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.
Claudia I love the picture of you in your garden! Your silver hair is beautiful.. It reminds me of a dear cousin of mine!
Enjoy your garden, Scout and don’t worry so much about money! Just a little bit advise from Ladybug cottage.
Suzan
Thanks, Suzan!
Gardening is the best! I love the process, the textures and shapes and colors. I love my gardening friends and sharing plants and ideas. I love having my dog Phoebe join me as I weed island beds… I love contemplating as I work and plan. I enjoy a small memorial garden and keeping it tidy and thinking about how to perfect it each year. I hate cleaning up and returning indoors to dinner preparation duty! :)
I’ve thought of doing a small memorial garden for Riley –
My hair has begun looking white in photos too, I’m like what is THAT?! Glad you could get outside and commune with nature. Hope the finances ease up soon. It’s always something, ain’t it? (an old saying of mine …) Mary
It IS always something!
Platinum blonde can work, honey, absolutely! When I was in my 20s and 30s I bleached my hair almost white. I’ll try and find a picture to email you. But it was white and I loved it. Maybe that’s why I love the gray in my hair now. It lightens it up a bit. But I looooove the color of my hair now. Suits me, I think.
xoxo,
Connie
If only I looked like Jean Harlow or one of those famous platinum blondes!
is there anything more soothing to the soul and calming of the mind then gardening? glad to know you are finding peace in the unfurling of new life; thank you for sharing it with all of us.
You are most welcome, Rebecca.
Claudia, that’s a beautiful photo of you, and you do look like a platinum blonde! Yesterday I was doing the same, working in the yard. It’s my drug of choice! No matter what ails me, gardening makes it better.
Your yard looks terrific! Can’t wait to see that rose bush burst forth with color.
Me too, Nola. I’m so excited for my roses to bloom!
Claudia, Yes, go with blonde.:):) You are catching up with your gardening. I have a ton of work to do yet. Things get done here but sometimes …slowly. xoxo,Susie
Well, today has turned rainy, so I’m not getting anything done in the garden.
Claudia you garden is lovely and I think it’s a great escape from worries! Sweet Scout watching your every move makes me smile! We have a rabbit in our yard and she ‘teases’ the cats all the time! I love the photo of you….silver is very flattering!
hugs,
Linda
Thanks Linda. Gardening is one of the rare things I can totally lose myself in.
As far as finances go, hang in there -there are alot of us in the same boat :) Thank goodness for Mother Nature and the beautiful plants that surround us and help us de-stress………
Thank you, Mother Nature!
Oops! Great photo…my comment posted in the wrong place…how funny! ;) check yesterday! Don’t have time to do this again! ;)
I saw it, Donna!
It was a perfect day to do yard work. I planted some new plants, trimmed some tree branches and sprayed weeds. Love this time of the year to watch all the plants return to life again. My faves are always the hostas. But then my hydrangeas come a close second. At least early in the season. Have a great week!
My hydrangeas are showing just the faintest hint of new blooms. I love my hydrangeas, too.
Your hair looks amazing and so do you.
Hugs to you sister,
Mere
I look more and more like Mom. It’s a bit unsettling.
Your garden looks lovely … and soooo green. I live now on the desert where everything either scratches, bites, picks or sticks you and soft green leaves are hard to come by. I love my mesquite tree and the oleanders and other bushes we’ve added with leaves that move gently in the breeze. And we’re removing the prickly cactus and giving them to friends who love them. They’re going to a good home — just not my home!
I, too, wonder sometimes who that woman in the mirror is. Inside I’m still 20; outside is a different story. Acceptance is something I’m working on … after all, it is what it is and I must get used to it.
Acceptance isn’t easy. Today I find it especially hard!
You look pretty darn good to me. You should see me after a day in the yard!! It isn’t pretty!!
xo Kris
Thanks, Kris!
Gardens are looking great. Watch out for the impatients this year. Ask about this at a nursery. I have read in a magazine and talked to the owner at a nursery about impatients. There is suppose to be a fungal infection in them and the fungus spores (or however they described it) can go into your soil. I see that they sell them at places here, but I am staying away from them this year.
I just read up on it. Unfortunately, I already had purchased some. I think I’ll pot them for the porch and keep my fingers crossed. I used to put them in our barrels and darned if they didn’t die last year. Here I was thinking they were eaten by deer. It all makes sense now. So I won’t plant them in the same barrels. I’ll replace that soil and plant something else there.
You look so wonderful. I am so glad that we planted perennials last year as we are not buying any annuals this year. I don’t think there is anything more satisfying than working out in the garden. It helps to keep those money worries away. :)
hugs,
Laura
The only annuals I pot are impatiens, but that looks questionable right now because of this fungus I’ve been reading about. My gardens are all perennials.
Ah, such beauty surround your wee cottage! I have a black thumb, but have high hopes of correcting that once our little cottage is built this summer. I’ll need advice on shade loving plants for sure!
Well, I have a lot of shade around here, so feel free to ask!
You are a lovely lady in more ways than one my dear Claudia..no matter what color your hair is..you look so cute in your gardening jeans and tee-shirt with that big grin on your face..That is a wonderful picture of you..so natural..doing what you love..It is so good to see you back where you belong..as for money..all I can tell you is somehow, someway..we always seem to get by and keep going on every month..hopefully you will too..Hugs..
Same here, Nancy. But it is so stressful! I suppose my worrying doesn’t help things.
No it doesn’t but sometimes you just can’t help doing it!
I like your hair. Mine is completely gray, and I like it, too.
Well, I refuse to color it so it will be gray.
I love gardening, too but the weather here in IL has been so crappy lately. Nothing but gray skies, rain, and even cold. It warmed up a bit today but it’s still gray and damp and thunderstorms are threatening. I was just outside pulling some weeds and sweeping all the blown branches and such off my porch and sidewalk. I like the picture Don took of you! I think you look very young in that photo. And your hair looks very blonde, not white. :-)
It’s rainy here today, Melanie. Then it’s supposed to get very hot. Then cool again next week.
I would have loved to have the “platinum blonde” hair I have now when I was 20. Of course, I’d also love to now have the figure I had when I was 20. I think you’re looking good! Claudia, I remember that thrilling moment of coming home after even a week away and walking through my house saying, “I love you, I love you,” in every room. I know you must have felt that too and that’s priceless. Have fun!
Yes, I’m happy to be home, Dewena.
Blonde for sure…I feel nirvana in my gardens too…it is my happiest time even when I can barely move later :)
Same here! My aching back!
Well Claudia, my hair is brown underneath a bit and gray everywhere else. I think you are beautiful as you are.Your lovely face shows compassion, wisdom and love. You have a snese of humor and all these are in your eyes and face.
I am so pleased when I see women our generation unafriad to show our maturity. I made a decision when I neared 60 to keep things in perspective. I will not use the last half of my life trying to please others. and making the youthful mistake of thinking the trivial is important.
I too find my Nirvana in the garden. This is my favorite place of meditation and prayer. I have solved more world problems weeding my phlox and roses than the UN ever contemplated.
Keep well and God bless.
Thanks so much for the kind words, Regena!
Hello Claudia. I have to tell you how envious I am of your hostas–well, of your entire place, but especially those hostas. I can not grow them here, it is too sunny and hot. You and your environment are so real and beautiful. It is why I come to your blog each and every day. Our computer died (again) over a week ago. We replaced it (gulp) and then I was in a panic because I could not remember the name of my favorite blog…I had you bookmarked and never had to type in your name. It took me a few days, but I found you and have been trying to catch up on your posts. I am glad you are back home. It is great to travel and even better to come home. For me, your honesty is refreshing. You are not trendy, preachy, or stuffy. You are the real deal. I am glad to “know” you. We are both private people that like to chat. :-D
I’m so glad you found me again, Teresa. Thank you so much for your kind words – they mean a great deal to me.
I love your hair Claudia. Remember Meryl in “the Devil Wears Prada”. She had her hair dyed silver to emphasize her stylish, confident character. J
Ah! If only I was as stylish as my favorite actress, Meryl Streep!
You look very pretty. Love your smile and your lovely hair color. I feel the same about the garden. It’s like greeting a friend. It is cathartic and brings serenity. I did not buy one plant this year, and don’t plan to. I did buy some seeds and planted them. Will have to wait on the mulch. But I so love looking through the window at my two gardens that came back so beautifully from last year.
Brenda
You look so happy! I don’t like gardening, much. It is a constant battle against buttercups here. Even with mulch they come back every year in force. And weeding them out works for a while, but then they send their nasty little creepers back to the surface.
I don’t have the gardening knack. Of course, there are some amazing gardens here, so I can’t blame the environment, weather, etc.!
I love your silver hair – I am getting grayer and grayer every day and I have no inclination to do anything about it – I want to wear my silver proudly!
Scout is a good girl to leave the bunny alone – and she has the prettiest smile!
The photo of you is absolutely fantastic-but I know personally it is a bit unsettling when I look at my photo and wonder, “who is that?” I feel the same inside as I always did and wonder at times how other people view me-more out of curiosity than anything else. Like you, I refuse to color AND finances are a concern. Circumstances can undermine years of hard work. We will survive though-all of us! Us private folk who love to chat will hold each other up in friendship and prayer. Thanks for a great place to come and be amongst like minded people-friends.
Mare
Such a huge rabbit,wonderful! Perhaps Claudia,the exposure was dazzled by your ever brightening spirit,and what better way to frame it than in white light?