New Beginnings....

Hello Friends,

Almost 2 years ago I wrote that I was going on hiatus from this blog after I lost my entire greenhouse to a rot. Since then, I have continued to travel and document my love of flora. I also moved to some new, sunny digs with great views and plenty of sunshine. Despite the change in scenery, I still struggled with finding the will to return to the garden.

But as they say "time heals all wounds". I am happy to announce I have not been hospitalized in over two years and I have not had to visit an emergency room for my breathing issues for 18  months. I have finally found a treatment that works for me and lets me get back to living. 

I struggled from 2018 through 2019 to find the time and energy to grow anything while working the midnight shift for an airline. I never saw full daylight, only sunrise and sunset as I came and went from the job. I felt stunted that year, struggling to grow myself - let alone a garden of my own. 

But things changed. I was able to take on a different position in my company and to work normal office hours. I was able to engage on my weekends and cultivate old hobbies. At the end of 2019 I felt like I was finally coming back to myself as a gardener and I started planning for Spring 2020.

And then 2020 came and well..... *sigh* I don't have the words to recount what a roller coaster year this has been so far and we're only half way through!

I have lost family members this year. My family and friends have lost jobs and homes. We have faced criticism and racism while struggling for justice and equality. Even my husband and I have faced down losing our own home and careers. Yet we continue to strive for better days. 

More so than ever I see that in this chaos of 2020 we need something to hold on to. We need roots to keep us grounded. We need leaves to help us gather what light remains in our lives. We need water to refresh our priorities. We need something positive to nurture. We need hope for the future. 

For me this means something green in my life. A new start. 

As such I am happy to say that as of this posting I am returning to the garden. Things will have changed and some of that gilded delight I started this blog with may have faded. But with all of the suffering in the world right now, I need somewhere to escape to to clear my mind, strengthen my spirit, and renew my love for life and nature.

Welcome back to the garden my friends. Let's get our hands dirty and grow something beautiful. 

Sincerely,

Melissa