My Kitchen is Not My Work Space

Ever wonder about what other peoples's homes look like? Are you curious about what snacks they eat or how tidy (or not tidy) their work space or their pantry are kept?  Are you curious about what they see when they are at home?

​Today, whether or not you are interested, I am sharing photos of my work space and desk view. One is a reflection of me and one provides endless inspiration and entertainment.

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My work space is not my own. I share it with our daughters. As you can see from how many littles containers and trinkets I keep on my desk, it is sort of a dumping ground. Stuff keeps accumulating and I keep trying to organize it into little keepers.

I add things that make me smile or chuckle, like the saying to the left (my personal motto.) I also add things that make me feel good, like the singing angel I bought at a yard sale. There are pictures of my family and cords and a glasses case. There are notepads and papers that need to be filed or recycled.

It's a bit like me, a car, always in 5th gear but striving each day to find a peaceful place to settle into where I can accept the messy organization that is "my life." It's never much tidier than it is right now. (I bet you're thinking  'like you Mary' and you would be right!)

Some things on our desk get pushed to the back. One of those those things is a Merlion figurine my husband Russell brought back from a business trip to Singapore. The Merlion is a mythical creature (I think you know that) and represents Singapore's origins. Can you find him? Post in the comments if you do!

Here is a photo of my view when I work. I see birds and herbs running riot and hear the sounds of my neighborhood. Those sounds are many. I hear a Carolina Wren, finches and robins and I also hear a leaf blower. One of these things is decidedly NOT like the other! Whatever happened to sweeping! Gosh I despise leaf blowers! They make a mess and pollute the earth by using gasoline, blowing dust and dirt about and making noise! They accomplish nothing and move one person's mess to someone else's place without truly tidying anything! People are also VERY inconsiderate about when they use these horrible machines don't ya think?  I'm just sayin... Anyway, I will focus on the Wren and the robins...

I look out and see birds flying by or pecking in my garden or at each other. I hear the sounds of our daughter waking and our dog begging to be fed or noticed. I watch as birds come and go at the bird bath and think about how my windows need cleaning. I open the windows and let the cool breeze freshen my spirit and our home and long to be outside in the thick of all the chaos. I know summer is coming to a close and soon the lightening bugs who dance about in the evening will become a thing of the past. I also know it's time to gather and dry herbs and that I have a lot to do these coming days and weeks.

My workspace is in a nook in our kitchen, my favorite room in our home. The kitchen is my "favorite" room, not just because I love to cook but because it is the room where so much of family life happens. I go to my kitchen to nourish myself, my family and people I care about. That "nourishing" could just be good conversation over a cup of tea and a little nibble or it could be making a great feast or a simple batch of cookies. I also go to my kitchen to create. I write and test recipes and just "play and relax." Believe it or not, my kitchen is a very playful and relaxing place PLUS it always smells good too!

​My workspace is "in" my kitchen but my kitchen is not my "workspace." 

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