earthjrnl

[earthjrnl]

I'm thinking about...roasted baby eggplants stuffed with something....or maybe a crispy eggplant parmesan sandwich with a Thai basil pesto...that could be good...hmm

[earthjrnl]

Tbh, Go around old people if you ever need a confidence boost... This weekend my cousin Gertrude (who's really my dad's older cousin).. who's like 70+ kept telling everyone..."she's such a pretty girl... isn't she so pretty?!... Girl, you got it goin on"... And she convinced me that I --in fact-- got it goin on. No one can tell me nothin from now on... cousin Trudy said I got it goin on and she's right.

[earthjrnl]

Nurturing my love language = buying myself flowers.

@earthgoddessmusings

[earthjrnl]

[earthjrnl]

[earthjrnl]

Mid July

[earthjrnl]

Garden Notes: It's been raining like mad lately-- last week we were under a flood advisory (thankfully it didn't flood) and we had a few days of storms. I haven't been to the garden since then because the ground was saturated. This is my first year truly attempting tomatoes and between the rain and the extreme heat I really thought I had lost them. To my surprise I went out to the garden and found a glimmer of hope, one lonely san marzano...all is not lost. I had a chat with a Tumblr pal about my tomato issues about a week ago (how the bushes were getting big but no fruit) and he suggested that they may need to be pruned (which should have been obvious, but hear me out 😭!) thank you @gullyrootoranamu !

So, I go out to the garden today--pruning shears in hand, and I start to examine my plants. First I cut off all the dry dead leaves that had shriveled in the ^ 100° heat since my last visit to the garden, then I started to cut off green stems that looked to be healthy bushy growth. I learned from YouTube that the unwanted shoots are called "suckers"--because they suck energy from the main plant which could hinder the growth of fruit because so much energy is going to the unnecessary branches. That's when the lesson dawned upon me:

As I snipped branch after branch, I started to think about all the things I'm holding onto that seem "healthy" on the surface, but are hindering my overall growth. I started to think about all the emotional and spiritual "suckers" in my life that are casually draining my energy. "Suckers" in the form of seemingly harmless habits..."suckers" in the form of things I agreed to do to appease others (that take attention from my purpose)..."suckers" in so many forms...and I realize that the tomato bushes aren't the only thing in my life that need a good pruning. The tomato bushes somehow became a physical manifestation of what I've been experiencing in life lately...so much activity, and overwhelm (not all bad)...but maybe my energy is being stretched too thin. Well, now my shears are ready.

On another note, baby eggplants have arrived (I did a happy dance for them). The Thai basil below came back: from this disaster. And we have tiny tomato activity too. So, all is definitely not lost this season 🥹🙏🏾.

[earthjrnl]

This morning I was laying out reading my book alone and my nephew comes running out of the house with this ripe Mango. I was thinking...wow this must be the type of kindness parents experience randomly (made me want to try it out a little).

[earthjrnl]

🍅 🫶🏾

My baby but it’s like 2ft tall so I gotta figure it out cause I think it shouldn’t be fruiting at that height considering it isn’t a dwarf variety.

[earthjrnl]

@bodyistight 🍈 💕

ma growing watermelons in the garden

[earthjrnl]

[earthjrnl]

i genuinely believe that when you fall in love with learning, everything else begins to realign. confidence stops being this elusive concept and becomes the quiet result of knowing yourself. knowing your mind. knowing your worth. i’ve never met a well-read person with low self esteem.

[earthjrnl]

Forever talking to squirrels...🤦🏾‍♀️

I was just laying down trying to read my book...then here he come. I wonder if they just see us as large furless, tailless animals?

[earthjrnl]

Forgot I posted these...I looked cute 😆--my hair has grown and now I'm thinking about cutting it again, doesn't short hair just frame the face so well?!! Ugh... I'm very much scissor-happy.

Not gonna lie--I absolutely love a blow out, v-part wig, weave and clip in extension. And baby, a genie ponytail (with laid edges) hates to see me coming...But sometimes I have to remind y'all (and myself) that she can do both & lately my fro has been winning ☺️.

[earthjrnl]

[earthjrnl]

[earthjrnl]

my loves,

please know that you will never be too much for the right person 🦢