For twenty-two years this was my place in the world.
Then came life as a military spouse.
Until, quite suddenly (in retrospect, that’s how it felt!), after 27 moves in 35 years, and after no sense of true belonging or sense of physical permanence anywhere, that part of my life came to an end when my husband retired in 2015.
Two moves and three years later we’re settled with no immediate plans to move and nothing speaks to me more than planting a perennial garden at the address we now call home. Up until now I’ve always been a container garden person….seldom having two growing seasons in a row to experiment with what worked.
Last year I cleared out a row of bushes next to our patio and planted my first hummingbird/butterfly garden, starting small, not sure of what to expect due to placement, water and soil conditions, and how green my thumb would turn out to be.
The hummingbirds loved it.
I was moderately successful so this year I had more bushes cleared and this is my jumping off point for the expanded space, all centered on possibly the best Christmas present ever, the trellis in the center of it all. I’m also experimenting with an area in the front yard, hoping to cover up, by the end of the summer, the piping that controls our irrigation.
I still enjoy my container gardening. Over the years I’ve learned a few things, such as the wisdom of keeping mint contained and NOT putting it in the ground, but this year and hopefully for many years to come, I’m starting to find my place in the world after the military….and I’m starting to learn about longevity in my humble garden.
Stay tuned for end-of-summer results. Truthfully, it all still feels like a crapshoot to me….with a lot of luck, good weather conditions, and the grace of God all playing a part in successful gardening.
pauses&clicks 
Wow, that sounds like a lot of moves over the years! Congratulations on having a home where you can put down some roots in a garden and play with boundaryless soil.
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I’m definitely having to make some adjustments in how I approach many aspects of my life. Putting down roots after so many years of packing up and moving can be daunting. I may have some wanderlust that will have to be indulged from time to time.
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I can’t wait to see the garden at the end of the summer…you are finding new treasures in life…very different not moving or thinking about a move to come!! Jim did GREAT on the trellis…LOVE IT!!!
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Thanks for being such a faithful reader Cathy! You are loved!
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Wow, this is so great! I’m sending this to both my neighbor and sister who are definitely Master Gardeners and horticulturists!!! I post photos from their gardens all the time!!
I’m afraid MY thumbs are kind of psychedelic paisley colored!!
Oh and feel free to remember the Great Northwest when that wanderlust hits!
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Soon, Kathie, soon!
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We moved to Cincinnati a ways back. Should we follow you to the Northwest next? ;>)
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You’d have to follow us south to Louisiana instead! The Northwest would be awesome though…visiting Seattle for the first time this summer! I miss my four seasons, that’s for sure. In our neck of the woods I think we only have two seasons….summer or not summer.
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Ah! I don’t know, I’m not much of a humidity guy. Though I do love Cajun food. Beautiful gardens, btw.
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