All Zen

I spent the day focused on the garden. It was peaceful with a light 'now and again' rain. Come to think of it that's probably why it was so quiet...everyone smarter than me was indoors.

On days like this you're able to really zone into the garden. From the Robins scratching at the soil, the rising drone of a passing bee even my own footsteps on the grass... all sounds become bigger than life.

Not meaning to get all Zen but if you're having a bad day or need time to reflect I recommend getting your hands dirty in a garden bed.

I'm down to just a few more chores on my garden list and then it's on to sculpting.

This pic shows a newly created plant bed alongside the deck.

Fly Backwards

During the weather storm this past weekend I watched anxiously from the safety of a window as the wood fence stood its ground..barely.

It flexed and groaned all the while the Mountain Ash towering above heaved and recoiled threatening to snap at any moment where it would more than likely have found its mark on the corner of the house.

My attention was soon redirected as the teak garden bench tumbled across the lawn and through my frame of view. And it was just days ago that I had assessed it's fractured back from the last storm it had braved.

Most of my life I've enjoyed storms and all the inherent theatrics. The jagged shards of lightning, swirls of wind and the birds that appear to magically fly backwards. But as the years go by it's all become more of a reminder of just how temporary we really are.

This pic is from my last visit to the rock garden area at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton Ontario.