Harvesting From the Garden

We are in a lull at the moment.  Just a small time of calm before the next wave of intensity.  Its good really.  We would not have been able to sustain that level of energy for too much longer.  We have packed all that we can without living like we are camping and now we are waiting for the bank and realtors to determine the sale price for our house and when we should list it.  That will bring its own level of stress.  I'm not sure how we're going to keep the house clean enough for daily showings with one hour notices but we'll do our best.  I have several bins, bottoms of closets and empty cabinets ready for a stash of toys, shoes and dirty dishes.

But right now, we are just waiting.  The house we are moving to in Carbondale is not ready until the end of July now.  Rodney leaves tomorrow for an 8 day trip there with a couple interviews on the calendar and a couple more potential meet and greets in line.  He'll be scoping out the area, the house and the best trees to climb so we all have some more comfort in the transition.  It feels good to have this chance even though being a single mom for 8 days is a bit daunting.  I am grateful for a tremendous group of neighbors, friends and my parents.  I'm fairly certain I'll be just fine.

Amidst this excitement, the garden is still growing.  I passed along a few veggies that would have taken most of the summer to grow.  But I still have a lot in my yard.  I had let go of the need to see it to harvest.  I was blessing every sugar snap pea we were able to eat and all the greens that have finally gone to seed.  And then I noticed the broccoli and cauliflower. I have never grown them before and they are huge!!  It was like one day there was nothing and the next I have huge heads of each.  And did you know that a broccoli plant has several heads on each plant?  We had a stir fry last night and only took a small portion of one plant.

A second batch of arugala is ready, I've been munching on the kale and I have squash blossoms blooming.  I will be harvest quite a bit from this little investment.  I thought I would be leaving it to the raccoons but I think we'll be benefiting more than I realized. 

The big lesson right now is flexing.  Keeping the vision clear and in my mind but being willing to flex and adjust to the steps along the way.  Not holding on too tightly to any part of the process as it may adjust and thats ok.  I'm discovering that the adjustment holds many gifts that we would not have experienced. 

A huge gift this past weekend was a lovely party with many of our friends.  This was a mostly a group of families we connected to when Lucy was a baby and have stayed connected.  Thrown in were a couple ladies with whom I have grown up here in Seattle.  Their families have supported me from my early 20's, self centered and quite dramatic to becoming a wife, mother and now this wild step forward.   It was overwhelming and complety perfect to see everyone in the same space, watch the kids with each other and honor this amazing group of people. 

Things are good.  Even in the lull when I ache for movement and closure, I am realizing there are gifts to be received.  Time with friends, spontaneous lunches in the sun under the apple tree, slow walks around the block to climb the cherry trees, and just resting on the stoop with a book while the girls pick flowers.