Technology. Me. Issues.
I've been growing a garden all summer. It's beautiful. Or, it was. Summer went by quickly, didn't it? At least, here, it did. But, I still have tomatoes growing and ripening on their vines. I planted 5 tomato plants this year. I have 11 growing. I think the others must have come from last year's tomatoes. Beans are finally growing. Cucumbers, hidden under their leaves, are still filling out their wrinkly green jackets as they unobtrusively grow and weigh down the plastic fence that surrounds them. Potatoes are surely ready to be harvested now. I've been greedily eyeing them. We tried a couple a few weeks back. They were soooo yummy. Nothing like freshly picked garden vegetables.
In the garden, the morning glories still bloom every morning, greeting us with their beautiful open petals, as if to say, "Welcome, welcome to this new day!" Beside them, grow calendula flowers, also opening their gorgeous petals every day to greet the bright sunlight. They're the colour of sunlight, too. So precious. Growing here and there amongst them are the fragrant nicotiana flowers I planted last year. I didn't realize they were perennials. I bought some at the nursery down the road and thought they were the same. Unfortunately, they are the dwarf variety and have no fragrance. How delighted I was to be surprised by last year's growth shyly blooming under the giant cherry tomato tree and swiss chard. Bordering the garden are the orange and yellow marigolds I planted to keep the squirrels away. Their smell is so grounding and comforting. The delicate and vibrant nasturtiums are close by, and they share their delicious fragrance every evening as I walk around the garden.
I also planted a goldenberry bush. It's like a tomato, but with a wrap, kind of like a tomatillo. I wasn't prepared for its need for space. It's taking over the bell peppers' space, but it's doing very nicely. I go out every day or two to eat the ripe ones ready to fall off the stems, or those already fallen. You have to really look for those ones because they roll under the marigolds and can hide for days before you notice them. Birds like them, too. So does my mom. Earwigs do, too; not for eating - for living in. It's a great little space for an earwig.
I almost caught the one raspberry fruit that was ripening on the raspberry bush at the edge of our shade garden, but some critter got to it first, just like it got to the others before that.
The blackberry bush is growing slowly, but well. All the rain we've had this summer has made our backyard and gardens lush and fruitful. We've hardly ever had to water. But, Murphy's Law - whenever I watered, it would rain the same day!
At the side is the lovely herb garden that the bees, butterflies, and I love so much, and the rabbits, too. There's bee balm, lavender, more calendula, thyme, lemon verbena, flox, and black-eyed susans. I planted wild purple poppies in the spring, but all the rain washed them away. Maybe next year, they'll grow.
I love my garden! This year, I'm not so sad about the ending of summer. I'm looking forward to next year's gardens. I'm going to be heading to the garden nurseries soon to see what I can add to the landscape for next year.
I think, also, I'm not sad about the fall's arrival this time because my mind and heart are living in harmony with each other and with the world around me. I'm happy, contented, satisfied, and at peace with myself. More so than I have ever felt. This year has been an important year, a pivotal year for digging deep down into my soul and bringing up what I find for a closer inspection. It's been a very good year for doing internal gardening work.
Peace and love.
