Soft gentle rain has blessed itself on our homestead here in Ashland Nebraska. For the last three days and nights the cloudy skies have sustained an nearly constant drizzle. I am filled with gratitude as It feels like it has been ages since any substantial rainfall. Everything on the acreage was crying out for the nourishment in which only the rain can bring.
The rain also brings cooler temperatures - much cooler than we are accustomed to here for the first part of September here in Nebraska - and can’t help but notice the subtle whisper of a message that mother nature sent along with those temperatures.
You see, spending time preparing our harvest for the upcoming winter season has always been one of my great loves in life. I enjoy the sound of canning jars clanking together as they come out of storage, the outdoor kitchen springing into life with pots of boiling water, and the rich scent of fruits and vegetables wafting through the air. This year has been no different. For the last several weeks the gardens have been in full harvest mode, providing us with more food then my husband and I could possibly eat fresh.
But this early cold spell has brought my garden’s production down to a trickle. The tomatoes, which should be in full production right now, have stopped ripening. Our beautiful peppers, which thrive in hot humid weather, have also halted their growth along with the okra, beans, raspberries and eggplants. Everything seems to be just kicking back and taking a moment in the rain to replenish. It’s as if they understand that they need this time to rest and recoup from their long hot dry summer so they grow stronger and more productive in the weeks to come.
I can see the wisdom. I can see the message.
The energy of the cooler months always feels like an inward energy. Now that the sun is lifting her rays of warmth later and later each morning, I find it to be a much more difficult task to rise before she does. When she pulls back her rays of light and spreads her blanket of darkness each evening, I find myself in sync, changing into my pjs and nestling up with a warm cup herbal tea.
My hens, along with most of the natural world it seems, flows effortlessly with this gentle guidance from the sun, and I can’t help but to feel this is what I am supposed to do.
I think there is much we can learn from nature. We just need to stop long enough to listen to her perfect wisdom. It seems the message she is sending to my garden is the same message she is sending to me. When you are coming off of a long, hot, dry season in your life, it’s okay to stop and soak up some nice cool rain for your body, mind and spirit.