Gardening

Honoring Fathers and the Gifts of Nature

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Happy June! Time of the Summer Solstice, weddings, graduations, and of course, Fathers Day!

If you haven’t noticed, the nurseries are packed with people buying all their garden needs to plant vegetables and flowers! You don’t have to be an avid gardener to appreciate this aspect of Mother Nature. A simple walk-through a garden to see, smell, and breathe in all the gifts that Mother Earth gives to us, will suffice.

Even in the cities, there are areas dedicated to gardens. The New York Botanical Garden, for example, is a designated national landmark located in the Bronx, spanning some 250 acres. The Garden offers classes for kids, and even features a famous Italian chef, Mario Batali, who has an organic vegetable garden and teaches cooking classes.

With Fathers Day coming up, maybe consider giving your father or father figure something different, like a free cooking class, or guide to organic cooking. Just a thought!

I’ve found that one of the best ways to honor someone we love who is in Spirit, is by doing something that they loved to do, while keeping them in our thoughts and heart. If your dad or other father figure is on the Other Side, consider honoring him this Fathers Day according to the role he played in life. If he was a fisherman, maybe do some family fishing as you send out your thoughts of love. If he was a baseball fan, think about going to a professional or local baseball game, or just having a catch with someone, in his honor.

If your dad is in Spirit, I’m sure he’d also love to see you bring in a vase of flowers and place them strategically near his picture, or on your window sill, or in your back yard, as you send him thoughts of love. He will hear you. This holds true even if your dad, or grandfather, or uncle, or other father figure was not so enamored with flowers during life. It’s the thought and love that count. Of course, if your father figure was a farmer, a planter of tomatoes, roses, or whatever, the connection to Nature will be even more obvious.

I had a client whose father, during life, had over a hundred tomato plants. He shared them with everyone. With those he didn’t give away, he made tomato sauce and soups! He also was very upset that the canned bottles of sauce never made it back to him! I remember him because he let me know he planted even more tomatoes than I did! His daughter and I had a huge laugh over that. I saw her many years later after our session and she remarked, “Remember me? I’m the one whose father had more tomatoes than you.”

I have no doubt that all of you who were locked up this long winter, are beginning to do all the things you love to do in this beautiful Spring that will lead us into the summertime. Take a break, you, you earned it! I’m betting that some of you will have the urge to play hooky from work or daily routines, just like when you were a kid.

I for one will be following my own advice, and taking a break, as my garden beckons with a call.

Eating Healthy IS Becoming all the Rage

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Happy July!

 

A friend of mine recently said to me, “Suzane, you are the only person I know who shows your garden to everyone from your Blackberry.”   I just looked at her and thought, “In this day and age of electronic wizardry, is it so strange that a girl from farming stock on both sides her family is sharing with friends that which what she so deeply loves -gardening!” Of course not!

 

Recently, many people have come up to me and said things like, “I remember when my grandfather had a garden.  When I came home from school, I had so much pleasure eating those berries…” A very healthy way to be!  Why not bring those good old farming days back again?

 

Thankfully, eating healthy IS becoming all the rage now.  We have food shows and a focus on the garden-to-table experience in so many places.  In my beloved New York City, farmers from all over the tri-state area gather to bring their fresh produce to our farmers markets and high-end restaurants.

 

Nowadays, you see along the highways and byways: “No farms, No food.”  So, I figure what is and has always been so important to our country and the world over – a focus on farming – should not be strange at all to share via your Blackberry and computer. Call it a grand re-awakening!  Even the first lady has an organic garden at the White House in support of teaching children what it is like to see something grow from seeds.

 

As I often say, Nature is a total reflection of how we live our lives.  There’s Spring birth, Summer growth, Autumn Harvest, and Winter repose, and then it starts all over again, just like we live our lives in the reincarnation cycle.  Mother Earth is truly our connection to the concept of a spiritual God.

 

From a more down-to-earth perspective, is it not amazing how when we plant those little seeds in our gardens in March, by harvest time there’s a transformation into incredibly delicious food for the table?  And isn’t it great to know exactly where your food came from?

 

This July,  celebrate with Mother Nature.  Maybe take a drive to pick blueberries, or visit a local farm like the Dutch Farms to see what goes on there.  It’s all quite wonderful how those folks live totally aligned with Nature.  Along the way, see if you can find a safe place to dip your toes in a creek.  And bring those binoculars because you never know when a majestic hawk or formation of crows will happen by.

 

If you have a connection to a garden, let me know.  If doable, I’d love to stop by and see your garden.

 

It’s usually not my style to be away from my garden during the summer but . . . I am pleased to be able to sneak in a visit to Portland and Bend, Oregon where I’ll be doing two seminar events. Check my website for details.

 

I love Oregon where there are so many organic farms.  Just maybe in-between connecting with all those organic Oregonians, I’ll get to see some of their beautiful gardens!

 

Happy 4th of July to all”  I’m looking forward to seeing you all in my travels.