The Green Winter Garden

Green plants are still growing in the winter garden. While rivers and streams are frozen hard enough to skate on, and therefore the water molecules of plants must also be frozen, the ferny foliage of feverfew grows green near my front door. The tough dark green leaves of hellebores look better now than they will in May. Fuzzy foxgloves and cool columbines lay low, but look like they are actually enjoying winter.

My sweetie suffered through a 24-hour tummy bug with chills the day that winter began. I had the opportunity to clean up after this usually fastidious person, as his gastrointestinal system revolted at both ends.

"I am of the nature to become ill. Illness is unavoidable." "My nearest and dearest are also of the nature to become ill." When they do, the excretions of the body may come directly into focus. Yes, those excretions are unpleasant, but we clean up out of love.

The frozen garden may feel unpleasant, as we yearn for its salad days of lushness and abundance. But we still care for it, out of love.