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Sunday, August 6, 2017

The Art of Nothingness



The shady side 

 Sometimes you just have to stop. 


Monarda punctata thrives in dry, well drained soils.

One week after school ended, the three and a half day 2017 Capital Region Garden Bloggers Fling that I coordinated began. Three days after it was over, my daughter and I flew to London for a week, where she will be attending graduate school.


'Limelight Hydrangea' and fallopia japonica in the pot

This is my third trip but her first and we walked for miles each day as she explored the city. We are bohemian travelers. We sleep when we're tired, rise when we're refreshed and make few strict plans. We wandered the markets, toured the Tower, and saw a show. 


annual rudbeckia

I came home to a garden lush with summer rain and just stopped.
 I didn't slow down or take it easy. I just stopped. 


Part of the rain garden and river bed

I did nothing.


zinnias and rose of sharon

I slept, laid in the hammock and read a few books. I lazed away the afternoon on the couch. I enjoyed the garden but didn't pull weeds, except the really big ones, and didn't take many photos. I hung out with friends, spent quiet days with only myself for company, and tried not to think of anything at all.


Swallowtail butterfly caterpillars on the fennel

Not think about anything? I wish. My brain simply doesn't work that way. But it felt good to enjoy my daily mental gymnastics while wearing pajamas at noon.


Annual monarda 'Bergamo'

I have two weeks of summer left before I spend my days with 100 11 year olds who cry about their lockers and lose their homework. I have one goal - to just do nothing.

29 comments:

  1. You can do it. I know you can!

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  2. You deserve it. Your garden is incredible. I hope your remaining summer days are sublime!

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  3. I bet you enjoyed all that luxurious laziness after all the hectic craziness.

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  4. Good! That's exactly what you need to do. Put yourself first - inevitably, it's possible only for a time but enjoy it while you can. Ditto on the beautiful garden comments.

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  5. Self care is a very important something.

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  6. You certainly deserve to do what ever is important to you. A good read in the hammock is great. Watching your garden grow is superb. You have worked so hard you should take every opportunity to enjoy it.

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  7. Hooray for you and a well-deserved rest. The garden looks gorgeous and the sticky hands and loose minds of those 11 year-olds will be all over you before you can say Jack Robinson.

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  8. Doing nothing can be hard work. Better get out there and pull a few weeds -- much easier! (no, not really.)

    Graduate school in London -- what a great opportunity.

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  9. Well earned pause. Great to see your garden again. Glad you had fun in London.

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  10. I know exactly how you feel, although I work with adolescents

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  11. It is an art form, doing nothing, and how you deserve it! I'm glad you enjoyed your trip and came home to find the garden looking so good, you reap what you sow gal! Here's to another two weeks of lolling...xxx

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  12. All that prior work is paying off - your garden is beautiful. Besides, you need every down second you can grab before (shudder) school...

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  13. Hello Tammy, I had a brief week or two when the weather was good, we managed to get out the sun loungers and actually use them for a few evenings, but the plan to sort out the mess at the back of the garden meant that this didn't last long before it was back to sorting out and clearing rubbish, moving piles around and digging out bamboo.

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  14. You have certainly earned a good rest. For myself, I tend to get increasingly lazy as summer progresses. Your garden is looking great as always.

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  15. Sounds WONDERFUL! I'm on my way home from the GWA conference and am taking a few minutes of me time at a coffee shop before the craziness starts once I get home. I've bit off a lot this year so I won't be able to "stop" but perhaps I'll take a bit of inspiration from you and remember to pause every now and then. Have a wonderful and relaxing couple of weeks - you deserve it!

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  16. I like your goal. And I love your flowers :)

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  17. Love your post and your garden is beautiful!!! Thanks for sharing.

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  18. Sounds like you did a good job of growing your own travel companion...finding one to share that delightful non-schedule would not be an easy task.

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  19. Kudos to you Tammy! When you're a doer, doing nothing is hard work.

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  20. When I try to think about nothing, I think about a giant live oak tree with beautiful sprawling branches that I can climb. I think about staying up there all day long. It's very relaxing and far removed from the "SCHOOL ZONE THOUGHT CHAMBER OF DOOM"!

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  21. Oh that sounds just perfect! This summer I've been just go, go, go. Just stopping and lazing about sounds is a perfect staycation! And what a delightful garden to laze about in!

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  22. Belo jardim.
    Adorei as imagens.
    janicce/Brasil/RS

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  23. WOW!!! What a garden. I have to wander over here to find your posts. It does not show up in my wordpress. Your garden is BEAUTIFUl. I have not been visitng any gardens this summer, too busy being exhausted in my own garden-lol from the projects. I am amazed by those zinnias they are dinner plate size!!! I have never seen that many swallowtail caterpillars. I am so envious. I put in their host plant, so my fingers are crossed. Maybe I should of put in fennel? What a sanctuary or oasis from the stresses of life. I would pause a lot in your garden and even take a nap or two:-)

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  24. A fabulous plan that I am sure gave you so much rest physically, mentally. That was a busy schedule....have a great school year, and do more nothing when you can!

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  25. Gorgeous pictures. Glad to have discovered your beautiful blog today :)

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  26. Lovely photos !!
    I hope you had a Happy Christmas !!

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