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In the winter, the garden and I rest. I spend more time on indoor activities, such as writing and crafts. I’ve learned the importance of flowing with the seasons.

Yet even in springtime, sometimes I need to stop and take stock. Today is one of those days. We returned to our home after two weeks visiting family in Illinois and New York, and our flight was delayed by several hours last night due to weather.

So today, rather than push myself, I’ll just say “hi” to all of you out there who have been kind enough to visit me. I’m going to get food in the house and settle in again. The irises and lilacs are blooming, so I hope to snap a few photos, too.

I may get a chance this afternoon to catch up on what some of you have to say, but if not, I’ll definitely have more time starting tomorrow.

Take care, and I’ll see you tomorrow!

Welcome to the second half of the AtoZChallenge! I’m looking forward to reading posts with the more exotic letters!

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We are creatures of nature. We may block that part out with air conditioning, processed foods, overwork, and more, but when we take a moment to stop and reconnect with the natural world, we are renewed. It’s no coincidence that we use the word “blossom” to describe that sense of renewal.

Richard Louv coined the phrase “nature deficit disorder” in his book, Last Child in the Woods. He has observed that children who spend time in nature are freer from problems such as ADHD, depression, and anxiety.

I’ve known for a long time that I need nature to be more front and center in my life…hence our move, a few years ago, to the Olympic Peninsula.

We have wooded footpaths throughout town with miles of hiking space. A short drive either east or west brings us to mountains. And, every day, we can look out over the water. Whenever I feel scattered or tired or unfocused, I head outside, and my head clears.

Whether we grow a pot of herbs on a windowsill or hike or just stand on a sidewalk looking at someone else’s garden, we owe it to ourselves to breathe in nature’s rhythms. We are happier when we do.

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I wrote this piece from an apartment in Queens, New York. We are visiting the Big Apple, far away from our home and my garden. Yet here, in the cozy neighborhood of Ridgewood, is our daughter. We have a son in Miami, a short(er) flight from New York.

On this trip, we realized that sometimes the nature we need is the nature of our families…so we have decided to spend late fall to early spring based in New York, with periodic jaunts to Miami.

Yet we are, at least for now, keeping the house and garden in Port Townsend. It may sound odd, to live in New York during the cold of winter, but we will do indoor activities (theater, museums), and then return home in time to get my hands in the soil and grow food. We are unwilling to give up the views and glorious nature of the Northwest in the summer.

We will also find ways to enjoy nature here in the city. I love the flowerboxes, the little plots of green here and there amidst the concrete and brick. Wherever I am, I will seek nature, even if it’s in the form of a snowdrift.

It’s a strange, thrilling adventure. Stay tuned as to how it turns out!

I forgot to share a really cool “M” item for the AtoZChallenge! Here’s a photo my husband took of the last full moon.

We’re midway through the A-Z Challenge! Hang in there, fellow bloggers! You’re doing great!

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Too often in our modern society, we overcomplicate things. We stand in line at Starbucks to order fancy coffees instead of brewing a pot at home. We hire a nutritionist when maybe we just need to cut the French fries and soda from our diets.

So of course, in a world filled with exotic plants flaunting expressive blooms and haunting fragrances, the lowly marigold may not seem like the kind of plant to write about. Short, with modest small blooms of red, orange, and gold, it’s more wallflower than belle of the ball.

Yet marigolds have their benefits. For one thing, they’re pretty to look at and can brighten up a landscape. Throw a few marigold flowers into your salad for a tasty and colorful addition to the greens. Dried flowers can be used as a tea high in antioxidants, and have anti-inflammatory properties.

Marigolds can also serve as “companion plants,” repelling nematodes in particular from the garden. They can attract slugs, though, so they both giveth and taketh away. Slugs are the bane of my existence!

Still, from marigolds I can learn about simplicity. If I have a problem, try the easiest solution first. I don’t have to be flashy to get attention–it’s okay to be quiet and unassuming. Steady self-confidence is the order of the day.

 

For more great AtoZ Challenge blogs, click here.

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We weren’t trying to follow our noses, but in the summer of 2011, we visited San Juan Island for a few days. We were living in Houston at the time, and we visited the Pacific Northwest so my husband could participate in the RAMROD (Ride Around Mount Rainier in One Day).

I don’t ride. I’m happy to be a cheerleader.

 

Anyway, after the ride we visited San Juan Island for some R&R. While there, we toured the Pelindaba Lavender Farm, and I scarfed up plenty of souvenirs: lavender teas, lavender room freshener, culinary lavender, and, of course, lavender chocolate. Lavender is a calming herb, and I need all the help I can get.

We had left a record hot and drought-filled summer in Houston that destroyed not only my vegetable garden, but some of my native plants as well. Apparently even heat-loving plants have their limits.

On the island, we sat in restaurants with doors open and fresh air pouring in. I wasn’t drenched with sweat the moment I walked outdoors, and our tour of the lavender farm was relaxed. We could take our time without dying of sunstroke.

Shortly after our return, we had had enough. Henry’s parents had both died. The kids had their own lives, one in New York and the other in Dallas (later, Miami). We both work from home. What were we doing here?

While we felt Port Townsend was a better overall fit than San Juan Island, we knew we belonged in the Pacific Northwest.

These days, I have a yard filled with lavender, a great treat for the bees as well as me. 45 minutes down the road, the town of Sequim offers an annual lavender festival, and I even have a fabric art piece that honors Sequim’s purple summer beauty.

A scent, a whiff, and presto! A cross-country move. Thanks, lavender.

Welcome new A to Z friends! If you’re new to this page, my topic is Dishing the Dirt: Life and the Garden. I invite all readers to visit as many of the other A to Z blogs as possible. It’s fun!

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Spinach pisses me off. I can grow it, but before I can gather it all, the weather gets too warm and the plant bolts. I have tried placing it in different parts of the garden, but so far it’s just too finicky for me. If a plant is going to make it in my garden, it has to toughen up a bit.

Finicky and fragile. Sounds like me.

Kale fits the bill. It’s both prolific and sturdy, and though it’s from the cabbage family, it doesn’t seem as sensitive to the scourges that have destroyed my broccoli and Brussels sprouts (cabbage worms — ick).

Prolific and sturdy. Maybe I want to be kale when I grow up.

Filled with antioxidants, calcium, and cancer-fighting agents, kale is a powerhouse food. Yet I know a lot of people who turn their nose up at it, even if they haven’t tried it.

For them, I prepare a batch of kale chips. We Americans are a snacky people, so when in doubt, fry it up.

My favorite recipe comes from a now-out-of-business health food store. It’s a simple one: sauteed kale with pinto beans and cornbread. It’s a quick meal (although I soak my beans overnight) to make, simple, colorful, and tasty.

Kale works great in frittatas and soups, too. There are plenty of salad recipes available, but if you’re new to kale, I would cook it first.