Sun Up In the Sky, You Know How I Feel ...

It makes me inordinately happy to spend New Year's Day in the garden. I have this vaguely superstitious feeling that by doing so, I'm actually ensuring that I'll have many more such days over the next 12 months. It makes me even happier when New Year's Day is clear and sunny, and just cool enough to make long sleeves a comfortable necessity. January 1st, 2010 was such a day and I spent several pleasant hours puttering in various areas of the gardens. I didn't think I'd overindulged in the bubbly during our New Year's Eve festivities but I found it necessary to spend more time than usual lolling in one of the Adirondack chairs to rest and soak up the sun. (It was a good reminder of why it's worth it to buy the better wines. No more Mumm's Napa for me and my fellow flautist GH [not to be confused with the HG] who told me she also found herself feeling less than perky this morning.)

What the garden actually is on this New Year's Day is a very different thing from what I hope it will be in the months to come. To those in more northerly climes, it may look positively verdant but the Head Gardener and I see a barren wasteland. Not that that's an entirely bad thing: as I've said before, it means opportunities to try new and different plants and shake things up a bit! And I'll admit that as I watched a lone honey bee buzzing about the Phlox, and spotted a Monarch butterfly sailing majestically above the dead brown sticks of frost bitten plants, my garden was a very beautiful place to me. As one of my stepping stones proclaims, "If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere." That seems like a resolution for 2010 and it's my hope that each of us will be successful both in loving nature and finding beauty.


Comments

Barbara said…
Dear Cindy, I am happy to find another Texas blogger, I am getting quite a list on my blog. I hope it will be ok to add you to this list.

Happy New Year.
Babara
Rose said…
How wonderful to be able to spend New Year's Day in the garden, Cindy! It's one degree above zero here today, so the only gardening I'm doing is watching my indoor amaryllis about to bloom. But every zone has its disadvantages, so I won't complain. This time of year gives me a chance to plan and dream for the coming gardening season, though sitting in the sun watching the bees and butterflies sounds awfully good to me right now:)

Perhaps gardening could be added as a hangover remedy?:) Best wishes to you in the New Year, Cindy, and happy gardening!
Nothing makes me feel better than soaking up the sun, but my backyard is getting me rather depressed. (post to come on this later) I look forward to being able to get out there again and get my hands dirty! :)
Happy New Year Cindy!
Pam/Digging said…
I did just what you did on New Year's Day, Cindy---spent the day in the garden. What a luxury, when I think about other gardeners holed up indoors with snow on the ground outside. Enjoy more basking in the sun today!
I spent New Year's Day in the garden too - about 10 minutes brushing snow off the conifers. I like your resolution, and I wish you a great year of gardening.
Sounds like a lovely day Cindy. I too spent New Year's day moving slower but enjoying every second of the long hoped for sun. Happy new year!
Cindy, MCOK said…
Barbara, I'd be honored to be included on your blogroll. I hope you'll stop by again.

Rose, I'll get my chance to sit indoors & dream in a couple of days!

MT, I hope you get some balmy days soon and can spend a little time in your garden!

Pam, I had to return my NYEve costume to the rental place on the 2nd, so I didn't get to garden. It was a lovely day for it, too.

MMD, hang in there. Next summer when I'm sweltering, you'll be outside enjoying beautiful weather.

Jean, I'm delighted you got a bit of sun, too.

Happy New Year, y'all!