Mum's the Word

New Growth

         Mums speak the color language of autumn. They pop in rich wine, warm gold, russet and amethyst. This year I had deep ruby and saffron gold. You can see them below at the back of my little garden.

The vibrant blossoms do fade and then brown, but they hang on for a long time. Eventually you are left with canopies of dry flowers. You can get an extended blossoming season by pinching the flowers just below the head as they wither. http://www.bhg.com/gardening/flowers/perennials/all-about-mums/
I waited a little bit too long and my method was a little too comprehensive. Next year I will dead head them incrementally and keep the lovely umbrella shape. My Texas climate is quite forgiving though and I do have regrowth and three buds.

Early October

End of season

     All this dead heading and clearing made me think about the New Year. It's a good time to let go of ideas and beliefs that no longer serve me. "Insanity is doing the same things again and again and expecting different results." (Anonymous)   For instance, if I really want to lose some weight, I am probably going to have to go to the gym even when I'm tired from work. If I want some of  my relationships to feel different, I am going to have to change the way I look at them and how I react.
If I want to know God's will for my life, I can stop complaining and make time for meditation and prayer.
     I need to pluck the dead leaves, sink into my own roots and drink in some quiet. In silence, I can ponder how and where I want to grow. The German theologian Johannes Tauler wrote, "In prayerful silence you must look into your own heart. No one can tell you better than yourself what comes between you and God. Then listen!" I am taking a cue from my garden and "mum's the word."