It was a beautiful day, so it is time to fire up the garden. I rake leaves from the lawn in the fall, but leave the leaves in the flower beds. The leaves are a blanket and they work just fine. I touch the leaves and feel heat from decaying compost. However, the leaves have to come off in the spring or the flowers will be smothered. There is such a thing as too many leaves. Last year, I was late with this task. I had to hand pick handful of leaves and stuff them into a compost bag. I could not use a rake, as the daffodils were blooming. If I used a rake, I would pull up the flowers.

So, here I am, rake, bag, sunshine and energy. Five bags later, time for a break. Most of the leaves are off. As I work, I note that the crocus have spread all over. It is a riot of purple flowers. That's wonderful. Color is always welcome. I make notes to myself about where the bare spots are, which bush needs to be pulled and divided, which hollyhock died over the winter.

Having a garden has no end. It is never finished. These are living things, those little plants. It is my pleasure to take care of them, to plan for a display of color every month of the growing season. In the mddle of summer, there is a lull. The spring display is finished. The fall display isn't here yet. This is the test of a good gardener. What shall be planted to bloom then? Dahlias? Sunflowers?