Bits and pieces, odds and ends, every PCS move seems to leave you with a pile of assorted gear minus their counterparts, lost somewhere along the way between workstations. Instead of throwing away all those morsels, consider relocating some of them in your garden! For years I seemed to be hanging on to too much "stuff". It was too shiny or pretty to throw away, but there was nothing I could do about it except add it to my ever-growing pile of "pretty junk." Then I went through a period (now it's crazy) of getting rid of everything that qualified as "clutter". Some things I later wished I had back. Now, when I end up with some wayward object that has lost its other half and I especially like the color or the shape, I try to find a use for it, be it decorative or practical.
An old bean pot, a leaky bucket, a pot without a lid, and an old coffee pot with a hole in it in my herb garden make great containers. I also use a few nice carved birds, formerly Christmas ornaments, for decoration. You can really put dirt in any container, and if you can provide a little drainage, you can create a unique and tailored look in a variety of sizes and shapes for a herb garden that's all about you. Ever since I created my little space, I like to sit next to my plants and read or call my family and friends. Even though I haven't done anything at all, I swear I feel uplifted just sitting there combing through the herbs to release the scents. The smell of earth and growing things is just what the doctor ordered if you're feeling a little off - call it affordable aromatherapy!
A cheerful herb garden can also be an especially good idea if you are in an area with long, dark winters, such as Fort Wainwright or Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska, Fort Drum, New York, Minot AFB, and Grand Forks AFB in North Dakota. or Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington State, to name a few...anywhere with an increased likelihood of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). With the right lighting, you can keep your 'piece of heaven' indoors all through the long cold winter and it's truly amazing to experience when everything outside is under the grip of winter's ice. More than just potted plants (which I also like), you can take your greenery a step further by adding personal touches here and there, and often a PCS move will give you as many ends and ends as you need. So, summer or winter, spring or fall, you can reuse your broken items along with some live plants to create a peaceful space wherever you need them!
