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