Gratitude

To be without some of the things you want is an indispensable part of happiness.

Bertrand Russell

Life has it's moments. Good days and bad, smooth roads and bumpy passages, minor challenges and and huge obstacles, times of still water and smooth sailing. I love this quote, it really speaks to my life. I do without things that most people would balk at. 

Out the back door

But I live here. 

For every bad day, bumpy passage,huge obstacle or patch of still water, I can walk out my back door and look at the river. I close my eyes and hear more birds than I can name. I listen to the quail.  I have a pair of great horned owls that live in our neighborhood: they roost in OUR trees. Every night Orion is out my front door. In the summer, most nights there is a cool delta breeze. I have a garden that feeds my soul. I have ample space to be creative. I have a variety of wonderful people in my life, a job I love, and a wonderful landlord who is also my friend. 

I don't have a lot of fancy stuff and gadgets, and life is hard sometimes because I choose to do without a full time job ( I have stopped looking: exercise in futility ). If I had it all, I would be bored.

But I live here, and I am so very grateful. 

Notes from the garden

Gopher plant, about 5 ft tall

Hollyhock

Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace.

May Sarton 

Succulents

Gardening has always been my first love.  Regardless of what is going on in my life I always find time for the things that need to be done in the garden. I will admit that in my twenties I spent a lot more time doing artwork than I do now. But the important pieces are all plants and flowers. Now I am likely to be out in the yard as not. Many of the photos I take are reference for drawings to be done when I can no longer be as active as I am now. 

I am fortunate to live in a truly wonderful little house on the Sacramento River. It is surrounded by a large piece of property with huge old Oaks and Cottonwoods. I have Great Horned Owls, and Quail in addition to the numerous small and large birds of the area. I see Coyote from time to time. I have a vegetable garden. Everything in the vegetable garden has chicken wire around it  -- Raccoons and Possums. I see where they have been out having a party, digging for worms and grubs.  What I have noticed this year is how some of the insects are out in force. It has to be because of the mild winter we had.  I have pulled two Ticks off/out of me, and a third today crawling up my leg. I have never seen the sheer volume of Oak Leaf moth that I have seen this spring. Groups of twenty or thirty  at a time when I hand water, flying up to escape. Every tree, every bush has shown the ravages of Caterpillar presence. The Mosquitos were very bad a month ago, but have tapered off (Thank the Lord). The Crickets and Frogs at night are the best sound to fall asleep to. Amazing that such small creatures can make such large sounds. 

The early heat means that this year all of the iris bloomed, that was a first. But they are long done. The big, white Calla's are done, but the smaller pinky-purple ones are just coming up. The African Daisy is heading into a second bloom cycle. the Chinese Gladiolas are no doubt going to put on an amazing show. I expect a sea of orange out there in late June. I just transplanted two Giant Bird of Paradise and know they won't bloom this year, but with any luck, they will next year. Some of the roses have done something, I think they are waiting and will attempt another show.  If it sounds like a lot of work, it is a a lot of work. 

And there is no where else I would rather be. I hope you have a garden of your own, however small. It will always rejuvenate your soul.