Garden of the Heart

Not the best picture, but my Kelly's the photographer in the family.  Waited too late in the day to take the pic.

Below are a few pictures of our fall garden. It's our first fall garden so we're new to planting these items. We've really enjoyed planting things in the summer, but this is very different... a whole new season. Learning much... as new things are planted... old things continue to fight to survive in the garden.

This first picture is our basil. It's supposed to be a summer plant, but don't tell it that. For some reason it decided to be a late bloomer, but, man, it has taken off. Feel like this represents how I've been such a slow learner / late bloomer in areas like... how to lead my family, how to be authentic, how to dream, but I'm finally growing in these areas... even if it isn't the usual season to be growing in that way.

This picture is our jalapeño plant. It's strange in that it thrives best with a lot of heat and little water. When we had the long, hot, dry spell this summer, it was producing like crazy! It was incredible. I'll repeat that... in drought it produced the most fruit. In seasons when the normative necessary resources needed have not been available... well, I've seen a lot of change. Seen much new growth. Would never have expected much of the change that has happened, and it has not come easily... but grateful for the unusual.

These are a few different things. I believe this is mostly a hybrid collard. Not really sure what that means. I know what a hybrid is, but I don't know what collards combined to make this. To be honest I'm not totally sure what everything is in the garden. I know what I planted, but some of them look the same. Some of this is supposed to be cauliflower and broccoli. They had different labels when I bought them, but they all seem the same right now. Enjoyed some kind of hybrid green for dinner tonight. Not always able to communicate or understand what I'm being fed, but I am aware there's value and benefit to it.

This is our marigold. There are a few of them fighting to stay alive. Most of them have died. Initially, they don't appear to be contributing to the purpose of a garden. Maybe they make aesthetic contributions, but that's not why we planted them. I was surprised to learn (before planting them) that they actually keep rabbits away. There's something about the marigold that rabbits don't like. May sound strange, but they've worked. They have protected our garden. Still striving to protect my heart... just like the garden, weeds / animals / insects... well, they can all put it in a bad place in a hurry!

Such a strange season in my life. Been a long season of waiting. Much tilling. Much compost. Learning some things very slowly. Different types of desires and passions are growing (much like new and different things growing in our fall garden). Deeply longing to see the fruits (and vegetables) soon. So ready for a clearly defined change in the season.