3-15-12

I think this is Siberian bugloss. It's in the shaded garden next to the studio on the west side.

A couple wood poppy plants are blooming in the west side shade garden too. I had lots last year... let's hope more pop up.

This grape hyacinth bloomed over night in the lily garden, it seems. It wasn't there earlier this week and now it's in full form.

The primroses are just starting to bloom. I moved a few so they would be in better places this year. I love love love primroses!

This is Bloodroot in the front garden by the sidewalk near the swamp cypress tree.

Spirea! I have a couple bushes that have bloomed in the yard, out front and in back.

 

 The Ides of March. Julius Caesar was warned to beware this day (Ides means middle) but it looks beautiful to me!

So the thought for the day is "maintenance." The word is derived from the Latin "manu" which means "hand" and "tenere" which means "to hold." Hand hold. I've been spending time in my gardens each day this week (spring break) and find it very therapeutic to hand-hold, to pull weeds and move plants from an unfortunate location to a better one. Each year I think I will keep this up, and maintain my gardens, and then suddenly they get out of control. They get "out of hand." At that point, maintenance is out of the question, and the work required is so significant that I just give up. The hands no longer hold, they "drop the ball."

This makes me think of many facets of life that need maintenance. Friendships need it. When years go by without catching up, it gets harder and harder to make that phone call. Marriages need it. Kitchen floors need it, bathtubs need it, gardens need it, and so do wardrobes. I spent a large portion of last weekend going through my closet and washing sweaters, making piles of clothes to give away, and organizing my dresser drawers. It was an overwhelming task (but I did it) and it wouldn't have been necessary with some maintenance. The fridge needs it. Hair needs it. My weight needs it. Even the skin on my face needs it. But relationships are the most precious things we have, and they indeed are difficult to maintain. Facebook helps, or at least it gives the perception of maintenance. Why should I call my friend M or my sister C when I am keeping up with their comings and goings on Facebook? False maintenance.

We live in a throw-away culture and maintenance is not encouraged. Why paint that out-dated ceiling fan when you can toss it by the curb and buy an brand new one?

Well, that's the thought for the day. Let's hope this year I can put forth more efforts on a daily basis to maintain the things and relationships that mean the most to me.