The garden is growth and change and that means loss as well as constant new treasures to make up for a few disasters. ~May Sarton
The last two months in the garden has been astonishing – after a long winter, the extended cool weather and plenty of rainfall has triggered healthy growth and abundant flowers. The garden changes before my eyes every day – sometimes slowly and sometimes suddenly – and I have finally began to capture that change with my camera. 
It has been almost four months since my shoulder surgery in February. I was unable to walk through the garden for the first two months because of the danger of falling, so I could only observe it from the decks and open doorways. 
In the past several weeks, I’ve finally been able to immerse myself in the beauty of the garden.
Honestly, the surgery recovery process was longer and far more painful than I expected and physical therapy sessions began triggering my auto-immune response which limited how much I could do without debilitating flareups. Nothing was simple or easy but now, finally, I’m able to both work in the garden and film it. 
Mornings with Pixie have been so joyful for both of us as we settle into our usual routine, 
and the garden has never looked better now that the eye and the hand of the gardener is constant once again. 
In those first few weeks after surgery, a loss of strength and mobility led me to walk more slowly and look at the garden more closely, noticing small changes and details that I might have missed otherwise. 
These days, I am filled with a sense of joy and hope as I awaken each day, eager to reacquaint myself with the plants, the woods, and the creatures that make their home there. 
Absence did make the heart grow fonder and I treasure every moment that I spend in my garden, immersed in the scent of flowers and songs of birds. 
Although I was not able to garden in late winter and early spring, I did begin working remotely with Sarabeth Ramsey, a wonderful social media specialist to expand my blog and YouTube channel with the intent to start my own online garden courses. To be honest, I was finally over the burnout of my long music teaching career and itching to be creatively productive again. Some deep soul searching went into this entire process and I’m still unraveling the details as I move forward. I found deep satisfaction from teaching a few garden classes and seminars in February and March and reconnecting with gardening friends – there is still so much for me to learn and to share! It is the season for growth and change indeed.
You can expect to see me more regularly here on the blog and I look forward to renewing my friendships with all of you. For now, I offer my latest garden video on the transformation of the garden, with many more to come. May you embrace the beauty of nature around you and take time to listen to its quiet voice.
composerinthegarden 
Absolutely gorgeous! Thank you so much for sharing with us via your video and words! Loved seeing Pixie, as well.🌷💕
Thank you, Mary! Pixie continues to grace my life and my garden with her presence.
Beautiful pics, beautiful garden. 🌸
Thank you, Caroline!
Thank you Lynn for your constant and warm inspiration. I was happy to see your blog in my email box this morning and glad to hear you are well. Your pix are so wonderful. Every spring is different with the usual outcomes of amazing Mother Nature. Be well
Janet, thank you for your very kind comments. It is good to be back and able to share the garden; inspiring someone is the highest compliment ever. 🙂
The big takeaway for me, reading this–seeing this–is how you truly gave your body the fullness of time and physio attentions it was telling you it needed, and didn’t return to your first love until the healing had fully happened, and you could then nurse, rather than being nursed. It is a ‘takeaway’ because the temptation with any surgery is to just get back to normal way too quickly. I love all your beautiful photographs and words, Lynn. Lance
Lance, yes, it was important to give myself that time to heal, even though it was so frustrating! Thank you for your thoughtful comments, I’m delighted that you enjoyed the images and words.
So lovely and abundant! Glad you are finally able to wander and wonder in your own bit of Paradise! Thank-you for sharing and inspiring!
Thank you Shelley – it is so good to be back in the garden, Pixie agrees 🙂
It is very true that slowing down lets you see things that you miss at a normal speed. I learned that far too late in my life.
I’m still learning it, tootlepedal 🙂
The transformation from empty to full in such a short time is simply amazing. Glad you are healed and back in your garden, Lynn.
That change always shocks me, Eliza, especially after a long winter. Yes, it’s good to be back in my favorite space 🙂
Happy recovery. You’re obviously thrilled to get back. During the first part of your recuperation, did you have someone doing basic maintenance for you?
Thank you Steve, SO glad to be back. I’ve had a 2 man team work in my garden once a month for the past few years. They are knowledgeable and hard workers and it has really helped me keep the garden in shape. Fortunately, they came in March, April and May to help out and keep things going while I merely stood and directed. This month, I’ll go back to working beside them, which is actually more fun!
The more (hands), the merrier.
The ending of the next-to-last sentence in your reply reminds me of the ending of the famous poem by Milton:
https://www.owleyes.org/text/on-his-blindness/read/text-poem#root-418824-1
That’s a lovely thought and reference, Steve.