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Heartwings Love Notes 773 - April Showers and May Flowers

Heartwings says, "Gardening is an occupation that can be practiced in many ways."

The forsythia is blooming. Its golden flowers brighten the landscape and provide a kind of sunshine even during April showers.
Gardening is present in the thoughts of those who do and in the stores as well. Pansies and other colorful flowers decorate the
entrances of supermarkets and other stores that sell them. Gardening supplies are piled up ready to purchase. Even though it's not
yet time to be planting, these and other signs of spring hearten those of us who are weary of winter's drab browns and blacks, bare
limbs and withered weeds.

Gardening runs in my family and in my blood. I wish I could yet I can't claim the green thumb of my ancestors. My great grandfather
planted an orchard of flourishing fruit trees. His apple trees blossomed and bore from the onset of spring until deep into fall. His
quince trees produced fuzzy hard fruit that with my mother's diligent efforts became jelly and preserves. In her garden she grew a
variety of vegetables. I can see her still working away in it, her tanned back brown in the sun.

My father too grew roses and later brought back very young peach and plum trees from a horticultural show, planted them and then
harvested the fruit when they grew old enough to produce it. I did have one experience with a fruit tree. Back when I had my spiral
garden I had bought what I thought was a white forsythia to plant there. After three years it hadn't flowered. Reluctant to discard it, I
dug it up, replanted it at the edge and forgot about it. To my great surprise and delight, though now in the shadow of a large spruce, it
grew into a white peach tree that produced three peaches its first year and many more after that.

These days my gardening is limited to a few potted plants. Perhaps one day I will have a small garden again, however I couldn't
manage anything very much more than the original three by five foot plot I was given as a child for my own. I grew flowers there, and
then weeds by the time August rolled around. But it got me started on many years of garden tending. These days I write poetry about
gardens together with other aspects of nature and the world I live in. My gardens have become metaphysical rather than physical,
and truth to tell my back is grateful.

As the days grow warmer may you enjoy whatever gardening you do.
 

I love to hear from readers and would be honored if you would comment and let me know any suggestions or thoughts. If a friend sent you this, you can sign up at my web site, www.heartwingslovenotes.com, where more love notes can be found in the archives.

Blessings and Best Regards,
Tasha Halpert
 

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