Amy M. Schaefer
  • Amy M. Schaefer, Writer
  • Blog: From the Front Porch
  • Novels
  • Short Stories
    • Children's Books
  • About the Author
  • Contact
  • Photo & Art Gallery

From the Front Porch

I am an "accidental blogger". When I launched my writing career in March of 2014, one of the things that I decided to include was my journaling, which I have always found to be a comforting and therapeutic endeavor.  It was a big risk to open myself up in such a public forum, but it has taught me that, for the most part, we share far more experiences than we think. It's comforting to know I'm not alone!  (*the "Button Text" is the link to my first novel)
Button Text

"Flora, and Fauna, and Garden Gnomes, Oh MY!"

4/4/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
Dogwood in my Yard
Picture
Rosemary on my Deck
Picture
Garden Gnome on my Deck
The air was warm, the sky a vibrant blue. I pestered my husband over breakfast, "Can we go, please? Pretty please?" and batted my eyelashes sweetly at him. He totally caved and off we went to do one of my favorite weekend things...we went to our local Farmer's Market! It was our first trip of the season and let me tell you, I cannot be trusted to my own devices when I'm there. I definitely require a chaperone to keep me from buying one of everything! How can I decide between fresh, local honey, handmade soaps, and flowers in every size, shape and colour imaginable??? Besides the benefit of supporting local growers and craftsmen (which I love to do), there is always the loveliest array of fruits, vegetables and plants you can imagine! 

I'm not sure when my obsession with growing things began. Perhaps it was at Aunt Mattie's knee as she walked me through her gorgeous rose garden cutting off the faded roses, or I sat next to her on our front porch while she shelled peas, snapped beans or shucked corn (Silver Queen, which is hand's down, my favorite) and spoke to me about philosophical things (...toned down to child-level). If I close my eyes and stretch out on a fresh, cool patch of spring grass, I can imagine faeries dancing from buttercup to violet and back again as they scamper through the backyard of my childhood. I can vividly remember the taste of a tomato, just picked and warmed by the sun, sliced thick and put inside two slices of bread coated in mayo, salt and pepper. If summer has a flavor, this is it! Ohhhh how tempted I was yesterday to buy the tomatoes on display, but somewhere in my mind I heard Aunt Mattie whisper, "Not yet. They won't be 'just right' till June, July and August."

I held off on the tomatoes, choosing two rosemary containers instead. I know that even though they're small now, by summertime, they'll be full and fat, their sensuous smell permeating my deck and coating my hands as I walk by and stroke their aromatic leaves, which I can never resist doing. This year I also planted Lavender seeds. Growing things from seeds is not my greatest skill, but every spring I continue to try and coax the little seedlings up out of the rich, fresh dirt. Hopefully, this is my year to make that happen! Keep your fingers crossed! If they're not up in the next nine days (which is what the package says should happen), perhaps I'll play them some Blues!
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    About The Author

    I grew up in rural North Carolina. When I was only nineteen, I moved away and became a military wife. My only aspiration at that tender time in my life was to create an adult life that "fixed" all of the "injustices" of my childhood. Secretly, however, I wanted to reach for the sky! I wanted to be a writer and find ways to "save the world" (my mother used to say, "You have Save the World Syndrome".). Mostly, I wanted to matter.

    Since then, I have learned to reach well beyond what I ever dared to think was possible. I've learned not to allow fear to stop me from whatever future I want to create!

    What keeps me grounded? My Tribe! What provides the wind beneath my wings? A well of reserves filled with unstoppable passion!

    Archives

    August 2021
    March 2020
    August 2019
    June 2019
    March 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014

    Categories
    A View From the Hill: Short Stories by Mattie Hill Shields

    All

    Button Text

    RSS Feed

    View my profile on LinkedIn
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Amy M. Schaefer, Writer
  • Blog: From the Front Porch
  • Novels
  • Short Stories
    • Children's Books
  • About the Author
  • Contact
  • Photo & Art Gallery