Yesterday Was The Perfect Day
Recently I headed in to Boston to put one of our roof gardens to bed for the winter. I had not seen my client in a few months and she greeted me at the door. She was very enthusiastic in her praise of the garden. Recently recovered from hip surgery, she remarked that the garden had been integral to her healing. She could not take the pain medications prescribed for her so the garden became her respite. We did not know when we installed it on a 95 degree day that it would become her exercise room. At that point we were looking for beauty, relaxation and a few edibles for cooking. Since her surgery it had also become a gym. Since the garden encompasses two decks she made a loop from one to the other and that became part of her recovery routine.
She was lavish with her praise and told me about all the wildlife she and her husband had enjoyed watching. Hummingbirds, bees, butterflies and birds had made regular stops in her garden, which she also said helped her recovery. My client then proceeded to give me the most beautiful hand thrown mug with bees embossed on it saying she had thought of me as soon as she had seen it.
She knows I am a beekeeper which also explained the card she chose.
My Thanksgiving is Perpetual
I am grateful for what I am and have.
My thanksgiving is perpetual.
It is surprising how contented one can be with nothing definite – only a sense of existence.
I am ready to try this for the next ten thousand years.
~ Henry David Thoreau
I Have a New Baby
Lest you think that miracles do happen I will say right away it’s not the human kind. My baby is a new car. Actually, it’s a new van. Actually it’s a new, used van.
Read More»Boston Roof Garden
Since a picture is worth a thousand words we’ll let these photos do the talking.
Just know that this was a new client in Boston who wanted a lush, “wild” garden that incorporated blues, purples and reds with a healthy dose of edible plants.
We used hydrangea Cityline ‘Rio’, caryopteris, nepeta and verbena bonariensis to bring in the purple pow. We contrasted the purple with rosa ‘Popcorn’. Added structure with boxwood and ornamental grasses and a punch of red with various annuals.
For the edibles we used many different herbs, as well as cucumbers, tomatoes and beans which climbed up the obelisk that we used as a design element to mimic the Old North Church.
We often joke with the client who says she has so many vegetables she could start a CSA in her condo building!
Of course installation was on the hottest day in May but with a great crew, it all got done!
Enjoy these photos of the transformation process:
Selah
In the Bible, the word is used many times in the Psalms. While authorities are not always sure of the meaning the consensus seems to be “to pause, to think, to reflect on what has been said/heard”. For me this has been a really Selah-less summer. I hope the Lord forgives me but I have been far too busy to pause and really think about what has happened every day. It is more a matter of making sure that bills are paid, kids are fed and no one goes to work in dirty clothes. This is clearly not the meaning of Selah. Did I pause when I peeled the clementine this morning to just enjoy its citrus-y fragrance? Did I think about how beautiful the light was through the woods as I made out my to-do list for tomorrow? Did I really reflect on my daughter’s words “I love you Mom” or merely think “Then you shouldn’t have left the dirty dishes in the sink?”
Life is fast, I get it. And apparently it is getting faster. Even my kids, who are MUCH younger than me remark on how quickly time flies. But if we don’t take time to pause and reflect why bother?
As if to confirm my thoughts the hammock broke.
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