Patience

Are any of you wondering what my garden looks like?
Well, you may flabbergasted to discover that it's simply a large area of horse manure, followed by newspaper, than grass clippings and finally a layer of straw. It's what they refer to in permaculture as 'sheet mulching'. I knew nothing about it, but when I calculated the amount of compost I would need to pay for to improve our soil which was devastatingly low in organic matter, I was damn glad to learn about it. The pay off is supposed to be wonderful rich soil come spring and all I have to do is water and wait. Feel free to keep your fingers crossed for me . . .

Faded Coat of Blue

I've come to love blue in the garden. There was a time when I first began gardening, that I only had eyes for the warmth of orange, burgundy, and plum; I had no interest in blue. Now I find it the most interesting color because it changes so much depending on the light of day. My favorite time to see it is at twilight when everything begins to fade except for the blues, that is when they seem to come alive.

Woodland

Today I went for my first walk in the woods of the summer. I'm ashamed to say that, living right by the ocean, I find I spend less and less time in the woods. It was so familiar and reassuring to be there. It was as if it were saying, "Remember me? I am older than all of your stories."
The mixture of shade and humidity create this illusion of deep breathing, enhancing the certainty that everything around you is alive or has given its life to the spirit of this ecosystem. It's such a perfect balance, there is so much to learn from this . . .

I apologize for the recent silence, I was away on family business.
Every year I say I'm going to make a point to spend more of the summer soaking up the wonders of camping, canoeing, hiking, etc. And each year it seems as if we're lucky to devote two long weekends to such simple pleasures. I wont give up on that goal but for the meantime I am working on living more fully in the present moment, when I do this I get the chance to appreciate more of the little things that summer has to offer.