Feng Shui and CLUTTER

I took a training course in Feng Shui from my cousin a year or so ago. She's a Master Feng Shui trainer. It was very interesting, although I haven't done too much with it. But I think it's time now to Feng Shui some areas of my house--the front porch in particular. It's very cluttered and messy right now so even if I didn't USE FS on it just cleaning it and clearing it would be beneficial. And I want to move my plants out and repot some of them. My blooming jasmine gave me the urge. It's time to trim it and try to propagate it, and repot it. And since it's spring it's time for that ole major spring cleaning!!! I'm not very good at that but I REALLY need to do it.

Now for the second topic--Clutter!! I've been wondering what makes people collect things?? I do collect some things--dolls, books--although I've been weeding those out, anything to do with Paris or France. My husband collects pottery. Is it the love of the game of searching pieces out?? I know that sometimes after I've acquired something I've REALLY wanted that I lose interest in it. So...is it REALLY the search for something that we love??I don't like taking care of something after I've gotten it, I don't like to dust it, and I'm afraid that something will happen to it, and I don't like "all that stuff cluttering up my house". Is it that we THINK we NEED to have stuff?? In thinking about my parents' house, for the most part they didn't have clutter OUT where you could see it, but after they died I realized they were "closet clutterers"! They had all kinds of stuff crammed in their closets/basement/attic. Of course, they grew up during leaner times--the depression and WWII, so they saved everything--it might come in handy, we might need it, it's too good to throw out--but they didn't collect anything. They didn't "redecorate" like people do now. They painted and then put their old pictures right back on the wall. This might be one reason why they both left their kids a pretty hefty inheritance!! They didn't spend it on "Home Decor" and redecorate every year with imported stuff from Pier One, Hobby Lobby, Walmart, Target or wherever. In fact they avoided those stores like the plague--except for "necessities" from Walmart and Target--and necessities didn't include home decor!! Oh, well, it's time to get after MY clutter and see if I can send it packing!! I'm ready to Feng Shui the krappe out of here!!

Jasmine blowing through my mind

Well, Dear Blog, it's been a while since I've written. But today I had the sweetest thing happen. I was dusting in my living room and kept smelling something sweet, and that was unusual in itself!! I finally looked at my poor jasmine plant that was wintering over in the dining room and it had a BLOOM on it!! And ONE bloom filled two rooms with a wonderful light delicate scent. I've sadly neglected it the last month or so and it still rewarded me. I'm hoping it is not it's swan song!! I can't wait to get it back outside and repot it and give it some tender loving care, but not TOO much!! It seems to thrive on my neglect. For the most part anyway. Jasmine is such a wonderful scent and is very calming. My friend MG found the most wonderful Jasmine perfume when we were in France at the L'occitane store, fortunately there are some L'occitane stores in the US, or maybe it's not so lucky, we MIGHT have had to go back to France for more!! OOLALA!! I could be packed and ready in 30 minutes!!