Taking the air

Green shoots, new dawns, fresh starts. Like all clichés, they stem from the truth. Humans have an in-built need to believe that dark times will become brighter.  We need to know that we can begin afresh. At first glance, the garden looks mostly brown.   Damp and squidgy underfoot. Too much grey mist. Once you see a green shoot, I find that you can't stop seeing them.  In the garden, green shoots are literal indicators that brighter things are on their way.  The winter is a strengthening time in the garden. Roots are put down in the dark days when less energy is needed to support the plants above ground. By rocking the plants, wind strengthens the roots.  Plants do much of their most important stuff quietly and completely out of sight. Let's learn from that. It's still time to hunker down, rest what needs to be rested, quietly build what needs to be built. This year, some of those that I love have started building new lives and new b...

Fear less, hope more;  Eat less, chew more;  Whine less, breathe more;  Talk less, say more;  Love more, and all good things will be yours. Swedish Proverb If you don't know this quote already; I hope you love it.  If you do, and like me you've squirrelled it away, now's a good time to get it out, brush it down and learn from it again, methinks. Happy new  year.