Friday, January 8, 2016

waiting to break ground



The bulbs I planted outside two weeks ago haven't broken ground yet. (I know - shocking, right?) But each warm (aka: in the 40s) day, I go out and peek. Today, a little leafy bit of a weed from somewhere had blown over the bulb patch and for a moment my heart was in my throat. It's hard to be patient - even when there's so much to do before the time comes to just enjoy the garden. I miss having snowdrops; we had them in our rental garden, and they always started coming up so early! Maybe I'll add some this autumn.

For now, these bulbs will have to fill the days of watching and waiting (and working). They're amaryllis bulbs, a bit past their prime. I had this great idea for a Yule gift for a friend who lives back east and who is discovering the isolation of the lingering winters in a small New England town: a pretty turquoise dish of a pot, some intensely-colored amaryllis bulbs, a packet of soil and some stones. Life, shipped right to your door.

Of course, when I hatched this plan, I forgot that my friend will be spending the next few months in Oaxaca, leading an undergraduate study abroad session. Ah, the best laid plans...

I transplanted an African violet into the pretty turquoise dish and planted the bulbs before they could languish. It's a bit late in the season, so we'll see how they recover and whether or not they perk back up. I'm optimistic.


A bit of rare midwinter sun for us -though this hasn't been much of a winter at all. This blueberry hasn't even lost its leaves from last year yet, which is kind of crazy to think about. Will we have enough water, come summer? Will we have another devastating fire season, this year?


An old friend of mine is also getting back to blogging with the turn of the calendar; today she posted and asked what our dreams or plans are for the new year.


 Neither of us goes in much for New Year's resolutions, but we do both enjoy a good list (whether it's a to-do list or simply an ideal list of things we'd like to get to within a given period of time); we're both highly productive women with many interests. Planning is essential if you want to do many things at once.


I've already written about getting back to blogging more regularly this year, but on that ideal list, I have another goal, aspiration, or mantra of sorts for the year:

To invest in what is mine, and to relinquish that which is not.

I am working this year on placing my time, my focus, my energy, my care on things which are under my control - that which is "mine." And the rest? I'll be practicing graceful acquiescence to others, to what must be. 

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