Winter - The cycle of change

We had to say good bye to our beautiful Amber last Tuesday. With grief, thoughts mash up and unfold in due time. Today's contemplation is that life just keeps cycling on. Everything is in a constant state of change. As I adjust to the silence of her not following me around, I look upon the tomatoes and realize their time is short also. Another bone chilling front pushes down, dumping snow across the eastern coast, snapping the avocado branches, shredding the banana leaves and causing the tropicals to cringe, shrivel and hide. There are reports of dead pythons and iguanas throughout the area. Winter must come for spring to follow.

Miami's (South Florida) climate spins the seasons all around for Zone 11 gardeners. We are celebrating our first fresh tomato as other gardeners lament the end. The garlic that was sneaked in between the broccoli is pushing up and the Bush bean seeds that was over-sowed to empty the packet are poking out in a two leaf formation. The Key Lime is busting out in riot of flowers; it must get it into the ground. For each end of a cycle there comes the beginning of a new one.

Mother Nature keeps her balance. Ebb and flow, life and death, love and grief, attachment and surrender, full moon and no moon, the dharma wheel keeps rolling.

I miss you and love you, my sweet sweet pup.