my second career as garden consultant: why i am highly qualified....

have designed 2 projects this summer.

the first was a huge one for st. paul's church--couldn't have done it without den's help.

the second was a redesign of a yard/garden for a friend.

my "consultation visits" require sitting outside in the area under discussion with good coffee and something sweet.

i've 3 people on my waiting list.

(must get my new fence stained before having any more fun designing.)

the best part of this blossoming career is spending other people's money!!!

no, actually the best part is letting my creative self out of it's box---a life spent doing nursing as a career has been flexible, well-paying (well enough for me), and spiritually satisfying, since it is a form of ministry when done correctly----but, well, you have to do it indoors, don'tcha, and it's tough to get real creative with vaccines, syringes, s.t.d. paperwork, bedpans and i.v. tubing.

and the use of creative writing when doing documentation is pretty much verboten in all the places i've worked.

and i never once got to choose hospital room and bedding colors, or put together a selection of healing music to play to my patients.

so this other little gig i have going on, designing schemes, selecting plants, doing flower arrangements for people, is almost like giving them a gift from my little soul.