Fleeing the Nest

Ok, so it took 10 years, but I've moved out and found a different place to live. I do miss being able to step outside in the morning to work in the garden, having a coffee and breakfast outside as the early light illuminates my plants and all that sentimental stuff, but I needed this move.

Now, in a way, I feel like I can have a life like the rest of my peers and I can truly represent the "Next Generation"! haha.

Most common question I've gotten: "Do you have a yard to play with and plant?"

No. But it's a good thing! I'm living with a UW Professor introduced by a friend/former volunteer of mine and it's all been working out well. He owns a town home in North Seattle where a landscape company oversees the maintenance of all the grounds here. It's actually not bad and the fall color on the allée of ashes (Fraxinus sp. haven't properly ID'd them yet) is captivating! Looks like our complex is on FIRE!



While I could take over and teach them a thing or two about pruning and plant selection for the foundation plantings, I really don't need to. In a way, it's sort of a temporary living situation and it doesn't make sense to create more work for myself. I'm glad not to be coming home to outdoor physical work.

Going up to the garden every other day seems to work out okay. I feel like I'm not as overwhelmed (cutting back on nursery stuff as well) and I'm able to set a time limit to be able to call it quits for the day because: 1) It's getting darker earlier now and 2)I have to actually GO HOME!

Knowing that I'll need to be growing something in close proximity, I've already told my housemate that I might pot up some containers and help him with his hanging baskets. I could also follow my own advice and get some houseplants going again, but it'll be a challenge as I'm sharing the lower level of the house with a cat named, Nala.

Feels good to be a little more independent; taking responsibility for everything and just having the freedom to pursue other interests and be in an environment where I can be productive and feel like I'm moving forward with life. After a dismal late summer, I think this is just what I needed and I couldn't be more fortunate and thankful for this new phase in my life.