Pay attention! A lesson from the garden.

Be patient with me. After what felt like the longest winter in the history of dark and dreary days, I'm going to spend some time rhapsodizing over green and growing things, blue skies, and daylight after five PM.

As it is, I know that temperatures could very well plummet once more. There could even be snow (this isn't an invitation!) I know that while I am abundantly eager to wallow deep into Spring, things need time to wake up and get their bearings for the coming growing season.  

I need to ease into Spring in this little garden, too. I thought I made good notes last year about what I planted where, or at least that every plant would be obvious, so of course I'd recognize them all! Ha. It's like not labeling the chicken soup in the freezer: you're so sure you'll know what it is seven weeks later, but I assure you, you will not. I'm finding all kinds of awakening green bits that I don't remember planting last year, or if I remember putting something there, I don't remember what. When this happened last spring (because, yes it did, and I still didn't learn to make more thorough notes!) I was too quick to pull up what I thought must be weeds, only to realize too late that it was actually the gaillardia I'd loved so much the year before (transplanted from container to rock garden in the Fall... so certain I'd remember where and what it was). This year I'm sitting on my hands in enforced patience.

The garden has its own timetable. There is very little I can do to bend it to my will.  The tulips will take exactly as long as they need to stretch up from the earth.  The Dogwood will leaf out when it's good and ready to. I can (and do) go outside several times a day to examine the progress since my last visit, and drag my husband along to exclaim and admire at how miraculous it all is, but I can't make it happen any faster. 

In truth I wouldn't really want it to.  Oh, I'm very eager for the beauty to come, but this part is special too, the anticipation and the dreaming. Every year I remind myself: pay attention!  Don't miss a moment! Soak up the joy of right now.