Yesterday, I gathered my knee pad, gloves, and garden tools and set out to dig in the dirt. With a mind to battling weeds and plot holes, I crawled under one of the dwarf apple trees. A regiment of weeds had settled in during the winter.
Weeding is one of those chores I do on autopilot, which frees up my mind to wander where it may. Normally, it wanders into the book I’m writing and combs through plot and character tangles.
Yesterday, however, it didn’t wander that far. Across the road I heard the bleat of new lambs, the drone of a neighbour’s lawnmower, the sputter of a chainsaw. Overhead, birdsong competed with the distant clang of metal as someone worked on farm machinery.
These are sounds I hadn’t missed until I heard them again—sounds of spring and the promise of summer. It reminded me how fortunate I am to live in the countryside. I’m grateful I’m able to enjoy it.
After a few hours of weeding, I felt refreshed, recharged. I’m now ready to tackle James, a character who is causing no end of trouble in the next Gift Legacy installment.
Is anyone else hearing the sound of spring?
Now . . . back to writing!
Jo-Anne, that’s the way I saw my garden work – as long as I had a garden. It “frees the mind”. Now, with only a large balcony, I love working on my container planting. Last week I had to get rid of my favorite rose. I planted the stem of that rose 6 years ago, it was a cut white rose I had brought home from the funeral of my best friend, Ilse. I cut the head off, planted the stem, and it grew roots. A year later it was 3 feet high and had 14 blooms. When we moved, I planted it in a big pot and took it with me. Last year, it had 38 beautiful blooms between June and December. Every year I had to fight the ephits. Those buggers loved my “Ilse rose” and the little pink Kordes rose next to it. This year they were so very bad, it looked like they had killed my rose. All the advice of the nursery guys I had followed faithfully over the years, sprays I bought did not work and, to protect my other plants, I had to get rid of it with a bleeding heart. And that is the new plant I planted in one of the now empty pots… a bleeding heart.
So sad about your Ilse rose! It’s very hard to discard plants that have special meaning. A bleeding heart sounds like an apt replacement.
I couldn’t agree more: it is a blessing to have outdoors, greens, bird songs in one’s backyard. You’ve got already to weeding which I had to postpone: our May weather is more like a winter weather here. I suppose there was 1 warm day so far, and that’s it. Freezing cold rain, dull sky, ice-cold wind gusts and no sun is pretty much we are still having. The weather forecast did not promise anything better until some May 22 or so when it will get warmer, but just a little bit. I think this is the worst spring so far. 3 last years were not that great when I could start planting only in June, but this is even worse.
So, definitely enjoy the bird songs, the time outdoors. The garden looks good already!
Thanks, Inese. Hopefully you’ll get some warmer weather sooner rather than later.
I need your good attitude, Jo-Anne. I have yard work waiting but so far the rain has kept me from it. We’ve had so much everything is already getting too long—lawn maintenance will start a month earlier than usual. (sigh) I will try to channel your meditative approach! :O)
Definitely no fun weeding in the rain. Thankfully, lawn mowing is a blue job around here.
I cannot even imagine hearing lambs bleating across the street! You are living in rural area indeed 🙂 I love knowing that gardening brings you such pleasure, my friend!
Thanks, Christy. Life is good, even with the weeds and plot holes.
I’ve spent the past week doing much the same thing…only a small patch left in the front garden to clean up. The last couple of months have been lazy for me but a week in the fresh air doing something that you can see instant results works wonders.
Completely agree!
What a great way to loosen your mind – and get rid of those weeds! I love the sounds of spring too and because we live in a rural area, there are plenty of things out there to cheer me!
It sure works for me.
The sounds of spring in my neck of the woods are the deafening frog song from the marsh and the chatter of Violet Green Swallows. After the long, unruly winter, I’m in a state of joyful anticipation for sunshine and warmth!
Good luck with James, I’m sure there is more weeding in your yard. Time well spent developing future plots …and keeping James in trouble!
With any luck, those frogs and swallows are feasting on mosquitoes!
Beautiful photos…and what a great way to tackle a misbehaving character!
Thanks. Seems there’s no end of weeds or unruly characters with this next book.
What a lovely post! I was out yesterday buying plants. Some of ours didn’t survive the difficult winter we had this year. But like you, I’m welcoming the change. It is a wonderful part of the year. Like that you noticed so much. And good luck with James. Such an interesting character.
Thanks, Diana. It feels like we’re emerging from the winter that wouldn’t end. Have fun in your garden.