Oh tattered petals of the late June garden.
When the sun is hot and green explodes.
Zucchini hide under huge leaves...
And we venture back into the garden behind the garden, after dark, to check on things and give everyone a drink.
Night garden, where everyone magically grows taller and fuller at midnight.
Enticing us at first light.
A truly enchanted world of grand delights.
The bees dusted in fresh pollen.
Squash blossoms in the shape of stars.
A sea of pumpkin vines...
Where deep inside you may find...
Pumpkin babies for your woes.
Reminding you that everything is ok.
That nature goes on.
That dogs still sniff out critters.
The garden gifts so very much.
But mostly, food for the soul that tends it.
My boys, in another pumpkin patch.
Another year, another time.
They warm my heart with their interest in it all.
I actually have two pumpkin patches going.
One in an open space and one you can see up behind it, under the great old lemon tree.
And a picture of my boys' faces for good measure.
This was really just a little experimental garden that found its way during March.
I kept my mind and heart busy by digging a little garden into a hill by hand with my shovel.
I would normally be doing this in my country house garden.
But gardening must go above ground there now due to gophers in amounts you can not fathom.
And since I had to stay put, I took myself out to a dried up desert space, and began this.
No rhyme or reason really, just a garden girl keeping herself busy.
Armed with a few seeds in hand and a well of determination, I set out.
I find endless joy in gardening.
I've been gardening since I was 19 years old.
That was 20+ years ago.
I found myself feeling very lost after a relationship at that young age of 19/20, and decided that it was imperative that I go out and find out who I was.
What my calling was.
What filled my heart with joy, what I was made of really.
Besides painting & sculpting, growing things spoke to me in ways I can not describe.
It's been quite a garden adventure, with a few dogs thrown in for extra good measure.
Miles is still with us, hanging in there.
We go out together to pick goodies.
The most delicious zucchini we could hope for.
Tiny radish flowers for salads.
Cucumbers headed up to the clouds.
Basil, tomatoes, bees, lettuce, radishes, turnips, onions...
In truth, I had ordered 2 large above ground planters that were lost - so I dug right into the hillside and made a little 3 tier garden.
Then I hunted for large boulders in the desert and made some little stairs.
And in just 3 months we have this little patch of goodness.
Oh and, the planters finally just arrived too.
I'm glad they were lost though, because this really kept me busy and sound.
I've been to no stores since March.
I've seen no one but the Irishman and The Mad Hatter (aka Mister Lovee).
And of course my two furs, Matty and Miles.
I just go between my two homes, that's it.
So, these seeds have sure kept me busy while not able to buy full size plants.
I've also revived a scrawny hibiscus to be a big beautiful shrub with the brightest flowers I've ever seen.
I made a Black Forest Gateau the other day.
And have made several recipes with those zucchinis that keep coming in.
I sit at night in a big cozy chair I dragged under the lemon tree and I just watch the desert sun go down.
I look up at the moon.
I pray and I wonder.
I am thankful. I am grateful.
I listen to this song (Ghostly Kisses, Roses) a lot that suits these roses perfectly.
I spent a few days building the most tedious chicken wire chicken coop.
It was treacherous I tell ya, haha, no joke.
Luckily it is complete and I will just let vines grow all over it, pics coming soon.
It's not for chickens, just a little fun structure for the garden.
Oh, I almost forgot to say.
In the past there was a navigation bar at the bottom of my blog posts with links to other blog posts you might enjoy.
That company stopped providing that service, but Typepad offers something I decided to try in the left hand sidebar.
It's the 3rd item down from the top, up there on the left side called "Spotlight Posts."
It's very similar to what I used to have, only now found in my left sidebar, and I'll change out the posts it features every time I post a new blog post.
So, that should be fun, I think?
I know I've spent some time away from my regular blog posting.
But I really truly needed some "me" time.
To go travel, try new things, refuel my soul.
But for some reason I feel more connected to my blog these days.
To the girl who used to come here all the time, not just once a month.
There's this saying I love that says something like -
You have to change in order to be able to remain the same.
It's so true.
You have to broaden your horizons and try new things in order to be able to be true to yourself.
To come back to yourself.
Otherwise things can become a bit mundane.
I've noticed that throughout my life I go through 7 or 8 year shifts.
But I always keep a map back to myself.
It's just that sometimes I need to just run free, explode out of myself.
I call it mad growth.
I learn lessons, I shift and nurture myself.
Just like a garden.
Like a tree.
Life takes you through phases, and I have been on ever so many remarkable great journeys throughout mine.
I just keep myself open and as I have gotten older am more open to a little change.
It's good for us, and doesn't have to be huge epic change.
It could be as simple as sitting in a different chair, or planting a whole other garden.
It could be trying something new - a new hobby, new fresh music.
Whatever it is, it's important to add new things to your life.
Especially now, that we go places less.
I've spent 13 years being quite hermity, just doing things I love at home.
I enjoy home so much and I have a way of keeping myself so busy.
There are so many things I always want to do.
Creative things, garden things, books to read.
There are so many good movies to watch and good music to listen to.
I am very used to having groceries delivered and spending a lot of time at home on my own.
I think there were times at the country house where I didn't go anywhere for 4 or 5 months at a time.
I just have always kept so busy with my gardens, painting, all these fun things I love to do.
Right now I am looking out the front window, I can see the mountains which have been on fire since June 5th. The mountains right in front of me are no longer burning, as the fire has traveled to a farther east location.
Seeing smoke and fire for so many days was a bit soul crushing, but also, you learn to just let go.
My 85 year old best friend told me that you can not worry about things you have no control over.
I have really been adopting her philosophy and it is life changing.
Right now it's all about pumpkins and shoveling dirt.
And that is good stuff for my heart and soul.
That's all I know right now.
Just do things you love at home <3
Hope to see you utterly sooner than soon dear friends.
Lots of Love,
Vanessa
