About this time each year, I start to forget what the world looks like when it's green. I love the white, the sweet, quiet blanket of snow that covers a multitude of imperfections in our landscape, but I am ready for chirping birds and warm breezes through open windows and and green.
One can get melancholy, come month three of winter. And though I am still thankful for this time of rest, this time of rejuvenation, what has become a balm to my winter-weary soul is the seed catalog.
Oh, sweet nectar of dreams, plans, and inspiration! In the pictures, there is nothing but lush, perfect produce. Flowers in full bloom. Sunshine poured out on bushels of potatoes. And I soak in each delightful page, the garden growing in my heart and mind with each sub-freezing day that passes.
This year, on the third Sunday home-bound (from snow or illness, alternately) I took down the three catalogs that we had received, and asked Ryan for scissors and glue. We spent the next few hours dreaming of pumpkins, tomatoes, spinach, watermelon (!), green beans, popcorn, fresh sweet basil...We discussed the strawberries that had done so well last fall, and the raspberries that need to be moved. In my brain, where the work is magically done and no sweat is involved, the garden is nicely planted, expertly and effortlessly weeded, and produces an abundance of produce. And I can almost smell that sweet summer air just thinking about it now.
Of course, this has not always been my cup of tea. Learning to enjoy gardening has been a real treasure (though, still I could do without the bugs...).
This year I think I might actually plant flowers...unlike me, because I am usually a practical gardener (How much of that do we eat? Is that really a necessary thing to grow?) and quite impatient (why plant flowers now when they won't bloom for weeks, months, even!). And, every year come flower-bloom time, I am sad that I didn't take the time to sow any seed. This year, I plan on breaking that cycle and adorning my table with fresh-cut flowers, planted with patience and cultivated with love. I would love (truly) suggestions on what kind of flowers to plant around my garden.
How do you beat the winter blues?
2 comments:
It must be that time of year for us all (even us who do see green almost every single day of the year). This week has been so nice and warm that Levi and I went out to our future garden area and started to level the ground, talked about what to plant and where to plant them. Wondering if my little gardening area would really be big enough?
Tracy, I've been thinking of your Grandpa Rozen's incredible gardens over the years in Montesano. He usually sowed zinnia flower seeds along a few rows of vegetables. Zinnias are annuals, but they're sturdy guys, easy to grow, and come in rainbow colors. Also, when we visit your Mom and Dad in summer, I love the snapdragons and mini-sweetpeas along their courtyard fence. Climbing sweetpeas are wonderful, too, and can be planted in early spring. Happy garden-planning! I love you so much. Aunt Sydney
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