Warmth is what I am intending for my garden and it is the focus word for the week. I had planned to write about lemon balm or comfrey, both coming up abundantly in the garden. That was sidetracked by the spring snow yesterday and the 23 degree evening temperatures, which put buds on apples, pears, currants, and strawberries all at risk.
Protecting the Garden
Friday evening was busy as I wrapped garden plants in protective layers of frost cloth (1), placed totes and pots over plants, piled straw around the base of currant bushes, and stood at my back door projecting warmth to the garden as I watched the snow come down. More freezing temps are predicted for Wednesday. So right now, the tiny blossoms on currants and gojis, and the tiny fruit on the apple and pear tree will remain cocooned in fabric. I won’t know if I’ve been successful at protecting them until later in the week. Such is gardening in Denver. The elevation and nearby mountains make weather unpredictable and sometimes extreme. (2)
Warmth as Comfort and Connection
Warmth will be an easy focus word because the garden is on my mind, but as with all the focus words, my goal is to take it beyond the garden. There are other connotations of warmth that I’ve experienced abundantly in the last week. There is the idea of something being warm and fuzzy, a kind of comfort. And there is also the concept of kindness and connection. I’ve just spent a week facilitating a wellness workshop with some great people as part of my work with the Colorado Mental Wellness Network. Training can often be exhausting, but my dear friend Jenn joined me as a co-facilitator making the entire event one of connection and joy. We had a wonderful group of participants who each showed up in their own way shining with warmth and kindness. They co-supported each other. They stepped up to speak their truth. And there were lots of moments of “warm and fuzzy.” So now moving forward into the coming week, I want to hold all of that warmth in my heart and intentionally look for it everywhere.
For more information on my weekly focus word experiment, click here.
Footnotes
(1) Garden frost cloth is available through Gardener’s Supply Company
