a cold spell

(No, I'm not writing of my absence in this space that could be aptly named with the same title as this post.)

A low of 32 degrees. . . .a freeze warning. . . .followed by a frost warning for the next two nights. . . .

Yep, it's a cold spell.  Exactly one week after some documented "last possible frost dates" in our zone.  Hmph!

And, exactly one week after we introduced all of the starter plants to their new habitat.  Hmph x2!

So, we donned our winter coats and headed out to protect those little plants.  It was quite a sight to see our garden space look as though we had tucked our plants in for the night.  Of course, this effort required a little creativity, a little ingenuity, making useful the many rocks we've been picking out of our soil one-by-one, finding new uses for tent anchors, buckets, empty pots.

Funny how this simple act of nurture offered such a parallel example for much of life.  We are not in control.  We can sow seeds, we can water, we can provide food, but we cannot offer sun and warmth or protect completely from cold.  We can hope and have faith, but in the end, Mother Nature will do as she must.  

We can only respond in openness to all she gifts us.  

And, yes, this cold spell will bring with it benefits that we cannot see or understand.  Yes, this cold spell will force us inside to snuggle with our children.  Yes, this cold spell will cause us to slow, if only for a moment.  And these precious moments are gift enough for me to exert the necessary effort to protect those vulnerable plants and rest in the knowledge that life will go on.