Oak Leaf Hydrangea

It's amazing to consider how much of my life's story can be told through a plant.  

When I was a little girl my bedroom window looked out onto a cherry tree. Under the cherry tree was a blue hydrangea.

I knew it was summer because the hydrangea bloomed.

The hydrangea meant plums would be coming soon.

It meant the garden would smell of its freshly turned dirt.

It meant it was only a few weeks to breaking green beans while watching The Muppet Show.

And summer meant freedom to explore. Life. Smells. Colors. Tastes...

And lightening bugs.

Wolf Spider

I rescued her from the pond.

She was as - calmly as she could - trying to keep her babies from drowning. Wolf spiders carry their babies on their back for a while. One by one her babies - as they are ready - will leave their mamas back and venture out into the world.

Such is the way of motherhood - parenthood.

We carry them as long as they need us and then we have to let them grow on their own.