The Writer’s Garden
When a writer misses her garden
though her mind’s now supple and strong
and she can type a zillion words in her sleep
she still fears something’s dreadfully wrong
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When a writer enters her garden
and finds dandelions and thistles galore
though her manuscript’s now tightly edited
her garden’s much worse than before
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When a writer spends time in her garden
and finally whips it back into shape
though she’s been busily restoring order
her muse has plotted the next escapade.
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Wendy / 2015
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I’m hopelessly hooked on wordsmithing.
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This summer my dear garden suffered a drought and my desertion.
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Only the Hydrangea and a couple of potted plants managed to garner my consistent attention.
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No one can do everything well. And if she can, I doubt either of us wants to hang out with her for very long.
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There’s a time to weed and a time to write. I chose the latter.
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
Ecclesiastes 3:1
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I’m happy to report most of my garden survived without me.
Have you recently started or completed a project you’re excited about? Do you have any time management tips?
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Wordsmith Blessings ~ Wendy
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Wordsmithing is fun, I agree.
The flowers are beautiful…I’m sorry that the summer here is now coming to an end.
Soon the leaves will fall and the flowers will go into hiding until next year……
Mary, I always experience a mixed bouquet of sadness and renewed energy as the days cool off and autumn paints my garden. I’ll miss the flowers too. Thank you.
I can so relate! My garden is a jungle… 🙂
Karen, one of my neighbours has named my garden The Jungle. 😉
Funny…
your photography is beautiful.. and the garden, I always say the garden is an ongoing work in progress..
I agree—gardens are definitely “an ongoing work in progress.” Each year is different. Thank you.
you are welcome.. and besides, it gives good reasons to go to the nurseries. 🙂
A nursery is a candy store for gardeners. 🙂
Exciting flowers in your garden.It makes me so happy
Thank you, Marylou. I always enjoy your nature photography. Blessings.
Thank you for a portrait of a writer. Something always ends up unkempt. Your flowers are beautiful. So nice you found a few moments to capture them and share.
Thank you, Cheryl. One of the perks to busyness is my teens have stepped in to help beyond what I’ve asked them to do. 🙂
Your garden is so beautiful Wendy! Yes gardens take nurturing but it’s so worth it! How about writing while sitting in the garden?
My two gardens (flower and vegetable) take a lot of time watering , especially with the drought, so my painting time suffered. I guess you just have to decide what is top priority and what isn’t.
Stunning photos!!!!
Thank you, Rhonda. I like your idea of writing in the garden. And I agree that gardens are worth the effort. I’m thankful for the drip irrigation system my husband put in a few years ago. He’s going to add more for next year so I won’t have to worry about my hydrangeas. 🙂
That’s what I need to put in … Drip irrigation.
Wish we were close by. I’d love to sit in your garden with you. Have a great weekend!! Hugs and Blessings to you.
I’d enjoy having you for tea in the garden, Rhonda. Blessings and hugs on your weekend.
Time management tip: Purge stuff (shoes, etc.) only twice a year. Purging really is a kind of editing. The less time you spend purging stuff, the more time you have for editing words.
Diane, my place is in need of a purge. I said to myself, this morning, “We don’t need all this stuff.” It’s time. 🙂 By the way, I finished your book and loved it. I’ve posted a review on Goodreads and Amazon.ca. I’ll be rereading it and leaning on it as I work on my memoir. Thank you for blessing me with such an excellent resource. So glad I heard about it from Cynthia and then bought it. 🙂
Love your poem and pictures. Hydrangeas are one of my favourite flowers. It’s great that you have a couple of projects that demand your attention and that you love. I have been inspired by one of my daughters to add a pretty touch to my surroundings. So, I have begun by decorating here and there with flowers (fake or real) and looking for ways to brighten up our place. New blinds were a big help. Now I am painting the baseboards a nice white, just to freshen up the place. So that is my project these days. Soon school begins and that opens up a whole new variety of “projects.”
Thank you, Dee. Your decorating sounds wonderful. School begins next week at our house. These days I’m pretty much just a cheerleader, prayer warrior, taxi-driver, and shoulder to lean on. Otherwise I get in the way. Yay for independence.
You just made me laugh. Cutest poem. Oh my. I’ve been reading Laura Frantz’s Courting Morrow Little … Laura’s work is so good … I neglect everything when I open one of her books. 🙂
Thank you, Shelli. I neglect sleep when I find a good book. Last night I nodded off with a Kindle in my hands. The novel was excellent—but I was in need of some zzZ’s.
Love this line – “No one can do everything well. And if she can, I doubt either of us wants to hang out with her for very long.”
So very true. As women, we are attracted to other women’s vulnerability and imperfection, not their perfection. Let’s be honest . . . there are days when all the balls that we’re balancing come tumbling down. Yet, the day continues on and some of the balls get dropped…for a time.
I pray for much joy in this word-juggling season, Wendy.
Thank you, Diane. My family doesn’t miss the neat-nut I used to be. And the dust bunnies love me ‘more’ too. I can definitely use prayer for “word-juggling”. I need to trust in God’s timing and keep climbing the learning curve. Blessings on your upcoming adventures. Hugs.
Wouldn’t it be lovely to be sitting across from each other, sharing our stories and encouraging each other’s writing journeys? I will be praying for you, Wendy. It sure is true that a good writer needs to be an excellent re-writer. It’s tough work, for sure.
Yes, I’d enjoy sitting across the table from you, Diane. Good writing is mined in the re-writes.
Maybe one day…:)
And yes, it’s the re-writes where the real learning takes place.
I agree. A wise editor’s advice is the spice to a prizewinning recipe.
Inspiration shows its favoritism, doesn’t it?
The gardens I was so anxious for in April always seem to take a back seat to the half written plots incubating in my story greenhouse.
Gene, I like your phrase, “half written plots incubating in my story greenhouse.” My characters follow me around the garden. Some were born there.
For everything there is a season, Wendy. I’m sure the time you spent writing left you feeling fulfilled too.
Jennifer, nothing makes a writer happier than to have written (my paraphrase). 😉
That is absolutely true. 😊
Sometimes we simply need to put what is more important/urgent/necessary for us first. And as you say, your garden survived and will bloom again. Nature never deserts us and Im sure you feel wonderfully nourished from writing.
Your photos are, as always, simply exquisite 😊 x
Thank you, dear Christine. <3 Like you're already experiencing, writing is a cathartic and necessary part of my daily life.
I really identify with this. This year had my husband take over the watering chores taking special care to water my hydrangeas if he couldn’t water anything else. My yard doesn’t look wonderful, but most has at least survived.
Blessings,
Theresa
Theresa, I’m so blessed and encouraged to hear about the exciting adventure you’re on. God is so good to tailor the path so we’re able to glorify Him in our work and creative life. You have a wonderful husband at your side too. We both have ‘keepers’. xo
Hi Wendy, so glad you chose writing over gardening, but I must say your flowers are beautiful in spite of your semi-desertion. I love your poem and beautiful photos. As you know, I’ve no green thumb so of course there was no decision for me to make…hmm…writing/painting or gardening? Have a wonderful long weekend. 🙂 P.S. I especially like the last photo with the gorgeous blue flowers and your friend quote!
Thank you, Tracy. If that picture inspires a painting, let me know (e-mail me). You do such lovely and cheerful artwork, and I’d be happy to promote it on my sites. Enjoy your weekend, friend. xo
Thank you so much for your vote of confidence. I’ll save the photo if that’s okay with you for reference, no promises on getting it done soon though. What kind of flower is it, Wendy? I’m clueless. LOL
Tracy, it’s called LACECAP HYDRANGEAS
(Hydrangea macrophylla normalis) You’re welcome to use any of my pictures for drawing references. I know I enjoy looking up cottages on Pinterest—now I need to make the time to draw them. 🙂
Lacecap, what a beautiful name, and the name gave me a picture to draw. I wrote down the idea in my journal this morning. I didn’t know you drew too, where are you hiding them, Wendy?
Tracy, I like the name Lacecap, too. I have some of my work on another blog of mine called: http://thesketchypoet.wordpress.com
Hello, Dear Sketchy Poet. Wendy, your art is lovely. Why don’t you bring that blog under this one and have one umbrella? I couldn’t see where to leave a comment over there. 🙂
Thanks, dear Tracy. When I start using my new blog (website) I may consider that idea. Do you recommend I make it a page I keep updating? I’m thinking of moving over other stuff too as I’ve noticed people using things without permission and not linking back (not cool). Perhaps I’ll have to look into tighter control. Art in words, paintings, or photography should be respected and not stolen. I love to share, so there’s no reason to steal. I hope you’ve managed to avoid this. 🙂
I’m hard pressed to choose between the two, but my back has gone out and gardening and writing are suffering. 🙁 Lovely post!
Oh, Catherine, that must be so frustrating to have your back go out. It’s hard to even think when one’s suffering. Gentle hugs. Thank you for your visit.
The flowers are all beautiful….I really love the third photo down 😉 I kept scrolling back up to look at it 🙂
Thank you, JC. The third flower is a Japanese Anemone. It’s an easy to grow perennial. It also comes in pink. 🙂
Your garden probably did okay without you because you cared for it so well its now taking care of itself. I have no time management tips Wendy other than do what you can each day. Im trying to do story boards for picture book now and then it will be time to make a mock up or mini book before I complete final art. Such fun chasing our dreams.
Kath, yay you for pursuing your dream. Doing what we can each day adds up to an accomplished goal. Inch by inch and row by row—like a garden grows. I’ve always liked John Denver’s Garden Song.
Great post, Wendy.
I laughed while reading this because last week Mary came in after hours of watering our dried-out flowers, bushes and trees, and said “keeping up the yard is so time-consuming.” 🙂
Thank you, Bill. I used to be so patient with plants. Now I warn them to be brave and behave or they won’t be around next year. More and more I’m growing drought tolerant varieties. Blessings to you both on your holiday Monday.
Thank you for your pictures and words. I’m glad you are finding time to write. Getting my school schedule in order has forced me to put writing on the back burner. I am hoping to get back to what is brewing in my brain. Hope you are enjoying cooler weather where you are.
Thank you, Karen. Today I was thinking about all the stuff I learned alongside my children through our years of homeschooling. We’ve got lots of good memories of reading books together. Blessings on your learning/teaching adventure. I believe writing improves exponentially with reading.
Oh how true …. there is a season for everything with time to be given to the garden and then to the writing. Which to choose? Only your heart will have the answer for you. All that remains is to follow this as best you can.
I love the photo of your blue hydrangea. Its colour is so uniquely beautiful.
Thank you, Mary. I like your words, “Only your heart will have the answer for you.” I’ve noticed the human heart is the mailbox God posts his daily messages to.
Hi Wendy, it’s me again. You asked a question about move your art over to your new blog. And I would say and just create a separate page tab. In the long run, it will save you time having all your blog posts under one umbrella. Now I also have a separate website where I sell my art and decor products. Hope that helps. 🙂