perspective

When you are a gardener there is always something that needs to be done. Gardening is a perfect metaphor for life. You can tend it and help it along, pull the weeds, trim, plant, feed, harvest. You can manage a garden, try and shape it to the image you want of it. Or, you can simply allow it to go wild. Which ever methods you choose there are going to be both unpleasant and pleasant surprises. If you tend your garden there will be more pleasant than not. If you don’t tend it, well, there will be all kinds of surprises, most not of your liking. Isn’t that how life works? It’s a way of trying to balance the odds. Sometimes the odds will not be in your favor. But you tend anyway.

This year I’m putting conscious effort into a fall garden. I’ve planted lots of stuff that doesn’t mind the cold so much. Like collards, cabbage, beets, oriental greens, onions, garlic, broccoli, spinach. I’m hoping this bit of color will help me make it through the winter. I might even find a reason to rejoice through the winter. I usually spend those dark cold months wishing for summer again, and hiding my head. I’m attempting in my small way to actually enjoy that season this year.

Of course I need to put the whole winter thing into perspective. I grew up in the west where it wasn’t unusual to have to turn on the heat in August, trick or treat in the snow, or have a stray snow storm on the 4th of July. Those memories stay with a person. Now I live in the south east where children who receive bicycles for Christmas can actually go outside and ride them before June. Where I can still go out in my garden and pick greens for Thanks Giving dinner and hang out on my front porch while waiting for the turkey to finish roasting. Where folks go to pick their trees in shirt sleeves.

OK, so winter isn’t all that bad! I LOVE winter in the south east! No snow boots! No having to plug in your car at night to keep it warm enough to start! No having to thaw frozen water pipes! LIFE IS GRAND!!!!!!