Lazy warm days, iced tea, and plants dancing in gentle breezes bring my summer thoughts to life. The longer days seem to fuel my thoughts, charging me with super powers for creating a gorgeous outdoor retreat. The fact that my gardening muscles haven’t been used for six months (or more) doesn’t matter; I’m invincible and ready to bring an oasis to my barren landscape. No sweat……well, maybe a little a lot of sweat, but sweating is good, right?
Two years ago we moved from a house with large trees and mature gardens to a house with no landscape. We wanted less maintenance and had a vision of a park-like landscape with a few key trees and native grasses. We had no idea that a two year drought was ahead. Our attempts to landscape were squelched by drought, deer, and Iowa storms. But, that was then and now its spring and I have super powers!
Every spring super powers take over my otherwise normal life. It’s not just me, super powers are everywhere; plants emerge from frozen soil, people purge closets and garages, joggers run marathons, etc. And every spring my super powers quickly fade. This is always humbling as well as discouraging. But I’ve finally realized that starting projects designed for my human powers keep my super powers active, because completing lots of little goals encourages completing more goals and eventually the overall goal is completed and I am super woman! It makes a win-win feeling instead of a failing one.
It’s taken years for me to realize this. But now I can happily return from the garden center with only what I can plant in a single weekend. Besides, by the time I’m actually ready to plant, garden centers have plants on sale and those savings can help with the replacement costs for the plants that didn’t survive. Loosing plants is sad, but by planning for replacements creates another positive, and helps me accept the losses.
And so goes the inner tug-of-war between super power and human power ….. but staying focused on how to capitalize the short-lived super powers so my human powers can wrap things up is key. It’s challenging to think about my humanness when feeling invincible, but it can be done! So with super powered enthusiasm and human powered rationale, my home’s barren front will soon come to life and the back will get a few key trees. Then let the dog-days-of-summer find me with an iced tea and plants dancing in midsummer breezes….. I’ll post ‘Before and Afters’ in a couple of months!
Do you have any plans for your spring super powers?