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Dans le Jardin

Magick and great ashe stems from engagement with plants. Over the years I've come to regard them as a reservoir of healing, font of wisdom and source of creativity. Healing with plants is an important facet of holistic health. Herbs are quite capable of gracing the mind, body and spirit with age-old energetic insights that lead to wellness.

I've written a good handful, maybe more, of posts about gardening. Gardening as a pastime, a pleasure, a metaphor and a space for cultivating hopes and dreams.

Do you remember when I shared the post Seeding the Snow? That was in March and I was so relieved that spring was actually going to show its face after a long, hard Chicago winter. Still, winter was unrelenting so it seemed as though you'd have to plant in the snow. The snow didn't want to make an exit.

Then there was this post called Weeding, which focuses around the activity of gardening as a form of mind/body/spirit therapy. When I wrote "Weeding" I was stressed out. De-cluttering my garden through weeding, taught lessons about clearing up my life. I learned about keeping and cultivating what is meaningful and beautiful while casting out what isn't.

Meadow of Dreams was posted at the beginning of July. In it I talked once again about sowing seeds. As a gardener, I got off to a late start this year. Planting my seeds directly from packets sometime in June. "Meadow of Dreams" is about how we randomly plant seeds of all sorts never really knowing what the end result will be come harvest time. Tossing seeds is similar to spreading energy in the world. We need to be discerning but not necessarily reserved,if we want to make a broad impact.

In June, I planted a variety of sunflower seeds and tossed wildflower seeds about. I had spent about 10 days prior to that digging and double digging the earth, to condition the soil and get rid of my prairie grass. The mystery packet was quite large and was called "heirloom wildflowers." I had no idea what that really meant or what the end result would be.




As of this weekend, this is the result of my plantings. This garden brings joy to numerous insects, birds, my dog, rabbits, squirrels, and hopefully many others who walk and drive by. It is a source inspiration for my writing, painting, drawing and journaling, as well as a great place to get some exercise, and to dream.

Comments

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    1. Thanks! Feeling good too and ready to tackle some more weeds.

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  2. I love the photo. Especially because you're wearing yellow, it shouts "freedom" and "life renewed."

    Thanks for the comment and follow. I'm very glad to reciprocate.

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  3. Thanks Robyn! I do love the color yellow but never really thought about it's relationship to freedom. I like that nothing. Thanks for your follow and witty insights over at your blog.

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  4. Look at that garden! Oh, I am jealous!!

    Last week I sent you emails regarding my blog tour. I hope you got them. :)

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  5. Thanks so much Chrys. Glad you like it. I did receive your emails--thanks! Glad we connected on goodreads as well.

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  6. Your garden is beautiful! You have a sunshiny yellow theme going on. Love it! Sunflowers are my very favorite. But I planted too soon and now they're already done for the year. Well, there's always next year.

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  7. Gwen, thank you! I do love yellow. It brightens the spirit. My favorite color is butter yellow. I've gone crazy on sunflowers in the past. At one point my entire garden consisted of 12' tall sunflowers. People use to pull over in their cars and gaze at them in amazement or perhaps they were baffled by why I'd done such a thing. I like having them more as an anchor this year. As the season carries on I'm planning to do paintings and drawings of them. I planted mine kind of late. I was worried but I think from what you're saying about yours, I did the right thing. Good luck next year!

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  8. That is absolutely beautiful as are you Miss Stephanie :D

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    1. Thanks my dear friend Summer! I just love that garden and am keen on the dress too. It was a gift from my sister-in-law. We got matching dresses to wear to the beach.

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  9. The thing I love most about this picture is YOU. I love that yellow dress and how at peace you look, surrounded by all those flowers!

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  10. You are so kind fellow Stephanie! Thank you.

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  11. Wow, your flowers look beautiful! I've never been too interested in gardening myself, but these are lovely.

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    1. Thanks Sarah. That means a lot coming from you. You're quite the budding photographer! I love seeing what you're shooting.

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  12. I came back to check that my comment was posted Stephanie but it wasn't! I remember doing the captcha ...
    I loved this post ..and the photograph is beyond beautiful. Lovely to see you there 'in the pink' ... glowing gold in and like your garden.

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  13. Susan, thanks for double-checking. I remember appreciating your comment. I don't know what became of it because I clicked "publish". Well, anyway, thanks so much for your kind comment and your patience. Loved your post today!

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  14. I have to echo what everyone has said here: love that garden and that yellow looks great on you! My husband and I were supposed to start gardening (he actually suggested a competition to see who could grow the best tomatoes or something like that), but we never got around to it. Maybe by next spring. I'll have to stop by here more often to get some inspiration!

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  15. Why thanks Quanie! A gardening competition sounds like an interesting way to keep you motivated. Let me know how it goes. Please do stop by anytime. Hopefully you'll find all sorts of inspiration!

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