Meditate on it

The continuity of seasons is evidence of God’s forbearance.                                                                                        -Bible Knowledge Commentary I planted seeds for a fall garden last week.  As I almost always miss the window for fall gardening, I was proud of myself. It's the little things. August is such a whirlwind with school starting back that little things--like fall gardens-go by the wayside. But I really needed the continuity of a fall garden this year--need something to connect me to the outside and ground me in the here and now. It feels counter-intuitive to plant colder weather plants when it's hot outside, but gardening is funny in that way. You anticipate the seasons before they arrive in earnest. The germination window of certain vegetables is like catching a wave---although you could plant them sooner or later, ideal timing allows you to take best advantage of the weather and conditions. I threw an heirloom winter squas

"People are turning to their gardens not to consume but to actively create, not to escape from reality but to observe it closely. In doing this they experience the connectedness of creation and the profoundest sources of being. That the world we live in and the activity of making it are one seamless whole is something that we may occasionally glimpse. In the garden, we know." -Carol Williams, Bringing a Garden to Life While walking in downtown Weaverville yesterday, I met an avid gardener named Sue who invited us into their garden, Laughing Crow .  After my disparaging comments on crows awhile back, I thought it interesting that she had such a different take on these birds.  They are definitely hard-core lovers of nature though--she even welcomes the yellow jackets because "they are mighty hunters that keep the caterpillars down." Sue graciously invited Rose and I to explore, so of course, we did!  It was an enchanting place to spend time on a hot

“Show me your garden and I shall tell you what you are.” -Alfred Austin Some folks like to people watch, but me, I like to garden watch. Wherever the children travel with their to and fro, I'll look for a new place to walk and garden watch. Neighborhoods are a great place to wander--the best ones have a good mix of the sublime and the dysfunctional. I prefer eclectic neighborhoods where the houses don't all look alike and  the outside of each home tells its own story. A person's yard can be a window into what they value or tolerate, what they find beautiful or useful. Some approach their yards very structurally. These types like gates, hedges, fences, edging. You may step here. You may not go beyond here. The tree lives here, the bush is shaped just so, and their flowers are delegated to a few posed pots or bed. A sense of security and order characterizes such yards. I imagine dinner will be served on time there. However, taken to an extreme, this type of gard