The Garden of Goals and Dreams

     I was feeling encouraged by the breezy, beautiful day and I was so happy to be feeling better that I thought it was time to get back out into the garden. We had five days of soaking rain last week. The sound of rain pattering on the windows was a soothing sound while I was sick but, I knew it also meant the weeds would be overgrown by the time it stopped. 

     We call this garden bed shown above, "The Step Bed" because it is thirteen steps made from landscape timbers and gravel that go up the little hill at the back of our house. Steve installed the steps years ago. I planted spreading greenery and creeping varieties of plants to fill in the beds on either side of the steps. It was a lot of area to cover so I thought that large spreading shrubs would get the job done. Over time, those shrubs have overtaken most of the flowers that were there and now its one overgrown tumble. Our son-in-law replaced five rotting steps for us last year signaling the fact that this garden needed a little attention. I had been eying this project since spring but the ground had been so dry and hard that it was impossible to dig or pull anything up. With the past week of rain, the timing was perfect to tackle the clean up. 

     Normally this job would have taken me a day to accomplish. Today I got about one third done and had to stop. I was winded and red-faced and light headed every time I stood up. It was frustrating to want to do a task but not have my body cooperate. It was so beautiful outside and I love to dig in the dirt that I really wanted to stay at it. I got some water and sat in the shade of a tree thinking I just needed a little rest. The breeze at the top of the little hill was instantly cooling and it was glorious to sit and look down the valley from this raised up spot. I glanced to the left and gazed at the tool shed and perennial bed. Everything was in full bloom and from this vantage point it looked really pretty. I knew there were weeds to be pulled over there as well but I brushed that thought aside. I gave myself permission to just sit and enjoy. 

     I pondered all we have accomplished over the past twenty years here. This land was an empty, five acre field when we bought it. We have always felt thankful to God for giving us the ability to own this land for a spell. It is home and we have worked hard to bring beauty to it. It is a gift to even have the ability to do the work. As I cooled down and relaxed in the shade I realized it was time to call it a day. I made an appointment with myself to come back out here early Thursday morning to get dirty again. The garden isn't going anywhere and the weeds...they got enough scolding for one day.