How Does Your Garden Grow?

I don't know what I am to write about this morning; I only know that I have to write.

I'm sitting here at my computer, looking out the window at the tree before me, covered in beautiful big green leaves and now little green berries. It is August now, and soon the berries will be turning orange with the fall season and become food for beautiful little winter birds. I can hardly believe that fall is already so fast approaching. School will be starting soon. Where has the time flown? This summer has breezed by me so fast I can hardly believe it. I have done so many fun things. I have had a little money to spend vacationing and playing. It has been a treat to savor. :) Life is going by so quickly and growing better and better by the day. It is almost startling to see the changes and how rapidly they are being made.

I think life is like this. Day by day the changes aren't noticeable. Looking at my garden it is not easy to see the changes in sizes of produce from one day to another... unless one looks very closely and tries to see it; and then one can. It is amazing! But how startling it is to me when I leave my home for even just a couple of days... perhaps only two or three - and then return to see my garden and notice with ease the vast growth of my garden. It astounds me. Stepping back for only just a moment I can see the change.

I can't help not comparing the growth in my garden to the growth in people's lives... in my life. There are expectations for life and self. Big expectations. Just as when I planted those tiny seeds I had big expectations for them. I expected them to grow to be large adult plants laden with produce. I expected them to grow up beautiful and strong. I expected them to be productive. And they are not failing me. :)

You know what feels good to me? Having high expectations for myself... but finally having the insight and skills to take life one day at a time with patience and joy ~ and just allow myself to be the best that I can be ~ whatever that is at any given time. Knowing that little by little changes are taking place, and I don't have to rush about frantically or panic over perfection. I don't need to stress about mistakes made, big or small. I just need to keep on pressing forward with faith in every footstep, and eventually I will look back on my life and see that I too... have grown steady and strong, just like the vegetables in my garden.

I was reading a blog this morning which reminded me of one of my favorite quotes which played a big part in helping me to keep my expectations high while balancing them with patience. It reads;

“Rise to the great potential within you. I do not ask that you reach beyond your capacity. I hope you will not nag yourself with thoughts of failure. I hope you will not try to set goals far beyond your capacity to achieve. I hope you will simply do what you can do in the best way you know how. If you do so, you will witness miracles come to pass.”

President Gordon B. Hinckley

I know these words are true. Great things are brought to pass by very small means.

Life is good... it is SO VERY GOOD!

PS Even with a late start... I had to try (It is my nature... can't be helped. :)  I finished planting the LAST couple days of JUNE; but that was the best I could do with the time I had to build both the raised garden bed, and the garden. The plants are smaller and the produce less ripened than that of other gardens which got an earlier start; even still, I will reap a harvest! :D

Here is a collage I made the last couple days of planting (covered in dirt! ~ see small photo of my face - forehead even covered with dirt)... LOL ~ The garden on the rear had plant starts a couple weeks old... the garden on the front was finished that day and planted by seed. It's plants are still small and will be featured at a later date. :)

The garden at the rear (left)... Today...

Look for the busy bee in the next two photos...

Happy Growing in your journey though life...

Corine ;D