2026 Chevy Equinox - Balance, Renewal, & Transition

2026 Chevy Equinox

An Equinox symbolizes balance, renewal, and transition.  Occurring twice a year when the sun crosses the celestial equator, it is a cosmic threshold when day and night are of about equal length. The word "equinox" comes from the Latin words aequus (equal) and nox (night). Because day and night perfectly share dominion, it acts as a reminder of the delicate equilibrium in the universe. It symbolizes the need to harmonize dualities like light and dark, action and rest, or the masculine and feminine energies within.  It encourages us to seek balance in our lives, both internally and externally. It is a time of reflection and Renewal. 

I am a Master Gardener who connects with the natural world. Gardening begins in the spring for the most part. The Spring (Vernal) Equinox is the time for rebirth and new beginnings.  Taking place in March, this equinox is universally viewed as the awakening of the earth. As plants break through the frost and winter thaws, it represents shedding the old and embracing a fresh start. Historically, agricultural societies revered this time for planting crops, which over time evolved into symbols of vitality and new ideas.  The Autumn (Fall) Equinox is the time for harvest and reflection. Taking place in September, this equinox occurs as the days begin to shorten. It is a time to reap the rewards of the seeds you planted earlier in the year.  As trees shed their leaves, the autumn equinox encourages us to release what no longer serves us and practice gratitude for what we have cultivated.

I am in a time of Transition. I recently had to let go of my 2011 Chevy Impala that served me well until a man named Ron at my Silver Sneakers class at the Health Department backed into the front of my car in the parking lot with his pickup truck and totaled my car.  I really liked that car that I had for 15 years.  I had planned to get a new one in the next year or two but this event happened now.  It has been an easy transition since no one was hurt and I got a good settlement with an above average condition salvage value.  Ron's State Farm insurance company treated me well although I have been without my own vehicle for about a month; they did cover the cost of a rental car for seven days.  My normal freedom to drive wherever and whenever I wanted was interrupted but I utilized this time to mostly garden and write about it as it is the 40th anniversary living at this location.  Check out my past eight posts if you like gardening too.  I had fun documenting my gardens as I finished the work and it makes a great journal. All our structural landscape projects were complete last year and May and June are when the plants are at their finest.  I know they are truly done as we have sold the concrete mixer this week!

So before I transition into a new vehicle, I am reflecting on all my past vehicles and sharing the photos.  I have already decided on the 2026 Chevy Equinox from Bill Robert's Chevrolet in Bolivar. I had driven a couple while I had the rental car recently. I have a lot of history with this car dealer especially with Brent Coleman who always seems to know what I want because he listens to me and gives me good advice.  He sold me my past three vehicles and also a nice truck for my husband. The dealership also does most of my maintenance, repairs, and body work over the years.  I also have some history with Eric and Joe Roberts whom I have worked with in my appraisal career and they helped me attain my General Certification by giving me commercial real estate experiences I would not have had without them.  I returned the favor by helping them in their appraisal business with comparable market sales obtained as a state appraiser.  There was no monetary payment for services as we equally exchanged skills and experience instead. I was highly successful as a state appraiser for 30 years as I was good at negotiating an equitable value after carefully assimilating all the available data and being able to defend it.  It's all about Balance.  The Equinox suits me.

I did my research and the Equinox is what I want at this time of life. I will match the Impala's salvage settlement with my savings for the downpayment.  The monthly payment is covered by my social security and RMD; about half and half.  It's been over 25 years since I've had monthly car payments. I'm more than ready for a new vehicle!  It is time for a Renewal.

In my research, I realized that there may be better vehicles on the market rated for reliability, better gas milage and/or the electric options, sellers with better deals, and going the pre-owned options which would cost less.  What's important to me at that at this time of life is that I can afford to trade-in when the value is at the highest in about three years and not have to worry about breakdowns or repair expenses. I like buying new.  I enjoy driving and this Equinox is fun to drive now.  

2011 Chevy Impala after parking lot accident - a total loss in May 2026.  It served me well!

2011 Chevy Impala bought in October 2011 (program car) - I paid all cash when I retired 12/1/11.  Good road car and fun to drive!   Trailer hitch was added for kayaking and bicycling which I did regularly.  I did a lot of volunteer work with Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists at Lake of the Ozarks with road trips to Iowa and Virginia. I also enjoyed driving it with my one and only grandchild who was born in 2017 and lives over an hour away. I got to see her often; about every ten days until she started school.  Lots of great memories in this car!  Only problem was when the transmission fell out and was replaced. I kept it in above average condition for 15 years.  It made an annoying clicking sound (woodpecker) in the heating/AC that only lasted a minute that I had made peace with for the last few years because it would have cost over $500 to fix.

1997 Pontiac Grand Prix (1997-2011) was my favorite. Mostly paid for by the state as I was reimbursed for mileage in my appraiser work.  When it was paid for, the state got a fleet of cars and I drove a different one every year for work so this one lasted longer for personal use. I liked a Chevy Impala best and drove many different ones assigned to me. The 2nd transmission finally died and it started burning oil.  Lots of Branson trips through the Ozark Mountains.  Many adventures with a bike rack on back with many trips to the east coast through the Smokey Mountains and the the Outer Banks.

1987 Pontiac 6000LE (1987-1999).  Completely paid for by the state with monthly milage reimbursements as I used it all the time for my appraiser work as well as personal use.  I think I made money on it!   Both my teenagers had it until it was donated to Salvation Army in 2000.  Kept a roll of grey duct tape in the glove box for repairs.  It was still drivable and only leaked oil a little.  A really great car!

1985 Pontiac 600 LE (1985-1987) First car I bought with milage reimbursements from the state in my job as an appraiser which I started in 1984.  My husband and 5 year old daughter were hit and the car was totaled after two years; they were okay.  I bought another car like this one.  

1979 CJ7 Golden Eagle Jeep (1979-1992) was my first new car.  I got a seasonal job for a couple years working for the Army Corps of Engineers on Pomme de Terre Lake doing cleaning and maintenance at eight public parks. Driving a stick may have helped me get the job as I drove a truck with a water tank in this job everyday. My parents helped me make my monthly payment on the off season months. We lived on a remote 50 acres with a dead end county gravel road. I was pregnant twice while I had this Jeep. I rolled it after hydroplaning in a rainstorm on a curve with my infant son in a carseat in 1981; we were okay.  It was fixed.  It was rode hard and even used to plow a field once.  My husband drove it shortly after I got my state appraiser job in 1985 and we moved to town; the county seat where he worked.  I had appraised all 10K properties in Hickory County with this Jeep during statewide reassessment (1979-1984). I must have impressed the State Tax Commission as my work load was cut in half and my salary doubled when they hired me to monitor the assessment offices in at least 10 counties biannually.  I progressed and became the manager retiring after 30 years as a real estate appraiser. I sold the Jeep while it was still working as it was expensive to keep up (tires mostly) and starting to leak oil. 

1968 AMC Rebel (1973-1978) First car I bought all by myself as a waitress and bartender then a factory worker making Zenith TV parts and then bluejeans.  It had a V-8 and was a really good road car.  Replaced the rear bumper with a steel I-beam after hitting a skunk and not able to get the stink off.  The main frame broke in half while crossing a railroad track in Onawa, Iowa one winter when the temp was well below zero.  It was taken to the salvage yard and smashed just before we moved to Missouri.

1966 Ford Mustang (1969-1972). My father bought a red one for me when I was 16 while still at home in Northern Virginia.  I was working the concessions at a movie theater to pay for my expenses and also at a department store called Zayre on a school work program. This is a stock photo as I did not have a photo taken of my car.  When I got the car, it was a barely drivable wreck with chipped paint in many places that showed several different panels had been replaced.  It burned a lot of oil.  The hoses and belts were always breaking.  The radiator was always getting too hot.  I was always breaking down and accepting help from strangers.  I hitchhiked a lot.  I even panhandled in Georgetown and the National Airport for money.  One memorable time I broke down in front of the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC and stopped traffic while people helped me push it off the street. I abandoned it at my home with my parents when I moved to the mid-west in 1971 at age 17 emancipated and living with my oldest brother, Ed.  I was working two jobs at the Gotcha Cafe and Harris Drug while finishing my senior year in high school as well as babysitting my niece and nephew to earn my keep. My parents had became incapacitated and needed my older brother, John, to get a hardship discharge from the Marines to care for them.  I think the Mustang was sold to a neighborhood boy.  I wish I had better memories of this car at this time of my life.  Life got so much better after I moved to the mid-west!

In a few hours, I will be picking up my new ride.  I will get busy with life again resuming my Sliver Sneakers routine four days a week while keeping my eye out for Ron.  Fridays are swimming and working out at the gym at the Rec Center in Bolivar.  This Saturday I will join several yogi friends I've known for many years for a yoga class in Springfield with Loa, a career instructor I have known since the 1990s.  I will pick up our granddaughter in my new blue Equinox (her favorite color) in Springfield Monday to stay with us for her 9th birthday week.  Life goes on.

Plans will be made in the following weeks for a trip to see my niece's family in Colorado in October. I haven't seen her since her wedding ten years ago and she has two children I need to meet. Cousins from the Czech Republic and my brother from Virginia will be there and likely other family members. I expect my husband's heart surgery to go well in August as we just got that date set yesterday.  The option of driving or flying will be determined upon his recovery later this summer. If he stays home, his cousins from Iowa have agreed to stay with him until I come back.  I may fly instead of driving by myself. This trip has been in the works for a couple of years. It is fortunate that the option of a road trip in my new Equinox is now an option!  

All is well.  Life is good.  Moving forward in a nice set of wheels!

My Gardens, My World - Final Post (8 of 8)

These final photos are of the backyard areas that stand out from the other areas and are grouped together here.  There are seven other posts previously that include all the gardens.  This is our 40th year in this location. This post includes a native garden, the oak tree area in shade and in sun, and my swing area.

Overview of the backyard native garden area

Overview of the one and only oak tree shade and sun areas.  That's a young redbud tree next to the shed that is quickly making another shade area.

The Native Garden is located where the sidewalk meets the steps.  It is a central location of the backyard gardens.  Everything comes back every year and there has been many different native plants that have come and gone.  Right now everything is filled but the rose verbena looks a little sparse after several years of success.  I will try to add some new plants to refresh.  The fennel is more of an herb but I added it here because it is a host plant for swallowtail butterflies which frequent this native garden.  It does take up too much room as I have already trimmed it in half.  It also spreads seeds too much so I am allowing it to grow in another garden before I remove it here.  

Just below the Native garden along the sidewalk are an Autumn Gold sedum, dark yellow  Stella d'Ora lilies, surprise lilies, and blackberry lilies. The corner had a beautiful yellow St. John's Wort shrub for many years that got too big and needed trimming often and finally died.  There's a tricolor low growing plant new this year that is some kind of succulent, I think.

New Tricolor Plant at Corner

Blue Mist

                 Foxglove Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis)

Purple Poppy Mallow

Speedwell (aka  Veronica) is a perennial that attracts bees, butterflies, and pollinators so is included in this native garden.  I have blue and red varieties in several places around the landscape as it grows so well. 

I have two colors of yarrow - red and yellow which are likely hybrids that come back well every year.

Rose Verbena next to Slender Mountain Mist (2025)

Coneflowers -  may be a hybrid (2025)

New England Aster is located in the center of the Native Garden and has just been trimmed about one third to keep it from getting too tall as it is in the 2025 fall photo above.  It is a magnet for butterflies!

In the early 2000s, we removed nine oak trees and one cedar tree as they were all in places that could threaten our house in a storm.  We left this one oak tree in the middle of the backyard.  We had many native redbud trees planted 30 years ago.  We live at the edge of town that is bordered by heavy timbered areas and a river in a remote rural area.  There are plenty of trees and wildlife in a natural setting for miles and miles!  

This is an overview of the area directly under the oak tree which is partly shaded.  I added the black metal fence this year to keep two old rose bushes supported as the original wooden fence deteriorated.  Under the tree is mostly lirope that bloom a blue spike flower in late summer and orange day lilies.  There are several native blazing star plants that rise above the lirope here.  

The old rose bushes came from two different slips taken from a country cemetery fence and planted in this location soon after we moved here.  They are very hardy and highly scented.  

Old Heirloom Rose

Along the lower rock wall is a white honeysuckle; likely non-native but highly scented so I keep it trimmed.  It can be a problem to remove because it is growing in the rock wall.  I have made peace with it.

Inside the new black metal fence area I had  added some poppies which came back this year and will keep seeding itself.  It is a good place to let it go.  I also planted sunflowers, nasturtium, and purple poppy mallow which all came back on their own this year. 

Still mostly under the oak tree but in more sun are 3-tiers of garden areas terraced downhill.   This garden has an Autumn Joy sedum, purple speedwell, and red salvia.  The lower garden was full of fancy irises for about 20 years but have been impacted by a flame-thrower last year and only about half came back.  I will be purchasing some new stock this fall to fill in the area and instructed the flame-thrower operator to stay out of my flower beds! Apparently, there were too many weeds for too long a time after the irises were done blooming here.  

From the sidewalk looking downhill to the street, you can see 3-tiers of gardens under the oak tree.  It is partially shaded with full sun to the left at the boxwood hedge and below.  Close to the sidewalk are Stella d'Ora lilies.  The middle garden is a gravesite for one of our pet dachshunds of 15 years named Daffney.  There's a yellow trumpet lily, native blue mist, and blue batchelor's buttons growing here.  The circle garden at the bottom of the hill next to the shed is the gravesite for Daffney's mother, Sassy, who also lived 15 years.  This year we have planted sweet potato vines and cannas with the daffodils bulbs.  

Below the boxwood hedge is another excess plant garden with deteriorating railroad ties.  Two volunteer fennel plants came up this year and will likely stay here as I consider removing the original fennel plant from the Native Garden.  There is a Mexican sunflower plant in the middle.  Also in this garden is a New England aster, Shasta daisies, red salvia, and hollyhocks.  There is no plan here and anything goes...or stays!

One of many little lizards that lives in this area of deteriorating wood, rocks, and dense boxwood hedge.  

Back to my Happy Place where I will end this post from the perspective of my Swing Area where I spend a lot of time when the work is done and I can enjoy My Gardens, My World.  

One of the original oak trees has a rotting stump remaining.  Over the years it has been part of the garden mostly supporting the native coral honeysuckle vine which has been encouraged to depend on the trellis now. This stump has also been the site for many creative projects such as a gnome home and fairy tree complete with all kinds of fun ornaments. It has now been cleaned up and awaits yet another undetermined project; likely various succulents growing in the numerous holes. I will think about it soon.  There are various succulents in abundance here including hens & chickens.  Lemon balm and catnip grow well here and come back every year.  I also planted marigolds this year.  Close by are native hibiscus and self-seeding Mexican sunflowers later in the summer.

I call these succulents Donkey Tails

   

                          Native Pink Hibiscus (summer/fall)                                      

Mexican Sunflower with Monarch Butterfly (late summer/fall)

This is also Bobi Kitty's Happy Place with his Catnip Bed

I hope you have enjoyed the tour of My Gardens, My World.  Come back anytime for a visit.  Maybe you have a special place you have made to be in your world and understand how important it is to have one.  Right now, the world is in a dark side but there can be hope for a new day and for the light to shine again!  ✌💗 

"The world will not find peace until power learns compassion.  Let us demand leaders who choose love over fear, art over war, and humanity over destruction.  It is time to return to the real garden." ~ Paul McCartney

My Gardens, My World - Backyard Terraced Beds & Excess Areas

This overview of the upper terraced garden beds from the carport also shows the swing area which is my Happy Place to rest and view My Gardens, My World. 

There are four original vegetable gardens 4' x 20' that were built shortly after we moved here in 1986.  Treated wood was used but the interiors were lined with heavy plastic with the bottom left open. The wood has deteriorated over the 40 years. I'm sure the treated chemicals have leached out long ago. It is unlikely we will replace these four beds. We never used pesticides and only use organic fertilizer on the plants we eat.

There are two concrete strawberry beds built in recent years.  The swing area is lower than the area behind it that is used for extra parking. Native coral honeysuckle vine is planted to cover the trellis.  Below it is a variety of succulents, native hibiscus, catnip, and marigolds.  Between the swing and the steps is a steep clay hill planted in common orange lilies, allium, surprise lilies, and lemon balm.  

There is a 4-tier concrete decorative block garden below the carport planted in a variety of lilies, elephant ears, poppies, and Mexican sunflowers (Tithonia).  Below the strawberry beds is a native garden with blue mist, yarrow, and slender mountain mist showing in the above photo.

Overview of all terraced garden beds viewed from the shed.  On the left is an old excess garden made from treated railroad ties used for a variety of plants.  This year's come backs are Shasta daisies, red salvia, Mexican sunflowers, New England aster, fennel, and hollyhocks.  Above this garden is a boxwood hedge along the sidewalk.  On the other side of the sidewalk is the native garden also made of treated railroad ties.

Vegetable Garden #1 has variety lettuce, spinach, leeks, cucumbers, marigolds, asparagus, and nasturtium

Vegetable Garden #2 has leeks, carrots, Italian oregano, spinach, cucumber, marigolds, and currents

Vegetable Garden #3 has radishes, green beans, tomatoes, green onions, and beets 

Garden #4 looking toward the property line.  It has 3 kinds of squash, dill, cilantro, thornless blackberries, sunflowers, and a variety of wildflowers including native milkweed honey vine which is the host plant for monarch butterflies as they travel through in the fall (Supers). Most everything comes back every year.

Garden #4 view looking toward the shed has some old irises on a rocky slope.  This is the bottom end of the terraced areas.  The shed is even raised up on the backside utilizing storage underneath.

Garden #4 Batchelor Buttons

Garden #4 has a variety of wildflowers like blue batohleor buttons, four o'clocks, and thornless blackberries on the fence.

Garden #4 Thornless Blackberries in Bloom

Garden #4 Wildflowers in Bloom

This is an Excess Area that is located on the other side of the shed that defines the lowest level of the backyard.  Between this area and the street is a steep slope full of yucca plants and sumac.  This is a place for excess lily varieties, irises, and Bells of Ireland.  The recently mulched empty area had the early surprise lily (aka naked lilies) greenery that has died back and will produce the pick blooms in August.

Belles of Ireland, Irises, and Soloman's Seal

Surprise Lilies (aka Naked Ladies) in August

Excess lilies from thinning out main beds include a variety of day lilies, trumpets, Cala lilies, Asiatics, and whatever else needs a home.  The deer frequent this area to nibble the buds and have even left a little fawn here once that I know of while mama goes out and about.

This is a rocky slope between Garden #4 and the property line.  I have several native gooseberry bushes here that produce.  In view is a structure built that I call "a gravel dispenser."  It is a tall wood box full of gravel that was built for target practice that we never use.  This whole area had gravel at one time but has grown over in grass and weeds that is whipped 2-3 times a year now.

View from shed looking toward property line.  This is the edge where the terraces end and the steep slope drops to the street.  There is a wood gate that blocks the view of the dump from above where we burn stuff in a protected area. Makes it easy to wheelbarrow refuse from the landscape downhill.

Back up the hill between Garden #1 and the lilac hedge property line is the compost bin.  Above it is the stairway from the lower driveway.  This is the path from the kitchen to the compost with scraps that go into the gardens eventually.  The blue barrel is for water that can be used for the gardens with a downhill hose.  We have city water so we fill it for the chlorine to dissipate before putting it on the gardens.  Rainwater is best, of course, but it helps a little to have it.  There are  seven water hydrants available for the backyard and one for the front yard.  That's oregano to the left of the compost bin on a rocky slope.  Below it is a dill and marigold garden.

The two strawberry terraced gardens are only about three years old made of poured concrete.  The netting works okay but I would like to find an easier way to protect them and get to the ripe berries that need picking often in spring.

 

Ripe Strawberries!  This year I picked enough strawberries each week in May for both of us to each have a serving everyday!  There will be more now and then in June also.