The Last Dahlia

Falling Leaves Reveal a New Perspective

Newton St. Studios News letter November 2, 2020

Hello Everybody,

Another week has passed – my last dahlia has wilted and we’re back to standard time. I can’t pretend it’s not November - nor can I fail to notice that it get dark very early.

On Wednesday morning, I had one good dahlia bloom in the house, the others that had filled the vases were wilted. Since the dahlias had still been going great, I went out, garden shears in hand, to get more. I have been pretty excited about the garden this year, and the dahlias in particular, since I’ve never actually grown the large flowers before. Very happy that the garden in general, and the dahlias in particular, actually far exceeded my expectations! Sheesh, like, how often does that happen? But, when I went out on the deck I noticed frost at my feet and looking up and across the yard I saw all my dahlias now suddenly darkened, limp and lifeless. Done. I could no longer pretend – the season had officially changed.

None the less, since that disappointment, I’ve remembered that there are some things I love about autumn and I realized why the cycle of the dahlias is important.

It took a long time for the dahlia plants to reach the point where they could flower – (and I think I will plant them in pots a little earlier next spring) - and then in the midst of their flowering – one night it’s a few degrees too cold and –boom – they’re finished. Just like that. Or were they? Being new to dahlia growing, I knew that you were supposed to dig them up, but not exactly how. So I watched some videos on You Tube to learn how to winter them over. The good news is that over the summer the tubers have swollen with the possibility of even more plants for next season. So, I plan to take them carefully from the ground, trim, clean and store them in a box where they will rest in a cool dark place. If done right these tubers will have the possibility of creating even more plants next season.

Maybe, I wondered, just maybe, learning and making art also goes in seasons, too. Maybe there is a cycle of stopping so I can restart and go on to something new., Maybe that pause is important – even if, like for the flowers, I didn't think I was ready for it. Maybe just stopping for a time or a season, plants a promise of even larger regrowth.

Yesterday, with the lowered autumn sun making fall leaves even more golden, I realized that what I lacked in summer, while surrounded by green, was a view. But now that the scrim of leaves has fallen, and the trees have become transparent, I can look through their branches and see the crests of Rattlesnake Ridge which wraps around the studios some miles away to the South West. When all the lush detail of summer falls away, I have a wider view. I can see a long way.

I’ve been stuck for the past weeks; I know I mentioned it last week, just stuck in tasks that have to be completed. It's just part of the catastrophe of living in the modern world, in this case includes unraveling 30 years of messy paperwork – it’s a long story and it involves attorneys … (insert crazy face here.) However, after puzzling over some papers for a long time, I finally looked at them without my preconceptions of what I thought they meant, and I found the meanings that had eluded me before.

There is a parallel here - in thinking about the arduous task I’ve been struggling with – these past three weeks in particular – I resized that In order to see clearly, I had to let fall my previous conclusions and change my point of view.

So this season hints to me that sometimes when we are deeply into the leaves of experience we can’t see a big picture - and that sudden stops are not always without promise.

And there it is - Rattlesnake Ridge. I guess seen from above it twists and turns, but as far as I know we have no rattlers here.

As to other stuff taking up my time - I’ve been volunteering with the Democrats – been doing some texting for the Biden Campaign here and there – I am glad to find the campaign seems to have many volunteers – although it can be disappointing to find all texting assignments taken sometimes!

Still holding my breath calling on the spirits from a bountiful Universe to grace us with change. I guess I'll be back in the fight via text today and tomorrow. Forgive us if your phone, like mine is flooded with text messages.

I hope everyone has voted. If you have not dropped off your ballot yet, please use the drop boxes and not the Mail, which has been compromised.(see last week's post.) There are drop boxes at public libraries here in Washington. Go to Iwillvote.com for information - any state. Share with any friends of family who might not yet have voted.

Also, coupon for this week is Novemberone. As I mentioned last week, USPS has been hijacked and they raised the rates - a lot - for mailing parcels just in time for the holiday in the time of the Pandemic. (see the paragraph above.) So the discount is 30%. Coupon just for this week.

FYI supporting artists when you buy gifts is good karma.

gratefully yours,
Ann

Falling Leaves Reveal a New Perspective

The Last Dahlia - for this year...