The sun was low in the sky as I ran out to water the Joe Pye weed I'd planted earlier this week. I noticed that the light on the garden was absolutely stunning. It shown through the trees and made the garden glow~
The almost ready to burst into flower Aster tatarian looked like towering corn and the jumbled wildflowers still blooming, past blooming and ready to bloom was a loveliness I can't describe. 
Some of the fading flowers of the Oakleaf hydrangea were pink and other looked like a rich autumn rust. So lovely and just as they are supposed to be on a late summer day.
It's too easy to forget the all right, when our eyes see only the all wrong.
When we open our eyes to the beauty that is not perfect, we can clearly see and appreciate that the golden light obscures the scars of a tough summer on the Heuchera "Mocha'.
We see arching seed heads of River Oats dancing in a gentle breeze....they remind that cool weather and rains will return.
This garden has withstood flooding rains, drought, gardener absence and benign neglect and still manages to provide
food for birds, bees and other creatures....
and comfort for me.
Gail
Oh this makes me so happy, dear Gail! I am glad you can see the beauty in the less than perfect. (But really, it IS perfect, and as it should be). Life is good, and the garden makes it even better.
ReplyDeletexxxooo
Frances
You are so right, Gail. Sometimes beauty is in the changes happening right in front of our eyes.
ReplyDeleteToo right, Gail. beauty is everywhere, we just have to look.
ReplyDeleteGail, You make an excellent point here. So often I find myself falling in the 'this is not right' or' how it could be' trap. There is so much beauty most everywhere ... it seems only fitting to celebrate it while making the changes we wish for. Always good to be reminded. ;>) Your garden looks lovely washed in the golden light you share with us. I love the bench photo especially.
ReplyDeleteNice posting, my way of saying something similar is "Never play to the one table that's not laughing. You will lose the rest of the crowd". Mr. I
ReplyDeleteGail,
ReplyDeleteThe light is indeed beautiful! Excellent post!-- Randy
It's the small things for sure and you captured them purrrfectly!
ReplyDeleteSo true - thank you for the reminder. I was feeling rather discouraged yesterday in this transition time between the heat of the summer and the fall blooms.
ReplyDeleteSo, so true. I always see what need to be done not what's been done. Doesn't nature have a way about her?
ReplyDeleteVery true! I observe the negative stuff in the garden and think of how bad it looks when I should be paying more attention to what look good!
ReplyDeleteA deep and contented sigh from reading this. It's all about perspective isn't it? Thank you for reminding me.
ReplyDeleteGail, your garden looks more than all right to me... particularly that gorgeous shot of the backlit oakleaf hydrangea flowers. Just lovely. Thank you for sharing. :)
ReplyDeleteYour garden, as always, looks simply "all right" by me. Can't see a thing I'd change...as for the "all wrong", consider it wabi-sabi and embrace it. ♥
ReplyDeleteI am simply blown away by the profound wisdom of Mr I! So true and well put. :-)
ReplyDeleteAmen Gail. This is one of the most valuable things I learned from my dear friend Meg. She saw beauty in everything. I see differently because of her.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I come back to read this post a second time this morning because it is so beautiful and wise. Every now and then we need a gentle reminder like this.
ReplyDeleteNot just comfort for you, for all of us.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many gardeners striving for perfection, and not liking what they see when there is beauty all around us.
We need to train our eyes to see what is there, not just the beauty of perfection.
I love your garden, it's gorgeous.
Jen
Truer words were never spoken Gail.
ReplyDeleteThere is much beauty out there, if only we would open our eyes to it.
Don't you just think that nature is so amazing. With all that man has done to the planet......she still survives.
Have a peaceful weekend....
Ok ok, I will stop whining. I don't have to like it. Your garden looks wonderful. I will go out and look into my garden to see what will make me smile. I know it is out there somewhere.
ReplyDeletePerfect light, and I can seen the fall tones in it. After looking at your yellow and rust colored plants I am wondering if the light is what makes the fall foliage so lovely.
ReplyDeleteGreat light, perfect words. Comfort for you looks so inviting. What a great spot for a bench at a beautiful time of day.
ReplyDeleteI am always astonished when I look at pictures of my garden in the middle of winter. My garden is beautiful but I can never see it at the time.
ReplyDeleteIf the garden was all right all the time, wouldn't it be dull? The galls on the roses, the whitefly on the sorrel, aphids on the peppers, and deer ravaged raspberries all make my garden life interesting :P Your garden seems to be doing a fine job providing enough rights to balance out the very few imperfections. :)
ReplyDeleteAnother great post to remind us to see the beauty of life itself. Life meaning ours as well as natures. Mother nature provides beauty all around her for all to see but some of us only see the polished part. But we need to look further & see the beauty of it all.
ReplyDeleteGail, Oh, how I wish I had read this this morning before I went to work in the garden. I think I would have had a totally different perspective and not focused so much on just what has to be done. Seeing your garden through your lens and with the sunlight beaming on it, everything looks perfect--even the wilted Heuchera leaves look beautiful!
ReplyDeleteCooler temperatures this week certainly have made gardening more enjoyable, but we desperately need rain--I spent quite a bit of time this morning doing some Zen watering:)
Dear Gail,
ReplyDeleteYou've captured that peaceful light and your garden that time of day so perfectly. It is lovely and amazing after such a tough summer. But that's what a native, wildflower garden is all about. Surviving the conditions. It is a joy to see in any light. Thanks for sharing it so freely.
Meems
Comfort for the gardener, ah yes. Especially if we can get past all the imperfections and see the beauty at face value. I've been noticing the shadows and softer lighting recently too. 'Tis the changing of the seasons, once again. But I refuse to say the F word yet. I just can't. :)
ReplyDeleteIsn't the light wonderful this time of year? Love the fading oakleaf hydrangea petals and the sea oats and everything else. A good reminder to focus on what we love in the garden, not plans not yet fulfilled or weeds not yet pulled, etc.
ReplyDeleteYou are so wise. I'm trying to find the beauty in imperfection, but I still find myself deadleafing.
ReplyDeleteThose the rudbeckia are gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful perspective you share. Often as my Honey-man and I walk our lovely gardens I tend to see the imperfections, remarking aloud that we "need to do this" or we "need to do that". He tends to temper me and reminds me to look for the beauty in those lovely gardens. Thank you for your wise words!
ReplyDeleteGail, it's been painfully hot and dry here all month and there's a lot of unhappy plants smacking me in the face. You remind me that there are also a lot of lovelies tugging gently at my sleeve!
ReplyDeleteA beautiful sentiment, Gail!
ReplyDeleteAw yes, Gail! Your garden provides all the joy a garden should. A lovely post for both eye and soul.
ReplyDeleteOh so true, Gail. Thanks for the reminder. I catch myself pointing out all the flaws in my garden when anyone sees it, when I should just say thank you graciously. It has been so hot I don't tarry in the garden long to see all that is happening, but I am looking forward to cooler days coming soon when I can get out and rediscover the garden.
ReplyDeleteWhat a perspective - you always have such a way of looking at things. Thank you for reminding us to stop and smell the roses in our garden.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad I clicked on this link from The Home Garden! Since one of the things I blog about is the goodness of weeds, I tend to not mind a few in my garden, but like so many gardeners, I usually see all that has to be done, rather than just enjoy! Life is beautiful, and nature is GOOD!
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