...of gardening days gone by
and
days yet to be.
As I pass by my forlorn little greenhouse,
empty of any growing thing
and home to only the dormant
twigs of grape starts, lemon verbena
and a tub of red wiggler composting worms...
and outside in the garden proper,
the ever growing heap in the compost bin,
cause me to dream of the days ahead, full of promise
for a bountiful harvest of
fresh fruits, berries and vegetables.
The colorful seed catalogs that are arriving
almost daily in the mailbox,
dazzle with their
coffee table worthy photos of
produce displaying every shape, size and
color imaginable.
I dream of the seed trays bursting with
new growth in the sheltering greenhouse...
Spring rains ushering in the cheerful blooms of
daffodils running wild along the edge of the
woodland and charging up the hill of the old
apple orchard...
...the exuberance of the pink dogwood.
I dream of the Swallowtail as she dances
from blossom to blossom,
satisfying her thirst for
the sweet summer nectar,
and of picking and 'putting up' the
delicious jeweled goodness of
my favorite berry...
...crafting with flowers and herbs...
...gathering and filling vases with
blooms in colors of wondrous variety.
I dream of the inspiring towers of beans
that bestow their multitude harvest
to join in the ever growing variety in the bulging pantry.
I dream of the surprise at each newly discovered
pumpkin in the fall garden...
...and the gathering of the last of the unripened
tomatoes...
...only to come full circle, once again, with the
gathering of seeds to save for the next
gardening season.
Though the winter seems long and dreary,
garden time is swiftly approaching.
Time to make decisions,
place orders
and prepare the beds and
pots and trays
so that my gardening dreams may come true.
And
