channeling Pete Seeger and gardening

El Nino has apparently come and gone. All the hype about flooding, freezing weather and massive snowfall  was just that...hype. Yes, we had a few days of heavy rain and it flooded one day. Yes, a lot of snow fell, just not in the Sierras where it is needed most during our eternal drought. The weather has turned unseasonably warm and confused all the citrus so it is now re-blooming and preparing to grow again even though its months ahead of schedule. Unseasonably warm at 90 degrees in February and in the high 70's and 80's in March, there is no sign of the rains here in our wettest month.

I have a little 8 foot by 8 foot garden behind my house that can only be seen from the bathroom window. It is my little secret place and I am the only one who ever goes into it. It dies off in the winter, and gets replanted around Easter. This year, the garden was confused as to what season it was in and went crazy wild growing the vines in every direction and the weeds sprouted overnight to beanstalk heights!

I started to dig out the garden March 1. Stripping it of all the overgrown plants and removing the pots of various dead things until I found the garden path  built from brick pavers buried there. The bird bath had fallen over and was in need of repair. In the corner a little light caught my eye. There she was, my garden Fairy, laying face down in the mud, her little hand extended above the dirt and holding her little garden globe as an SOS beacon. She was in a dismal state with rusted wings, broken off leg and her perch broken in half.

Grateful for her rescue, I gave her a make over and replaced her on her throne to oversee the garden creatures and beckon the butterflies, hummingbirds and finches into the garden.

I sang the garden song to the new plants, channeling Pete Seeger to encourage them to take root. I gave them extra fertilizer to ensure that any tomatoes or herbs brave enough to grow, would have a chance to thrive. The Fairy bobbles and waves her globe to place a rainbow over the newest additions. Garden lizards have returned to make their nests under the geraniums.

My little garden is happy. I am happy. Next time you visit, take a peek out the bathroom window. I hope it makes you happy!

disclaimer: pictured above is NOT my garden but it is my vision for it! I'll post photos when it gets a little more grown up.