That Which Amazes
During this spring of surgical recovery there are days when I am so close to finishing the process but yet so far away from being the product of the process. Seeking and searching for worthwhile endeavors to fill the day can almost bring me to the brink of “doughnuts.” That is my one weakness when I feel challenged spiritually and physically. In my mind it takes me back to when, as a very young person, my Mom’s baked goods fixed everything – and I mean everything – from stepping barefoot on a board with a rusty nail in it to not getting a blue ribbon at the fair in my first year of being in 4-H.
Days such as these I rely on coffee and many many trips out to the backyards to find something that will fill me and take away the gnawing impatience. It is a good thing that we have just about an acre for me to roam. I started out by pulling up the little volunteer Hackberry trees that have sprouted where no tree should dare to be. The heavy rains have made for many that will never see another light of day. It was required that a few be left go for another day as they may have been nudged in a previous year and now the roots are even deeper. One armed . . . but still dangerous out in the gardens.
Soon to be a mini field of Jack in the Pulpits
I had worked off most of my angst and was thinking about cleaning all the mud I had on my garden shoes when I spotted the plant that made my entire day. In years past my sister-in-law had brought back from Iowa a small Jack in the Pulpit plant. It was evident it had been in a plastic sandwich bag far too long and it needed some good soil to settle into. Now, after five years there are a total of four that come into their own with several other small ones that are just foliage. I am not sure if they are multiplying by sucker roots or if there are seeds of some types that are not readily visible. The canopy of large leaves makes it a treasure hunt to peek under to find the jewel of the plant that is truly amazing in its detail. That right there made me feel so much better for the day. Screw the doughnuts. I found my inner peace.