Saturday, October 6, 2007

Autumn Gardening

I suppose I could write about Bacon or Rosaldo, but I think I'd rather take a break from them for this post and relish the autumn season for a bit. We've just moved to a new place this fall and for the first time, in my life really, I have a yard to call my own (well, sort of -- we still rent), and I can plan out a few flower beds for the spring. Mmmmm. I love this time of year, in part because I love the feel in the air -- the coolness, the new smells -- drying leaves, wet grass. I love the rain and clouds and wind because it makes the indoors so cozy and inspires me to bake and to invite friends over for conversation and tea. There's nothing like a steaming mug of tea in your hand and a good friend across from you on a rainy autumn day. But I love this time of year, too, because it makes me think of the cyclical nature of our world -- we prepare flower beds and plant our bulbs now, anticipating the spring -- and we know it will come. It always does - isn't there something glorious in that regularity? And there's something lovely about this time of working with the earth and then the waiting, waiting, waiting. My summer flowers are still here - my double impatiens was vibrantly pink and green today in the soft rain - but I know the frost is coming soon and the impatiens will quell and die in its sharp cold bite. But I have this new patch of ground, ready for the spring -- it was so invigorating to get out in the air today, into the rain, and shovel some compost onto this new space of ground. I never thought I could get so excited about compost, but oh, I love the rich, brown, crumbly-ness of it -- it looks so ready to grow things. I have only to wait.

3 comments:

Poonam said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Poonam said...

Wow... :} I love this time of the year too. Not only because of my birthday, but also because of the...coolness :D I love the rain...and sitting inside and drinking hot chocolate... <3
Sorry about deleting the other comment...I did that because I wanted to add in... You're an awesome teacher :D

The "I" Blog - Melissa said...

Hi Poonam,
Thanks for writing -- it's nice to know I have a kindred spirit who loves this weather, too! And, wow, thanks so much for your encouragement -- it's hard to know sometimes how things are going on the student end of things, so I love getting feedback of any kind, but the positive kind is especially nice : )
See you tomorrow in class,
Melissa