The Plan.

The fall/winter garden plan.

I've said before that the garden is quite a metaphor, and this summer I have felt the pangs of an unproductive garden rattle through me in a difficult way. I've been a mess, feeling much the same way my garden looks — disheveled, unkempt, hot, uninspired, unfruitful. I'm yearning to pull myself out of this summer slump, and feeling just a hint of crispness in the air gives me hope that fall is just around the corner.

Which means it's time for the plan.

My local nurseries aren't yet ready for the fall garden, but boy am I chomping at the bit. (In fact, I called; there are no broccoli transplants for me just yet, but soon. Very soon.)

In any case, here's what I have to look forward to. Leafy greens, broccoli, cabbage, sugar snap peas, and herbs. My favorite herbs, to be exact: cilantro, parsley, and rosemary. And carrots, turnips, parsnips, cauliflower, and (shh, don't tell the hubcap) a little Swiss chard.

Mostly, though, I have growth to look forward to. New life, nourishment, tiny plants that become so much more than simply leaves and stems.

This is the weekend to prepare the gardens. The cleaning out, redressing, nurturing the soil that will in turn nurture us ... This is what I need to refresh my own life. I am so looking forward to a change in the weather.

I feel better already.