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Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Turning toward Spring



Things are beginning to return to a normal routine here at Casa John and Judy. Each day brings us closer to spring's full flowering. We're more than ready. We live for the temperate months. 


John has spent most of the past week on his knees pulling weeds. I've been keeping the home fires burning with soups and salads. We are old and content.


Spring always reminds me of my mother-in-law whose birthday was in April. She always had a flowering garden that included daphne. I love that fragrance and it always will remind me of those days at Rose Villa where we visited her for 15 years until her passing. She was a great story teller. I miss those recollections of hers.


This above is another of my favorites; Bleeding Hearts. It isn't fragrant so it has to have a lot going for it  and it does. Delicate pendants that sway in the cool spring breezes. A shade of soft rose that shyly emerges. This one reminds me of another friend who gifted me with the plant on a birthday several years ago.


And the violets. A transplant from a friend who has drifted away. She is in my heart too as her tiny flowers spring forth to remind me of how hard we used to laugh together over so many years. But friends take different paths sometimes, despite intentions that it would be otherwise.


The daylilies are emerging. These came from a man we met only one time who told us to save for retirement. He was on the verge of retiring and trying to get more money socked away for that. It's funny. I'm not even sure how we met. Maybe to buy something off of Craig's list. But the starts he gave us live on and so does the memory of his shared wisdom.


There are new varieties of tomato and peppers growing on the warming trays in the garage. Old and new. John brings them in the kitchen to thin the herd and I whisper encouragement their way. I love these recurring events. The seeds. Then the seedlings. The way life keeps renewing itself with an unflagging vitality. 


Change is constant. I have more wrinkles than ever. More "soft pouches". And better judgment to go along with them (on most days I hope). I marvel over how much can change in only 5 years which pass quickly for me now. These things I consider while I wait for the next wave to catch me and toss me toward the life I have dreamed of, planned for and nurtured into being. I love every moment of this mystery and experience. 

Sending whispered encouragement your way as well. Ciao and abrazos.

15 comments:

Liz in Washington state said...

If John can get down on his knees to weed, you are both a long way from "old". Thanks for sharing your Spring memories provided by your garden. My Mother's birthday was in April also and when she came to visit us here in Washington she bought me aconites, one of her favorite Spring flowers, from England.

Jimmie said...

Oh Judy, I love your statement, "We are old and content". I'm now trying to figure out where I can stitch this powerful message. My husband and I just celebrated our 48th wedding anniversary and we are most of the time old and content too.

Diane in North Carolina

kim beller said...

i love the photos of the gardens...and your journal pages of course. and i miss you ...
cheers to you and your gracefulness and for teaching us how awesome it is to be old and content~ big love to you
xxoo

Kimberley McGill said...

" I love every moment of this mystery and experience."

That. Yes!!

Caterina Giglio said...

oh thanks for shots of SPRING, we are still so cold here!
my daffys are up but no smiling faces... yet. and I do know what you mean about the wrinkles and pouches... they are the marks of wisdom for sure...159

Judi D. said...

Judy Wise is....well, WISE. Love your comments and your garden! My hellebores are blooming, along with the freesia and citrus trees. Wish my daylilies looked as good as yours!

Jan Harris Smith said...

How beautiful the seasons that move us towards life's destiny! Thank you for your wonderful words!

Clare Wassermann said...

Thank you for your encouraging words. We have had the coldest spring I can remember. Snow still on the ground and bitter winds. It looks like we will have a very short growing season this year. We may have to live on cress and bean sprouts!!

guy said...

Lovely.......

femminismo said...

I just wanted you to know that I have tried every link on your website and they all work! I love watching you create and am so glad I got the cold wax ebook. It arrived in the mail on Monday and I've watched all of Part 1. I really want to get my hands into some messy art! (I'll wear gloves.)

Michele R. Unger said...

I adore bleeding heart, too. Mine is way behind the one in your pretty photo, but it is coming and in good time will reward my patience. (Oh, Lord, give me patience....right now!!!) Love the glimpse of things at Casa John & Judy.

katie said...

this is a lovely post.

carolsue said...

Judy...You've been a quiet inspiration to me since I met you at the first Raeven's Nest in Cedarburg, WI. Just thought you should know....

Judy Wise said...

Thank you to each of you for your comments.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the posts of your garden! It's so raw and cold in the northeast today it was nice to see spring has sprung somewhere. I did notice today however that the forsythia branches are turning a rich yellow like everything is waking up. The first nice day they might bloom. Content and old. It's a great way to be!