Dizzy to Steady

When I was a child, every playground had a merry-go-round. Some of them were divided into pie slices of various colors with a metal bar in between each section. Once every daring child jumped on, someone strong would push the merry-go-round and keep us spinning until we were all dizzy.

That’s been my week. I’ve moved from one “slice” to another as circumstances jolted me from celebrating birthdays with good friends to driving four hours to a family funeral and spending a different kind of time with people I love. I climbed over the next bar on the merry-go-round to return to work for intense meetings then I climbed again to prepare for book launch events next week for Rooted in Sunrise. Next, I’ll take another leap to return to Indiana and go to my niece’s baby shower to celebrate the new life.

Yes, I’m dizzy. Yes, that’s the pattern of life in some seasons.

To stay upright during all the quick changes, I had to jump off the merry-go-round for a few minutes to spend time in the garden. Wednesday night at the mid-point of this crazy week, I went outside to fill two watering cans and feed the greens and cole crops that I planted last month. What a relief it was to move at my own pace, paying attention to the variety of lettuces that have sprouted from the mesclun mix seeds. Their shapes distinguish them each as unique contributors to the blend.

I also marveled over the beautifully green cabbage that is growing next to cauliflower that has clearly become bug food. The cauliflower leaves look like lace. A gardener with more time and knowledge would next implement a fix for the struggling plants, but that’s not me this week.

The Swiss chard made me stop and study. I’ve long enjoyed the taste if these greens but the beautifully colored leaves with their red veins make them truly striking. Then I moved onto the raspberry bushes where I found a few plump berries for breakfast.

Time in the garden steadies me.

It also brings joy to my soul and to my stomach. Jim brought home some late corn for supper last night. That was a delicious surprise that definitely gave me energy to carry me through the rest of the week.

How’s your balance as you move through the final weeks of summer and prepare for fall? Fall is a time for harvesting all we’ve planted this year. If we planted a lot, that can make fall a very busy time. Even though I strive for a steady, peaceful pace in life, I’m sure I will get dizzy again this fall. When I do, I’ll head outside for some moments of calm in the garden.