It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade. -Charles Dickens
We find ourselves immersed in the Ohio phenomenon that is “false spring” when on a Thursday our neighbors tend to their gardens, and that Saturday we watch snow flurries drift past the window. Mother Nature taunts us with warm days and we want to immediately sow our spring flowers while we get our tomatoes in the ground. Let me warn you…we are not there yet! As an avid gardener with an eager hand I speak this from devastating experience. The ground isn’t ready to be a safe place for the seeds and starts we have been keeping warm inside through winter. (Save yourself the pain and wait it out.)
Naturally we could look to the farmers almanac, check our planting zone, read the back labels of our seed packets but ultimately ‘mother knows best’ and when I follow the old rule of thumb to hold off until Mother’s Day, I always have success. As I pondered this reality over my morning cup of coffee that was consumed outside, under many blankets (a beauty of this false season) I couldn’t help but think…much like love and marriage…that with patience comes great success.
So tend to the love between you and your partner like a garden: with intention, trust, and support… your garden of love shall grow.
