We had a delicious rain yesterday. It sprinkled all day. That slow, steady rain I remember from childhood days of playing in puddles and quacking like ducks. No thunder. No lightning. No theatrics. Just a soft, summer shower to wash off the dust of this long simmering season, refreshing our souls and replenishing our soil.
As I often do, especially in summer, I turned to my gardening books. There are books about the physical practice of gardening; the anatomy of plants, the science of roots, horticulture.Then there are books about the physical pleasure of plants; the arranging of flowers and aesthetics of gardening. It is there that I found myself burying my nose as the rain washed down on this small little life on a cut off road.
A book I always enjoy and have written about before is called A Time to Blossom by Tovah Martin. It is one of those books that always give back to me more than its purchase price, making me smile with its gentle words and pristine photography.
I settled like fairy dust on this picture of hollyhock dolls. I don’t remember ever making them, but, I wish that I had. Maybe next year I’ll grow hollyhocks, just so I can.
What a wonder that a soft summer rain can bring to our hearts and our souls!
