The Heat Finally Arrived!
Our summer here in Virginia got off to a late start. While I was out on my daily walk yesterday, I noticed all of these bugs skimming the ground in a clover field I pass, and I figured out they were June bugs, only its the middle of July!
My garden is a little late too…green tomatoes, but no reds. Kale and Chard are still going strong with no signs of bolting. Even the normal pests that I get every season seem to be someplace else (except for the squash vine borer!). The summer spigot of warmth and humidity is just now turning on.
I love gardening. The food is incredible, of course. Being able to walk out my door and down into my garden to pick fresh produce for my immediate meal is a thrill I will never get tired of. But I love how it forces me to stop and notice the season of life I’m currently experiencing.
There is an intimacy with the earth that every gardener understands. Those quiet moments in the morning with the smell of earth’s humus penetrating your nose and being are sublime. I often garden barefoot, and pick produce without sleeves or gloves, so there is the stinging nettle effect of cucumber vines and tomato plants that viscerally remind me that plants are alive and protecting the fruit of their vines from predators like me.
I like seeing the balance of life in action, and gardening is another way for me to get to know God and his creation in such a way that informs my day as I trot from one thing to another. I got caught in a fast moving rain shower a few days ago, and just watched life around me on my covered swing as the rain dripped down.
While I swayed on my swing, I looked around and 3 fawns were about 20 feet from me, hunkered down and watching me watch them. What a wonderful moment it was.
Summer is life accelerated. To watch a plant live out its life in a short three months in its effort to fruit and spread its seed is one of the most fascinating processes to watch. And once the fruit is ripe, the decline begins and it all goes back into the ground as food for the next summer cycle after a period of rest.
I could go on and on, trying to capture these summer moments, but I decided to channel what I have been feeling into a new pair of earrings. I am trying out something new for me this summer. I’ve decided to make some one-off designs to offer in my shop as the muse of the moment captures my attention.
This week I made some Drippy earrings. The slow rain that I experienced on my swing with the fawns inspired this design. There’s a lot of acton in them, but they are very lightweight and comfortable to wear even though the measure 2 1/2 inches from tip to tip.
Swings, rain and the power of three are incorporated in this design to remind the wearer that summer is fleeting, and to slow down and enjoy the drip-drop of life as it happens. See a swing? Sit down and rock back and forth and experience the rhythm of life that you find yourself in. Look around and watch what is always watching you…and wink back!
Enjoy your summer!
