When I can steal a few minutes away from harvesting and packing orders, I sneak in to see what others are up to around this beautiful planet of ours. Tending their fields, raising their families, making their art, stocking their farmer’s market booths, having grand adventures…living their beautiful lives. I love stepping back into the field with a head full of stories about people I hardly know, wishing them goodness and feeling re-inspired to make my life more of what I want it to be.
It seems that there is a collective agreement across this parallel, that summer is on its way out and fall is near. Strangely I haven’t felt the shift just yet.
We have had a remarkably beautiful summer. Blue skies, sun for months, heat early on that put our crops ahead of schedule. After a few awful growing years in a row, it’s been a welcome gift that we’re savoring every second of. My hair has blonde highlights, we are all sporting golden brown skin despite tubes of sunblock and the water bill is through the roof.
This season is like no other in so many ways. For the first time, I actually have real, steady, highly capable support. Slowly and awkwardly I’ve been allowing others to contribute and I am finally letting go of control in the areas where I am weakest. It is shocking how rapidly EVERYTHING is shifting as I step out of the way! I keep saying to Chris, “this feels so great, I feel like true myself, could life really be this great!?”
The support has allowed us all to slow it down just a notch. The kids have finally got to have a summer! Elora went off to art camp, math camp, summer camp and spent 4 days at the county fair. She’s a freewheel girl these days, making new friends, challenging herself in so many new ways and growing at the speed of light.
Jasper has had lots of quiet, alone time with her gone. He still tapes up all the boxes, stickers most of the flower sleeves and pitches in when we need extra hands, but for much of the day, he’s alone with his imagination, in far off lands, contentedly creating and dreaming. He seems so happy to have such peaceful space to himself.
Chris and I too are getting a bit of a break. Obviously we’re still working our asses off. He rises at 3:45 a.m. 3 mornings a week to deliver flowers to the city before his real day begins as a shop foreman and mechanic, but we’ve been able to keep late night’s to a minimum and even take a few non wedding Saturday’s off here and there.
We actually have been sitting on the back steps as the sun sets and relaxing and decompressing from the day. Sounds ridiculously simple but it’s a whole new world for us!
So, here’s to new experiences, letting go of the old and soaking in every last drop of summer while it’s here!
Fall may be just a breath away, but for now, it’s still summer in my garden.
Coni Nelson on
Your pictures and words tear me up Erin. You have made such a happy story for your family and share it so generously with those that know you and get to know you through your flowers. I feel honored to be included in a small way. Best of the best to you and yours… We will continue to watch in awe….