Tag: Gardening

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Observations

“If, then, I were asked for the most important advice I could give, that which I considered to be the most useful to the men of our century, I should simply say: in the name of God, stop a moment, cease your work, look around you.” 

― Leo Tolstoy, Essays, Letters and Miscellanies

I have been working in the yard these past few days. The heat of summer has moved in early. Even starting early in the day my energy level is zapped to zero by noon. The up side is I have had lots of time to think about what I want to write. The down side is I don’t have a lot of energy left for the writing and editing part of the deal.

Every day I am learning more about plants native to Texas. All those lessons are confirmed by my many scratches and puncture wounds. It seems most native plants have some form of protection–needles, thorns, spikes….the list of weaponry is incredible well as subtle. Just when you think something is safe to pull–zing–another lesson learned.

I’ve been observing my surroundings–remember my word for the year is ‘awareness.” There is a native plant here that wickedly painful to trim. As I tried to find a way to remove it without impaling myself, I noticed the wrens build their nests in this plant. It is so full of thorns it is a virtual fortress. After noticing them I decided it may be wise to work them into the yard by carefully trimming them. It was a win/win situation–I had something to fill space in my garden and the cute little wrens had a safe place to build their own homes.

One more lesson on taking the time to observe before taking any action.

My hope is the prayer I found to share today will speak to you as it did to me.

The Voice Within

I took a little walk today

To listen to God’s word,

And then I stopped to rest awhile

This is what I heard:

“Dear one, there’s someone waiting

To hear from you today,

Someone who needs your loving heart

To spread joy in its own way;

Never turn away my child

I bid you to press on.

Let your light forever shine

To reach this precious one. 

Who knows what happiness can come

From loving thoughts so true,

Go forth and spread your sunshine

Only good can come to you.” 

And as I left my quiet place

I felt such peace within,

Because I knew what I should do

To love and honor Him.

Jan Edwards, Bedside Prayers

I am…

B…simply being.

~Peace~

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Strength

“The many great gardens of the world, of literature and poetry, of painting and music, of religion and architecture, all make the point as clear as possible: The soul cannot thrive in the absence of a garden. If you don’t want paradise, you are not human; and if you are not human, you don’t have a soul.” 

― Sir Thomas More

What a joy it is to get the gardens cleaned up and replanted.

I learned last year to give new plants room to grow–less really can mean more in certain situations–allow room for growth.

I’ve been surprised by the encouragement I’ve felt from the plants I’ve discovered hidden under the mulch while clearing out leaves and dried plants. Under it all I’ve found little sprigs of green that’d survived the winter as well as the late spring frosts.

What a wonderful gift–to see how these fragile little flowers withstood unexpected hardship, held strong, and continued to rise onward and upward.

I am grateful for the gifts Mother Nature showers upon me–each new leaf and tiny bud finds a way to soothe my heart.

“Faeries are known to be tenders of plants and energizing inhabitants of gardens. They are more elusive than Angels and often have lively, mercurial temperaments. They are active in preserving what little wilderness remains on the Earth.” 

― Elizabeth Eiler, Swift and Brave: Sacred Souls of Animals

I am…

B…simply being.

~Peace~

 

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The First Day of Spring

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature — the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.” 

― Rachel Carson, Silent Spring

I’ve been able to get outside and into my gardens these past few days. Honestly, there is so much to do I don’t know where to start. The rains we had this past fall and winter blessed us with a bumper crop of wild flowers along with an even larger array of weeds.

My understanding of  the cliché, “Growing like a weed,” has advanced to an entirely different level.

As I walked our yard doing weed assessment, it was appropriate to find St. Francis surrounded by a huge patch of blue bonnets.

For me, the patron saint of ecologists, provides a perfect antidote for the very difficult winter many people endured this year. Now, on this first day of spring, the aftermath of all that snow is causing epic flooding all through the Midwest.

Our weather continues to rage at a magnitude we’ve never experienced. As with all the unrest in our world, we find ourselves caught off guard and completely unprepared.

There are many questions in my mind on this first day of spring. I don’t have any answers but I do know prayer helps.

May the Prayer of St. Francis bring peace to all battling hardships today.

 Lord, make me an instrument
of Thy peace;
Where there is hatred,
let me sow charity;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is error, truth;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light; and Where there is sadness, joy.
O, Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled, as to console;
To be understood as to understand; To be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; And it is in dying to ourselves that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.

I am…

B…simply being.

~Peace~