Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers and fellow bloggers...I am thankful for each and every one of you!
I was out walking our cat, Gordon, when a small flock of Finches descended on the garden, not 10 feet from where we both stood. For a good 15 minutes, they moved from plant to plant, gorging on the seeds of Eutrochium, Echinacea and Rudbeckia. They perched on the pendant stems of the rain-laden Molinias and preened. They chattered busily, cheerfully. I stood there in the gentle drizzling rain, socks wet from stepping in a unseen puddle, and couldn't have been more content had I been ensconced in a cozy chair in front of a blazing fire.
It's those moments that I'm truly grateful to have a garden. So often, I get so busy with things, so obsessed with the gardens shortcomings, that I forget to enjoy it for what it is. Especially at this somewhat bittersweet time of year, when every moment is precious in a garden. Soon, frost will cut many things back to the ground, and we will start our patient vigils for spring to arrive.
A garden is many things to many people...hobby, art, vocation...and most importantly, perhaps, it is a metaphor for life. Throughout the course of a year, it grows, ages, and passes on...and perhaps this final part is, to me, the most significant. The death as winter arrives is pure catharsis. And yet, even as the garden dies back, and slumbers during winter, the cycle will continue next spring. In the end, each year in a garden is like a lifetime...and I'm thankful, as a gardener, to get to experience that.
From all of us on Rhone Street to all of you...
Happy Thanksgiving
Hi Scott,
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanks Giving; looks like you've got some kitties claiming territory there too! :D
I hope Gordon wins...
Lovely photos; I don't tend to get the finches coming for seed in the garden, probably because they go to the feeders instead. So it is always a real treat when I see them flitting close to the house looking for food. I have seen finches eating Verbena Bonariensis sees though.
Same to you, Gwirrel! Luckily, the cats all get along pretty well...there's lost of posturing! Don't you love those visits from birds during winter :-)
DeleteVery nice photos. Cats are the best garden ornaments. Happy Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteHahahaha...they are indeed!
DeleteI never thought I'd read a blog post that started "I was out walking our cat..." thank you for sharing your story, those are the best times!
ReplyDeleteI didn't include it in my post on the Japanese Garden, because I wanted people to just enjoy the photos, but as I walked down toward the pond and waterfall a most magical thing happened. Leaves started falling from the sky as though we were on a Hollywood movie set. Buckets and buckets of them, gently floating on the air. There was no wind to speak of at the ground level which made it all the more odd to watch the trees just release their leaves in unison. There were maybe 6 or 7 people standing there, all of us with our mouths hanging open and staring up. It stopped eventually and we all just looked at each other, smiling. Yep. That was pretty special.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and Norm! Oh, and Gordon too, hopefully you bought him a special can of turkey.
I love that story...truly an amazing moment...and that you got to share it with others makes it even better...Hope you had a great Thanksgiving (we even got some sun)!
DeleteHappy Thanksgiving Scott! It sounds like those few minutes spent watching the birds were very special. I love that kind of thing when it happens. It is one of the great things about having a garden. I never thought about the gardening season being a metaphor for life. Cool thought!
ReplyDeleteIt really is, isn't it...it makes all the work and effort worth it!
DeleteHappy Thanksgiving! Enjoy those special garden occurrences, and strive to make them commonplace. :-)
ReplyDeleteSo true, Alan...they really are more common than we realize, I think, we just have to stop and notice them :-)
DeletePoignant and lovely thoughts Scott to which we totally agree and relate to. Happy Thanksgiving! :)
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving, Fellas!
DeleteI love the sentiment of this post, but I love even more that you walk your cat. :) Happy Thanksgiving to you as well!
ReplyDeleteHahahaha...the funny thing is, I didn't even realize how funny it sounded until after I'd posted it :-D
DeleteWhat a lovely experience, Scott. I'm so glad you shared it, and I loved hearing Loree's story too in the comments. Those magical moments come more often, I'm convinced, in a garden.
ReplyDeleteI loved Loree's story too, Pam...and you're so right, I think having a garden helps to create those moments...and I think gardeners are especially attuned to them, as well :-)
DeleteThe Fall grasses look so pretty Scott. Hope you both had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteYou too, Lona :-)
DeleteOur garden brings to us so much wildlife to watch and enjoy, I can't imagine not having it. Happy Turkey Day!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely agree...it would be sad, indeed!
DeleteHappy Thanksgiving, Scott. It is a privilege, isn't it, to tend and enjoy a garden? I can't believe you walk your cat. Ours would be three miles away and probably run over by a car--especially the crazy cat--if we let them outside. Beautiful collage of your garden scenes!
ReplyDeleteHahahaha...well, luckily, she's pretty timid, and just sort of wanders around the garden for the most part...but we have to walk along with her, or she will occasionally take off across the street!
DeleteI enjoyed reading this well-written summation of the season. I hope you had a good Thanksgiving as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Les...same to you, of cours!
DeleteHappy Thanksgiving! Love that Molinia!
ReplyDeleteSame to you...and yes...it's a fave of mine!
DeleteWell written indeed. And happy Thanksgiving to you.
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked it, Greggo...same to you :-)
DeleteThose quiet moments when you are able to stop and let the garden fill you with peace and contentment are so important. Happy Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteSo very true, Jason...it's so great to feel like you're a part of nature...even if just in a small way, like having a garden :-)
DeleteGreat post. Hope you had a wonderful holiday.
ReplyDeleteI agree, a garden gives us a lot to be thankful for!
ReplyDeleteIt's so nice when someone besides the gardener appreciates the garden. Today twice when I opened the front door a large number of finches -- juncos, field sparrows and chipping sparrows -- flew up from the lawn where they'd been foraging to the surrounding garden beds. (They spend a lot of time feeding in the garden beds too.) Wonderful!
I hope you had a great Thanksgiving.
Isn't it amazing to see that, Sweetbay...it's so satisfying knowing that the garden isn't just something pretty...it's a source of food and shelter!
DeleteI need to go wipe my tears now - but they are happy ones. Thanks Scott , happy T-day y'all!
ReplyDeleteAwww...so glad you like it, Heather...I was feeling slightly "poetical" that day :-)
DeleteBeautiful post Scott! Hope your Thanksgiving was as wonderful as your special garden moment!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much...hope you had a great Thanksgiving as well :-)
Deletehi scott, for me too the garden is a metaphor for life. it's never perfect, fleetingly wonderful, in between being lovely it's messy and unpredictable. And i don't know why - but like you, whenever I see wildlife in the garden, it simply makes me feel happy.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely true, catmint...it's amazing how much you can enjoy your garden once you realize that it's not totally in your control...and that's part of it's beauty :-)
DeleteI hope your holiday was a delight Scott.
ReplyDeleteSame to you, Gail!
DeleteYou are so right Scott. It's importance in my life is huge. It reminds me of how tiny I am.
ReplyDelete