Why does it take so long to just get started?

I don't know why it took me so long to drive a couple miles to a tiny park and walk the bicycle path. I've talked about it with my husband for three years now, once the realization came that one cannot walk the county roads without being run over by a sixteen year old driving ninety miles an hour to the high school... on roads wide enough for 1 1/2 cars.

So... yesterday I made the rash decision that we should "walk today". As Nike would say... just do it! It turned out to be a breathtaking walk... in more ways than one.

This part of the bicycle trail cannot be seen from the road so I had no idea how pretty it would be. Under the clearest of blue skies, I passed by wildflowers, prairie grasses, a "field" of hundreds and hundreds of pussy willows in the distance, the line of dense trees a few miles away, and a multitudeness amount of my favorite Queen Anne's Lace.

Normally I am not in favor of picking any flower or plant in such public places, where one should keep them for the enjoyment of all who walk that path. However, the abundance of such wildflowers (or weeds as my husband calls them)... caused me to gently snap off one white and lacy souvenir of the mid-summer day.

I'm quite good about getting things done a little at a time. Just this morning I tidied a part of the garage for about fifteen minutes while the laundry was drying (my washer and dryer are in the garage).

However, I'm not very good about taking the first step to do something I want to do (and let's not even think of what I don't want to do)... perhaps in this case knowing I will never again be able to do the three mile power walking I accomplished each day before diabetes affected my feet and energy level (it is a Catch 22 as exercise helps to keep chronic illness in check but also causes one to feel like exercise is the last thing they want to do).

We do not count the miles, anymore. Both my husband and I walk a certain amount of time... him checking his watch and me the time on the cell phone in my pocket... designated minutes out and designated minutes back. The time pathetic by my old standards but far better than sitting in the Lazy Boy chair.

(Of course, being much taller than me, his minutes out takes him much farther but he knows I would rather walk to the tunes from my itty-bitty iPod as opposed to talking, anyway.)

Another first step we took this year is producing excellent results... the raised bed garden. I wish we'd done this a couple years ago, along with planting rhubarb near the fenceline.

It's just one of those things that require a lot of thinking, and planning, and budgeting for... making the decision that money and time will be spent on something which produces for us over the years rather than immediately... not only in veggies and fruit but also experience.

Yes... we could have purchased quite a lot at the farmer's market for what we spent in building materials... but how wonderful it is and will be to have everything set up for the garden. Especially where we live in the country... we will be preparing the additional three square beds in early autumn, ready for spring planting.

Setting up a pantry is another project many people say they "will do someday" because it seems overwhelming. Every time we moved, we pretty much had to start all over again (except I did move my bulk items).

Since keeping a deep pantry is important to me, I always started restocking a little at a time immediately. In that case, I was experienced so I didn't put it off... having a good idea where I would start and what I would need to have on hand immediately. Experience is only brought about by doing! (Preaching to myself...)

I promise you, building and deepening the pantry over time will save you money and you will be the hero of the family when you can provide food at the last minute without going to the store... in times of unemployment or downsizing... and in the event of The End of The World As We Know It (which seems more possible whenever I watch the news!). :)

Now, what can I do today that I've been putting off? I think I will grind wheat to make a loaf of bread today and enough extra to fill the ancient Tupperware container. I'll keep it in the refrigerator, of course. I just have to turn my computer off... soon.

Picture: the Queen Anne's Lace on the windowsill