There is one point in the year that I have THE most beautiful garden in the history of all my little gardens.  The colors blend beautifully- the blooms are timed perfectly- and it is just *sigh* plain perfection.  It's not in May- or June- or July.  Nope.  My most perfect garden is right now.  When the beds are bare- and the lawn is spotted with big patches of mud. Because now is the time I have tons of gardening catalogs spread across my coffee table- dog eared with wish list purchases.  Now is when I visit the local garden shows and bring home tons of pictures and a few notes.... most any gardener will tell you, the most perfect garden is the one you dream of, the one you imagine while you are waiting for the season to come.  The planning, imagining, hoping, researching- it's like a dress rehearsal for the season.  Sometimes, I get close to the visions in my imagination- many times- not so much.  Time, money, life.  A lot of little things affect my plans- but each year- come mid June, when I am sitting in my little piece of heaven, cool iced coffee in hand, pretty blooms all around me, listening to my boys laugh as only kids can as they plunge into the still cold pool, I take it all in and think, "this is good."   Not perfect.  But undeniably so good I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Bloom where you are planted.

As you may know, my home is in the process of upheaval.  My big guy Ryan is 13- and going into high school in the fall.  So we are moving him to a cool man cave in the attic.  The little one is being moved into Ryan's old room- and it is being redecorated as a Galaxy far, far away- perfect for a little Jedi... and that leaves one little room all for me!  My long awaited, much planned for craft room.  I have a Pintrest board I have been collecting lots of eye candy on (you can take a peek HERE).  This weekend, I was a little overwhelmed by it all.  There is so much moving, painting, purchasing that needs to be done.  And I want it all done right now!  In the middle of this little freak out- I caught a glimpse of my gardening catalogs, and it stuck me how very similar these two projects were.  So many times, you must dream, imagine, plan..take a breath... before your goals are realized.   Be it a layout, a project, a renovation, a garden... there is a time of bloom for everything.  It can't be rushed- it can only be anticipated.... and we really should enjoy the planning as much as the result.  The planning can give you just as much satisfaction as your final outcome.

So, as we begin April- and spring is about to reveal itself- here's wishing you joy in your creative planning and the satisfaction of blooming where you are planted- whether it is a craft room, a kitchen table, or a notebook of ideas.... just having the garden in your mind will bring you that much closer to your vision of creativity. And that is good.