Slow Gardening

The forest trees are still bare except for the red tipped maple branches. The bees are having a field day with the maple blooms and are no doubt sniffing around the apple trees—a few are starting to show pink buds.

That’s the Crow’s Egg tree above, with about the only green leaves in the yard so far. I’ve mentioned before that the highland spring, which climbs oh-so-slowly up the mountainsides, seems a long time coming to me. I knew I would miss the way spring bursts on to the scene in the Arkansas Ozarks several weeks earlier than here.

I think that’s a serviceberry (?) blooming in the woods east of the garden. The trees are still bare but the rhododendron and laurel make the forest pretty all through winter. My eyes feel hungry for green trees though.

 

The sun is getting that wonderful golden cast and the little garden area is starting to look like a garden. A just-started garden, but it grows visibly ever couple of weeks. We have a door now, from the kitchen to the new little deck. I’ve always dreamed of being able to walk out of the kitchen right into the garden. Nearly there!

It has been a real challenge —more than I realized —to go from a mature garden and developed farmstead back to breaking ground again. I can see it all in my imagination: the big fenced garden, the chicken coop, the greenhouse, all those fruits and new trees…  I love the challenge (and I love this place) but sometimes feel like I should be doing about a hundred things at once to get it all going.

Then I remember that is somewhat missing the point. I want to slow down instead. Pay attention to the process. Study the land and let it guide me before making big design decisions. Enjoy the starting, the middling and eventually, the full bloom. I want to remember to create steady-on but have a good time too. When I remember to do all this, it becomes so full of joy and fun that it seems like I would remember to do this always!  But I don’t. I’m adding “Enjoy it all” to my goal list.

Here is a certain someone, taking a break from helping prepare a garden bed, resting her back, and enjoying the sunshine. This will help me remember!