Garden Wisdom

Today I discovered that I left the hose going all night and flooded the area around the pond. Glad I walked around the yard early. Yesterday moved some plants out of the main garden to make room for the campanula, ‘Blue Clips ‘, in the front.

I have no idea whether the mosquito problem is due to the wet summer or the huge drainage ditch the county put in ajoining the property. But no one can stay outside for more than a short time without swarms around your entire body -no matter what the time of day or amount of sun. >:( Really puts a crimp in my gardening…not to mention swellings and annoyances.

Oh well. I was thinking this morning about whinings, rants and complaints. The world is not a better place for their proliferations. Say it once, if you need to, create a campaign if it is of importance, work on solutions if it is nagging you…..but spare the world if all you are doing is polluting your own mind and those around you with your foul inability to handle the “small stuff”. I was thinking in reference to myself and these blogs.

It is easy to fill them up with mind litter. Sorry, just getting started… making adjustments in focus.

The schooltime this last week was ( apart from the usual math time, etc) beginning a unit on ants. I decided to use the Proverbs 6:6 admonition to sluggards as a jump-off point. We got an illustration with the garden when I started work in an area that -unbeknownst to me- had a thriving colony of tiny biting ants. Kids got to see mom with ants in her pants. -Actually crawling quickly up my legs biting the ankles. So after brushing and smashing… hurried inside to shower and change clothes when the swatting proved insufficient.

Then when we had our discussion time after the presentation of some initial research by my son. I folded the experience into how a group can work as a team to protect something and gain respect…even though the individual members are tiny and unmatched in power to the adversary.

Now we go into the study of kinds of ants, and lessons we can get in teamwork and in diligence. Vocabulary is on overseer, ruler, and captain. The nuance of difference and the illustrations in the live of Moses and Joseph in the Bible.

It sort of grew on its own. The garden has many things like that. Lessons and observances, wisdom for those who wish to see.