Message from the Mountain

There is a three-foot-tall unassuming wildflower I see along the trails in bloom this time of year called pink steeplebrush. It reminds me of people that go about their lives almost hidden from others, who make special contributions to the nature of life. Support the show

To me the sumac blossoms are one of the first hints that summer is beginning to slowly make a transition into the fall. The cool nights after a heat wave also do the same. When we are aware of each day, we are also aware of all the changes in life that are constantly happening. Support the show

There are a couple of high bush blueberries close to the Cabin that have some maturing fruit. The hope is that we harvest some muffins soon unless the birds get to them first. There are people currently creating a crop of positivity with the hope that it will help create a caring future. Support the show

For many years I have always wanted to have enough varieties of daylilies to create a parade of blooms all summer long, and now that is happening. Many people dream or hope for things that never happen because they shut off the energy of attraction by focusing on why it will not happen. Support the show

As I have mentioned many times before, my wife has a special “garden” outside her office window. It is filled with low maintenance garden sculptures. She has allergies and this is her way to enjoy Nature. We do not have to work hard at everything in life to enjoy it. Support the show

A friend who is also a professional gardener recently planted the wooden container to the rim in Barbara’s section of the Ormond Gardens. This act of kindness filled my heart to the rim with gratitude. Support the show

There is a tradition in New England and perhaps other places where people decorate their lawn with pink flamingos. Part of the fun is decorating a friend’s yard when they are not home. It is good to have whimsical elements in our lives, something to help us smile. Support the show

Milton Erickson told a patient once to go out and count the shades of green in grass. I assume the person was stuck in just one view of life. The lesson is that life itself has many different shades, and no one sees it the same way. Support the show

Ten years ago I dug up some hydrangeas from the grounds of the local historical society when the building was moved. Now I am enjoying beautiful white blooms. It can take time to establish transplants whether in nature or in positive ideas and actions. Support the show

A lot of people, including myself, look to the sky for information that might give them guidance in life. There is a term called cloud scrying, where one lets their eyes go out of focus so their unconscious mind can come into focus with information from their Source. Support the show

The pink spirea, a shrub we have had for fifty years, keeps spreading, and now we have three of them established at the Center. If you prune the blooms after they have gone by, they will come back. “In the pink”, is a very positive phrase we can apply in life all year long. Support the show

Thirty years ago my father-in-law passed away, and that summer a small wild rose started to grow outside our window. We believe it was a gift from the Other Side. I also believe other people get signs of love from the Other Side when they pay attention to them. Support the show

The hens and chickens continue to expand their presence each year in the gardens at the Center. I think of people who set about intending to do positive acts of kindness each day and how these acts expand and are taken up by others who expand them again. Support the show

One of the goals of the Ormond Gardens at the Center is to plant flowers that attract insects, butterflies and moths, and that is exactly what is beginning to happen. The concept of the Law of Attraction is that the energy in thoughts and actions bring back to you what you send out. Support the show

The lighthouse perched on a rock outcropping at the entrance to the harbor has been guiding sailors safely for many years. I am reminded of people who are beacons of light that help guide others in their travels or their souls. Support the show

Looking down from the 9th floor of the ship docked in Bermuda, we noticed the water had a very unique design to it. If the pattern could be duplicated, it might make for some interesting clothing. I think of people with unique designs that enhance the fabric of life. Support the show

We have dragon fly reminders both inside and outside our house. Several years ago, Penny was in an auto accident where her car was bumped over a bank and into the water. As she waited in a truck for me to get there, a dragon fly accompanied her and wouldn’t leave her side. Support the show

The single mock orange shrub does not have the dense number of flowers as the double, but the aroma is just as nice. It spreads easily and can take over the landscape if not paid attention to it. Still, it has its place in the landscape as different types of people do in life. Support the show

One flower book describes orange day lilies as the bane of the garden. The author considered them too common to rank high enough on the flower scale to be included. I, on the other hand, love to see them line country roads, often growing wild. I think they are brilliant. Support the show

July 4th is a day of celebration in this country marked by parades, fireworks, picnics, strawberry shortcake and watermelon, to name a few. It is the time for each of us to commit to sewing these seeds of freedom to the coming generations. Support the show

There is another yellow color blending into the garden palate. I am not sure how it got there, but it is very welcome and comes back year after year. I am reminded of people that somehow connect to others and just blend into the palate of life. Support the show

The tall slender, delicate astilbe is a flower that is much more resilient than it looks like and provides a wonderful balance for a flower garden. There are people who appear to be delicate but are much stronger in life than others give them credit for being. Support the show

I don’t think I have ever seen a chipmunk stop and rest for very long. They are constantly on the move. There are people who never pause very long either, going from one project to another as they may have several going at once. The object is to go at a pace that is right and good for you. Support the show

Over fifty years ago my parents gave us a collection of shrubs and trees that were advertised on the back cover of Parade Magazine. We still have a few of them surviving today, including a double mock orange. Investing positively in the future can pay off. Support the show

Derek has spent a couple of weeks here shaping the gardens at the Center and adding plants, including ever bearing yellow lilies that bloom all summer. I love to see the Ormond Gardens expand, just as I love to see people planting new positive ideas to benefit others. Support the show