For those of you who know me - the garden has been such a disappointing frustrating place for me. When I would grow well, all sorts of critters would destroy my hard work. When I had a massive compost pile (I'm talking over 5 feet tall) I couldn't get it to CHANGE. When I would start from seed, they would thrive - just to fail. When I'd finally get some growth - I'd LOVE THEM TO DEATH. ahahahaha
I never gave up though. I made fun of myself ...a lot!! LOL I gave myself the title "Grim Reaper of the Garden". If you haven't seen this gif.... please watch it fully - and just LAUGH with me. Watch til the end - because that is SO me. Deathbringer - trying to have hope and life... and nope. just death. Then? the KICK!!! LOLOLOLOLOL oh my gosh - whoever made this gif is just genius!!!
I think the funniest part about the whole thing is... he's DEATH. lolololol oh my gosh. and the skeletal teeth in that hopeful smile... and then the entire plant - BLACK. LOLOLOLOL and then he's just so forlorn. but the kick!!!! LOLOLOL kicking that bucket. (irony - that Death kicks the bucket, anyone??)
oh my goodness - I SO needed that laugh today. I know I've shared that gif in the past but I needed to again! hehehe
but guess what?
Guys. It's happening.
About 2 months ago, I had another scare. a DEATH garden scare. Something happened that NO OTHER GARDENER had ever seen before. hahahaha And I just kept thinking. WELL... OF COURSE IT HAPPENS TO ME. I'M THE DEATHBRINGER!!!!!!!
But I didn't give up. I REFUSED to let another season go by - with nothing but death!
So I chopped those plants back to NOTHING. And when I say nothing? I mean.... um...
Before the disaster (left), after the CHOP (middle), then rebirth (that's what it looks like now!!!)
So here is my first Lesson from the Garden:
Sometimes you really do need to STOP clinging to the old. You are WASTING precious resources on "leaves" that are dead. CHOP it off, and wait. Wait for the next season that will HOPEFULLY bring new life, new joy, new perspective.
Honestly, look at the picture from this morning. The green is actually BRIGHTER and healthier than it was from the first!
Here is another example of the CHOP.
Let's continue around my garden, shall we? It's not a very big walk, as my patio is only about 13 feet by 4 feet? But sometimes it's all about the QUALITY of the walk. hehehe not the quantity of steps.
I love waking up to the view on my patio. I usually wake up when it's still dark outside and that usually means that I only see the shapes of the leaves. Can't really see much color. As the light starts to dawn, of course colors come into view and I can start delighting in the green that appears!
For about a week, I was seeing yellow leaves on my cucumbers in that early light. I was so frustrated because I KNEW I wasn't overwatering. I immediately reverted to my "DEATHBRINGER" mentality and just prepared for another death. I was sad because I REALLY wanted cucumbers this year! Every time I looked over there, the yellow made me irritated and I ended up just rolling my eyes and tending to another plant. I didn't stop caring for it, but I really didn't pay much attention to it.
Here's the problem with that.
They weren't yellow leaves. They were blossoms that hadn't opened yet.
Could you imagine if I had actually LET my "deathbringer" attitude push me away from these plants so that I actually DID kill them from abandonment???
so... LESSON #2 FROM THE GARDEN!
DO NOT LET YOUR "DEATHBRINGER" ATTITUDE convince your mind that the "blossoms" you're seeing in life are "yellow leaves". Inspect the world around you and do NOT allow your preconceived notions color what you should ACTUALLY be seeing!
I have more lessons to share with you! but.... I think this post is long enough! hehehe
I'll be back with more lessons from the garden, but let me leave you with some pretty images of those yellow blossoms :)
All photos - mine
gif from giphy