i mentioned last week that our garden has been less than exciting this year. and, while i’m hugely disappointed with the tomatoes (single digits, no kidding), the onions did well (you have no idea how much pleasure i get out of growing onions) and the deer graciously left us a nice clump of flowers in my daughter’s patch. so, at summer’s end, i’m feeling quite satisfied as i watch these flowers reach towards the sky and strut their stuff. satisfied enough to crouch down in the dirt and capture their early glory against a blue, september sky.
a garden is a grand teacher. it teaches patience and careful watchfulness; it teaches industry and thrift; above all it teaches entire trust. ~ gertrude jekyll
i was really hoping to make and improve upon the salsa recipe i used last year. and, man, the cucumber that the deer ate still brings an almost-tear to my eye. but there is still this…these flowers. since we’re fortunate enough to have the grocery store on which to fall back, i release all expectations and disappointments and chalk it up to it is what it is. the onions were (and still are) good. and two days ago – seemingly overnight – the buds you see above opened into vibrant reds, pink, and orange blooms. and my lips have turned upwards into a smile. and last night, when i came home from my run, my daughter had cut the first bunch of flowers into a bouquet for me.
thank you, garden, for teaching me to trust you to give exactly what i need right now.
sending a little love your way, m
Michelle GD 
I love how we all share gardens in common among other things. I love your story, the image and the lesson shared. Thank you.
Oh yes, a garden is a wonderful teacher in a lot of ways. This year we planted carrots three times only to have them washed away by rain, corn that never filled out like it should and a disappointing stand of beans. Well, I’m not giving up, I just got the fall garden in the ground, very late because of rain, and now I wait to see what happens.
Somehow you always remind me of exactly what it is I needed to remember.
It is what it is.
I need to remember that, especially now.
Our garden is teaching similar lessons of patience, by the way. We managed to keep the deer out, but weather and woodchucks and bunnies and beetles did their own damage. Our tomato crop is nothing like last year, but there were still wonderful foods to savor. Someday I’ll make you a salad here…
Thank you for this message, M. And enjoy those joyful zinnias! So sweet of B to pick a bouquet just for her mama.
A beautiful, tender lesson about learning to trust life will provide – maybe not what we think we want, but “exactly what we need right now.”
-Patricia
So sweet. :) I feel your pain on the gardening front. We have about six (still green) tomatoes and that’s about it. I still have the patience lesson to learn, I think. Happy day to you. :)
our garden could have been so much better. However we did receive a few cucumbers, lots of tomatoes, hot peppers and a few (three) green bell peppers. Basil was abundant as always :)
Oh Michelle, the same thing happened to my garden! Thank you for helping my heart move from whining to blessing!
What a lesson here. A sweet precious story to be told. Thank you Michelle. Your daughter now has my heart !