I rarely bring flowers inside from the garden.  I used to all of the time.  Perhaps one day, I shall again.  But these were on the rose bush branches I trimmed as I cleaned up with front garden beds.  I could not just relegate such loveliness to the compost bin immediately.  Each bud has bloomed and each flower gives off  delightful scent.  Rich gifts at the end of the season.

I cleaned the last of the beds, cutting back perennials including a Sweet Autumn Clematis the takes over one railing of the front deck and has a sort of spooky look in the fall and serves as an excellent background for Halloween pumpkins.  Then I raked out the front beds and most of the front and side lawns.  My beds and lawns are not that large but the trees that drop leaves on them are large.  I have at least another raking hour or two for the back garden and then a few hundred bulbs to plant.  This is the time of year when I wonder what I was thinking about when I ordered the tulips and narcissus.

I was thinking about spring and celebrating the optimism of a gardener.

The workshop today, the first Mindful Circle, went as well as I could have hoped.  I am so grateful to those who came and to those who say they will be back next week.  Each person shared that she had come to either learn mindfulness or to establish a practice and also that she wanted the support and community of a group.  This is the blend that I am most interested in facilitating and it is a privilege that there are those who will engage in this journey with me.  Really, I am very happy.

After the workshop one of the women told me that the “advertising” for the workshop was not very good.  She is correct.  There was a single email three weeks ago that went out with a copy of the flyer attached.  A follow-up email went out on Monday and the flyer printed out an put on a bulletin board.  She thought that more could be done.  I could not help but agree.  Perhaps she will pick up the gauntlet as I do not sell.  As I find my feet in the project, I must find some help in the advertising department.

When I started putting the workshop together, I only polished the first meeting because I was truly hesitant to invest time and energy into something that could not get off the ground.  Now, with group of like minded souls I can’t wait to get back to the planning.

For now.  Tonight.  I am tired and more satisfied with the day behind me than I have been in a long time.  So luscious this exhaustion.  So satisfying this delight.