This morning I realized we had our first morning glory flower of the season — only I didn’t make time to photograph it until a few minutes ago, when it was folding in upon itself, its brief day in the sun nearly complete. Still, I was amazed and grateful to witness its appearance in my garden, especially because I did not plant it.
Exactly where I planted my heirloom “Grandpa Ott’s” morning glory seeds last year, a new crop have sprung up this year, healthy and ready to go. I merely needed to do a little thinning and replace the rotting twine that guided them up to the porch railing. This recent experience convinces me that my desired style of gardening may be closer to friendly self-seeding annuals in a cottage-garden style setting, lots of pretty things that pretty much take care of themselves given good soil, bright sun, and plenty of fresh rainwater.
Of course, no garden is so idyllic that it takes care of itself. First of all, such a place would hardly qualify for the name “garden.” And secondly, I’d be bored. I need my garden to need me, when you come right down to it. That is part of the pleasure.
Yet there is such simple grace in a plant throwing down its seeds because it likes the home you’ve provided, and in those seeds springing up of their own accord, raring to go for a new season of beauty and bounty. I definitely would like my next garden, wherever it will be, to include more of that.
If only technology could participate in some of that simple grace! Our DSL woes continue, as some of you may have guessed by my sparse participation online. I haven’t even caught up on responding to comments and messages from the last time we went without a connection, and it’s happening again. Turns out it’s not the internal wiring in the house — which only verifies my intuition that the problem is outside somewhere. It kicks up every single time there is a major torrential rain. This time, the connection went out just after our flash floods on Tuesday night.
It could, of course, be the long wire that is not even buried underground, but runs up the slope out of the hollow only slightly bedded down in the dirt and leaf mold. If you were to shuffle your toe over it just right, you could conceivably trip over this wire on your way around the side of the house to the Victory Garden. When F. first located it when picking wild blackberries, we were both astonished and amazed. A loose wire, just snaking through the forest.
Thus, you can probably imagine the skeptical expression on my face when the last repair technician assured me it was the internal wiring in the house causing the problem. Maybe because a rodent had chewed a wire in the crawl space, he said. All I could envision as he spoke was the legion of chipmunks with access to that long green wire stretched out beneath the tree canopy and the bright blue sky. I wasn’t convinced I knew enough to argue with him, however, so I just let him go ahead and do his thing. Naturally, I’m ruing that decision now, less than two weeks later.
The main thing I want to say, however, is that if I’ve been absent from your blog, please know that I am still trying to catch up, and hopefully you will see me there soon. In spite of all that free time to clean the house and weed the garden, I do miss my blog friends, and I hope we have steady, reliable internet service soon.
Cross your fingers for us; won’t you?
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I’ve just gone through a little bout of no internet service myself, and it’s very isolating! Here’s hoping your woes are over soon.
Also, I’ve got another award for you over on my blog should you desire to participate: The Beautiful Blogger award. I really enjoy your posts and photos, so whether or not you’re into blog awards, you deserve this one.
Kathy´s last blog ..One Award, 10 Random Facts and Four Beautiful Blogs
Kathy, would you believe we went through it again yesterday and most of today? Nuts, eh? I was pretty upset that less than 24 hours after the latest technician visited, we were out of the loop, just when I was catching up to comments and visiting blogs again. However, they did work with us and gave what seems to be a legitimate reason for the latest upset, so I’m persevering and crossing my fingers!
You are too kind. I love the name of this award, and can’t wait to accept — once I mull over my post idea.
Oh my, your DSL woes sound just like ours were last year. We had the remnant of Typhoon Melor slam the Pacific Coast in October, and our occasional DSL outages during rainstorms, became a catastrophic lack of bits making it in or out of the house. For us, even though the problem appeared weather related, the problem was actually on the main poles leading to the house. We went through the ‘the problem is your end, inside the house’ thing too. Just have to be persistent, and hopefully you’ll find a technician or manager who is willing and able to investigate further. Good luck!
Curbstone Valley Farm´s last blog ..Rosa gymnocarpa
Clare, it does appear that this may have something to do with the big box on the pole — quite some distance from the house, and that may be why we didn’t realize it for so long. Thanks for the good luck wishes! I’m now crossing my fingers it holds this time.
Oh my – that wire thing sounds treacherous! I’ll bet your instincts are right and that is it.
I love the notion of your cottage garden that needs you, but is also somewhat self-sufficient. It sounds so pretty, too.
Lynn´s last blog ..Great home, glad it is over and birthday chat
Lynn, everybody says I am wrong! LOL.
I just smile and get on with it. Nobody ever accused me of being a technology goddess.
A garden that needs us, but not too much, still guided mostly by Nature, sounds just about perfect.
Without internet service I feel cast into the past century. Of course, puttering about the garden is a happy option.
MNGarden´s last blog ..Random Cross
I don’t feel quite so far back — seeing as I only came into the modern era a few years back when I met F. and he updated me.
Since I so recently got used to the change, it’s not too hard to transition back, I suppose. It’s the relationships I miss the most. Sigh.
Maybe pre-write some posts, so you can spend the restored online time reading back? Or do you prefer your writing to be hot off the press? Blotanical is almost back to normal. We have popular posts again
Diana, I do pre-write posts, and I actually have several in partially completed draft form right now. But I only schedule the publishing one or two posts ahead at max, because I do like to be available for whatever inspiration is available right now in the garden. One, it keeps me on my toes, and two, that way the posts reflect what is blooming or sprouting or fruiting contemporaneously in my area of the world.
Even so, with all the difficulties we’ve had lately, and the travel for the holiday, I’m out of ready to publish work. Gotta work on building that backlog back up!
I tried Blotanical after reading your comment, but it broke down on the third click. I’m not sure why my system can’t seem to handle the new platform, but it has been discouraging. I suspect I’ll return to the site more regularly when the growing season has slowed down again.
Judging by the previous post and concurrently considering the DSL woes, this post should have been called “A Little Fizzle”.
Nature thrives whenever technology stumbles.
fLoreign´s last blog ..Postwar Germany in Cinema
Perfect title, honey. Why didn’t I think of that?
Nature thrives whenever technology is removed — but when it stumbles? Well, look at the Gulf of Mexico for a possible counterargument to that.
Morning glory – what an apt name for those delightful blooms. I love when things settle in and seed themselves – it makes me feel like I’ve been a good garden hostess
Your internet woes remind me of last year when we put some patio stones in and dug (and I am NOT exaggerating) 2 inches down and took out our telephone and internet service because the wire was just there – not buried at all. I was waiting for the repair technician to say something about “call before you dig” but even he knew that this couldn’t be qualified as digging.
I hope you get the internet connection fixed. It does feel like something’s missing these days when you can’t pop on-line when you want to. We miss you and your beautiful posts! : )
Talon´s last blog ..Old Hank (Short Story)
I like that, Talon: a good garden hostess.
2 inches! Yeah. I’m wondering if they just don’t have the manpower to bury them out here in the boonies — and so I’d best be grateful I have service at all, way down here off the beaten path. Thank you for your kind words, my friend. In a way, it is good to be missed.
Your are right about the pleasure I get out of working in the garden. No matter what else is going on, time in the garden makes everything OK. At least for a moment. How do you get such cool pics? jim
jim groble´s last blog ..spring has sprung
Jim, I think I’m starting to understand my camera a lot better, for one. It’s an old point and shoot, and a bit quirky.
Also, I like photography, so I do it often, and that helps. I won’t say anything about “practice makes perfect” because I’m so far from perfect!
Working in the garden restores equilibrium; doesn’t it?
Hello, Meredith ~ I love the photo of your morning glory! Gotta love those great surprise in your garden. Also, self seeders are wonderful, but I am wondering where some of mine have headed off to.
You’re right no matter how easy the plant they still need us and I’m glad, too.
Amy/goawayimgardening!´s last blog ..Flowers and A Greener Lawn (Yes!)
Ah, Amy, if only all the garden surprises were good ones!
It’s important to feel needed, I think.
How wonderful that the morning glory has seeded itself into another delightful position in your garden. It obviously loves the environment of a well-loved garden.
I hope they get the DSL problem sorted out soon for you. I have felt quite isolated when we’ve been without internet service a few times for even short periods. It sounds like workmen did a shoddy job at burying that wire underground and it is more than likely the main source of your problem.
Have a lovely weekend, Meredith ~
Serena´s last blog ..PHOTO MONDAY – Thing with wings
I hope the return of the morning glory is a sign of exactly that, Serena.
Honestly, I have started to feel isolated, as the problem continues to recur and I am stuck here in the house all day with nothing but my work to keep me company. Oh, and the garden and the forest, of course. And the cats. Still, there’s nothing like a healthy dose of blog reading to keep the ghosts of countryside loneliness and anomie at bay…
Fingers crossed for you.
elizabeth´s last blog ..ode to joy, volume 22
Thanks, Elizabeth!