Midwinter. Colder Than Usual

View over the field

Everyone is talking about the weather.  It is a colder than usual winter, though we had our little January thaw which seemed almost tropical, while somewhat rainy. It is too bad the snow melted off, because these temperatures and drying winds that Ohio has had recently is none too good for plant health. At least it is also deadly for insects…so that’s one good thing.

We are predicted to have snow this weekend, so maybe I will find new ways to photograph wintry scenes for the blog here.

Speaking of predictions… my peach trees had been suffering, and I wonder if this is their death knell? If so I might just plant some new ones. Dwarfed trees don’t last in even the best circumstances in Zone 5, so I would have replaced them anyway. I am pretty sure I will lose some things to this cold.

I haven’t been able to inspect the hellebores that bloomed so prettily last year. When I looked in early November I had thought to have another Christmas appearance. The frigid arrival of winter weather put a stop to all such thoughts.

If you live in Ohio you know the Scioto river usually is open, but it looks covered in ice now. In the north they had lots of snow ( just look at Kylie’s “Our Little Acre“!) but here the ground has been windswept and bereft of cover.

I was percolating along quite well changing blog themes etc, when a health crisis rudely interrupted me. I had the fun of an MRI and echocardiogram and then was sent home after a horrendous night on blood pressure lowering treatment.  Flu feels better than that. I am thankful to be alright and on track, but will struggle maintaining a good attitude when the bills arrive. My daughters sent out prayer requests and I am extremely grateful for the love and care of people in my “domain” of life. And to God who answers.

Sometimes I am a non-compliant, bad girl. Or woman, now, is more accurate to say. Exercise, better diet… all the blah blah blah that I must pay attention to. I must behaaavvve. (Now I want to laugh at it, but, really, I have to take it seriously)

This good behavior will lead to more garden time in the coming year, because I must deal more effectively and purposefully with the stress of modern life. Nature, and the garden, prayer and meditation… making art, these are all restorative for me. People -not so much- sorry. It truly is not you, but me. I just think I have wrong attitudes towards people, that I must perform and meet expectations, etc- all very stressful.

The garden gives me a sense of peace and place. It is also good exercise. But it is frozen up tight right now… so I will try my yoga tapes, instead.

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Unfortunately I find the computer to be somewhat bad for health, which is too bad because I find it so much fun. But being sedentary, munching on naughty little snacks, and staying up all hours of the night is not healthy.

Maybe you too find the need to live more holistically. Perhaps we can do it together as I weave it into my blogging here. After all… I must find an excuse to make this thing part of my health focus, right? Right? Right. It is a creative outlet, after all.

I had already decided to focus on healthiness this year anyway… in a different way than usual. Not all goals and resolutions, but living, just differently. On purpose… with purpose I suppose you could say. And that means slower for me.

This is not exactly a gardening topic, but what is happening right now, and segue into what will likely be a turn in the road of how I think and write.

We all die, but we don’t all live, it seems. My thoughts have been turning towards what living really is in this stage of life particularly. Gardening has been a good partner for the best parts of life, discovering and enjoying. So that is how I will pursue it,  even though I doubt that I will try so hard to “produce”. Gardening can become so competitive, it can push and overwhelm you if that is what you make it to be. But like my inner self, I don’t think it is meant to be that way, not at its core.

I will live my gardening differently – neglect it less, strive at it less, and invite it to be part of my creative process of living, well, I hope.

Sunny summer Walk In The Park

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© 2015 written for Ilona’s Garden Journal by Ilona E. An excellent blog.