A Golden Thread

I saw the first snake of the season yesterday while walking near the creek.  A little early to be out, I thought, especially since it was a cool day here. He was sunning in a well-lit spot on the bank next to the creek. As Melvin and I approached on the path, we startled him, and he slithered away quickly, down the bank and landed with a plop in the creek. I squealed and shuttered as I always do when I encounter any reptile, whether large or small, real or imagined, dead or alive.

Yesterday was the first day of spring. To celebrate the occasion, I transplanted some daffodils. Mama and Lamar have a massive display of daffodils that they planted years ago. Over time these plants have become crowded and need thinning. I dug a few clumps, divided them, and planted them here on a sunny slope above the cabin. While planting the daffodils, I discovered some tiny Lenten rose plants. When I sold 110 Lamont Drive, I moved some of my beloved Lenten rose here to the cabin, but I had seen no sign of those plants this spring. I assumed all had been lost to drought and the construction activity over the last couple of years. So I was delighted when I spotted these tiny volunteer seedlings. I mulched them, watered them, and marked their location with some rocks so they don’t get trampled. With nurturing, they hold the promise of becoming like those glorious plants that bloomed every winter in the backyard of my Decatur home for many years.

After the planting was all done, I pulled an old sprinkler from the shed, fastened it to the hose, and gave my efforts a good watering. I sat on the porch steps in the coolness just before sunset. I huddled inside my jacket and watched the sunlight glistening through the spray from the sprinkler and admired the way the water turned the gravel path from a light gray to a rich gray-blue. I thought about how I love gardening  - how it runs through my life, like a golden thread, connecting one place and time to the next.