Life's Surprises

I am all for a good solid plan. Yet I have learned, usually the hard way, that the best laid plans often fall apart. However  if we stop and look, magic can be found in the debris.

My garden teaches me this lesson every year.

My plans in late winter rarely match the midsummer landscape.

Mother nature always surprises me in ways I could never have planned.

Take this sunflower for example:

 I didn't plant it. It simply showed up in my vegetable garden and keeps growing taller and taller.

I also had plans to line my driveway with annuals like I did last year.

These showed up instead;

                                                          Cleomes do in fact self seed.

Life is full of surprises.

Blessings,
Virginia

Still Summer

When the tiger lilies produce their last blooms.

And when the black eyed susans make their first appearance.

The stores start to advertise notebooks and colored pencils

And I shake my head.

I will not say good bye to summer.

I will not get into a frenzy making sure each child has all they need for the 'first day of school'.

There is still summer to be enjoyed.

Unlike the early blooming flowers, the ones starting to show their faces now stay smiling most of August, and some right into September.

They remind me to slow down and enjoy. Summers and gardens go by quickly. Stores are open all year long.

Blessings,
Virginia

Jackson

              There is no psychiatrist in the world like a dog licking your face.   Ben Williams

We were blessed this summer with a puppy, Jackson. As crazy as our new addition has made our lives. The love he gives so freely makes up for it all.