On a cool, humid summer morning from her screened porch, Mary Stone reflects on the richness of slowing down.

From a modest vegetable harvest and the gift of one perfectly ripe cherry tomato to birdwatching, fledgling birds, wandering goats, and the hidden life beneath our gardens, she discovers that doing nothing is often far from doing nothing at all.

Join Mary as she explores gratitude, presence, the wisdom found in simply noticing, and the many ways nature and gardens continue to nurture us—even when they don't produce as we'd hoped.

In this episode:

• Why a tiny garden harvest brought unexpected joy
• The hidden purpose of voles and poison ivy
• Birdwatching as a practice of presence
• Dennis Briede's inspiring "sit" tradition
• Garlic scapes, beet greens, and a little garden humor
• What nature and gardens teach us about patience, hope, and letting life unfold

Sometimes the greatest discoveries aren't found by doing more, but by slowing down long enough to notice what nature has been offering all along.

🌿 Related Links

• Ep 262 - Beneath the Surface: The Mystery of the Missing Roots
• Ep 34. Forest Bathing, Willowwood Champion Trees

Other helpful links:

• The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron (mentioned in the episode)
• 🐦 Cornell Lab of Ornithology – All About Birds
• Epic Gardening YouTube video
  How to Grow Garlic | Garlic Scapes, Harvesting, & Curing

Connect with Mary Stone
Visit: AskMaryStone.com
Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone@gmail.com

Thank you for listening and for sharing the Garden of Life.🌻

More about the Podcast and Column:

Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.

It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from Mother Nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in, in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about.

Thanks for tuning in, Mary Stone
Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.com
Direct Link to Podcast Page