The last few months have been quite a whirlwind around these parts. Lately I’ve finally felt like I can look up and take a breath of fresh air, which came with the realization that it’s May! MAY! Here we are, already on the fifth month of this year, and if you’re anything like me you may be finding yourself asking “where has the time been going?” I know I’ve been thinking about that quite a bit lately.
Well, in our case, my husband and I started the new year with a bang, purchasing our first home, which we feel so blessed to be able to do, especially these days. House hunting and all the paperwork took up much of January and February, and we moved in at the start of March. Since then, settling in to our new home, creating our own new rhythms in this space and in the neighbourhood have been our central focus. But here we are, finally able to look around and seeing that everything has come into bloom around us while all that settling in has been going on!
This has been one of the joys of living in a house with a little yard, after many many years of apartment and condo dwelling – seeing what comes up from the soil after months of winter hibernation, watching as the tree in our yard fills in with little green leaves, and dreaming of ways we’d like to make the yard our own natural refuge in the years to come. We’ve been discovering a sense of pride in gently clearing away the old growth from the new, and digging away weeds. There is a joyfulness in tending to our little corner of Mother Earth and thinking of ways to take better care of her along the way.
For my husband and I, that means learning more about the plants that are native to our region, what species can survive the bitter winters and grow back stronger than ever, which plants will be suited to our changing climate in the years ahead, and what we can plant to support pollinators and other little critters who traverse this green space we call home. We want to create a space full of life now, that will be sustainable well into the future. I’m hoping now that we’re a bit more settled in here, I can do a better job of taking the time to notice the changing seasons, to pause and reflect on details like the ephemeral beauty of cherry and apple blossoms, or the perfect bright green of a newly unfurling leaf in the garden.
It may not be much at the moment, but in my mind’s eye, our yard will become an oasis of biodiversity-supporting flora, a place where friends and family can gather and connect, and where memories are made. It’s safe to say I’m feeling inspired as this month ticks along and leaves and flowers around us fill in more and more. No doubt it will take some time, but that’s okay because I think there’s a lot of truth to the idea that good things, worthwhile things, take time. Whether that’s a creative project, growing nourishing vegetables, or building and growing our relationships, the best things in life must be invested in, consistently, time and time again. Just like our dear Mother Earth, taking her time in rotating through the fullness and beauty of each season, which all contribute to the breadth and depth of the human experience and what it means to feel truly alive.
What’s inspiring you lately, and what are you investing your time and talents in as we move toward summer? Let me know in the comments!
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