The Third Act

garden thoughts

Yesterday was full on dismal.  It was gray and drizzly.  However, it wasn't cold enough to use wood for a fire.  So the day ended up a little blah.

This morning the clouds have moved on.  The sun is blindingly bright and there's a very chilly breeze.  Winter remains mild.  

Out in the yard, so many of the naturalized daffodils are getting their growth on.  There are buds here and there.  I tell them to wait a bit, because the cold might actually return.  I'm not sure they listen.  In fact, I'm sure they know better about these things than I do.

Spring is filling my mind.  Seeds have been sorted, new ones ordered, and a couple more gardening infrastructure pieces procured.  My seed starting set up is expanding.  The intent is to really up my gardening game (whatever that means, exactly...not sure) this year.  I've put in a lot of work already so anything new is an add on to my existing system.

It's interesting to see how the garden has evolved over the years.  I don't tend to be a terribly methodical person.  My nature is a bit...intuitive (well, that's the positive spin anyway).  That being said, there's been a bit of wisdom in my methodology.  It has taken this long to see what plants like to be where, and also get a clearer vision of the footprint.  The garden doesn't have the most ideal conditions, mainly with regard to light.  I'm gardening in the midst of many very large trees.  Clear cutting the lot was definitely not an option...my sensibilities wouldn't have that.  Over the years, though, there have been some thoughtful and reasonable removals.  There is just enough light now to get things to grown fairly well...not quite enough for optimum production (as if production was the only reason to garden).  In addition, given our hot summers, having afternoon shade isn't a bad thing.

I'm excited for this year's garden!

 

 

 

seeds

I went through my stash of seeds yesterday, organizing and re-containerizing them.  I threw away empty packets, noting what they were.  I combined some packets, where it made sense.

You'd think with this many seeds I wouldn't need anymore, right?  Well, it's probably true...I probably don't need any more.  And yet...I have a list of chosen ones on the rareseeds website.  

Don't you just love seeds?  What magic potential they hold.  I started almost all my garden plants from seeds last year.  To think that the cucumbers and eggplant and peppers I harvested from three foot tall plants all started with that one little dot.  Amazing.

 

 

quiet

I'm not as inclined to write these days.  Maybe just snippets of the day to day...vignettes of thoughts.  I think I'm looking for quiet, both internally and externally. 

And social media... While I tend to gravitate towards content that's nurturing and enlightening, even listening to folks has gotten to be too much.  I'll start and then just move away...like it takes too much energy to absorb what's offered.  It's as if my nervous system can only process so much.  Perhaps I've just grown more sensitive as I age.  Maybe it's about feeling into the winter.

 

 

 

 

good morning, Monday

What do you have in store for me today? 

Various garden tasks patiently wait...at least until it warms up a bit.  That won't take long...temperatures are supposed to rise above "normal" again.  That's January 2023, I guess. 

The rhythm of the washing machine, birds chirping and pecking outside the window, that last bit of incense burning down.

I see a bill on my desk that needs to be paid, but no mail today so there's no hurry.

There's never a lack of tasks, worries, joys, beauty...no time to bored.

 

 

 

chilly Saturday

I think the maximum temperature today was 36F.  At mid-day Avery and I had a long, brisk walk around the neighborhood. Honestly, it felt really good.  But after that, it's been all about keeping the fire in the wood stove going and hibernating. 

There's leftover borscht for dinner, which will serve me well.  Lunch was a small cup of leftover veggie chili.  I'm very proud of myself eating up leftovers!

 

 

 

Friday

It's nice to have some sunshine to greet the weekend.  Overnight, heavy rain went through at times.  This followed a very gray, but warmish day.  Now the sky is bright and the weekend is forecast to be chilly...which is quite fine in my mind.  It is, after all, winter.

 

 

 

random and in no order

I love how, on cold winter mornings, the low southern light flows into the dining room.

So many books inhabit my house.  It's hard to get them all read, but I do my best.

Winter still influences my body.  Efforts to rise early and jump to work seem futile.  I'll mimic nature.

One of the ways I tell the difference between the days of the week, is by my morning cuppa...smokey tea, puer, or coffee.  I'm getting in a rhythm.  Who needs a calendar? (well, yes, I still need a calendar)

There's a low whistle coming from the wood stove, the flames wriggling inside.

Old fir needles (from the Christmas tree) and a cinnamon stick are in the humidifier on top of the wood stove.  One of the best scents.

The dentist told me I grind my teeth in my sleep.  I've known this for years (and yes, I need to start using a night guard).  I used to think I could "control" this by relaxing my jaw before I went to sleep and consciously telling myself to stay that way.  Then I learned the grinding happens during REM stage.  I don't think any conscious will is going to take care of that.  This morning I had a couple of very frustrating dreams...trying to find the right dress to wear to a wedding and running late...and trying to get to work but not being able to find the right elevator (all the while carrying two sticks of butter (??) and having them melt before I got to where I needed to be).  This made me wonder if I grind more during frustrating dreams...I'll probably never know.

This morning there was a heavy frost outside.  Same as yesterday.  Snow seems to be avoiding us this year.  So...I wondered...if maybe the white of the frost is all we'll get this winter.

 

 

 

 

 

winter bloomers

And I don't mean underwear!  The hellebores are putting out some sweet blossoms right now.  They're just starting, with their little faces still close to the ground.  I don't know why I thought these were early spring bloomers.  Because of that, I was blaming "no snow" and not enough cold for what I thought was precocious timing.  But no...I looked it up and most varieties bloom anywhere from November through spring.  So, we're all good.

Still, January has been running above normal temperatures.  It's cooled off some and there was a good frost this morning, but upcoming days look as if the lows are running consistently high.  I pay way too much attention to weather information.  It would be better if I just looked out the window in the morning to tell me what I need to know.  That might be a good exercise to try for a while.  

This year I'll hold back on sowing any seeds until mid-February.  I started far too early in 2022.  In addition, I'll be a little more restrained with the volume of seedlings I grow!  For now, I'll just spend time going through my stash of seeds, with some fantasy perusal of the gardening catalogs.  I remind myself...it's still time to dream.

 

 

 

 

 

waiting...

...for snow

...for spring

...for love

...for companionship

...for inspiration

At the same time, contented...with home, with the present, with friends, with family, with opportunity, with potential, with spirit.

 

 

 

Sunday

It's 39F, dark and drizzly outside.  A fire and a good book make for an excellent afternoon.  That is...if I could stay awake! To be fair, the falling asleep isn't necessarily a bad thing.