It’s a blue sky day

It is when mid-summer finally arrives and we remember what heat really is and the garden really begins to shine. Today was one of those days when the temperature rocked into the high30s and the only real place that keeps any of us cool is in the water. It is most definitely a blue sky kind of day.

In our busy lives, we often do not pause to just stop everything and let our mind wander wherever it wants to go. This is most easily achieved when it is just too hot to do much of anything else. Today, I was in the garden, enjoying dipping in the pond to cool off the body temperature when necessary and spot watering any plants that just could not wait until it cools off for a much-needed drink. Our lives are busy; too busy and most of us are not able to “do nothing” for very long periods of time. However, it is good to pause and look at life with a different perspective.

The garden is flourishing in the summer heat. We see things growing inches every day and are enjoying munching on fresh tomatoes, peas and carrots. The first new potatoes have also now graced my table and we wonder how we survive the other months of the year when we cannot graze in the garden. We had fresh picked saskatoon berries with our breakfast which is truly a decadent way to begin the day.

It is a good idea to plan for areas within your landscape where you can stop and smell the roses – or the peonies. We all do these leisure activities when on vacation, but tell me when was the last time you took a mini-vacation right in your own garden. It is a lovely thing to do and has the ability to refresh and regenerate your mind. This recharge is necessary to good health and balance in your life!

A blue sky kind of day is a day when you allow your mind to wander. For those of us professionals that have balance, we schedule “blue sky thinking”, but in our personal lives, I truly believe that we do not work hard enough to ensure we allow ourselves to this extremely important blue sky time. This free thinking allows us to again believe in the impossible and to dream undeterred by real life practicalities. Blue sky time allows us to build new challenges for ourselves and banish pessimism allowing us to again believe in humanity!

It is in the garden where the most successful blue sky time can be had. This is where we marvel at the amazing abilities of plants. Where those seeds that were sown have now become mature plants that are able to provide food and nurturing to all of our loved ones. It is in the garden that all of our generations share wisdom and memories are very poignant.

I hope you take some time to pause, and give yourself some balance in every aspect of your lives. Take some blue sky time – you deserve it. Just as a plant that is dehydrated droops and tells you with great certainty that water is essential and needed, in our bodies and souls we often overlook when it is time to pause and allow yourself to find balance. The drooping plants thank us by once again standing tall and strong and producing amazing flowers and fruit that we are able to harvest and share with our friends and loved ones in our homes. I am so thankful to have the ability to grow plants and to share this gift with others in so many ways. Take a moment and pause. Allow your body, mind and soul to again find balance.

Today, was a blue sky kind of day.

Hanbidge is the Lead Horticulturist with Orchid Horticulture. Find us at www.orchidhort.com; by email at [email protected]; on facebook @orchidhort and on instagram at #orchidhort.

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