GARDENING IS LIFE

Today I dug in the dirt! That's what I do when I need to relax - I plant something. I went to four different gardening centers looking for exactly the right choices for my flower beds. These gardens align the entrance to my home, so they need to be just right. I settled on the varieties, selected the colors and bought the elements that they need to help them grow. Next, the hard part - saying good bye to my old friends. My happy "monkey faced" pansies that perked up the place all fall and winter. Then the tulips that made their surprise appearance at the first sign of springtime. They had served their purpose and it was time for them to go. With a little bit of hesitation, I pulled them up from the earth and tossed them aside. Fresh soil was added to the spent dirt. Geraniums, snapdragons, petunias and johnny jump-ups now line my front door. Still in their infancy, a few blossoms and buds have appeared. With time and the summer sun, these new seedlings will create a festive summer display. Then with time, they too will have served their purpose. Months from now, when they have grown two feet tall and are parched from the West Texas heat, they will be replaced with more "monkey faced" pansies. One day in the fall, when I feel the need to dig in the dirt.