What I harvested between a morning thunderstorm and starting my day’s work. Pesto for dinner was not optional. Along with the basil, I used leaves from the celery and some of the scallion greens, along with garlic from a friend’s garden. Instead of pine nuts, I used a combination of hemp hearts and walnuts, which together give a similar smoothness as pine nuts, but nutritionally richer and much less expensive.
The cherry tomatoes keep coming. After 32 summers gardening in the same spot, I have observed the shifting weather due to global climate change.
Quince on a neighbor’s fence
The cherry trees are starting to flower–two weeks earlier than an average spring and likely to set a record.
In my own yard, the greens that over-wintered and are newly coming up are suffering from lack of rain and May/June temperatures. Though it is still technically winter, the lowest lows are in the high 40s F in the 15-day forecast. It is still risky to take out the tropicals, though if the 15-day forecast looks the same in mid-April, I will go for it, even though historical last frost is in May.
What cannot wait is planting cool weather vegetables such as snow peas. They still might not thrive if the unseasonable warmth and lack of rain do not level off. But Spring is so early that now is the chance to catch the growing season.
As I can go to the grocery store and the farmers’ market, I could just let the season pass me by, ignoring the realities of the season we are getting.
Much of the reason I garden is to heighten consciousness and connection to nature. If I do not make sudden adjustments the way a farmer would to, then I am missing out on a great opportunity. That meeting the unexpected time constraints imposed by abnormal weather patterns is not in sync with my schedule just highlights the importance of us needing to shift ourselves to be aligned with the great flows of energy.
Enjoy your gardens (strawberries will be early too–i already have some plants starting to form fruit).
Peace and light, E — Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.
I have never understand why some work hard to eradicate clover from their lawns (lawns being for the most part an ecological travesty) when an expanse of clover is so beautiful and easy.
How much of our strength and energy can be and is wasted by forcing conformity to notions of how things are supposed to be or look instead of what is nurturing and free.
Where could you shift away from preconceived/externally imposed ideas of what you should do or how you should be and instead bring your precious time, energy, and unique gifts to foster more growth and bring yourself and those around you more health and happiness?
Peace and light, E — Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.
Daffodils and tulips have arrived in the shops. If you’ve forced bulbs (I didn’t this year), they are blooming (give or take a few weeks). The arrival of the Dutch flowers and the forced blooms lets us know that spring is soon to arrive. If you look carefully, you can see that the early bulbs are starting to come up. If you are lucky enough to have them growing in your garden or a neighbor (who wants to share), it is a great time to bring in forsythia and pussy willow cuttings for forcing.
How wonderful to enjoy these harbingers of spring in the last few weeks of winter. I get a similar feeling when I am given an assist to be able to do a yoga pose that will be out of reach for me to do by myself for some months or perhaps longer. When an assist opens me to an understanding of how I can grow, just as the arrival of the dutch bulbs and the forced flowers give an early reminder of spring, my heart opens. Given this inspiration, this understanding of the possibility of growth and flowering, I am inspired to turn around and share this delight with others. How could I not want to share?
