I was reading an article in a Prevention magazine this morning that was summarizing the research on how people create happiness in their lives. The study conducted by members of the Psychology Department from my alma mater, University of Missouri-Columbia, utilized survey data from people who had gone to their website.
I'm always interested in how studies are conducted. I am curious about how researchers pick their subjects. In this case, the participants came, somewhat unwittingly, to them. I presume they were interested in happiness for some reason. Maybe they wanted more of it for themselves, or maybe they were curious about what created happiness, or even how to define happiness.
In any case, researchers asked respondents to continue further with the study asking them to try something specific each day for one week. They discovered that of all the activities that created the most happiness is a very simple practice of gratitude. That's right, identifying the things that go right, giving thanks for the things that you have, and appreciating what others have done for you.
In that vain, I'd like to create a little happiness. This weekend my husband and I made a trip to my favorite green house - a 35 minute trip to Timbuktu. I swear I don't know how people find this place! I love it because the owner knows my name and always asks me what I plan to do with the flowers I'm buying. He knows the garden pests that I've dealt with in the past and has offerred organic gardening advice because he knows that my husband and I are concerned with our environment enough to severely limit the use of chemicals. He knows his plants and he stands by his product. It's not like going to Lowe's and buying plants where not a soul knows squat about live plants. If it dies, he replaces it.
Something more . . . even if my favorite "greenhouse guy" wasn't there, I would still buy herbs. I do cook with my herbs, bundle them and use them as smudge sticks, dry them for scented pillows/sachets and bath scents, but I think the thing I love the most is just playing in my herb garden. Is there anything more intoxicating that basil and thyme? Brushing up against them releases their aromas. It's calming and . . .
. . . makes me happy.
Ah, yes, the fragrance one releases by brushing against plants--my only reason for growing basils! (Dill and others smell wonderful, too.)
I'm with you and your husband on wanting to minimize the chemicals used. They not only kill the little critters in one's own yard, but wash off--down the storm drain--into the streams that then become void of critters. The creaks and streams die! Will you be showing us photos of your flowers at some point?
I'm working on posting photos. Part of the delay is that I need to contact our gracious host to change the background to my site. I'm reticent to post a beautiful picture only to have it muddled by another beautiful picture.
Obviously the other problem is that I still don't know how to post a picture. I'll get to that soon enough.
On the issue of pesticide run-off. . . it is of sufficient concern that I have created a literature unit around the subject of ecology for my junior and senior literture class. My husband helps me the science portion of it and accompanies me on the field trips where we do water testing. Have you read Our Stolen Future? There's so much we take for granted and so much we don't know that is hurting us. I worry for my children.
Nan and her family have been with us this weekend, and I had a chance to talk with her husband about the book "Our Stolen Future." It sounds like required reading for those of us who are ecologically oriented.
How fortunate you are to have a nursery where they recognize you! I don't tend toward envy, but if I did, that would make me GREEN with envy! *G*
Yes....you USE your herbs. I've seen and tasted that, first hand. I may have a larger garden, and talk about it a lot, but you really use the herbs you have, and could teach others how to use them too.
I'll have to add to my "to read" list. Thanks to you both for the suggestion.