Welcome to Life Captured! I’m tackling a massive new project: redoing my poolside flower beds and the landscaping along the outside of the house.
Help a Non-Green Thumb Out
Full disclosure: I do not have a green thumb. I’m so bad at weeding that I’ve definitely pulled up actual flowers by mistake before! I need this space to be strictly low-maintenance and foolproof. What are your favorite hard-to-kill plant recommendations?
Also, I’ve been seeing a lot of plant care apps advertised lately. Have any of you actually tried them? Are they worth downloading, or should I skip them? If you have an eye for landscaping and want to save me from myself, please drop your advice below!
Hitting the Pause Button
Of course, all of these grand outdoor plans are on the back burner for just a moment. While the vision is there, our actual day-to-day reality looks a little different right now.
Our pool construction is currently on a temporary halt due to some family health issues. While the priority is focusing on family and getting the pool fixed eventually, the outdoor flower beds are on hold. Instead, I’m channeling that energy into organizing my future plant wishlists and trying to keep a few indoor houseplants alive.
Balancing Privacy and Expression
Family health struggles are always tough to navigate online, and it brings up a really hard question: How do you balance a loved one’s right to privacy with your own need to write and share your story as a caregiver? Where is the line between respecting their wishes and finding an outlet for your own well-being?
I’d love to hear how others handle this balance, or just any good vibes you want to send our way today. 🩷
Yesterday is today’s memory.
Be sure to capture your memory today!
All the best,.
Debra Ellen
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I was going to download that same plant care guide app since I too am pretty awful with plants but my mom told me she had downloaded that one to use (I inherited her plant “ability”)… and she told me the first time she went to scan something they wanted her to pay to use it. For outdoor gardens I tend to stick to flowering bushes; that way I don’t have to worry nearly so much about mistaking them for weeds that way. I do have a few lilies too as they to be pretty low fuss.
Sorry to hear about the family health issues; I struggle with that same thing blogging. I often feel like it’s not my story to tell but at the same time I know blogging about it would help me process… Best of luck to you!
I really dislike apps that push you to buy a ‘pro’ version. Free should be free- free from upselling!
All the best.
Sometimes many things come together and are causing a kind of stress. Hope you have a good pause and you can handle all these things.
All the best
Violetta
Hi, Violetta. I am not pausing from blogging. It is the pool construction that is on hold! However with that said, I have been slow responding to comments left on blog posts. This going back to school has taken time away from my blogging! How in the world does everyone respond so quickly! Do you respond to emails received about comment being left on post?
Alll the best, Violetta!
I can grow things but I am so bad at telling what are weeds and what aren’t. lol Good luck with the landscaping. I use the PictureThis app to tell me if it’s a weed or something I should keep and it works pretty well but I just use the free version, not the paid one.
Sending love and hugs, sorry about the family health struggles.
Good to know. I will try the ‘free’ version.
All the best.
Hope your family member will be OK! Honestly, I was very open with my blog in the early years–I’ve blogged since 2007! I have become more private in my later blog years, however, as the internet is world wide public and sadly can be a bit frightening at times. I have witnessed bad things happen to bloggers over the years–people leaving malicious comments and trying to spam and scrape their info, etc. I put comment moderation on to control spoam comments and comments with links included. I try to keep my posts more geared to be more about places and things.
Hi, Pat. Yes, the blog can be scary. Fortunately, so far I’ve been lucky. Knock on wood. Previously when I was doing photography sessions, I had my address and phone number listed right on my blog site. After all it was my store front. I also have each comment needs my approval before appearing on the post comments.
Thank you for commenting and visiting.
All the best.
Oh, that’s a tough one! I do share a lot about what’s going on with my husband’s ongoing health struggles. But, he’s my immediate family. I’m not sure I’d share others’ struggles. I might write something and not publish it. I do hope your loved one’s struggles are taken care of soon. It’s hard being the caregiver.
I used to have a green thumb, but I seem to have replaced it with a black one since we moved to our current home. Part of that is the lack of natural light, I think!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
Hi, Marsha. Thank you. I appreciate your comment and visit.
All the best.
I always feel like other people’s privacy comes first. And after that other people’s privacy comes first again. After that, there’s room to share your own thoughts, but always with thinking of loved ones privacy first.
I have mixed feelings. When I was younger in alateen, we were always told to respect the alcoholics privacy. Well what about me and my experiences. The alcoholic sure didn’t consider my feelings as a kid. And by protecting their identity, my other parent was in someone’s mind wondering which parent. I’m a bit bitter right now. When I was a kid I was never ‘allowed’ to be angry. And I never thought I was until I became an adult with my own kids. Then I became really angry at the parent who was the alcoholic. That person never apologized to ME. The non alcoholic did apologize. Well enough of that. Let me move on.
Thank you as always for visiting and commenting. I will try to keep your thoughts close to heart.
All the best.