Lolly's Bright Side

My cancer journey through organic gardening, cooking, simple self care and finding peace

fresh start for 2022

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welcome the new year

With every new year comes a clean slate. What will you do with your fresh start?

For me I tend to set goals instead of resolutions. I write them down, read my list often and work on achieving them.

just start

Here are some tips to achieve those goals you have set for the year.

Stay focused- have a positive attitude and be passionate about your dreams. I constantly tell myself I can do this, these are the things I want to achieve…with a little hard work and determination they can be done.

Learn something new everyday. One thing I’ve been wanting to try is fermenting foods. Today I had some cabbage from the garden that I made into sauerkraut. I have new recipes and meal prep ideas I want to try .

Move more…I know this is a big one on everyone’s list. I’m wanting to add 20 minutes a day for more walking. I can achieve that goal by walking ten minutes before work and ten minutes during my afternoon break.

Read more books. I have a stack by the nightstand that I want to get to. My goal is to read a few pages each day before bed.

Set aside time each day for yourself.

These are just a few of the goals I have written down for this year. Remember be kind to yourself-believe in yourself and treat yourself well. You deserve it.

Don’t forget to enjoy the little things-appreciate life’s simple pleasures.

Happy New Year!

Talk soon,

Sheri

a few of my favorite things

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here are some at home self care, do it yourself finds:

reusable makeup remover pads

These reusable make up remover pads are quickly becoming a staple in my daily skincare routine. https://amzn.to/3A53De6 they are made with 100% bamboo cotton. So soft but durable, wash up easily with your laundry and are eco-friendly with zero waste.

at home pedicure

foot soak

Now that it’s sandal season I tried the finishing touch flawless pedi https://amzn.to/3hbzRfc what a game changer … great to use if your feet need a little refresher so easy to use for your at home pedicure. I was surprised at how well it work on my dry cracked skin.

take some time for yourself

healthy feet

Along with the pedi tool I use O’Keeffee’s healthy foot cream https://amzn.to/2T9sGME this foot cream is so thick and creamy and leaves my feet feeling soft and smooth.

your health and wellbeing

take care of you

I found this quirky little book called a year of self-care https://amzn.to/3djsMrN it gives you daily practices for caring for yourself. There are short thought-provoking messages you can use to help focus on positive thinking and self care throughout the year.

I hope you will give these items a try and soon they can become one of your favorite finds too. Enjoy

Talk soon, Sheri

how the garden is growing…

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springtime in the garden

Hi folks! It’s been a busy couple of months. With work, wild weather, treatments and working in the garden. I’m finally able to take a minute and get you all caught up. The last few months have been nothing but short of crazy. Work has been busy..we just finished up our Spring Antique Show…wow what a turn out. I think everyone was ready to get out and about. The weather threw all of us for loop. I lost quite a few plants during the big freeze. It took awhile to get all that cleaned up and re-planted. I’ve had to have a few radiation treatments. I knew these were coming at some point…they are part of my maintenance plan. And now the fun part. The Spring Garden!


garden visitor

tomatoes on the vine

I like to plant tomatoes two ways. Seeds and transplants. I start the seeds as early as possible usually in late January. I get tomato plants from a local nursery. That way I have a mix of both. As you can see starting early allows me to have tomatoes on the vine very early. See what I mean.

garden beauties

garden treasure

Dill! Yes dill….this is one treasure I dedicate a whole bed to. Once the cucumbers start coming in and it’s time to put them up dill is my go to for canning those garden gems. I love to freeze it and I plant it several times throughout the growing season…seeds are the best way to plant them.

glorious dill

pepper time

Another of my favorite things to plant is peppers and they are very easy to grow. I plant lots of different varieties. Jalapeño, bell, sweet banana and last year I found ancho and those have become some of my favorites. I usually use transplants….and I plant them at the same time as the tomatoes. I like to get a head start. Check these out…ready to pick.

peppers

salad mix

I plant a salad section in the garden. I have lettuce and spinach growing at all times. It’s nice to walk outside and fill a bowl up. Just add a few other ingredients and you have a salad.

salad bowl

see you in the garden

Time for me to go check on the garden. Get out there and get your hands dirty. You will find it’s not that hard to do. You can plant a container garden if you have limited space and time. Just get out there! See you in the garden!

Talk soon,

Sheri

January Check-In

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January is a time for a fresh start

Some people make New Year’s Resolutions others make goals. I personally prefer to make goals .

Goals:

an idea of the future or desired result that a person envisions, plans for and commits to achive.

Set specific goals

Make them visible-write them down

Be able to measure your success

Set attainable goals

Make sure it’s relevent

Have a time frame

Take action…

Achieving your goals

Do small things each day to reach your goals:

To keep track I started using a planner. This way at a glance I can see what I’ve done for the week. This will keep you accountable…the moment you realize you are off course it’s proof your goals are working. Here are a few examples of goals I have made for myself:

Walk each day after lunch (I keep track of this with a planner) I use these fun shoe stickers to add to my planner https://amzn.to/38Bmbax and I use these too https://amzn.to/2XsI4ST.

Exercise 10 minutes each day I ordered this Pilates portable bar kit https://amzn.to/2Xqea1y

Read a few pages of a book I’ve been wanting to read each day

These small things turn into long term goals and before you know it you’ve accomplished them.

Accomplishment

Once you’ve proven you can accomplish goals, you realize you can accomplish anything.

I’ll check in with y’all soon. Take care of yourselves and others.

Sheri

The beginners guide to a skincare routine

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Here is my skincare routine for the change of season

When the season begins to change and the weather gets cooler I find I need to do a little more to my skin. Our weather changes daily around here so one day it may be in the 90’s then the next day it may drop to the 60’s or in the same day. That can play havoc on your skin. I like to take a little more time especially in the evenings and give my skin an extra dose of moisturizer.

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Here is my daily skincare routine:

Mornings

Hydrate + Protect

I start out with a warm washcloth and gently wipe my face. I use a moisturizer that contains sunscreen. https://amzn.to/2IFVff8 This creates a smooth layer for me to apply my makeup over. Sunscreen is the most important step in my skincare routine….The sun is the number one reason peoples skin will age permanently. I try and keep my morning skincare routine short and sweet.

Drinking 8 glasses of water a day will help rid the body and skin of toxins. It will improve the condition of your skin and give it a more radiant glow. I actually enjoy drinking water during the day. I find I feel better and my skin looks better.

Evenings

Cleanse + Tone + Moisturize

In the evenings before I take my shower I wash my face. I start out with a warm washcloth and I use a gentle cleanser https://amzn.to/2IGsMpv I then use an eye makeup remover https://amzn.to/355Jrug . I like it because it is very gentle and does not burn my eyes. When applying cleanser or cream around your eyes use your ring finger to dab…it is your weakest finger and will not cause damage to the eye area. I use a toner a few times a week just to balance out the ph in my skin. https://amzn.to/3m3gOop . Then I apply moisturizer one that has anti-aging properties https://amzn.to/2FCWURo. Moisturizer keeps your skin hydrated and helps strengthen your skin. It creates a barrier that seals in active ingredients and hydration. Nighttime is very important, because your skin regenerates while you sleep.

Andalou sources INGREDIENTS FROM NATURE… Andalou Naturals supports Superior Ingredient Standards in the personal care natural product industry & use ingredients that are organic, non-GMO, gluten free, vegan, Sustainable, Fair Trade.

Don’t forget to get a good nights sleep! It is extremely important for your skin. It helps stave off wrinkles and reduces puffiness under eyes. Don’t forget your hands and neck. They need extra care too. https://amzn.to/3dzOxCG The last thing I put on before I got to bed is lip balm https://amzn.to/2HiHp1G. Its has a funny name Drunk Elephant but it is one of my favorites.

It is so important to take time for yourself and find clarity . The most important relationship is the one you have with yourself.

Take care and we will talk soon,

Sheri