When I wake in the morning, the first thing I do is take stock about how I'm feeling. Any new aches? Generally, this is good news/bad news. As I've told you, because I'm a little bit of a hypochondriac, most mornings I find something out of order, (bad) but then I am able to convince myself that it's nothing, just in my head, (good) and I get up and out into the kitchen.
Once a doctor told me, that the best way to determine if something is really wrong, is if it gets worse over time. And since 99% of my identified maladies don't get worse, I continue my day in good health, until the nest morning until I start to worry again!
After I head to the kitchen, I get my breakfast, which consists of decaf Lipton tea in my Villeroy and Bach mug, and Oui Peach Yogurt, in a a glass, recyclable container . It's funny, but I'll only eat the peach yogurt. If instacart brings any other flavors, I turn up my nose.
After checking the news, and my email, and eating my yogurt, I head out the back door in my robe with my tea, and wander in the garden.
It's s lovely time, the birds always accompany me, and I love listening to their songs. (You can hear them the video!) The bees now often greet me as they visit the lavender, and when the sun is out, I also have little lizard friends that chat with me as I walk. Sometimes my feral cat even joins me on my stroll.
Each day there is new growth, new bloom, new fruit to enjoy. Just today, new Hollyhock blooms, new roses, more delphinium blooms, taller corn, fuller dill, and tomatoes ripening on the vine.
And because I am so in tune with each small change in the garden, when we are away for any length of time, I am always quite surprised by the extraordinary growth that happens in my absence. Having trained myself to note incremental daily changes in the garden, when I don't see my plants for several days, ( and I miss them! ) it almost feels like I'm in a different garden!
All to say that my daily garden walks serve so many purposes...beauty gazing, garden care, meditation, and a communion with nature. There's just no down side.