Nirvana = A state of perfect happiness. That comes awfully darn close to how I feel when I work in the garden. Even the drudgery of weeding brings a smile to my face. Remember when I took those first spring photos of plants peeking up from the soil and I said that I felt like I was reemerging after hibernating for the winter? That was before I left for Hartford and was away from the garden for five weeks. Well, today I feel like I’m exactly where I should be, with the sun on my face and the memory of a long, hard winter slowing fading away.
I’m communing with all sorts of plant life. Getting reacquainted with each plant. Oh, that one. I remember that one. Hello!
Masses of green, masses of textures.
Hostas that become more glorious with each new season.
Blooms about to burst forth.
Birds everywhere, their songs filling the air, providing a welcome counterpoint to the sound of traffic.
This little guy, who plants himself between our car and the dog corral every evening. I think he likes to watch the world go by. Scout runs out, ready to bark at him, but upon hearing my “No, leave him alone” stops and goes about her business. She’s almost getting used to him. He certainly wasn’t too alarmed by my attempts to photograph him.
This girl, who sometimes watches all my digging and yanking and planting from the porch. She’d rather be right beside me, where the action is, but is content to watch from afar. But only for a while. Then she gets antsy and starts barking at me. Scamp.
Today, I will plant some seeds. Tomorrow, some things need to be purchased, hopefully, for very little money: a couple of bags of mulch, some potting soil, a flat of impatiens. I really want to buy some hanging plants…but we might have to wait on that.
Money’s tight. I woke up today with worries about all of that. Thank goodness for gardening, which takes me to another place. Where I get a tiny glimpse of nirvana.
Don took this photo of me yesterday. I was pruning some bushes. The weather was perfect and I spent several hours outdoors. See if you can guess what shocked me.
The sun made my gray and brown hair look white. Yikes. But danged if my hair isn’t looking grayer. I checked it out later in the bathroom. There’s still brown underneath it all, but it sure as heck is silvery gray. Or perhaps we’ll call this platinum blonde?
Who is that woman?
Happy Tuesday.
