My haven

[monday1957]

I know this pic has absolutely nothing to do with food, but it is related to what's keeping me joyful at present. Fingers crossed we're allowed to open mid-July, as last summer my neighbour and I raised £1,500 for nursing charities (National Garden Scheme).

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone]

It does look like a haven

I was thinking about the National Gardens Scheme. I love going round those, having a nosy, pinching ideas and ending with tea and cake. Well done on your success last year and I do hope you can do it again this summer.

[monday1957 3kg in reply to BridgeGirl]

Fingers crossed!

[lea57-49r Maintainer 3st 7lbs]

Beautiful.

[monday1957 3kg in reply to lea57-49r]

Thank you 🌺

[TheTabbyCat Administrator 10 kg]

That looks so peaceful, I hope you can open.

[Reving 2st 7lbs]

Monday1957 I love the look of your garden. Thank you for sharing.

[monday1957 3kg in reply to Reving]

Thank you. I’m very very lucky to have it 🌞

[Hidden]

Gorgeous

[Iwilldothisthisyear 3kg Restart Feb 2024 Restart June 2023]

Gorgeous garden , it looks so peaceful. I hope the lockdown lifts enough for you to be able to open .

[monday1957 3kg in reply to Iwilldothisthisyear]

🤞🏽

[gman1961 Host Restart April 2024]

Looks so nice monday1957,

I would be chilled out sat there with not a care in the world .

Good luck with your charity effort.

Gary

[gman1961 Host Restart April 2024]

I forgot to say ,we need different things to help us get through this difficult time.

And I'm sure if you have can focus on something then yes I'm sure it can help with weight loss.

Thank you for sharing .

Gary

[Hidden]

Beautiful 👍🌺🌼🌸!

[Wullie2009]

a strange little something you may in your kindness overlooked BridgeGirl, the more joyous and relaxed we are, the more we can influence others to be more joyful and relaxed

the more joyous and relaxed we all are the more we attract our own positive thinking, we, each of us gain so much more in sharing relaxed and joyful settings

and when this happens we influence and attract the likelihood that what we eat will be more beneficial to our bodies, hopefully, although not guaranteed, we will perhaps wean ourselves and others away from the sugars and carbohydrates that are not really in any way helping our bodies function effectively and prevent us losing weight

the more enlightened our eating habits become, the calmer our thinking is; and then of course the even more joyous and relaxed we are................ and so the circle continues

Blessings

[Diane2 in reply to Wullie2009]

Yes its a kind of continuous loop once one is able to breathe in real positivity I think. Not positivity in the sense of grin-in-the-face-of-pain-and-suffering which I think is disrespectful to human experience and damages or breaks/impedes a sense of connection with others and openness generally but more an ability to discern real feelings and hang onto what can act as a " life-buoy" no matter how unpre-possessing it may seem or accept another's ☂️support when we can't grasp anything else ourselves.

I once attended a very moving wedding between a Catholic colleague and her agnostic partner and the priest used this image of the "umbrella" being there for whenever it might be useful.

[monday1957 3kg in reply to Diane2]

My garden has truly been a sanctuary for me at times. I’ve lived here for 42 years and never paid much attention to it when the kids were young, as it was basically their playground. But a bit later on, when I found myself a single parent and still working ft, it became my place of calm and of control. Some summer evenings, once the kids were in bed and the dreaded marking was done, I could still be found out here at 10pm. Slowly slowly it began to take shape. Most of what I’ve planted are perennials so it’s like greeting old friends when they pop up each year - or sometimes, inexplicably, they don’t return, which is the way of nature. I’m so fortunate to be able to share it occasionally with friends, family & visitors. My daughter & her boyfriend currently live in a tiny one bedroom north facing flat with no outdoor space - when she cycled over the other day, when she stepped into the garden, she said, oh mum, this is like a little bit of heaven 🌞

[Diane2 in reply to monday1957]

That is beautiful!! I too have a garden that I enjoyed as a very important play area for my children as my daughters grew up but felt "pushed out" by my now ex-partner in developing it in any other way. This was very frustrating as I had previously enjoyed developing a Courtyard garden, digging out a concrete area and building a small rockery and seeding plants in my own pre-marriage home . Since the divorce I have like you found it a key sanctuary, developed a wild area and beds of white and blue-purple flowering plants as I find those colours so beautiful and restful and I love my garden now 🌱🌲☘🌿🥀🌻🌾🍂🍁🍃

[monday1957 3kg in reply to Diane2]

Oh that’s brilliant that you’ve been able to reclaim it. Do post a photo of your patch!

(As a post script to my story above, I’m happy to say that I’m now married to the most wonderful man; re the garden, we seem to have developed a shared balance looking after it. I still do the plants & keep it tidy, but he reseeds the lawn & moves heavy pots & digs holes! Happy days 🌞)

[Wullie2009 in reply to monday1957]

I do have to say sorry monday1957 for not giving the credit to you for posting us such a peaceful picture thinking it to be BridgeGirl. Isn't it lovely though to have such a hearty and thoughtful community around us. It is surely something that we should have such gratitude to all of those at HealthUnlocked who have brought about this collective that is a Haven itself fore so many.

Warm and Peaceful Thoughts.

[monday1957 3kg in reply to Wullie2009]

Ah, no need to apologise! I saw the reply anyway ☺️

I hadn’t anticipated that the photo would gain such a positive response, so that’s warmed the cockles of my wrinkly old heart. And yes, I totally agree that this forum positively glows with the warmth of its support 🥰

[Craftyperson]

That's a lovely looking tranquil spot

[focused1 Maintainer 13kg]

I think it is connected to food . I would be sat in that chair with at least a cup of tea.

[Missionwoman Restart Sept 2023]

That looks so inviting. A lovely oasis especially in present circumstances.