Category Archives: Lessons from the garden

Lessons from the Garden

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Pace yourself

“My garden is my favorite teacher.” {quoting myself}

The front garden is starting to explode.  First the yarrow, verbena and iris and now the mallow, thyme and roses.  The late spring weather is wonderful.  I have to wear a sweater for my morning walks; and holding a cup of coffee to warm my hands is just perfect.  Though I prefer to tend a little bit every day, life has been full and the weeds have been ignored, so Monday will be a weeding day.   {for my desk too…}  I’ve been in listening mode, as the garden has been whispering lessons again.

Last week, the hydrangeas encouraged me to pace myself as I stopped for a walk and and a cup of coffee, while immersed in deadlines.  The blue is my favorite.  I must remember favorites.

Spilling over

Spilling Over

The yarrow reminded me that sometimes it’s okay to spill over.  Ideas spill outside of boxes and borders as I move and activate the next thing.  And my heart spills over onto pages as I get to the truth.

Change your perspective

Change Your Perspective

The iris by the mailbox smell like grape kool-aid and are amazing to view from all angles.  They remind me that fresh insight comes if I remain willing to change my perspective.

Shine.

Shine

This rose changes color as it unfolds.  In the sunlight is translucent and shimmery.  Sometimes shining is in order.

Wait for the right time

Wait for the right time

For about 3 minutes at dusk, the iris by the sidewalk are luminous.  The season is short and timing is everything.  The iris remind me both to wait and be present.

Mandala Monday: Moonflower Mandala

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moonflower mandala

True story:  I snapped this photo with my iPhone and then went inside to get the “real camera” for some more detailed shots.  My intention was sit down to add more to this mandala, made from seed pods and winter interest collected during our weekend garden chores.  However, when I returned, the cat had been playing and the wind had been blowing and the morning agenda was “to the wind”, so to speak.

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The art is teaching; I am still learning…

Dance with change

Lessons from the garden: on brown wrappings

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Her:  “Did you consider that it might be protection?”
Me *sniffling* “mmm…what?”
Her:  Maybe there is purpose in that situation ending.

On that day, I just wanted to cry… but yesterday down on my knees, with the damp earth seeping through my jeans, the words of my wise friend echoed in my heart.

It might be protection.

There is purpose.

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I get so excited for this time of year in the garden ~ the spring clean-up after the fall clean-up.  The fall clean up is a tucking in, but this, this is like opening a package.  Like welcoming a new baby.  Old growth, left for winter interest, is making way for the new. Like a deep breath of air right after it rains; all feels fresh, crisp and clean.

Ubiquitous cup of coffee in hand, I took inventory.

* Leaves & trash out of beds
* Move trellis
* Trim the crape myrtles
* Too much to do in one day, just start…

And then it was time… to tend and be in the quiet of birdsong, earth and thought.  As I gently pushed back crunchy brown leaves to uncover the seem-to-be-dead-but-not-really-perennials, I heard her again, “Did you consider it might be protection?” The wind blew, and I continued lifting leaves, like little blankets, off of the truth that, the scenario I thought was breaking my heart, was simply a cycle.  One that I can welcome not fight.  Situations fall to the ground and feel like death.  The tears are real, but the endings circle around to the next beginning.   I love uncovering the buds and bits of green because it’s like uncovering my dormant heart.  Those little buds infuse me with hope.  “Maybe there is purpose in the situation’s ending.” Maybe, oh, maybe…

new growth small

Winter is ending ~ Spring is coming.

I am new growth in a brown package;
hope wrapped in last year’s fallen dreams.