Like Lemon Sorbet

Lemon sorbet is used to cleanse the palate between courses in a meal.

Last week, I was treated to a vacation in Galveston, and it was glorious.  Instead of weeding, I waded through seaweed.  Instead of mowing, I plowed through waves of salt water.  Instead of the buzzing of the bees, I listened to the melodic sound of waves crashing against the shore.  Instead of dreaming up new garden areas, I snoozed under a big beach umbrella.

No computer.  No cell phone.  No camera.

And even more surprising - no itinerary!  Usually, I plan activities hour by hour on my vacations.  But this time, the itinerary only read:  Lounge at Beach.

It was like a lemon sorbet.  

When I came back, I viewed my garden differently.  

There were some pleasurable flavors.

But as a whole, my garden dish fell short of tasty.  

For instance, many of the plants in my garden need to be cut back.  The last of the spring vegetable garden needs to be harvested, and planning (and planting!) for the fall garden should have already begun.  The hedges need a trim.  I haven't finished mulching.  And the weeds!  Oh, the weeds!  

And still, when I look at my garden, I see the dream.  I can almost taste the dish I'm trying to serve.

Sure, it's still a mess.  But it's not always going to be that way.  One day it will be finished, and it will be beautiful.  At least, that's the dream.  And the dream is all that matters.

The vacation was wonderful.  Like a lemon sorbet, it cleared my mind, and I am ready to cook up the next course.