This weekend I got the last of my seeds, I ordered from
Seed Savers Exchange,
Southern Seed Savers Exchange, and my fav,
Baker Street Seeds. I saw a post on
Cosmopolitan Corn bread, (click the link to see the video, plus, once I realized her favorite seed companies are the same as mine, I knew I needed to pay attention to her, and this idea for seed storage is BRILLIANT!) explaining that she stores her seeds in plastic boxes that are originally designed for photo storage. I went out and got a couple, and let me tell you how awesome it is. I am so organized, I don't have to dig through bags and bags of seeds to find what I am looking for, it is so easy, and well, really, any chance I get to use the label maker is also a plus.
I feel so organized and on the ball already, now all I have to do is plan, plot, and start the seeds, hehehehe. The last few years I have not had the time or the motivation to work on my garden. My father was sick for 3 years before cancer took him in 2016, since then, I have been trying to learn how to live with grief, how to get through the grief, and how to put my life back on. When you finally realize that your life doesn't fit anymore, and that you really can make the changes you need to help it fit a little better, its a mixed bag or good and bad. Your new normal is strange and uncomfortable, but moving forward without your loved one makes you feel your leaving them behind, when really, you are not. As you move forward you do bring them with you, just in spirit, heart and soul, rather then actual physical body.
This year I am finally ready to begin moving forward and getting my life to look like the life I actually want to live. Gardening was something I shared with my Father, we both always longed to be farmers. Having my hands in the dirt, planning, planting, watching the slow everyday grow of my little beloved plants, are all things I would share with him. We spent a lot of time in each others gardens, learning, laughing, and just being. It will be hard not having him to call and chat with, but he is with me, especially in the garden.
I am so exited to start my garden, I have been plotting new beds, and wanting to make so many changes that I need to make sure I do not go overboard this year. We are having a super dry winter here, but today we got a dumping of snow that snarled my way to work, a normal drive is about 20 minutes, today it took 1 hour 40 minutes to get to work, the whole way there I kept thinking how happy my garden would be with the at least 7" inches of snow that fell today. I was thinking of all my little plants getting the moisture they need, and hoping it will stop my roses from growing, (they are already showing new growth, hoping this slows it down) and how I can't wait to start all my seeds.
As the gardener in my strives hard to use the winter to hibernate, reclaim my energy, and refresh the old soul inside me, the must go to work workerbee in me had to stomach the crazy drive to work today, and remember not to curse Mother Nature, but to say Thank You for slowing me down and forcing me to see the beauty, even in traffic, it was beautiful out. I will try to contain my spring fever, officially the earliest I have ever had it, and continue to replenish myself and prepare for the upcoming growing season, for the garden, and myself.
So beautiful outside on the ride to work this morning, I was glad my car didn't get stuck, as I made it to work ever so slowly.
I was also very excited to see people out there helping each other in the snow, seems like the last few storms nobody would stop and help anyone. Today I saw tons of people helping, and it made my heart very happy.
More beauty on the way to work, strung in with all the crazy road conditions.
Traffic just stopped, but all I could think of was how much I miss my Father, how much we need this
moisture, and how much I need to just take a breath, relax and let the hibernation of winter rest my heart and soul.
