Standing tall are white pine trees that were planted by the original owners of my home in the 1950’s.
I wonder what they would say if they could speak. They have been home to many a squirrel, hawk, or other creature. They have shaded the yard, produced cones that have been used to celebrate winter holidays and their logs have been used to warm the hearth. Now, one is fading into sawdust. But as I investigate, I see the beauty in the work of art it has become. I imagine the life of that magnificent tree and learn yet another life lesson. Not unlike my own life’s journeys.
All signs point to the ending of the growing season, but the beauty still remains. Orange and yellow leaves are dancing in the autumn breezes. The brief evening shower has brightened the green grass for a few more days. A warm day for this mid-November afternoon. Remembering, as I wander through my yard, the encouraging glimpses of the first green shoots of spring poking through the last melting patches of ice and snow. The wonder of the circle of life and what is to come. The memories of seasons past. The challenges of wind and weather. The glorious color as the blooms reach their showy splendor in spring and summer. Every day a new vista out my window. The heat of the summer sun and the cool summer evenings invite us to sit on the deck and sip a cool drink with family and friends. The deepening shadows of early evening, full of the weaving the bats catching insects and sparkling fireflies make memories. We treasure plants from our friends as we add the memories to our gardens,
Yesterday was a family day of leaf blowing, gutter cleaning, and preparation for the winter ahead. The bright spot? My son and daughter in-law helping me to put the gardens to bed for another year. Just like a garden we glory in of adding new friends to our family circles through many growing seasons and watching them grow and bloom. We celebrate and savor the memories and anticipate what is to come. We meet the challenges of life by nurturing. Like the plants in our gardens, from the tiniest new leaves to the familiar plants, and maturing trees, we protect, feed, support, and wonder!
The garden: a place where there is no political rhetoric. Every inhabitant of my garden is celebrated for its strengths and challenges. All colors, sizes, shapes, and fragrances co-exist. Each has its place. Each proclaims its presence as an individual personality and together the garden blooms.
Take time to embrace the lessons of Mother Nature!
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