This is one of the busiest times of year for many, and I am no exception.
The kids have just returned to school, classes at the university are about to start again. Paperwork for the years taxes need to be collected, files and piles sorted through and shredded, archived or acted upon, business decisions finalized, and schedules and calendars have to be filled out for the year ahead for all the members of the family.
Like many other busy mamas, I'm in charge of multiple schedules; mine, BW's, JB's, Squirt's, the house and to some extent Charles'. If I'm lost and adrift, you can bet chaos reigns in the Olson household.
But to me, the most important task of the year is working out the details of that season's garden.
As mentioned in A bench for Tiffany, my garden is a reflection of how I am doing, and in planning for my refuge, I am given the opportunity to reflect upon the past year's events and prepare for the one ahead. Successes, failures, incomplete or unrealized goals are all revisited. In identifying the strengths and weaknesses of each moment, I'm able to learn, let go and look forward.
Methodically I gather all of the seeds I've purchased, collected or received from friends. So too are the catalogs, magazines, calendars and notes brought together so that what seems to be a disorganized pile of a gardeners delight is created.
In combing through my seeds, those that are more than three years old, failed to thrive or did not meet expectations are removed. I'm a one and done kind of gardener when it comes to the seeds I plant, excepting only for those that may have failed to thrive due to poor weather or bad timing of planting. Only the few that pique my interest are given another season to display their promise, but valuable resources such as time, space, sun, water and Charles' patience are not casually spent on those that fail for more than two seasons.
Once a complete inventory is made of what I currently have, duplicate copies of catalogs are recycled and those for companies I've come to rely upon are slowly perused through and the anticipation of spring swells with each bright picture my eyes linger on.
Then the 'creative juices' begin to flow. Those items that might fill gaps in the collection I've amassed, will replace seeds that are too old or I've run out of or look fun are high lighted and added to my list. As part of the creative process, there are no limits at this stage, other than the number of days needed in a growing season.
It is only after I've made my lists, compared prices, eliminated duplicates, cross referenced growing conditions and ensured that all these tiny seed packets fit within my budget that I fill out order forms. With excitement and anticipation for the coming spring I begin to create a final garden plan and set a schedule for when the tiny little promises of tomorrow will be nestled in seeding media.
When the last details of the garden are finalized, I am calm, relaxed and able to focus on the countless other tasks that demand my time, attention and undivided energies.
As the children have grown, the magic of planning the garden has woven itself about them, and they too participate as much as I am able to let them, each looking forward to the tiny green flecks that emerge after weeks of patience and tender maintenance.
I am always excited to see those little flecks, those little promises, and I can't wait to for this years.
The best time to start a garden of your own is now, before the warmth of spring has begun to make herself known and it's too late to nestle those seeds into the ground. A catalog, pencil, paper and imagination are all that you need.
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