Garden Therapy and Seeing Fall

I just hacked my garden all up. There is something about garden therapy that is so very healing. When I can control nothing in my life, I can go to the plants and find peace. I ripped down the old passionflower vines that are dying back. The blue flag iris has been divided, part was moved to another garden area and I trimmed the rest back with the old lilies. The rosemary and sage have been pruned. The poor tomato vine that didn't handle the wind we had a week ago is gone and in compost heaven. Everything weeded and in order.

Passionflower at the first of the season
Ripping and pulling and trimming....the things I sometimes want to do in my daily life. Ripping down the problems that can be so overwhelming I feel I can't breathe. Pulling out the anxiety and tension and tossing it away. Trimming the parts that I need to change to grow stronger. Letting go completely of things that no longer serve me. Knowing that after the work there is always some rest. The dreaming of growth and beautiful things that happen after the work and the rest are finished.

A spring blue flag iris
As I worked this morning I noticed fall. The leaves of our two maples are slowly changing. The tulip poplars have already lost over half their leaves. The wooly worm in the iris that was black on both ends and brown in the middle. Maybe winter will be mild. I am hoping for it along with wishing for a peaceful respite from this year. 

Our maples aren't this colorful yet but they will get there. This is a photo from last fall.
I hope the autumn harvests are bountiful for you!

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