Late August Garden
My garden is not mastered. It likely never will be despite the hours learning, volunteering, and puttering. Conditions and seasons and my own expectations change. I spent some time in my garden today. It’s precious solo time. I cleaned the coop and let the chickens roam. They don’t go far and mainly just take naps in cool patches of soil. I can’t fault them for that and the good they do for the garden far out weighs their ‘bath divots”.
I thought about Dolly Parton as I worked. I hummed her songs and reflected on the online posts and stories from people of all ages and backgrounds. My favorite clip was an interview with her and Ellen Degeneres about what inspired her style. I recommend looking it up…
When I took my grass out in May 2024 I had a plan. It was required because I did a program with the City of Bend. Some of the plan is in place like my triangle shaped “lavender field” but most of the rendering I drew is not coming to fruition. I’m ok with seeing what is happy growing in my combination of soil and sun and water. Calendula that I dug up from a volunteer day at the Holiinshead community garden is bright and sunny. The Veronica that looked sick after I planted it, is happy and healthy. The Dark Towers penstemon from the neighborhood plant sale is gorgeous with the Shasta daisy’s and more lavender. I planted white flowy Gaura this year. It has been beautiful, I hope it comes back. I planted Mustard seeds that I got from a regular at the Commons Cafe that I’ve had in an envelope for a few years. It’s a spicy green and it’s coming up among the flowers. I’ve put some in salads and on sandwiches, most has gone to seed and I love the delicate yellow flowers and so do the bees. The best part is the deer don’t eat it. Too spicy!
My favorite perennial is called Rudbeckia Herbstromm. It’s tall and stately. The deer… a deer; came through and bit off every bloom mid summer (despite being called deer reistant) I was disappointed, but it has come back with more blooms than ever. sometimes you just roll with nature and let things evolve and heal themselves.
Its easier to talk about the garden then it is my summer. The expected opening of my parents business in Prineville, the unexpected but necessary move that they made from their house of 50 years to a single story home, and my mom’s sudden sickness that turned into over 50 days in the hospital and transition care really took its toll on my time and energy. Then Marsh had a planned surgery at OHSU that requires time and care. Good things happened too. My daughter was home to help with family coverage at the hospital, so we had moments of fun over shared meals and music. My son and she overlapped for a few days which is extra special.
I made the decision this week to not continue my Master Gardener certification. The extra hours and education feel like a burden too heavy to continue. Real Estate is a full time career for me. I am always thinking about work and my clients. In my down time I want to travel or hike and spend time with friends I don’t see enough of. The gardening won’t go away. My love for plants and talented gardeners won’t go away, but the nagging feeling that I need to volunteer at the Plant clinic hotline in Redmond over a yoga class will.
Maybe I’ll retake the class at 70, and become a super volunteer! But this year, I’m going to choose my health and my priorities because this is the year of the Firehorse and I turn 60 in 3 months. It’s going to be a fantastic Fall.
