Rest. Stop. Ranch

Morning Report: Peony Trees

marymac — Tue, 21 May 2013 12:43:13 +0000

Peony Tree Pops!

We returned from the DEMENTIACARE 2013 Conference in Central New York State on Friday. As Karl and I walked the garden Saturday morning, it was thrilling to see our first tree peony beginning to bloom – and what a sweet fragrance! These flowers are the size of my hand with piano fingers outstretched.

Moving forward with a listening heart,
vision, inquiry, and action,
~ Mary

Morning Report: Sunshine Groundcover

marymac — Thu, 09 May 2013 12:33:49 +0000

Colorful Ground-covers and Tulips

Sunshine on a cloudy day is what we have here… bright shining at foot level! We love this ground-cover that is now the same color as a yellow tulip next to it. Pink almond bushes are also in full bloom in the background.

Moving forward with a listening heart,
vision, inquiry, and action,
~ Mary

Morning Report: Nectarine Tree

marymac — Mon, 06 May 2013 13:00:22 +0000

Nectarine Blossoms

Nectarine, peach, apple, and pear blossoms decorate the Orchard Avenue now… young trees we look forward to watching grow up.

Moving forward with a listening heart,
vision, inquiry, and action,
~ Mary

Morning Report: Koi Pond Flowers

marymac — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:08:06 +0000

Spring Cheer

This morning I got lost in the joy and flow of tending our garden, one of my self-care anchors. Today I am “grounding” myself. I won’t be driving to any appointments or to see my father. I will not care about schedules. I will simply sit and rest.

Moving forward with a listening heart,
vision, inquiry, and action,
~ Mary

Morning Report: Bee’s View

marymac — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:59:40 +0000

Bee’s View

It’s another cool wet morning here. Hyacinths are blooming in the Circle Garden, photographed above. We wait for our Gumdrop Alley to bloom…

Moving forward with a listening heart,
vision, inquiry, and action,
~ Mary

Morning Report: Earth Day

marymac — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:54:02 +0000

Creamsicles

We return today to the reminder that mother nature is a healer of our life’s traumas. So too must we remember to clean up our acts as best we can – figuratively and literally.

Moving forward with a listening heart,
vision, inquiry, and action,
~ Mary

Support Report: Take Care Talk, N. Andover

marymac — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 11:37:04 +0000

Twenty-one participants listened, breathed, meditated, and chair-danced together at the Take Care Talk this past Thursday at St. Mike’s in N. Andover. They took-away two tools to support ongoing self-care practice at home: “Take Care of Yourself: Seven Sustainable Skills for the Long-Term Care Journey” pocket guide and “Take Care with Twinkle Toes Knows” a dry-erase laminated practice sheet. Together, the these tools offer a basic how-to and a sustainable support to practice being well during and after a long-term-caregiving journey. The 12-step self-help program may be customized as a person feels is “doable” for any day or week and is appropriate for ages 8-88+.

Participants who provided feedback reported that they liked most:
- “meditation”
- “ACTION”
- “Loved seeing the cartoons come to life with the text!”
- “presentation form: movement, expressive voice & face”
- “I liked the take-aways – my star, my information packet, the powerpoint was excellent! I loved the song & boat theme.”
- “presentation, very knowledgeable”
- “seven skills”
- “the re enforcement to take care of one-self.”
- “Sustainable Skills, calm pace”
- “exercises – breathing”

The next Take Care Talk will be presented:
Sunday, April 28, 11:30am – 12:30pm
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
390 Main Street, North Andover, MA
*free-of-charge, join us after the Sunday morning service!

Moving forward with a listening heart,
vision, inquiry, and action,
~ Mary

Take Care Talk Tonight: N. Andover, St. Mike’s Parish Hall

marymac — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 13:00:03 +0000

If you are local North of Boston and available tonight, consider joining us at St. Mike’s Parish Hall in N. Andover, 6:30-8:00pm.

This is an exciting, brand-new synthesis of my work since 2010 that will cover through original fun illustrations, straight-talk, and body/mind/spirit experiences:

0. Guided relaxation experience
1. The dementia-care experience
2. How do caregivers cope with chronic stress and heartache?
3. The risks of dementia-care for caregivers
4. My heart & gut response – the “Take Care” survivor’s script for self-care
5. His/Her Story: the dementia caregiver health review tells us how to take care
6. Turning Interventions Inward: learning to exercise the star-power inside you

Love,
Mary

Morning Report: Rock Wall Hedge

marymac — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:56:47 +0000

Screen Planted

Thanks again to the many friends and family who helped with their wedding gifts 2012 to purchase the plants for our MargFMac Front Loop border hedge. We selected these plants last weekend and Karl planted them over the last couple of days (Green Mountain Boxwood, Blue Prince and Princess Holly, and Capistrano Yellow Rhododendron). We are excited to have this border planted and to watch it grow.

Moving forward with a listening heart,
vision, inquiry, and action,
~ Mary

Morning Report: First Daffodils

marymac — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:34:41 +0000

Rock Wall Daffodils

Karl and I shopped for hedge plants yesterday and made some decisions. We expect to plant rhododendron, mountain laurel, holly and boxwood. These plants will become an evergreen screen for the MargFMac Front Garden Loop sanctuary.

Moving forward with a listening heart,
vision, inquiry, and action,
~ Mary