Daisies On My Doorstep

Dear Sisters,

Whew doggies, it’s HOT!!! Hot, humid and sticky! What am I fussing about the weather for? It’s always like this come 4th of July here on the shorelines. You know what else happens this time of year? The Daisies on my doorstep are in bloom! Would ya look at how happy they look? I guess they love the heat. Me? Not so much. I think I might have to break down and get a string of Hot Girls Pearls for when I’m out communing with the garden this summer! But I digress. I’m always so happy to see the daisies arrive! I didn’t plant them there. The previous owner of our house must have planted them and the last 12 years they’ve never failed to bloom. Not even once. While other perennials in that flower bed have grown root bound and leggy the daisies look as fresh and innocent ( I’m guessing ) as the day they were planted. Why do you suppose that is? I have a theory… Wanna hear it?

Do you believe in flower symbolism? The more I read about the meanings of flowers I surely do. I know from the bottoms of my dirty farmgirl feet that there are lessons to be learned from the garden. And, not just the ones about ideal plant placement, proper soil PH and water requirements. Take the simple Daisy for instance. I recently read that the flower symbolism for the Daisy is purity, innocence, loyal love, beauty, patience, and simplicity.

Daisies are believed to be more than 4000 years old and are a part of the larger family (Asteraceae) known as the aster, ( meaning star ) sunflower and daisy family. They are the largest flowering family of flowering plants with over 1600 genre and 23,000 plants. Daisies were found during the excavation of the Minoan Palace on the Island of Crete. Even further back, Egyptian ceramics were decorated with daisies. Daisies were also one of 30 different flowers known to be used in Mary Gardens.  And, they make adorable flower crowns when shortened stems are tied together. Perfect for a mamma/granny and me garden party!

They say you know if you’re going to buy a house within seconds of stepping onto the grounds of a potential new home. I think it might have been the daisies on my doorstep that were the determining factor in our choosing the home we now live in 13 years ago. But I didn’t know it at the time. All I remember is driving up the driveway on a sunny late June afternoon and seeing a beautiful display of smiling, sunny cottage flowers, daisies in the midst as if to say, welcome home! At the time we were new transplants in New England and had been living in my in-laws antique farmhouse, which I hated to leave, but, it wasn’t ours. And even though they made us feel ” right at home”  it was time for our little family to find a new home where we could put down some roots and bloom! Here are some lessons the daisies have taught us over the years about living a life in full bloom!

Beauty~ Ah. Beauty. I believe each of us has our unique way of working with the all mighty creator in bringing more beauty to the world. Those daisies were there to encourage me to continue my passion for gardening in new and different ways. It took me a couple of years before I began designing, digging, planting and seeding, but with each new addition to the garden the more ” at home” I felt and the more connected to nature too.

Innocence~ We were innocent to our new surroundings when we first moved in. And even though it felt lonely at times as we settled in and got to know our neighbors and community it was our open hearts and innocence to our new experience that helped us stay open to all the new and wonderful possibilities a new plot can bring.

Loyal Love~ Besides the ability to laugh at life and each-other when needed, it’s loyal love, and trust that bind us together and keep us together.

Purity~ To live life in the purest way, we have to strive to do away with UN necessary clutter and negativity. Lord knows that’s not always easy but it’s something to strive for when the piles get too high and moods get tense. We learned to breathe and carry on!

Simplicity~ My personal favorite. Simplicity. This is such an oxymoron for us creative types and mothers. I don’t do anything simple. I gather, and clutter and ride the creative muse whichever way it wants to take me leaving a trail of fairy dust wherever I go.  And, so do our children. Maybe, that IS our ” simple” and the lesson is to accept it once and for all.  I don’t want things too tidy… Where’s the fun in that?

THAT’S why the daisies return every year, without fail, upon my doorstep. We all need reminding to be innocent and have faith, that beauty is everywhere, that loyalty and love are the glue that bind and keep us together through thick and thin, that purity will show us our true hearts and direction and simplicity ( what ever your version of it is) will lighten the load along the way! Here’s wishing you many lessons from the garden this summer!

Until our next shoreline visit~

BEACH BLESSINGS and Happy 4th of July!

Aren’t we blessed to live in the USA?

Much love,

BEACH FARMGIRL  # 1199

Deb

Psst. Here are two wonderful books for you to read while you’re sitting under your favorite shade tree this summer:

The Meaning of Flowers and Living Life in Full Bloom