This is the image on my calendar this month, and I just love it.. its inspirational, encouraging and beautiful.
This month, I noticed Christmas was around the corner, that the first year of the Masters degree I'm doing will be over soon, and my garden is working well, but needs a seasonal adjustment as Summer is looming in. I also noticed I'm a bit tired, and I'm looking forward to my break at Christmas.
The message on the Month is "Use the edges and value the margins", and it speaks of potential & transformational use of space. The image is from Tokyo, showing how to fit a garden into the inner city Japanese front yard. It also depicts a gift station, where one can leave gifts for the neighborhood.
This image captures many valuable and meaningful elements for me; there's a bike for commuting, trees for shape, shade and fruit, a little temple, paths and all in close proximity to the residence.
Earlier today I was listening to a podcast (chat10looks3) and Leigh and Annabel were talking about the rewards of gardening vs cooking. I smiled to myself, as theres no question for me which one wins, but Leigh was reflecting on the slow rewards of garden vs cooking, and the high failure rate in gardening. Yet still, many more women will say gardening brings them more joy than cooking.
As I've been reflecting on just how close Christmas is, and how much I need time out, and I've noticed that I've been using the edges and valuing the margins - of my time. I've been popping out to the garden in the evenings (longer days now) after work, and I've been using gardening as my study breaks, and using train time (on my long commute days) to be visit gardens I admire through Instagram and online... using every non thinking, non studying minute to research gardening and find inspiration.
How are you going in the lead up to the end of the year? Need to use your edges better?
I think I'm going to see if I can set up a gift table in my front yard for a week or two in January with some produce and plants... I'd like to do that.
I love the idea of a gift table with your produce. What a wonderful thought. Enough to share, enough to spare.
ReplyDeleteI so admire your returning for your masters. I did mine when I was a little older too and away from the daily studying we get used to if we just keep going. It's tough and even more so when working. To have a little haven to enjoy, to work and feel close to the land, a spot in which to meditate and then also be able to see the fruits of that in your growth -- well, it's sort of perfect!
I'm not quite ready for the holidays but I'm getting there. That's an important start. I must do present inventory and see what I've collected for the year and what I still need to do. Today I'm taking a Christmas card watercolor workshop and that will be fun. So it will all be good. Looking for the pretty, the shiny, the happy and the good these days.
It’s good that your garden is doing well and I am so impress to read that you keep adjusting your garden along with seasons. Summer definitely brings a lot more changes for plants.
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