August 2025 – Thoughts From The Passenger Seat

2025, Gardening, hobbies, life

Yard Work

Posted on August 31, 2025 by nancyb422

I’ve talked about my yard before and the history of my home.

Over the last six months, my husband has been adding landscaping to all sides of the house. My father, not having grown up in a family without a home of their own said, “why do I want to plant something when I’ll have to take care of it”. Anything that grew wild, stayed wild and any spot with nothing, stayed that way.

We had discussed landscaping in the front of the house but I grew up with a father who didn’t plant anything remember? It all feels so permanent and “what if it looks bad, doesn’t grow, etc.”, is my school of thought.

Thankfully, my husband ignored me! We now have a variety of plants along the house including, azaleas, Joe-Pye Weed (fun name!) and Little Pye, Goldenrod, and Panicle Hydrangea. Most were purchased at our local nurseries and a few at Lowe’s.

My project this Labor Day weekend is to take pictures of, and lay out on paper, the plants and their locations. I (don’t think my husband cares) want to know what they are and what the colors are going to be. Some that have already bloomed, I forgot what they looked like!

The landscaping around the house and seating area

This was a fun one when it bloomed! Poco Sunset

I’m not going to go for perfection, just a sense of what we have!

All the colors have such nice green foliage too

I’m hoping that cooler and moister weather will green things up again!

2025, life

9:37 AM

Posted on August 30, 2025 by nancyb422

If you were to look at your clock on this Saturday morning and it said 9:37 am, would your brain say, “ONLY 9:37 am yay!” Or “OMG already 9:37 am!” ?

I am in the camp of “OMG Already?!”, but I literally have nothing planned for the day, nothing to do except work out (heading there now), hit the Farmers Market (open til 1 or 2pm), read, and do some ancestry research.

I make myself crazy.

2025, thoughts

Struggling

Posted on August 28, 2025 by nancyb422

Do you ever have days that you just struggle to get through it? To get work done? This is me. I am there.

What is the cause? Is it all the news that just seems to get worse every day? I don’t watch news but I do subscribe to a couple of sites for daily updates. They don’t overwhelm me and anyway, I can’t put my head in the sand and say, “oh well, so sad but it’s not about me.”

When are the congresspeople who are equally angry going to speak up? Step up? Band together? Anyone?

2025, biking, Healthy Living

Today’s Ride – Getting Stronger!

Posted on August 24, 2025 by nancyb422

We packed up the bikes today and met our friends for a ride that started out on the Airline Trail. The fifty mile trail is an old railroad that used to travel from New York to Boston. We start out in Portland CT which is on the east side of the Connecticut River. One section of the railroad still exists and was taken over by Tilcon Tomasso (or what we used to call Trap Rock) and travels from there operations in Middlefield down to the harbor in New Haven, or so I’m told!

So, we headed out and although we start on the trail, it’s not too far before we take a left and start UP THE HILL. We’re on the road for a while and then head into I think some state forest which involves gravel roads and washouts, but thankfully no massive puddles of mud! I wish I could take pictures as I ride but honestly sometimes I’m just praying to get me down the steep gravel hills in one piece!

*Today’s route ! Not sure what the colors mean!*

It was a beautiful day – not too hot, not too cool and we stop for breaks along the way. My husband and our friends are very patient with me because I’m always bringing up the rear – especially on downhills!

I couldn’t record this as a Peloton outdoor cycle ride because I’m at 499 rides and I want to do a live ride so I get a “shout out” by the instructor! Silly, but, whatever. I’ll do a live ride on Tuesday afternoon for that!

After burning all those calories we were starved! So what better way to fill our bellies?

I’m hoping I’ll be able to ride more often in the next few months. I’ll have to work on that!

2025, life, thoughts

What I DIDN’T Do

Posted on August 21, 2025August 21, 2025 by nancyb422

I walked into the bank today and waited for a teller to call me over. There was one other customer there.

I handed my teller the deposits and walked to the counter to grab a lollipop. As I turned back, out of the corner of my eye, I thought I recognized the woman. When I heard her voice, I knew who it was. Someone from high school. Someone who was on the cheerleading squad with me. Someone who I’d call an acquaintance, or someone that I used to know.

Hmmm….do I just kept my head turned and sneak out after my transactions are done? Or do I find my friendly face and say hello? What to do what to do!

I turned toward her and said, “I’d know that laugh anywhere!”. We shared a hug, had a small conversation, I collected my receipts, and left with a breezy, “It was nice to see you!”.

It would have been so easy to just ignore her, and go on my way. I feel a smidge better that I didn’t.

2025, Healthy Living, life

Fall Is Around The Corner

Posted on August 19, 2025August 19, 2025 by nancyb422

It never fails. We have days and weeks with 100 degree heat and suddenly we wake up one morning and it’s cool and breezy!

Today is that day. But I confess, it feels beautiful, albeit a little chilly as I’m in a tank top and shorts here on the porch.

I actually wore something other than a summer dress for work and took a nice 20 minute walk around our complex. I think it’s 5 times around for 1 mile but I forget to count…

On my way home from work, I stopped at the library to pick up the DVD Troy (it’s only for rent on Amazon), and stopped at the bank and post office. I really had a spring in my step!

I think the hot weather has finally broken and we’ll see some cooler weather moving forward. Central Air is still on for bedtime though!

2025, Healthy Living, life

Daily Reminders

Posted on August 17, 2025August 16, 2025 by nancyb422

Yesterday I relayed sage advice from the queen:

Today while reading from my “Jesus Calling”, one of the scriptures was Philippians 4:8:

“….whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

In other words, “Because like what you spend your energy on, that’s the day.”

2025, Healthy Living, life

Advice From One Who Knows

Posted on August 16, 2025 by nancyb422

I may be 65, but sometimes I think my mind is stuck in my teens. Or maybe it’s because I’m a Taurus?

Anyway, I’m like a dog with a bone. If I get a thought, especially a negative one, I can’t let it go. Money, bills, employees – it’s what swirls around my head all day. And if there’s a comment from someone rebutting me on a Facebook post about creating affordable housing in my town (I’m for it by the way) – yikes!

But then, I watched the New Heights podcast with Taylor Swift as their guest. It was one of the most entertaining and enlightening two hours I’ve had staring at my screen in a long time.

What snapped me to attention was when she said, “What you spend the energy on, That’s the Day!”. THAT’S THE DAY.

I have to say in my defense, I am only a week and a half back from a 10 day vacation cruising along the coast and inside passage of Alaska but even I’m saying to myself, Enough’s Enough!

I currently say a morning prayer to get myself right with the day and try to get a 5 to 10 minute meditation in, but, it looks like I need to add an additional mantra to the day.

*Yesterday’s monarch butterfly flitting around me*

What do you want to spend your energy on?