Garden Therapy

For the last three days I've been laid up with a nasty cold. Yesterday was the worst day, I just could not get out of bed. My head pounded, eyes watered uncontrollably and I was horribly congested - you know the story.

This morning I woke up feeling a little better and I was determined to get out of bed. I honestly wonder how much good staying in bed does sometimes, yesterday I felt lousy and continued to feel lousy. Today I felt a little better, so just off lousy, but decided to get up and get outside.

Well I have to tell you that after an hour of gentle weeding and pottering around my garden I felt ALOT better than I did yesterday. So getting outdoors and breathing in fresh crisp air is just the medicine for me :)

So, do you want to join me for a little stroll around my autumn garden?

The ornamental grapevine has turned various shades of red and orange and lost most of it's leaves within a week. As you can see we clearly have our weekend gardening chores cut out for us. There are plenty of leaves to be collected up and burned.

The Beech tree (did I tell you I have identified my tree? A friend emailed me to say she thought it was one, and then while I was planting crocus bulbs in the lawn this week I came across plenty of beech nuts confirming this identification), continues to yellow and peppering my lawn with it's falling leaves.

Even the bed in front of the summer house is filled up with leaves that have fallen from the apple tree and the ornamental grapevine. I've had to scoop the pond numerous times to keep it clear of leaves that will rot in the water and cause it to be uninhabitable for the little critters that live there.

My rose bushes are giving their final autumn flush of roses before winter arrives, I have to say they look beautiful, so delicate. 

While weeding beneath the rose bush I noticed next springs bulbs already peeking through. It was a great reminder how next seasons blooms are already hard at work beneath the soil.

Noticing all this nature in my garden led me to ponder on seasons in life. Life is never still, it's always changing and nothing stays forever. A good thing to remember when you are in the midst of life's trials, tribulations and good times. And if it is a trial that you are facing right now - well, there's always hope of new life filled with flowers after the cold darkness of winter passes :)

Blessings in Christ to all of you this October weekend. And don't forget that if you live in the UK our clocks go back this weekend :)