The Space Between

Can you feel it? It’s that time of year when you start to catch the faint scent of flowers even in the biting wind. Soup still tastes good but salads suddenly don’t seem so cold! Spring is not quite here and Winter is not quite gone.  We are in the space of the in-between….

This winter has brought so MUCH rain to Southern California. I mean, it is truly rare to look at my weather app and see rain drops every week. It's wonderful in many ways for our parched land. The rains have awoken seeds deeply asleep in the desert sands and we are experiencing amazing wildflower blooms this Spring. It’s so spectacular, local papers are calling it “Flowergeddon” due to the crazy amount of tourists flocking to the flowers.

But I get ahead of myself! The rain has also given us here in SoCal a good taste of winter - short, dark days of wet and cold.  The rains have been so frequent, nothing has fully dried out. Even our tax reports were limp and damp even though they were never outside! This constant moisture has created opportunities for coziness and lots of hygge, but as it has worn on it has also created feelings of constriction; like wet walls closing in. I know we are crazy lucky and this is all minor when compared to other places in the world. Even so, I am grateful for feeling closed in and tight because it has heightened my senses during this time of transition. As I sat eating lunch the other day, savoring the winter air playing across my cheek, I watched the sunshine play through the new, green leaves and I began to feel a shift within. The tight box of winter I had felt so trapped in began to break open. As we prepare to say goodbye to the frequent rains and cold weather, I can feel a spaciousness growing within me as crisp winds blow the sky clean.

I see this new found space in our baby plants, too. Our seedlings are doing so good!  Okay, so some are taking awhile and we lost most of the zinnias, but one (Zinny) is looking spritely and alive!  After letting it grow as much as it could in the tiny starter pot, we decided to upgrade her surroundings. I knew it was time to change the pot because it just wasn’t looking as healthy with the leaves looking less vibrant. We moved her to a larger pot this past weekend to support her next level of growth in hopes we can plant it into the soil later in the spring. Fingers crossed!  

“Zinny”

I think Zinny is quite happy in her new pot and is loving all the extra space to grow.  Maybe one day, a tiny flowergeddon will happen in our front yard. Maybe not. I’m hoping for at least a few blooms!

Like us, this little plant is also in the space between what was and what we hope will be. There is the promise of renewal and room to breathe, and there is also still containment - be it a pot or the last days of winter. This bit of time offers us the space to prepare, unfurl areas of new growth and deepen our roots of support. Here’s to the blossoms to come, beauties!