Martin Luther King Day: Mindful gardening
It was one of those days that fulfills the promise of Mid-Atlantic gardening: a 58-degree day in the middle of January.
There will be more of them before spring comes and stays. It is what keeps gardeners around here sane. That it came on a holiday from work was a double bonus.
The garden at this time of year can be overwhelming. Everything is a mess. Leaves, fallen tree debris, all the plants that you didn't cut back in the fall are limp and grey.
This is when it is important to be a "mindful" gardener. To divide the work into bite-sized pieces; to never look ahead to what is not done; to enjoy the simple pleasure of being in the garden when the calendar says you should be by the fire.
Photo credit: Winter gardening for summer dreams: Susan Reimer
I always start in the same place in my yard: the gardens around the front porch and down the sides of the driveway. They are the nose on the face of my garden, and I always powder it first.
These are the parts of my garden dog-walkers, postmen and my visitors see first and, after all, I do have a reputation to uphold!
And it is where Jeremy and I started first.
You know Jeremy. I have introduced him before. He is my young, strong, very bright neighbor who joins me in the garden to do some of the heavy lifting. He bags all the junk I pull out of the beds, and we talk about current events and such.
Jeremy is also my concession to age and to the fact that my husband's job no longer allows him to be my guy Friday.
So, I spent the day in the garden, focusing only on the few square feet in front of me, not allowing myself to be overwhelmed by the work ahead of me. Happy to be outside, in the weak, winter sun. Delighted to see the daffs poking their heads up, the first blooms on the candytuft!
I was mindfully gardening.
Comments
Being mindful is always a good thing.
I just wish I could keep it going! -- Susan
Posted by: NotableM | January 19, 2010 7:49 AM
An inspiring post as I look out to my dreary January yard. Soon...I keep telling myself. Soon.
Posted by: Lisa | January 19, 2010 8:19 AM
What a great post! Though mindful gardening is only a dream yet in Connecticut, it's a good reminder to "powder your nose" first instead of getting overwhelmed.
Thanks Cyndy!--Susan
Posted by: Cyndy | January 19, 2010 1:27 PM