Monday, November 10, 2008

Rosy Dreams


The chilling nights still yield to sun-warmed days which beckon me to play amongst the still-prolific gardens -- this verdant playground that once stood barren, save the scrub of nature left from gold-fever days (which ended only 52 years ago in these parts).

Once, not so long ago, a man gazed across this cast-off land and spun a dream of planting an English cottage, family-sized, among the few remaining trees on the generous plot. He and wife raised two and moved on, making way for another hopeful couple to bring five along with dreams of a garden for the cottage. Little by little the newest dreamers cleared the neglected land, laid bare by overuse and vicious harvest. The peelings from their daily fare piled up, broke down, and fed the dream. Over time, seeds and seedlings, slips and roots gathered together in celebration of a garden home. Roots dug deep, lush growth fed fruit, and perfume spread the glory of the bloom as the dream unfurled. Success smiled with the first plump bud peeking from the flourishing fringe around the porch and grew to be acres in chorus of Eden’s memory. Just as the cottage builder hammered nail into board to commence the cottage dream, so the following couple forked seedling into bed and dreamed cottage-garden dreams.

More than eight years have passed since that family with the garden dream laid eyes upon the pretty cottage sitting upon the harvested land, pregnant with expectation for a lush dressing in its made-over moment. Where once these “rounded-up” acres lay still and silent, organic hospitality now invites birds and bees and creeping nature of all sorts. The hum and buzz of a summer’s day lends orchestration to the arias of the bathing birds. Life sings triumphant where once only dream appeared.

And so, as seed catalogs and garden offerings begin flooding the postal box, and fall’s cleaning necessitates the dusting and inevitable perusing of each garden book upon the shelf, inspiration calls out from many places, converging at the earthly easel of life’s mural and the dream grows. Like a magic carpet, the ideas carry the homespun gardener over the acres called home, finding joy among the wisteria-and-rose-laden dreams for tomorrow soaked in the joys of today wrought with yesterday’s hope and toil. As the gardener’s trowel touches each “new” garden she wonders whether this may be the final stroke; but then an overlooked spot of barren soil cries out, “Shall I be passed over?” Thus, the dream grows a bit further.

* * * * *

The teakettle whistles as she pauses, duster in hand. She blinks and returns to the present moment, smiling as she recalls Frost’s delicious words:

The woods are lovely, dark and cold,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
By Robert Frost (1923)


“Ah, yes,” she sighs, “Miles to go before I sleep,” and spins a rosy dream of fresh promise.

* * * * *

Would you like to take a walk in my garden? Here's a path. Or here. Or here.


14 comments:

Kat said...

Yes! I would love to take a walk in your garden. It looks and sounds absolutely charmed!

I love Frost! :)

Brenda@CoffeeTeaBooks said...

I used to always end my e-mails to friends with "miles to go before I sleep".

I love Frost, too. :)

Mim said...

Debbie
I'm sorry your world has taken a turn.
Thanks again for your prayers...they are holding me up more than you know.
Mim

Virginia said...

My dear Debbie,
Your words always dance their ways into my heart. Beautiful!!!
Many Blessings, Virginia

Bab's Kitchen said...

hi! Thank you for your message. I am so sorry about the lost of your son.

Naturegirl said...

I took a walk through your truly enchanting garden! A garden planted with the seeds of love!

Debbie in CA : ) said...

Dear Barbara,

A lot of healing happens in 4-1/2 years -- Praise the Lord. Your post on the love of butterflies reminded me of his metamorphosis from earthly "special" to Heavenly "Perfect." Joyful tears bless me.

sukipoet said...

Your garden and home sound so lovely. May you have many happy nights planning the spring plantings. I just watched a video about Tasha Tudor (at aged 80 plus) which showed her home and lovely gardens which were beautiful too.

"Create Beauty" said...

Hi Debbie. Beautiful gardens! I found this quote in my quote journal ... "Our Creator would never have made such lovely days, and given us the deep hearts to enjoy them, above and beyond all thought, unless we were meant to be immortal." (Nathaniel Hawthorne) May God give Light to your path today, this week, whether it be on a garden path or even thru a dark valley, because He promised He would walk beside you thru it... Thank you for your inspiring words. Bless you.

Julie said...

What a beautiful house and garden. I feel that I have so much to learn from you about how to make dreams become reality.

Anonymous said...

Yes, I'll be there in a flash with my gardening clogs on...the seed catalogs are so full of promise aren't they?

farmlady said...

This is a lovely post. It's a garden of wonderful writing.

Theresa said...

Your place is so beautiful. We went to G.V. and N.C. on Saturday hoping to see fall colors but it was gray and cloudy, no light for pics. It was beautiful and we were looking to see if God would have us stay in CA if maybe those areas would be a possibility. But we saw nothing so beautiful as what you have and what you have made it with your loving, creative touch!

imbeingheldhostage said...

how can you even stand looking at a computer when you're surrounded by that?