Good morning! I hope this letter finds you doing well today. I woke up to the sound of a soft rain shower, followed by a bird serenade. My little apartment is surrounded by trees, and often, when all is quiet and nobody else is awake, it feels like I'm out in the forest. It's a lovely way to begin the day.

My bestie is a singer. An AMAZING singer. She and the other half of her musical duo are entering NPR's tiny desk contest, and she ROCKS it. Can you go over to Youtube and give this entry a "like" and an encouraging comment? It would mean the world to me and would really help move their entry up where it belongs. (You may want to subscribe to their channel, too - these folks are going places!)

There's something so rewarding about having time to indulge in creative endeavors. If there's one upside to the injury that has limited my ability to get out and do things, it's that I've been able to do projects I've thought about for a long time. I'm finally working on a novel that has been stuck in my head for years (you're reading it as we go along in The Widow in the Woods postings.)

I've also been organizing my stuff. A recent guilty pleasure of mine has been "The Home Edit." There's a Netflix show, a social media account, and books about delicious, beautiful, color-coordinated home organization. What I really love about these ladies is that they believe it's okay to have "stuff" unlike other home organization gurus. (I'm looking at you, Marie Kondo.) Clea and Joanna of The Home Edit just believe you should have a system for your stuff.

Really, out of all the home organization books out there, I think this one is most geared to preppers. There's an episode on the show where they organize Chris Pratt's garage and it's loaded with regular garage stuff PLUS an abundance of tools and emergency supplies. (cough - preps - cough)

As well, their projects are loaded with mentions of "backstock." Backstock, in their definition, is simply extra supplies. It might be household goods for some folks, extra food for others, or beauty supplies for still others. But when I look at the concept of backstop, all I see are preps, nicely lined up on shelves or contained in attractive vessels.

So, anyway, I've purchased a few (*ahem*) nice lucite containers, some matching plastic shoe boxes, and a roll of labels. I've been making my way through every drawer, closet, and shelf in my apartment a little bit at a time, and it's so gratifying. It really is so much easier to lay hands on what I need immediately with these systems. Plus, items take up far less space when you remove them from their packaging and line them up. I have a lot more room than I thought I did, and it isn't too difficult to maintain.

When life gives you lemons, line those suckers up and put a label on 'em!

A huge lesson I have learned through enforced 'rest' is the importance of keeping busy with productive things. It's easy to feel sorry for oneself when life isn't going the way you'd planned it.

The time will pass regardless of how you spend it. You can get mired in self-pity and sadness, or you can do things that will make life better for future you. How you expend your energy and use your time will affect you either negatively or positively. You can sit around watching television for every waking moment or you can accomplish things within your ability. There's almost always something you can be doing. (And don't forget that resting is also doing something, particularly if you are recovering.)

Some of this may sound frivolous. A year ago, I would've thought so too. But I'm limited by my body right now, so I've chosen to look at this as an opportunity. That's the difference between deep depression and a positive mindset for me.

This lesson could apply to so many different situations: lockdowns, being home due to civil unrest, job loss, chronic illness - spend your time well, and you'll mentally feel so much better.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and a great week ahead!

Love,
Daisy

Are you enjoying the American Dreamer puzzle books? A new one was just published called American Homestead Word Search Puzzles. It'll have you dreaming of gardens and baby chicks and greenhouses!

Enjoy themes like Root Cellars, Gardening Methods, Homestead Poultry, and Soapmaking. Seek words related to homestead tasks and self-reliant skills. Locate garden produce, livestock, and much much more in the only book of its kind.

Please don't forget to leave some 5-star reviews if you're enjoying these books! 😀

Check it out here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWDRZWZK