Notes + Photos From The Backyard: No Bad Stuff, Only The Good Stuff

/ Ally Bean

SITTING OUTSIDE ON OUR DECK late in the afternoon I heard the neighbor girl + her friends playing on the neighbor’s deck.  The girls were all around age 5 and they were chanting:

“No bad stuff… No Bad Stuff… NO. BAD. STUFF.”

They were loud. They were serious. They were coloring.

I started laughing to myself because they reminded me of a boss I worked for years ago.  This boss, a woman, would breeze into my office and say: “tell me the good stuff, only the good stuff.”

Let’s say she was singleminded in her pursuit of demanding creating a positive workplace.  For her idealism I admired her.  HOWEVER one does have to occasionally face reality and deal with complex, not-so-happy issues which, it’ll come as no surprise to you, this boss had difficulty doing.

Can you imagine? 🙄

THE FOREGOING IS MY STREAM-OF-CONSCIOUSNESS way of getting to what I think you, my little pudding cups, might find of interest.

Last April I decided to take a monthly photo late in the month of the same scene.  It shows part of our backyard [+ a little of the neighbor’s backyard].  I’ve no story to go with the photos, no particular reason why I started taking the photos.

I just did.

And now, as an homage to the determined little girls and my positivity-crazed former boss, I’ll end this post with four months of photos of our backyard in which you can see that things change, but remain the same.

From my point of view there’s no bad stuff in these photos, only good stuff.  I say this  because nature does what nature does. N’est-ce pas?  And it’s up to us to take note, then do our best to adapt to what is.

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

~ ~ 💚 ~ ~

181 thoughts on “Notes + Photos From The Backyard: No Bad Stuff, Only The Good Stuff”

  1. Forgot about the snow in April. Only the Good Stuff indeed – too bad a picture cannot capture the noise and heat differences between each month to provide the full palette of sensation. Fall will be upon us soon enough. Thanks for the wonderful calm moment and lovely pictures.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Z-D, I know! Looking back and realizing that we had snow not so long ago puts the heat of August into perspective. I’ll keep this project going through the fall and we’ll see even more change.

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Grinning…sometimes Ally, one just has to scream NO BAD STUFF over and over. Oh to be young again and not have a worry, smiles. Wishing you a beautiful day, friend…love the photos. What a grand idea (taking photos like that).

    Liked by 3 people

    • Linda, these little girls were soooo serious as they colored and chanted their mantra. Like you said, not a worry in the world– except perhaps coloring inside the lines? Glad you liked the photos. I’ll keep going with the project.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Molly, thank you. When I went back and looked at the backyard photos from previous months I was struck by that fact. It’s the same, but different. I mean you know that in your mind, but this is a visual reminder.

      Liked by 1 person

  7. What a neat little study! I loved seeing the changes in that section of your backyard. I especially love how Green it is in those months. That’s all the good stuff right there! 😀

    Arlene, I’d be that little girl rolling down that hill. That’s so much fun!!

    Liked by 2 people

  12. I started out like the snow picture the most, but then the increasing depth to the green as the months passed by was what gave me the most cause to smile. What a lovely idea Ally. I wonder if I can find a little corner of our world to carry out the same project.

    Your ex-boss sounds – ahem – challenging to say the least. My current boss is great – if you’ve made a mistake, he wants to know as soon as possible so as to have the best chance of putting things right. He doesn’t yell either 🙂

    I wonder where those little girls got their mantra?

    Liked by 3 people

    • Deb, I took the photo in April because I was tired of seeing gray and snow, but then realized my view would change each month so why not document it. I hope you find a place where you can do the same project.

      My ex-boss was a nice person, but unable to deal with things going wrong so she created more problems for us than if she’d just dealt with reality. I’m a solutions girl, you know. She kind of drove me nuts.

      I wondered the same thing about the little girls mantra. Who said that to them? They didn’t dream that up on their own.

      Liked by 1 person

  13. NO BAD STUFF! I like it. I’m going to make this my song of gratitude. There really is no bad stuff in my life right now. Knowing that could change at the drop of a hat makes me realize how much I need to treasure NO BAD STUFF. Thanks for that.

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  15. I wish people that run the news cycle would broadcast the good stuff–at least LESS of the bad stuff, which I can take in super-mini-doses.

    Today I will focus on being called “a little pudding cup.” 🙂

    By the way, I like the progression from green to greener. Pretty soon all will turn to GOLD!
    Have a good day, Happy Bean!

    Liked by 3 people

    • Marian, my little pudding cup, thanks for adding a positive comment here. I’m with you about less focus on the negative news, more awareness of some positive stories.

      The yard photos amazed me. I knew that colors morphed in nature, but have never documented it before. I’m looking forward to the golds and reds of autumn. Hope you have a good day, too.

      Liked by 1 person

  16. A wonderful idea to take monthly photos of the same place in your very beautiful yard on our very beautiful earth. I love the idea of only the good stuff. The perfect balance to these times. Thank you.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Robin, I’m glad you like my backyard photo study. Wish I could say I had a grand plan when I started it but I didn’t. I know what you mean about focusing on the good stuff. Lately it seems more important than ever.

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  17. What a difference between April and May. (I love snow! So I didn’t see anything bad. 🙂 ) It will be fun to see the next four months. Nature dosen’t see things in terms of good and bad, it’s always looking for balance. I try to follow her lead.

    Liked by 2 people

  18. Considering yesterday’s news about the latest climate research + another wave of 100+ temps coming at the PNW this week (108 projected for Thursday), I cannot look at my backyard and sanguinely accept that nature does what nature does. When I look at my backyard, I still see effects from June’s heat dome. My backyard, with its withered fruit bushes, is a microcosm. I am all for finding the positive (truly, I am) but the scene you describe of those little girls feels like a vignette from a Ray Bradbury short story. (Pretty sure your boss and I would not have gotten along.)

    Liked by 2 people

    • Rita, this summer the temps where you live are something else! To me it doesn’t seem real, except that I’m sure it is. I can imagine how difficult it is to see it going on and feel it. Your backyard proves how devastating too much heat can be in the wrong places. Left to her devices nature would be fine, but that isn’t what has happened.

      I didn’t think of Ray Bradbury when I heard the little girls. I haven’t read anything by him in years, but I take your point. Sure, science fiction story of childhood brainwashing. Could be. As for my boss, I was happy to part ways with her. She was unhinged in a way I never ran into again.

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      • Didn’t mean to be such a downer, but the changes here over the past 10 years (first gradually, and this year a giant leap to the previously unimaginable) really have me down. I love the pictures of your backyard, and I am all about really noticing and appreciating the good. I have just been thinking about how our cultural inability to truly see and do something about the bad could be the literal death of us all. (Hence, Ray Bradbury.) Back to watering. I read yesterday that a good, deep watering before the heat hits will help the plants survive it. My anxiety is heightened because we will be out of town on the hot days, visiting my elderly parents. Given what’s happening with Covid, we’re all feeling as if we need to get our visits in while we can. So, I’m not willing to stay home to care for the plants. (I’m not even going to start on the guy who carried a rifle around downtown Portland the other night, pointing it at people, without any response from the police, or the physically violent clashes on the streets between right-wing militants and antifa. Gah. Struggling this morning.)

        Liked by 1 person

        • I can understand your point of view considering how your region has morphed from a cool hip vibe to weirdly hostile and strangely hot. I cannot imagine why the police wouldn’t stop someone carrying a rifle who was using it in a threatening way. It defies logic.

          As for your priorities about your plants, I can see how you need to visit your elderly parents while you can. That’s why we went north a few weekends ago. We wanted to see MIL while we could and she was still aware of everything. Covid has made our lives much sadder in unanticipated ways that sneak up on you at the strangest moments. At least that’s my experience when dealing with it.

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  19. Beautiful photos, Ally! Now I want to do the same thing in my back yard, which also is bordered by trees. I have been thinking deep (ha) thoughts about the mix of good and bad stuff in our lives. One school of thought says that the bad stuff makes us appreciate the good stuff even more, but I don’t know…

    Liked by 2 people

    • Laurie, I took the pics with no goal in mind. Just curiosity and a camera. Try it and see what you find out about your backyard over time.

      I hear ‘ya about the school of thought you mention. I don’t know that it’s true, either. I’m inclined to be grateful so I don’t need bad stuff to remind me to appreciate the good stuff more. But maybe some people need that bad stuff nudge, to remember how good they have it? Beats me

      Liked by 1 person

    • Kate, we sometimes have snow in April, but not always. I find it less than entertaining by that point in the spring so I took a picture to remember it. If you find something on which to focus outside your house, this project is easy and fun.

      Liked by 1 person

  22. What a fun photo project! Wow that snow and look what a difference from April to May. We don’t have anything that changes that much as our backyard has my studio in it and the front yard is just a small patch of grass. I’d hate to have to mow all that lawn you have. (Not that I mow our lawn thanks to our son living here and doing it for us). Happy Tuesday friend.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Janet, I stumbled into this photo project. I’ll keep going each month until I finish a year. Our weather changes dramatically here so there’s some fun to be had in systematically observing it. I mow flatter areas of the lawn, but the hilly stuff I leave for Z-D. 🙄

      Liked by 1 person

  23. Those little girls bring a smile to my face. Coloring while sitting on the porch and yelling NO BAD STUFF. That is gold, right there.

    Your backyard is lovely. I am so glad I get to see it on Instagram and your blog. I also enjoy seeing the changes that occur each month.

    Your boss’ desire to only hear the good news reminds me of a quote I heard a while ago that she could’ve benefitted from. “Obstacles don’t block the path, they are the path.” 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    • Kari, the little girls charmed me. Coloring was their job obviously, and they were going to do it right.

      I like seeing the seasons change but have never snapped pics regularly. This is a fun simple project. My kind of thing.

      I LOVE that quote. Oh if only I’d have had the words and wisdom to toss it at my former boss. She was a pleasant person, but not really tethered to how the business world works. Yep, obstacles = path.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Lynette, thanks for the compliment. We enjoy living where we do. I plan to continue with this photo project. It’s the kind of good stuff that makes me smile– and as long as I remember to take the pics, is easy to do.

      Liked by 1 person

  25. Out of the mouths of babes. So cute. They’ve put lots of pressure on their coloring skills to have ‘no bad things.’

    Love the photos. So pretty and so different in each month.

    At first when I saw NO BAD THINGS included in a post about your backyard, I thought this post would be a continuation of the buying paving stones or whatever.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Ernie, I don’t know if the girls were putting pressure on themselves– or if they were saying that anything goes. That no matter how well they did or didn’t color, there’d be no bad stuff. 🤔

      I’m laughing about what you thought this post would be about. Good assumption considering our ongoing experiences with landscaping, Lowe’s, and decks. I can see where you’re coming from.

      Liked by 1 person

  26. Your back yard is beautiful in every season. I agree with you that realistic optimism is the way to go. Can’t ignore the bad, but can accentuate the positive.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Margaret, that’s exactly how I feel: realistic optimism. And in my experience it’s the people who don’t deal with reality who are the ones that cause me trouble.

      Like

  27. Aw, your neighbor girls brought a smile to my face. ‘No bad stuff’ is a great thing to chant. But your are right, we can’t always ignore the bad stuff because it has a way of growing if we don’t deal with it.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Jean, you nailed it. If you don’t attend to the bad stuff in a timely manner it’ll get worse. That was a concept my former boss didn’t understand. She was pleasantly unique in her approach to management.

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  28. I love the idea of the neighbor girls casting spells (“No bad stuff”) while coloring. It seems fitting, somehow. Of course you are right about the bad stuff and really, we wouldn’t know the good stuff if we didn’t have some bad stuff to compare it to. But sometimes I want to sing songs about “no bad stuff,” too. 🙂 Your pictures tell their own stories. I love the obvious change of seasons and colors.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Robin, I couldn’t help but laugh when I realized what the little girls were saying. It was super quiet outside, unusual around here, so I could hear them clearly. There were also peals of laughter so you know things were going well. I’m glad I took the pics. You know that seasons change the look of things, but to see it recorded seems to imprint the idea in a different way.

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  29. As always, I pick June!

    My husband and I often butt heads over what he calls my ‘negativity’ that I see as realism. If only to live in a world of No Bad Stuff.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Bijoux, me too! I love June.

      It’s interesting how one person’s realism is seen as negative by another person. That happens to me once in a while. I’m hardly a Debbie Downer but wouldn’t say I go so far as to be a Pollyanna. And there you have it, me somewhere in the middle.

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  30. I’ve always wanted to do that! Set up a camera, and take a series of photos over a period of time. Very, very pretty view you have.

    Nature is. Neither good nor bad, just is. I love that. And your photos.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Maggie, this project is monthly so as long as I remember to snap a pic I’m golden. I have a way of standing so that I get the same view each time. Yes, you’re right. Nature is neither good nor bad, it just is. I do like seeing how nature changes right in front of my eyes.

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  32. The pictures are a cool idea. I love those greens of June and July the most. I had a similar boss once, and indeed it did make it difficult to bring up work that I knew ahead of time he wouldn’t want to tackle. Some people just shouldn’t be in charge. – Marty

    Liked by 1 person

    • Marty, I like those green shades too. Refreshing to see at the time and in retrospect with these photos. I agree, some people shouldn’t be in charge, no matter how likable they are. This woman was nice, but made everything about a thousand times more difficult than it need be. I’m a problem solver, she was a problem denier.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Susan, thanks. I started taking these photos for no particular reason, and I’ll continue on doing it now that I can see how much they reveal– that is, the subtle changes that happen around us. The little girls made my day.

      Liked by 1 person

  35. I love this idea of capturing the seasons over different photos of the same garden scene. I wish we could have guaranteed snow here as well as guaranteed hot weather.

    Haha @ the kids chanting “No bad stuff” reminding you of your past boss. It’s the type of thing that would amuse me as well over linking the two things. If only life were easy where we could all just have the good stuff happen 😉

    Liked by 2 people

    • Katy, we get snow most years, sometimes lots of it, other times a dusting or two. As for hot weather, we have it now. Not a fan. I plan to keep doing this project for a complete year.

      The kids made me smile. I agree It seems like it’d be great to have only the good stuff happen. But life don’t work that way…

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  37. Lovely pics. I had a boss who asked for my opinion and then would try to argue me out of it. I would have preferred her to say “Thanks but we’re doing it my way” instead of forcing me to listen to her arguments until I gave up. She wouldn’t listen to bad news either.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Jan, no kidding, she didn’t listen to bad news either? Why did she bother to ask you for your opinion if she had no intention of respecting it? That’s weird… but I’m sure you know that!

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  38. I absolutely love your photo project, Alley! I will hope that you are inspired all year to keep it going.

    As for “pudding cups”, you have me laughing. My next door 85 yo neighbor’s name is Puddin’! This morning she wasn’t so sweet, but most of the time she is sweet as pudding cups!!

    I love your wit!!

    Liked by 2 people

    • TD, I’m glad you like this project. I’m planning on continuing with it because it’s fascinating and easy, which makes it perfect for me.

      You have a neighbor named Puddin’ and that makes my day. I used to work with a woman who instead of calling someone ‘Honey’ or ‘Sweetie’ she called everyone Pudding. Whatever keeps it fun, eh?

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      • So first I was uncomfortable calling her Puddin’. Yet all the neighbors call her Puddin’. Her two sons in their 60’s call her mom or mother. Both of them come every day (not ever together) to attend to her desires. One of her sons hires his neighbor to mow her yard and I hire the same man to mow mine. When I mentioned her by Puddin’ he said “Oh, you must mean Ms. Dillinger. I don’t work for her. I work for her son, Jammie.”

        When I saw your grass, Alley, the first thing that I thought was, “Pretty!” Then I thought that I sure hope that your family have a lithium battery powered riding mower!!! I considered buying one for myself, then decided that I would try out hiring instead. It might be fun to ride and do as I please!!! Maybe.

        Liked by 1 person

        • I’d wonder, too, about someone who I was called Puddin’ as her name. But why not? We can name ourselves as we see fit and ask people to abide by it.

          As for mowing the grass we have a gas-powered walking mower. Trying to use a riding mower on that hill is dangerous. I’ve seen professional lawn services lose control of their machines on the neighbor’s portion of the hill. One time the machine and driver went over the side of the hill headed for the ravine below. The driver jumped off and was ok, but the mower had to be towed out of the ravine using a jeep.

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          • True enough on our names.

            That is a very steep hill and terrain!!! Glad the mower man was okay. What a predicament he found himself in! And what a story to tell.

            You and your husband must be very strong to push a hand mower. I have used self propelled electric mowers on level ground in most of my younger years. Last time I did actually mow, I was 49yo. When I left that last particular property, I never wanted to mow again. My age in the 60’s now, I am no longer physically capable so I hire the service. I like the grounds to be well maintained. Your property is absolutely beautiful!!

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  41. What a lovely, peaceful back yard! All that green calms the soul.

    I wonder where the neighbor girls heard that bit of advice. It’s fun that they made it into a chant to color by. I’m a big fan of a positive outlook–of seeing the beauty in the world, the goodness in other people, and the hope for a better day. But most of all, I believe in truth and moderation. I’ve been a little bit surprised these past couple of years to hear so many people say, “It’s all too much. I can’t bear to hear anything negative. I’m going to check out from all these real-world problems.” The problem is, if we all check out, things just get worse.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Nicki, I agree that green calms the soul. This view from our deck makes me happy, especially in the summer and fall.

      I have no idea who taught the girls to say their mantra, or whatever you want to call it. I know what you mean about some people refusing to look at the negative. I’m not sure how mentally balanced you’d be if your outlook was only on the positive. In my experience with that boss years ago, I’d say pretty darned unbalanced. Slightly wacko even!

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  43. I have a friend who took your project to the next level. Every morning, she took a photo of her back yard from the same spot on her porch. I wouldn’t have that kind of commitment, but it was fascinating to watch for the little changes — not only in nature, but also just in the “living” that was going on. One day the hose would be in a different place, one day her dog would appear. It was great fun.

    As for positive and negative, the first thing that came to mind was the song that my mom, dad, and I would sing in the car while traveling. We loved the old songs, and this still is one of my favorites.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Linda, I love that song. I didn’t remember [or maybe know] that it was Bing singing it. The line I always remember is “Don’t mess with Mister In Between.” For me it’s been problematic to figure out who’s Mr. In-between. But I’m darned good at accentuating the positive.

      Your friend’s commitment to her project is inspiring. I remember a blogger a long time ago who took a photo of her kitchen table every day for a year. She wrote about whatever she wanted, but also documented what happened on the table, too. That was fascinating.

      Like

  45. Beautiful photos. I was surprised to see snow in April (but maybe that’s normal?) and how different it was in May. I remember some of your fall photos from previous years. So many great colours where you are.

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    • Polly, we sometimes have snow in April, so that’s why I snapped the pic. To remember that 2021 was a snowy spring, but then I got the idea to carry on with my photos. The fall photos should be colorful if we don’t get too much rain.

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  47. Love this idea of seeing the changing seasons! My girlfriend takes a picture of her daughter every day in the same spot I think.. I wish I remembered to do that wth Charlotte.. I do likely have pics of her every day for at least the first year but just not in the same spot to really notice the little nuanced differences but hey, good enough 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    • BossyBabe, taking a photo every day in the same spot would be a lot to remember. I’m lucky I remembered to take four pics standing in the same spot once a month. I’m with you, good enough is just fine.

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  49. I wonder what the motivation was behind the “No bad stuff” chant. Hmmm…. I love the photos or your yard and look forward to seeing the fall pics. The snow looks beautiful, but I can imagine it wasn’t particularly welcome in April. At least, it wouldn’t be for me. But as you said, there is no bad weather…just nature doing her thing.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Christie, I wonder about the meaning behind the chant, too. I took it to mean that no matter if they colored within the lines or not, there’d be no bad pictures. Of course it could be a goal meaning you must do your best. We shall never know for sure what ‘no bad stuff’ meant to them! As for nature, you gotta meet her where she is. 🤷‍♀️

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  50. Ally,
    What a beautiful backyard you have! I look forward to the autumn shots.

    I do not get the Pollyanna boss thing at all. Pretending problems don’t exist just allows them to grow. Silly. (Not that I haven’t been guilty of hoping a problem will just go away if ignored – ‘tis human nature.)

    Liked by 1 person

    • Eilene, thanks. I plan on continuing with my photo project. More to come.

      The boss I mention here is the only one I ever had who was obsessed with keeping it all positive. Like you said, if you ignore problems they can grow out of hand, but that’s not how she saw it. And the trouble she caused because of it… 🙄

      Liked by 1 person

  52. Wow. Lovely photos-your yard is beautiful whether it’s in the cold of winter or the green of summer.
    I have a little bit of the mindset of your neighbor girls and former {positive Patty} boss. I ‘try’ to keep it all happy no matter what.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Suz, this angle on the backyard seems meant for photos. The rest of our backyard is a forest, so we got it all going on. I’m not against positivity just not the toxic kind that makes no allowances for occasional negativity.

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  54. Neat idea Ally! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a summer where the grass was as green in July as in spring…..but not liking that snow too much. Note to self: stop complaining about the hot and humid and rainy weather. Perhaps those cute little girls chanting No Bad News have been hearing too much COVID/climate change/world wide gloom and doom news….it’s interesting what children absorb?

    Liked by 1 person

    • Joni, since I took the July photo the grass has begun to get golden and dried out a little bit. The next series of photos will show that.

      I wonder if you’re right about the news stories and how the little girls came by their chant. All I know is they were loud and having a good time. Coloring was serious business.

      Liked by 1 person

      • Sadly I doubt she could even colour. Her scattered thoughts and health issues make life a very real every day struggle.. it’s so hard to watch. I do what I can but it never seems like much. She’s the friend I helped her with the breast cancer surgery a few months ago and chemo and now her husband’s health demise.

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  56. Things have sure gotten complicated with kids since we were kids haven’t they Ally … our simple playtime of cutouts and crayons is no match for kids who have access to the news stories swirling around us just by glancing at their phones or iPads. I had fun taking the same picture at Council Point Park for each season a while back. I stood at the exact same spot (easy to do as there was/is a crack in the pavement). My grass is usually crispy under my feet by now but thanks to the torrential rain, it looks decent this Summer.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda, good point about kids lives today. MUCH more complicated and so many more ways to get to information. There were 3 TV channels + 2 radio stations where I lived. That’s it. When the TV and radio were off, we were in our own little world. Not so today.

      You’re clever with the way in which you took your photos. I have something similar going on because how else could you get the same shot! Our grass has begun to turn crunchy and golden now that August is upon us.

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  58. A thought provoking and beautiful post Ally, we all have to deal with the bad stuff don’t we? No amount of sticking our fingers in our ears and turning away will help, but in the end, the good stuff is often found by working through the bad stuff.

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    • Rae Cod, well said. I agree that by dealing with the bad stuff in a timely manner you can find the good stuff. Not always, but often. The little girls are a long way off from understanding that reality, but in the meantime the coloring must go on. 🖍

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  59. No bad stuff. If only chanting it made it so.

    It’s the Summer Of Lush Greenery. We’ve had such tropical humidity, and June was rain, rain, rain. Or was that July? It’s all gone by so quickly.

    Liked by 1 person

    • nance, yes I wish life was as easy to control as saying that chant. It’s been weirdly green here. I like the color but the tropical humidity is too much for me.

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    • Eliza, I like your slideshow idea. When I get a a year’s worth of photos I’ll try that. For something I started as a goof, this has been well received. Thanks for stopping by to comment.

      Like

  61. These photos of the same spot, month after month, is a great idea. I think I’ll try it. The difference between April and May is incredible.
    Smiling about the little girls’ mantra. I had a boss who hated bad news (his hair turned white by the time he was 35, so I think he didn’t handle stress well). I was working at a publishing company, and I had to go into his office to say that the printing job of one of our medical texts was bad. He looked at me angrily and then began to laugh. And laugh. It was so infectious I began to laugh also. Bad, bad news that we just had to laugh about. What else can you do? 🙂

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    • Pam, please do try it. The idea wasn’t planned but it has worked well. As you can see, when our weather changes it can be dramatic.

      You were fortunate to have a boss like you did. Laugh at bad news? The woman I worked for would just start to argue, denying what you said, not letting reality get in her way. It was nuts and impossible to overcome. She would not listen.

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  62. Ally,
    “No Bad Stuff” needs to be my new…what do you call it? Mantra…that’s it. Wait, doesn’t the…hold on…law of attraction…yeah, that’s it…say to only think and say things you want? If I say “No Bad Stuff” then that means that only bad stuff will come my way. Right? Crud. I don’t remember the rules. I’m adopting “Only Good Stuff.” Let me mantra that for a week and see what happens. Should I get back with you next week and let you know how that went? Love the pictures, btw! Gorgeous! BTW, I need “good stuff” to come my way! Hugs, 🙂 Mona

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    • Mona, oh I do like how you’ve applied the principles of the law of attraction to these little girls’ chant. Is it a mantra? A prayer? A guideline? Who’s to say! I’ll be looking forward to finding out if by saying Only Good Stuff you manifest it exclusively in your life OR if the Bad Stuff will still find you. Please consider this comment to be the start of your Only Good Stuff plan.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Emille, thanks. I like taking these photos so I’ll continue with the project. As for mowing the lawn it’s so hot here now that our grass has gotten golden and dried out. No need to mow!

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  65. Pingback: The week gone by — Aug. 15 – A Silly Place

    • Luanne, you’re right about the bad stuff going on. I’m not one to put my head in the sand and ignore it, but I also cannot focus exclusively on situations like Afghanistan. Stay balanced, I try to remind myself.

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  68. Love these photos! I often think about (and that’s all I’ve managed to do) taking photos of our yard and even just one plant at the same time over a period of days or months. You are so right. At least with nature (both nature and human), things change but remain the same. I had lunch with a friend yesterday, one of our marathon, five-hour conversations (she’s the only person I can talk this long with for some reason). Mostly politics … so thank you for the good stuff! We all need some balance in our lives 🙂

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    • Marie, I’m glad you liked the photos. I didn’t set out to do this series but now that I’ve started I’ll continue on. I agree about the need for balance in our lives. I’m not a Pollyanna by any stretch, but lately there’s only so much negativity I can process. I thought the little girls were onto an idea with their chant.

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    • Kathy, for something I started doing just for the heck of it, I’ve stumbled over a good photo project. I’m glad you like the pictures. And as for no bad stuff, you gotta love the wisdom of little girls. 😇

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