Monday Morning Musings

I admit it, I am somewhat stumped about what I want to write about. I decided that I would just ramble a bit and see what pops out. I took this photo of a peony in my garden. I did tinker with the image -- cropped it and heightened the color. The condo association board was noted in the monthly minutes as telling an owner that she could plant only native species and couldn't plant any invasive plant species. Well, peonies aren't native to the US let alone New England. Did they really mean native plants? Most of my garden would have to be pulled out and replanted with new material. If one were to be strict about this, the Astilbe (false goat's beard) might have to go if it's not a native New England species of the plant. If you are in the US, I just found this website for finding native species: https://www.nwf.org/nativePlantFinder/plants.
     I suppose that, in some peoples minds (well maybe most people's minds), a plant

becomes native, so to speak, if it's been here for a long period of time. Hence, the board may think that peonies are fine as they have been around a long time, and they are not invasive. Would the members of the board be ok with goldenrod? It's native, but some might consider it a weed. I imagine that it would spread as well as wild flowers tend to do. Would that make it an invasive plant in their minds? A little research shows that you can keep it from spreading.
     I do wonder about the board sometimes. But, I suppose I shouldn't complain about small things as I refuse to be on the board. I would consider being on the board if they would have half their meetings on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. I did just email a suggestions to the property manager that the board consider switching from grass to something such as clover and more ferns. No mowing. It'd be a money saver once converted. But I imagine that they will say no because of the look. Sigh.

     I try to notice things about myself as well as my surroundings. I am trying to do this more and more. I've lived here over five and half years. I only noticed just this spring all the bits of quartz that are in the gravel and dirt of the road that loops around the property. Mindfulness is a process, a practice. I am certainly still practicing it. I am trying to give up striving for perfection at all of this.
    Stay safe. Be well.

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I took all of these photos. Please click here if you would like to know more about me, my services and my book, Opening the Heart: Meditations on How to Be.