Sharon's blog: It's all in the way you look at things

I have a friend who lives maybe 4 or 5 hours from me in northern Kentucky and she's been groaning along with me about the drought and the excessive heat all summer long. I decided a few days ago that I've groaned long enough and it is what it is so I'll just make the most of it, just like Aunt Bett and Ninna always told me to do. (I don't remember that they had a drought there in the mountains though.)  But along the way I've had Ethan's sunflower and a number of other surprises, so it isn't like my garden is a total and forever lost cause.

I really haven't told my friend that she has little to worry about since her area is in maybe D-0, which means it's abnormally dry but not considered too worrisome. And I haven't told her to take a look at the drought monitor and see that her area is nice and yellow compared to the dark reddish brown color of mine in D-4. I just keep thinking that there are worse areas than here, and I remember what my Texas friends and relatives went through last year. So I'm keeping my groans to myself now. No more complaining. 

It's all in the way we look at it.

I could look to the left and see what's left of my daylilies in this bed, or I could look to the right and see the drought defying rose that's blooming in the corner of it. I think I'll just look to the right and be happy.

And I could look to the left and see the battered remains of the butterfly bush, gasping, wilted, or I could look to the right of it and see the old cedar tree add a little color that perks the same purple blooms right up.

Overall it isn't all that pretty, but overall, those plants are surviving. Just like I am. The grass is pretty sparse, but I never liked grass a lot anyway, so I just look in front of it and enjoy the first blooms of the little crape myrtle.

And the wisteria, well, it might be a little confused what with those seed pods hanging down along the bottom at the same time it's blooming above. But what the heck, it's still green and it's growing even if it is confused about its bloom time. And it sure is pretty.

And last week the first bloom that appeared on Carefree Beauty, the first bloom since maybe June, well, it was a little mottled, looked a little tattered, but you know what?  Look at it now.

I haven't mulched in awhile; even the weeds aren't growing and there's little if any moisture to be held. The trees are still green, mostly, though a lot of leaves have been dropped. I'll leave those leaves where they fall, I'll leave that dead daylily foliage for awhile longer. It isn't very pretty, but it is what it is and I'll look in another direction and I won't complain.

See, I've decided it's all in how I look at it. I can see the dead foliage or I can see the blooms. I can look at the damage or I can look at the strength of the plants that are absolutely going to survive.

If those beloved plants are strong enough to deal with this heat with little water, then so am I. And I will moan and groan about it no more.

There, I've said it and it's here for all to see. If I dare grumble even one more time, somebody just pinch me, OK?

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