5 Aug
Via Flickr: than to lie on the sofa, but she was enjoying herself, immensely, right in front of me. And, not just curled up in the corner of the sofa, but she had all the cushions, fixed just right, for a dog!
🙂 My pretty girl, Ruthie Mae.
23 Jul
“Hey,” one of the Horticulture Therapy Interns whispered to me during a recent group session. “Did you get a look at that Lily?”
I looked across the way toward the pond garden. I couldn’t believe my eyes! It was floating almost three feet above the water and extraordinarily large.
“That’s a Lily!” I exclaimed.
“Uh huh,” she murmured, smiling in a playfully delinquent way.
She knew I would get excited and I did! I quickly found myself standing on the side of the garden’s frame taking pictures. I was in awe.
Beautiful Lotus Lily!
Lotus Lily
“I finally understand about the Lotus now,” a co-volunteer and friend said as we stood there, altogether captured by the flower. By that time the intern had joined us.
We talked about acknowledging the darkness in the waters where the flower comes from. I’ve noticed the dark waters of the ponds, as well as all the life living in and around them. There’s the frogs, the various kinds of Lily pads, some with intricate designs and one with a smiley face. Pretty little red fish swim around and all kinds of moss and plant life grow that I can’t name. Of course, there is my gorgeous winged friend, whom I met there at Noon one very hot day.
So, after hanging around the pond for a few weeks, a surge of adrenaline hit me when the large white Lotus flower appeared. Nature took me again to a place where I feel connected and my senses peak. This surely qualifies as a Green Healing.
My companions and I were standing on the garden’s frame when the Horticulture Therapist walked over to ask that we re-join the group. I suspected by the look in her eyes that she would rather not see any of us up there again. She’s a terrific therapist and I respect her a great deal. I also trust her. I won’t be standing on the sides of our pond gardens anymore, besides, that’s for “Little Frog!”
Possible Prince Charming?
“Little Frog” definitely has potential!
Back at the gardens this afternoon, I checked the pond where the Lily was showing off for us. The plant looked very different after four days! In fact, I think I’ll end with one more photo of what it looks like today.
The Lotus Lily Flower, Closed Petals
There were also new Lilies coming up. Some stay on the water when they bloom and the others grow on top of a long stem, straight up toward the sky, like this beauty did.
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4 Jul
A short visit to the water gardens was a nice break on a hot day. I ran into our new friend and co-volunteer, which was fun. My son was a trooper to endure the heat, while I was captured by yet another garden friend!
We had a few much-needed Green Healing moments.
1 Jul
Pretty Sunflower! (Reblogged from my Green Healing Notes photo/journal)
“The Sunflow’r, thinking ’twas for him foul shame
To nap by daylight, strove t’ excuse the blame;
It was not sleep that made him nod, he said,
But too great weight and largeness of his head.”
~ Abraham Cowley
Thanks for visiting Green Healing Notes!
5 Jun
I’ll get to explaining the title of this post in a minute, but first, a little preamble is called for.
While I’ve been laying low in the background for a few months, I’ve been silently enjoying reading my favorite blogs (Dogkisses) and Green Healing Notes, along with a ton of books. If you’re a regular reader here at IconDoIt, you’ve probably noticed that I’ve mentioned Dogkisses several times and that the author of those two blogs is also a frequent commenter here. So what’s that all about, you might ask?
One of the greatest serendipities of writing a blog and commenting on blogs other than your own, is that you have the opportunity to come to know people from around the globe with whom you already have something in common (an interest in the subject…
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30 Apr
And the beat goes on…
Quietly and Softly
Colorful Communications
We always begin Horticulture Therapy by gathering in a circle to share plant news. This time together is good, interesting and takes us in many directions. We often visit our past of garden or plant memories and look to the future with hopeful or creative garden dreams and ideas.
Last week I arrived just in time to hear another participant sharing his idea for a creative planting container. The young man was more engaged than usual and when he smiled and became excited about what plants to choose and where he would put his new container, I felt like I saw the heart of horticulture therapy.
I like to call these times Healing Happenings, which are moments in time when hope or happiness fills my heart and mind. I’m not talking about everything being right or all problems being fixed. I’m talking about a little piece of time when worry and stress take a back seat and the beauty of life emerges.
Sweet Peas make Smiles
Personally, ‘healing happenings’ include moments when I enjoy what I imagine most Mothers do, which is seeing our children, no matter what age they are, smile and be happy. They’re also moments when I feel that my family will be okay.
Therapeutic Gardening
“Drop by drop would make a lake.” (Azerbaijani proverb)
The Intern in an early Garden
And then, there is faith.
new lettuce and a few sprouted carrots
lettuce and carrots growing
15 Apr
If I could be a plant, I’d fancy being a ‘May flower’ that surprises people walking by my home. I would most enjoy living under the shade of the great green leaves. I could have a private life, having just enough neighbors to chat with after a light rain. I’m quite sure that if I was a May flower, then the other Mays and I would sing our stories and have a wonderfully cheery life!
If I wanted the sky to see more of me,
a pretty Pitcher plant I’d like to be.
How wonderful life would be if I was medicine to make people feel better!
If I was a Lavender plant, people would say ooh and aah and, how lovely you smell. I’d take pride in soothing minds and spirits. And Sage! I would cleanse their homes and make the turkey taste good! I could be a Pineapple Sage and people would make me into tea. I’d live best by the doorsteps where my fragrance and delicate red flowers would remind my people that I await their return.
There’s so many choices of flowers I’d like to be!
I know of a garden that has a good life. It isn’t very large, but it’s medicine is big. People gather ’round the rolling mounds of rich dirt to learn and grow. If ever I was a garden, then that’s the one I’d surely be. I’d grow yummy green Chard and pretty purple Cabbage, make friends out of strangers and whisper sweet secrets to the good kind humans who come to take care of me.
Thank you for visiting Dogkisses’s blog. Please feel free to leave a comment and I hope you too have some ‘Green Healing’ days!
25 Feb
“That was the best time I’ve ever had,” my son told me after the second class.
While working with the Cacti, separating plants and each of us making a potted arrangement to take home, I realized how hard it was for me. Everyone else seemed to be having an easy time, but I struggled.
I found a small piece of Thyme in the potting soil and I couldn’t let it go. I wanted to save it. I tried and tried to get it in my pot, but it kept falling over. I also had a hard time with the Seeds of Pearl, as the plant’s roots are tender.
The group coordinator finally came over to help me. She didn’t know, or maybe she did, how hard of a time I was having. Trying to save the Thyme filled me with anxiety and a feeling of failure. My experience reflected the way I feel most of the time.
Pondering on the anxiety after I returned home, I realized how hard I try to save people or fix situations that most people would walk away from. I try so hard to get everything just right and that isn’t really the way life ought to be. I need to simply let go.
Free, the greatest dog!
Michelle writes about her life, her journey with chronic pain and illness, healing and hope, and a personal account of how the love of dogs helps along the way. She has traveled the mental healthcare system with her adult son, who has inspired integrating holistic healthcare. Michelle finds healing in nature, is in love with the wild things, her family and a dog, of course.
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