Sadhvi

Where I live in Western North Carolina, this past winter has been unbearable in that there has not been a lot of sun, something I really need.  Some might say that the snow has been too much, but I happen to like snow.  There is a certain stillness and quiet that comes with snow that I find calming and nurturing.  I don’t really mind the cold either, because as a gardener, I know that it’s good for a lot of things, like killing off bad bugs and poison ivy.  And besides, the old farmers that I sometimes run into driving their tractors with their well-worn overalls on say so!

I also like being in a place that has winter because I can rest from the garden fever that I get during the growing season.  Every year, without fail, I have to fight the urge to start growing everything right about now.  Magically, just a few days ago, I woke up to birds singing and I knew that the green has been awakened from its winter sleep.  Everything feels different now.  I always act calm and disinterested when the seed catalogs start coming, which this year was not too hard because they started coming around Christmas!  But just a few sunny days with temperatures in the 50’s like it’s been, and I find myself drawing on a piece of scrap paper what I imagine the garden to be this year.