I did not attend a 4th of July parade this year, nor did I officially attend any fireworks.  Instead, my neighborhood brought the fireworks to me.  How very, very kind.  Most were all bark with no bite, and I find those to be the most irritating, but I searched the skies, like we’re all conditioned to do, to ooh and awe over the festive displays.  I did my patriotic duty and tolerated them, marvelling at the amount of smoke that hung heavily above the trees, wrapped around the light poles, amidst the sickening smell of sulphur.  My patience began to wane, sometime after midnight, when I was certain the 5th of July did not carry the same earth-shattering traditions, but it just got worse.  The neighborhood had become a war zone, and the visiting dog would have none of it.  He couldn’t sleep, relax, eat, relieve himself or play.  He was all jangled nerves and looked to us for sanity, for some semblance of normality that we just couldn’t provide.  We remained calm in hopes he would feed off our tranquil energy, but no.  For the very first time in many years, I experienced Independence Day from the dog’s point of view, and I too couldn’t wait for it to be over.  No amount of reasoning, coddling or singing would bring peace.  Just patience and time.

Much like our yards and gardens, time and patience are essential.  You can literally make yourself crazy, buzzing about the yard, fussing with this and that, critiquing every blade and leaf, when in fact, nature begs for our patience, and only time will tell how well we heeded her needs.  You can read, research, fret, and panic, but nature will do as she sees fit, and we must learn from her teachings.  Gardening is not rocket science, and we shouldn’t set out to make it so.  Plant something.  Try something.  Give it your best shot.  Be patient.  Give it time.  Learn from your mistakes.  Celebrate your victories.  Share your bounty.  Enjoy your yard.

“My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant’s point of view.”
-H. Fred Dale

Best wishes,

Kim Sweeney