I am happy to notice how the repetition of patterns, and memories of past seasons is very settling and calming. I have chosen a few lines from the article that resonated for me, and am including them here. I encourage you to look for and read the article in its entirety.

 

As Thomas Frankel writes, “The backyard emotions I experience include happiness, pleasure, frustration, anxiety and love. What does all this have to do with fruit trees? There are several parts to the answer. The mystery of doing the right thing for my trees never ceases. This too is a continual learning process. Little is ever certain. Figuring out and solving the equation of what is right for a tree is emotionally rewarding. Doing the wrong thing can also be emotional, representing a failure of sorts. I mourn the consequences and, like other relationships strive to understand what happened. When the complexity of a tree issue has been solved it represents personal growth and understanding, which I hope can be transferred to other challenges.”

 

I also agree with the author about how valuable of a resource the CRFG membership is. The opportunity for shared learning has helped me to feel a greater connection to my garden and to my community. Educational moments might come via an email thread, or a CRFG article I read, or discussion at a meeting. A tour of a member’s yard to see how someone else is “doing it” always provides new ideas!

Again, Thomas’ words: “I learn from other growers, through research and by trial and error. So my yard learning never ceases. CRFG is an essential source of information that mitigates gardening ignorance. When yard learning produces positive results it creates an emotional high.”

 

Not all is perfect in life or in a garden, but my experiences of problems in the garden also help me to realize that perhaps I can learn, focus and make some changes.

 

Thomas writes, “The challenge, like the rest of our world, is to put a disappointment or failure in a place where it is remembered and instructs but does not stifle the rest of life. Then we move on. How does all of this relate to life in general today? I seek an emotional balance in my life with all of the various factors pushing on me. These include personal health, family, community, and our broader society. Sometimes those factors are out of whack and I seek to ground myself using my yard as a tool. We definitely see that imbalance now with coronavirus. Being in a place of solitude and beauty provides a “timeout” to other struggles. It supports an alternative to the ongoing responsibilities that we all have.”

 

May you all have meditative moments in the garden.