We made it to Friday friends. It's been an emotional roller coaster week for me, and it’s time for our weekly Friday Night Thought Tale hour at the Henderson’s. There's nothing better for a fracture in your soul than to seek solace in the peace of a hobby. I am fortunate to have a hobby which goes dormant each year here in the Midwest just long enough for me to miss it terribly. My hobby is to garden - to work in the yard - get really dirty - sweat - ache - and revel in the results of my labor. Growing things...It's what I DO. This weekend, along with masses of people in the country, we will plant our garden. We will process the soil, plan the layout, fertilize and then put our hopes into small plants and tiny seeds as we await the first bloom or fruit. Garden's are an investment of your time, energy and well, pride. Many allegorical stories have been written about planting and gardening, and I find myself reading them with special abandon as they touch my soul. As I approach my mid-fifties, I am beginning to see that growing things is what brings me the most satisfaction and well - if the name fits wear it - joy. I don't need a good soil foundation or perfect spot, in fact, I will get more excited about a rocky, dry, weedy place where others have assured me nothing will ever flower. I will walk away from the challenged seedling, but it will never be far from my thoughts as I return to water, shield and feed it. Some will look upon it and see a withering or broken project with little hope for a blossom, but I will only see a lovely beacon full of potential beauty. Growing things allows me to deepen my experiences and see how all this life I've lived can mean something lasting. Digging in the dirt is a quiet activity, but in my mind, there's a thriving symphony.
What is in the garden of your life? Maybe dirt isn't your thing, but you can look at a piece of wood or a cloth and see wonderful outcomes. Perhaps you find all things broken and restore them back to their original place or go into a library and feel the pages around you singing. It's never too early or too late to figure out that thing you DO - that thing which brings you joy. Seek it out this weekend, or at the very least, make a plan to include it in your life, and often.
Tonight we will be toasting to growing things with a drink highlighted by the fruits of the land, Blackberry Brambles. I will get to use my new 'muddling' tool recieved from my kids for Mother's' Day. Yes, my now grown kids are a part of my passion for 'growing things', so this toast will fit nicely with the Mother's Day weekend. It's great to see the fruits of my labors in their very productive lives. CHEERS FRIENDS!
Recipe for 'Joy's Blackberry Bramble's
2 oz. Silver Tequila
1 oz. Razzmatazz
1 oz. Blackberry DeKuypper
2 tsp. sugar
3 oz Blackberries
Lemon Soda
Ginger Ale
Muddle Blackberries and sugar in the bottom of a glass. Pour in liquors. Add ice. Top off with Lemon Soda and Ginger Ale, alternating to taste.Garnish with Blackberries and edible flowers.
That is a pretty drink! Did you make up the recipe?
ReplyDeleteHi Kelley, I usually search for a drink with the theme I'm writing about and then go from there. There are many times that I combine two or three recipes, and also times I add in a few ideas of my own. This one is a combination of a few recipes, and my addition of Razzmatazz. It's a lot of fun.
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