Finding a New Rhythm

Friends,

This week was the first week that wasn’t my typical rhythm.

The school year ended, the children went off into their summer adventures, and suddenly the days felt different.

Not bad different. Just different.

I realized pretty quickly that so much of my rhythm is built around the children being here. We are in the garden together every day. Watering, harvesting, noticing things. The garden becomes part of the school day, and the school day becomes part of the garden.

And then one day that rhythm disappears.

This week was less about gardening and more about finding my footing again. Creating a new rhythm for a season that looks different than the one before it.

The funny thing is that while I was trying to slow down and figure out what comes next, the garden seemed to be doing exactly the opposite.

It feels like it is about to explode.

The blackberries are starting to come in.

The boysenberries have mostly finished their run for the year.

The plums are absolutely ridiculous. I can barely keep up with a single tree. Every day there seems to be another bowl full waiting to be harvested.

The weeping Santa Rosa plum is loaded, but not quite ready yet.

The green plum tree—the one that never really changes color even when it’s ripe—is also full of fruit and slowly making its way toward harvest.

The figs are coming.

The apricots are covered.

The nectarine has so much fruit on it that we are busy trying to support the branches. One large branch already broke under the weight. A hard reminder that abundance sometimes needs support.

The flowers seem to know it is their moment too.

The poppies are still stealing the show. The hollyhocks are reaching skyward and putting on a display that is hard to miss.

And then there are the scarlet runner beans.

I planted them without really knowing what to expect. Now they are climbing everywhere, covered in brilliant red flowers. Every time I walk by them, they make me smile.

They feel almost tropical.

Speaking of tropical, the papayas are doing fantastic.

A few weeks ago I wasn’t sure if they were going to fruit at all. Cool nights, rain, and spring weather can make them a little unpredictable around here. Now I have multiple papayas forming, and every time I check on them they seem bigger than before.

I am ridiculously excited about it.

Maybe that’s one of the things gardens teach us.

Rhythms change.

Seasons change.

What felt normal a week ago is suddenly gone.

And while we are busy trying to figure out what comes next, life keeps unfolding anyway.

The berries ripen.

The flowers bloom.

The fruit gets heavier.

The garden doesn’t seem worried about finding its next rhythm.

It simply grows into it.

Until next time friends,

Teacher Todd