I read a blog post this morning written by a gardener in New Zealand, who summarized her growing season, vegetable by vegetable, plant by plant. Reading it, I thought it could have been something I might write in the fall as I wrap up my growing season. The differences of our gardens predicated by our hemispheres and growing conditions were insignificant compared to how similar our perspectives were. These gardens are a labor of love and gardeners reading the words of other gardeners understand from where those words come.

I was then speaking to a friend who gave me Dahlia seeds she had started as an experiment. I proudly showed her a picture of how well they are doing and we celebrated the shared experience of her experimentation. In their retirement, she and her husband are having great fun building garden beds on their acreage for their daughter to grow a cut flower business. (pun intended)

I went to coffee shop on Sunday for the first time since October 2020. For those who haven’t lived here, coffee shop is a thing where friends gather, for coffee, weekly. You could bring a thermos of coffee to share, or not, maybe just your mug. You can bring a plate of goodies to share, or not. There is always something yummy to eat, so bring your appetite, no reason to eat breakfast. No invitations are sent.

Neighbours just arrive. They arrive to chat about their week, what they accomplished or what problems they are having. Someone will always be there to provide words of advice or encouragement. I always liken it to what church must have been like for rural communities back in the day. Our friend from a previous post who sunk his aluminum boat arrived at the following coffee shop wearing his life jacket. You must always bring your sense of humor.

Even before Covid, I found it hard to go to coffee shop when there was a large turn out. More often than not I would be there at the beginning and disappear when the numbers grew. Since the pandemic, islanders have followed the government restrictions, and months passed when no one could gather. But as the rules relaxed, more and more islanders were able to gather. Coffee shop, I should mention, is held outdoors. E went for the first time a couple of weeks ago, still wearing his mask. He is more social than me and really likes to connect with our neighbours.

I just always feel everyone is better off if I stay in my garden. I welcome my friends to sit with me by the pond and love love love seeing them one at a time, but in a crowd, I just can’t do it. For introverts, Covid restrictions have been easy to follow.

It was absolutely pouring rain on Sunday and I thought the chances would be good there would be a small turnout at “church”. My sister in law further enticed me with the promise of delicious baked goods. I lasted about half an hour at my second attempt to socialize, which coincidentally is the amount of time it took to hear all about my neighbours’ gardens while eating two of my sister in

law’s cinnamon buns.