The Window

It was cool this morning...in the 5o's. I put on my favorite gardening clothes and grabbed my clippers, rake, pruners, and other things necessary for the fall cleanup day. I got the wheelbarrow and walked to the northeast corner of the house. I started out cutting down some hostas and lilies. Moving the wheelbarrow around to the east side the Stellas got their haircut. Going up the incline I moved along the front of the house. Some things had already been done here. I decided to leave the garden by the front entrance until the killing frost. The flowers are still pretty here and make a nice welcome. I sat awhile on the green lawn chair under the River Birch. Workmen are next door...putting on a new deck. I watched them go back and forth with wood. I got up and started going down the west side of the house. This side doesn't look too bad, so I started in clipping, trimming and pulling grass out of the mulch. Thank God for mulch..it is a help, when you are older. I took the barrow back to the woods several times and dumped it then started the back of the house. This would be the biggest job. The deck garden just about wore me out. So many things to do in a rather small place. I even used the weedwacker in places. I had to rake the area and then moved on to the hosta area. My husband was looking out the patio door. He could see how tired I was. He always says, "You don't have to to it all in one day." I really like to do this work alone...usually, but when he offered to cut down the huge hostas...I was relieved. We made quick work of this job and I was glad to have him out there with me. He asked if there was anything else I wanted him to do....no ,the rest I could handle. The last place is in front of one of our basement windows. There I have lily of the valleys, hostas, and columbine. As I was cleaning up that area, I looked in the window. The grow lights were on in my work area in the house. I could see my houseplants in the window. They were saying, "Yea, she will be in soon to take better care of us." The orchids are starting new growth, the cactus are healthy, African violets, cyclamen, elephant ears, and the beautiful Christmas cactus are waiting for my winter care. My art supplies are right near the plant shelves. Two huge tables await my projects for winter. Upstairs the house is warm...the heat is on. The down comforter is on the bed. The summer clothes are put away. The cozy robe is hanging on the closet door, fuzzy slippers are below it. The kitchen is waiting with new recipes to try...oven recipes. The basket is by the couch with knitting supplies. (I make baby hats for preemies) The books that I have gathered this summer are on the shelf. I am looking forward to the next season. Mother Nature can visit my yard with her icy touch...I am ready.

Balisha