"Autumn is a Second Spring When Every Leaf is a Flower."
Albert Camus
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"Summertime is always the best of what might be."
Charles Bowden
Everything is ripe. Everything is glorious. It really doesn’t get any better than this. The mornings are getting cool so we are counting each warm day. I try to press it all into my heart so I can savor the warmth as I tend my garden and watch the hummingbirds.
I ate my first tomato today. A landmark day for a gardener. This relentless heat does produce miracles. I’m always looking for miracles. That unexpected gift from the Universe that could create a fleeting moment of delight or transform your life. Embrace it all and life will be good.
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“No gardener would be a gardener if he did not live in hope.” - Vita Sackville West
Hope is that eternal glimmer that it will all work out for the better. I carry it with me every day and it makes space for the Universe to deliver.
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"We learn from our gardens to deal with the most urgent questions of our time: How much is enough?"
Wendell Berry, American Poet
"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished."
Lao Tzu
We could just sit and watch our gardens and learn so much. It appears that no matter how fierce the winter, we have the privilege of witnessing the miracle of new life each Spring. Perhaps we should take note and count on ourselves more and hurry less.
Spring has arrived and the beloved poet, Mary Oliver says it best.
I rose this morning early as usual,
and went to my desk.
But it’s spring,
and the thrush is in the woods,
somewhere in the twirled branches, and he is singing.
And so, now, I am standing by the open door.
And now I am stepping down onto the grass.
I am touching a few leaves.
I am noticing the way the yellow butterflies
move together, in a twinkling cloud, over the field.
And I am thinking: maybe just looking and listening
is the real work.
Maybe the world, without us,
is the real poem.
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The miracle is starting to happen.
Everywhere I look I see new life peeking through the cloak of winter. It gives me heart as I anticipate the unfolding of spring. Socrates once said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Let’s consider his challenge as we welcome the new season.
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The shortest day has passed and each day we gain a little light. I peruse my seed catalogues and dream of a garden in bloom. The soil is frozen now so I must be patient. Not my strong suit. However, just below that dormant surface an entire season of beauty is considering pushing upwards towards the surface. Remember this metaphor when your heart may seem temporarily frozen and needs only the slightest encouragement to warm up. Let’s be kind to one another so all hearts can beat gently regardless of the temperature.
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The Holidays seem to bring us joy, light, and sadness. Joy in the gathering of those we love. Light as we embrace the stories of our faiths and sadness for those missing from our celebrations. We reflect on our year and begin to plan for the new one. Let us plan for Peace on Earth and goodwill towards men and women.
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The poet, Mary Oliver, writes of the “unobservable mysteries- roots and sealed seeds and the wanderings of water.” She speaks of Fall and the quiet closure of what was recently abundant. Similarly, we each round another season of our lives with both grand and subtle gestures that lead us into our annual period of reflection and gratitude. And the one that fuels our souls again is gratitude.
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The last full month of summer is here with a splash and it is time to seize the day. Whether your heart yearns for a day in the garden or you’re in search of your next automotive adventure, this month’s selections are full of promise. Take a look at some of the most coveted art exhibits around the globe, journey through time as Bugatti celebrates 110 years of service and imagine the endless possibilities of infusing your garden with English elements.
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