Welcome to “Mayprilaryjucember” – the 13^th month on the gardener’s calendar. The tender green shoots appear from under their winter cover, beckoning to us. They lure us; calling us into the still sleeping gardens. We put on our coats. No. We put on our sweaters. Uh – maybe T-shirts and shorts. No. We put on our coats, and succumb to the temptation to pull the leafy quilts off our outdoor beds. We try to plant things that will surely freeze to death if the nighttime temperatures drop below 38 degrees, and then they will bake the very next day as the afternoon temps reach a tropical 85 Fahrenheit. I’ve heard the saying “Everything in its season” – but exactly WHAT season are we in?

Donovan’s on the radio. Maybe it’s the “Season of the Witch” – you know – the witch from C.S. Lewis’ “Chronicles of Narnia” who causes it to be “always winter, but never Christmas”? Shiny Toy Guns are singing “Season of Love”, but I think that was in February. The Zombies are probably up next with ‘Time of the Season”. What time? Hopefully, the time to “Turn, Turn, Turn”. Of course, this is all for the Byrds. As soon as the 90 degree days of August come, I’ll be whining and waiting for the coolness of autumn again. But, no use getting ahead of myself; everything in its season.

That’s really the crux of it. This life urges us to push “the pedal to the metal”. We’re always hurtling toward what’s next. The merry-go-round spins faster and faster until our view of the surrounding landscape becomes a blur. Some of this is completely beyond our control – just like this crazy winter that’s supposed to have passed. What we can accomplish is often limited by external circumstances,   or schedules that are not of our making. Patiently waiting for ideal timing can be very frustrating, but paying the price for doing something at the wrong time is far worse. Counter-cultural as this sounds, “slow and steady” still gets it done. “Everything” doesn’t get done, but all the “important” things get done in their seasons. Everything else can just wait.

So, I’ll step onto the back porch and look at the lumpy lawn with its bald spots. That’s OK; I’m raising a family, not golf course turf. The greenhouse didn’t get fixed this winter; maybe next year. That’s OK too. They sell really nice “cheater” tomato plants with little tomatoes already on them at this nursery right across the road from a really good ice cream stand. If the wind is just right, we can get the kite out of our Jeep and fly it in the parking lot while we enjoy our treats. When we get home, we can push aside all the piles of gardening books on the table, and post kite and ice cream pictures on our favorite social media sites on-line. We’ll probably just set the tomato pots up on the porch rails; that cuts weeding and they’re easier to water that way. This will give me extra time to sit on the steps, drinking lemonade and blowing bubbles with my daughter while we watch the world speed by.

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