2013: Garden Journal – July Edition

July 17, 2013 by Tracy

Summer fun is in full swing, but the spring-like conditions continue giving us lots of rainy days. The moist soil is attracting the slugs as they have invaded our garden.

While weeding this month, I uncovered the top layer of soil to find a pile of white slugs. Ugh! Using the spade, I removed them from the garden and dug around looking for more to which I found none.

Finding it difficult to put out our slug repellant, as it needs a dry surface, I am ridding these pests one by one with the help of my daughter. In the June edition, I shared how she picks them up. So funny to me that my girly girl is not scared of bugs or creepy crawlies. 😉

With more growth happening during June, our garden changed in the following ways:

Strawberries

Much slower growth this month as our patch produced 4 strawberries. From last year’s garden, the strawberries mostly produced in May and again in September. I am waiting for our next burst in a few months.

Bell Peppers

Last year, our peppers took a long time to grow. This year, the plants already have buds, but the peppers will take weeks to grow.

Blackberries

Our plants are getting huge, so we added stakes to wrap the stalks around. One cluster of blackberries started out green and has turned to red. We are waiting for the fruit to turn black before picking them.

Blueberries

One of our plants had a small cluster of blueberries. We harvested the one that turned blue, but the two red ones were stolen by the birds before they fully ripened.

Cucumbers

My favorite plants are starting to sprout cucumbers. They are tiny, but we found out last year how quickly they can grow.

The other plants within our garden are growing with the green leaves healthy. In going on vacation in July, I’m a little nervous about the condition I’ll find the garden when we return. Last year, we lost a few plants, so we’ll see about this year.

In using time wisely, I love checking on our garden. We haven’t needed to water it much this summer, but the weeds are growing quickly.

Our garden is off to a great start. I am enjoying watching the progress each month as we grow our own fruits, herbs, and vegetables. Wishing you success in your garden this summer. Happy gardening!

Question: Have you lost any plants due to the rain this summer?

2013: Garden Journal – June Edition

June 26, 2013 by Tracy

Rain, rain, and more rain makes our garden wet. It is definitely a great year for squash and cucumbers as they love water. Had we known it would rain this much, we would have planted pumpkins and watermelons. 😉

Getting off to a slow start, our garden is barely growing. Keeping an eye on the drainage to make sure the plants are not sitting in water has been the bulk of our work this month. I am also dealing with slugs. These pests love the moist dirt and the leaves of our plants.

My daughter enjoys picking them up and relocating them in the yard. This activity keeps her busy outside as there are lots of slugs living around the base of our wooden garden frame. Thus far, the slugs are staying on the perimeter.

While most of the garden has not begun producing fruit, we have seen some growth and harvest. During the month of May, our garden made the following changes:

Strawberries

Coming in waves, our strawberry patch burst forth and produced a total of 37 strawberries. I harvested 8 on the 19th, 8 more on the 22nd, and 21 additional berries on the 30th. This strawberry variety is very sweet, so I’m thankful the garden is covered with a net this year. If given the opportunity, the birds would grab these delicious berries too early.

Blackberries

Our blackberry plants are growing quickly. They both are one long stalk.

Sunflowers

My daughter planted sunflowers at school. We have been growing them indoors, and the plant has outgrown its cup. Though it is still fragile, my daughter really wanted to plant it outside in our garden. So, she dug the hole and planted it between the blueberry and blackberry plants near the garden.

The garden is off to a great start with lots of rain keeping the plants moist. One of our cucumber sprouts started to wilt after planting, but it has revived and is doing really well.

In using time wisely, we are tending our garden, picking out the weeds, removing the slugs, and waiting for the harvest. The process is full of changes as this is our first attempt at tending a garden in a rainy summer. This experience is different from the heat of last year, so we are learning how to adjust. Happy tending!

Question: If you have a garden, what are you growing this summer?

RSS: Discovering Google Reader Alternatives

June 19, 2013 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Google

If you are a Google Reader user, then you have seen the warnings that Google Reader is retiring on July 1, 2013. Believe me, I was not thrilled with Google’s choice to rid the reader from their services. Having used and recommended Google Reader for years, I was not looking forward to discovering Google Reader alternatives.

In all honesty, I have not found another reader like Google Reader. However, I tried these three options and give you my perspective on The Old Reader, Net Vibes, and Feedly.

Option #1: The Old Reader

From the reviews, I thought this option would be easy access and navigate. However, I logged in and could not figure out how to import the information from my Google Reader account. After trying numerous times, I cut my losses and moved on to Net Vibes.

Option #2: Net Vibes

Logging into my Google account, I used these instructions to upload my Google Reader information. The process was easy, but I did not care for the navigation.

There was a lot of information which I could customize, but I did not care for all the bells and whistles. I was really disappointed to find no search option, and I preferred to try another option that worked on other devices beside my computer.

Photograph Credit: Feedly

Option #3: Feedly

This app-based reader will work on phones, tablets, and computers. Though I do not have a smart phone or a tablet (yet), I plan to at sometime in the future.

To use this option, I had to grant them permission to view my information. This was a downside for me, but I keep limited information in that Google account which is why I used it.

In making the switch, I prefer to find one reader and stick with it. Feedly came recommended, and I found the import process extremely easy, like one-click easy.

Though there is not a search feature, I do like the save option which parallels with the star option in Google Reader. I am still learning the keystroke functions, but I am finding my way.

If you choose to use Feedly, I found these tips very helpful in coming from Google Reader. As I continue to read my favorite blog posts in Feedly, I get more familiar with it. I may even one day prefer it over Google Reader as Feedly has improved and is working on more features.

Discovering a Google Reader alternative may take some time. The goal right now is to use Google Takeout to download your information before July 1, 2013. With your information downloaded, you can try other readers to find one that works for you.

If you just are not sure about changing readers, then subscribe by e-mail to your favorite blogs. For Using Time Wisely, you will receive one e-mail each day that a post is published. All the posts from that day will appear in one e-mail. Happy discovering!

Question: How do you prefer to read your favorite blog posts?

2013: Goal Update – May Edition

May 29, 2013 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Flickr (Angie Torres)

As we are almost 6 months into 2013, I need to record a goal update to keep me accountable for the goals I have set. Last year, I wrote a monthly goal update post as I was following Crystal Paine’s book. Without that need for monthly accountability, I forget to schedule a post each month.

Though I may not write a formal post, I do update the status on Using Time Wisely’s Facebook page with my physical goals. In focusing on a healthy journey, I use the power of social media to keep me accountable.

Just knowing that I will post how I did for the day is enough to keep me on track. I would love to have you post along with me your successes and failures to getting or staying healthy.

For 2013, I made these written goals, and though this is the first update, my progress is as follows:

Tracy’s Physical Goals

1. Drink 64 oz. of water per day. Excellent! With only one day where I drank 32 oz. of water due to a stomach virus, I have consistently drunk at least 64 oz. of water each day of 2013. I still love an occasional diet coke and glass of sweet tea.

As a reward, I keep a glass of sweet tea in the refrigerator. When I need a sip of something other than water, I go to my tea. This reward is enough to satisfy my want without ruining the day.

2. Exercise for 20 minutes at least 5 times a week. Another successful report as I work to stay active. I have had 2 bad weeks. The first was when I injured my knee, needed x-rays, and under my doctor’s order to rest.

The second week was last week – namely, the last week of school. I was on the go from morning ’til night with breakfast gatherings, lunch appointments, dinner engagements, and a packed schedule. Though I did not formally exercise, I was on the move, and am finding a new routine for the summer.

Tracy’s Family Goals

1. Plan at least one family outing/activity each week. Our family activities are quite fun. From dinners together, family walks, attending events at the science center, or celebrating holidays, we have enjoyed at least one family outing each week.

My hardest obstacle is working with my children to be thankful for what we do. For example, when we take a walk, they then want to ride their bikes or visit a friend. Being content with what they get is still a struggle which sometimes makes these events tiring.

2. Spend 10 minutes with each child each day. Somehow spending one-on-one time with them doing homework is not the goal I had in mind. With soccer season and a busy school schedule, I was fortunate to get that time with my son this spring.

Though I spend time with them, I am still trying to find something special I can share with each of them. I love how my mom shares a special coffee time with my kids. We allow no one else to use the term coffee time as that is their special connection.

I know I do things that they think only mom can do, but I am really seeking something special to share with each of my kids. In the meantime, I am enjoying painting nails, doing puzzles, listening, and snuggling with them all.

Tracy’s Financial Goals

1. Address bills, insurance, and important documents twice a month. Had one or two months where I just paid the bills and then had a mess to organize at the end of the month. However, this process is more smoothly this year as I make a point to address it all without leaving one or two items unfinished.

2. Purchase a Dell 10 to replace my laptop and failing desktop. This is still on my wish list. My laptop is doing much better as Paul upped my memory after a glitch that corrupted a file on the website and another incident where my documents file disappeared. Thankfully, Paul recovered my documents, but some of the files were corrupt. This was another lesson why I need a backup schedule.

Tracy’s Business Goals

1. Write posts one week in advance. No progress. As of the writing of this post, I am up-to-date for this year. I still have a few December 2012 posts that I would like to finish, but one step at a time.

2. Cleanup all computer files, consolidate all items onto one computer, and set a backup schedule. Still working on this long-term project and concentrating on my desktop files first.

In keeping on track for some of these goals and challenging myself on others, I am pressing on to using time wisely. Seeing the value of making goals, I enjoy the forward progress. Even the failures teach me that I cannot do it alone or perfectly. However, I can take a step backward and still move further along faster than if I had not made the goal initially.

As you aim high in your endeavors, keep making progress. When you miss the goal, take a step back, regroup, and then start again. Moving forward is progress – no matter how small the steps are. Happy goal reaching!

Question: What progress have you made on your 2013 goals?

Oh, What a Difference a Year Makes

May 22, 2013 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

With growing children, I forget what a difference a year makes. Just because they liked it or didn’t like it last year does not mean the result will remain the same this year.

In looking over activities, I have passed over special events at our local science center since my children did not enjoy the activities last year.

Then about 2 weeks ago, I saw a space theme for the monthly event, so I posed the question to my family. Receiving the responses I had anticipated, I was not sure if we should try it or not.

When the day came, we had a free morning and our membership gave us free admittance, so we went for the last part of the event.

My kids had. a. blast!

They made paper airplanes, flew them, shot off balloons, walked along the nature trail, watched the turtles and fish, visited the butterfly garden, and wandered through the farm.

Wanting to explore the outside exhibits, we did not make it through the inside stations as we only came for the last two hours of the event. My children were disappointed at not seeing everything, and now ask if this weekend is the next event.

In taking a chance to explore an activity we have tried without success in the past, we found a great morning activity that our family can enjoy for the price of free. With picnic shelters on site, we will take our lunch next month and make a day of it.

As you plan summer activities, try not to dismiss options that did not work last year. In trying again, you might find yourself saying, “Oh, what a difference a year makes.” Happy summer planning!

Question: Do you find that your family’s preferences change from year to year?

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