I can't remember a longer winter in Florida. I can remember colder weather but it has never been this cool, this long. Everything in my yard and in the common areas of the park just look terrible! I have been putting off working in the yard to ensure there will be no more cold to further damage freshly pruned shrubs and tropicals. Today is the day! Praise the Lord for warm weather and sunshine!
Gardening has been my favorite pasttime for many years. I am relaxed and peaceful when I'm in the gardening mode. I always eagerly anticipate the rewards I know will follow the weeding, pruning, fertilizing, watering, mulching and replanting. The flowers and beautiful foilage are the wonderful reward. Is there anything prettier or sweeter smelling than a gardenia? (By the way, that's my gardenia upper left!!)
I have spent so much of my time growing my Juice Plus+ business the last year I have had little time to garden or participate with the Florida Master Gardeners. I miss the fellowship I used to enjoy on Thursday mornings with my fellow master gardeners at the Ag Center in the public gardens.
I hope to find a better balance this spring and summer. I intend to take time to enjoy the blessings from God in our yard and around the park. A friend sent me this poem yesterday. I have heard it before as I am sure you have but I love it.
The kiss of the sun for pardon.
The song of the birds for mirth,
One is nearer God's heart in the garden.
Than anywhere else on earth.
We have a butterfly garden here in the park and the birds love the bird bath there. It is seldom empty. When the robins are here there are five or six splashing and playing all the time. I hope to attract a larger variety of birds to the feeder this year as well. Maybe different kinds of feed will work.
Thank your Lord for this beautiful day. Thank you for adorning the earth with beautiful, fragrant foilage and flowers. Thank you for a healthy body that enables me to bend and stoop, pull and snip. Thank you for the kiss of sonshine on our faces. Amen
I love the picture of your gardenia! I love the fragrance...from a distance. Sometimes gardenias are so potent they can give me a headache, but they are so delicate and beautiful I can't resist taking a big sniff! I enjoyed your "gardening post" today. I never knew you were such a good writer...and gardener..although I have eaten some of your okra before (in KY)! You never cease to amaze me, blood sister!
ReplyDeleteI,too, love to "play" in my garden--and Dad's too! I just wish I had more time for it! I started some pruning at Dad's today and then pruned some things--literally in the dark at home! I'll see what I did in the morning!! I'll be attending the garden show and sale at Leu Gardens tomorrow with a friend. It's our yearly "treat". All problems seem to go away in the garden! I love to just sit and watch the birds and see all God's blessings!
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