and create; | | | | circle, so I can sit on my large rock and see |
| i.e., exercise and accomplish, resulting in | | | | the circle, the fairy house and the garden. I |
| euphoria. Then sit back under a shade and sip | | | | create and change this all of the time. So I |
| on tea or water and reflect, enjoy, meditate, | | | | have a place to plant my butt and just relax |
| and relax. The whole purpose of this, is when | | | | and reflect. I feel so wonderful because I |
| you feel Good, you'll want to keep feeling | | | | exercised in the process, but because I was |
| that way. It will become a habit for you; at | | | | enjoying myself, I did not notice it. |
| least it has for me. | | | | |
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| | | | I hope I have inspired you to create |
| So what kind of garden can you make? There | | | | something. Work a little on your creation |
| are a MILLION ideas. Of course, you could | | | | every other day, or whenever you can grab the |
| make a rock garden, herb garden, glass bottle | | | | time. You will be accomplishing so much for |
| garden, and so much more. But I have a few | | | | yourself by doing this. You will notice how |
| little ideas, which are neat and fun. | | | | better you feel in Mind, Spirit and Body. |
| | | | Enjoy your creations and use them as places |
| | | | of relaxation, mediation, prayer, and |
| | | | whatever else you can think of - that You |
| Have you ever heard of Fairy Houses? Just do | | | | Would enjoy. The reason you started to diet, |
| a google search and browse all the websites. | | | | was to feel better right? Obtain that goal by |
| You can even find several ideas on how to | | | | doing more than just dieting and exercising. |
| build your own. If you have a child or | | | | You will find that creating little gardens of |
| grandchild, this can be a project for the | | | | joy easily fits in with your self-made diet |
| both of you. Not only are you accomplishing | | | | program wonderfully. Enjoy! |
| your goal (of exercising and accomplishing), | | | | |
| but also you'll be spending quality time with | | | | |
| someone who loves you. If you don't feel like | | | | |
| searching, let me just say, you build fairy | | | | I know I do. |