It’s Been a While
It’s been about a year since I last sat down to write a new blog post, and I have to admit, I’ve missed it.
If you’ve visited my website during that time, you probably noticed things had gone a little quiet. There wasn’t one single reason for my absence. Instead, life seemed determined to throw one unexpected challenge after another my way.
I had plans.
Real gardening plans.
You know the kind. Coffee in hand, checking the first perennials finally poking through after another long Manitoba winter.
I figured I’d rake a bit, uncover a few garden beds, harden off my tomato seedlings, and maybe even feel somewhat productive for a change.
Instead, my day turned into paperwork, errands, and getting my tires changed over for the season. Real life doesn’t stop just because gardeners have plans.
And honestly, neither does spring chaos on the Prairies.
Meanwhile, my tomato seedlings had been sitting indoors for nearly two months, and I was beginning to think they no longer believed me every time I whispered, “Soon.” At this point, they were probably organizing a protest under the grow lights.
Before gardening season had even begun, life had already started pulling me in different directions. Some changes were personal, others happened behind the scenes as I worked on improving my website, and just when I thought I was ready to spend more time outdoors, Mother Nature had plans of her own.
So, I thought it was finally time to sit down with a cup of coffee, catch you up on where I’ve been, and share why life—and gardening—didn’t quite go according to plan.
Life Took an Unexpected Turn
Before gardening season even arrived, life had already started looking a little different.
Some of you might remember that I had a family member living with me. After they moved out, the house suddenly became much quieter. While I certainly wasn’t sad to see them go, adjusting to living alone again took more time than I expected.
Like many changes in life, it wasn’t one dramatic moment. It was the little things—settling into a new routine, getting used to the extra quiet, and figuring out what my days would look like moving forward.
At the same time, I found myself taking on projects around the house that had been waiting far too long. One job led to another, and before I knew it, the days were filling up faster than I had planned.
Looking back, I realize I wasn’t walking away from gardening or writing.
I was simply adjusting to a new chapter in life before I could fully enjoy both again.
Working Behind the Scenes
While life was changing at home, I was also spending time working behind the scenes on Win-Win Gardening.
I decided it was time to give my website a little attention. One page led to another, then another, and before I knew it, I was updating layouts, reorganizing pages, and making it easier for visitors to find their way around.
If you’ve ever worked on a website, you already know how it goes. What starts out as a quick little update somehow turns into hours of tweaking this, changing that, and learning something new along the way.
I wasn’t just building a website—I was building something I hoped would become more useful, more welcoming, and a better reflection of who I am as a gardener.
Before I knew it, spring had arrived, and I was looking forward to spending less time behind my computer and a lot more time outside.
Unfortunately, Mother Nature wasn’t quite finished with me yet.
Spring Finally Arrived… Or Did It?
With the website in good shape, I was finally ready to get my hands dirty.
Or so I thought.
If you don’t live on the Canadian Prairies, let me explain something about spring here. It’s less of a season and more of a weather-related identity crisis.
One day you’re outside in a hoodie feeling optimistic. The next day the wind is trying to relocate your patio furniture to Saskatchewan.
By then, my tomato seedlings were more than ready to move outdoors. Every day I waited for better weather, and every day they waited just as patiently for me.
You start seeds indoors full of excitement. You carefully label everything, water them, watch them grow, and imagine the day they’ll finally move outside.
Then spring refuses to cooperate.
Too cold? Stay inside.
Too windy? Stay inside.
Possible frost? Definitely stay inside.
At one point, I spent so much time carrying trays in and out of the house that I figured it should count as my daily exercise.
Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t finished testing any of us.
Just when things finally started warming up, southern Manitoba was hit with tornado warnings, powerful thunderstorms, torrential rain, and flooding in many communities.
By June 9, when most of us would normally have our gardens planted, many gardeners—including me—were simply trying to work around the weather and waiting for a chance to catch up.
Gardening teaches patience.
That spring, it demanded it.
Then Life Changed Overnight
Just when it felt like things might finally settle down, everything changed.
On the evening of June 9, southern Manitoba was hit by one of the worst storms I can remember.
The rain came down in sheets. Thunder rolled for hours. Tornado warnings were issued across the region, and many communities were left dealing with flooded streets, damaged homes, and overwhelmed drainage systems.
Unfortunately, my house was one of them.
When the storm was over, I walked downstairs and found my basement under 3 feet of water.
In an instant, gardening no longer mattered.
The seedlings, flower beds, and plans I’d been waiting so patiently for were pushed aside while my family and I focused on cleanup, insurance, and figuring out where to even begin.
Like so many others affected by the storm, we simply took it one day at a time.
Some jobs couldn’t wait.
The garden could.
Slowly Putting Life Back Together
The days that followed were a blur of cleanup, phone calls, insurance paperwork, and waiting.
Anyone who has dealt with a major flood knows that nothing happens overnight. Every step takes time, and progress often feels much slower than you’d like.
Fortunately, I wasn’t facing it alone.
My family pitched in whenever they could, helping me sort through what could be saved, what had to be thrown away, and what needed to wait for another day. Little by little, we started putting things back together.
It wasn’t always easy.
Some days were physically exhausting. Others were emotionally draining. There were moments when it felt overwhelming, but we kept moving forward one job at a time.
The basement still isn’t finished, but it’s a lot further along than it was in those first few weeks after the storm.
Sometimes progress isn’t measured by how quickly you finish.
Sometimes it’s simply measured by not giving up.
The Garden Waited Patiently
While the basement demanded most of my attention, the garden quietly waited.
It certainly wasn’t the gardening season I’d imagined back in the spring.
Some plants had to stay in containers much longer than planned, while others simply had to fend for themselves until I could finally give them the attention they deserved.
Even so, Mother Nature kept doing what she does best.
My daylilies put on a beautiful show, the hostas seemed to double in size, and my calla lilies surprised me by blooming after everything they’d been through.
Every time I stepped outside, there was something new to notice.
A flower opening.
A plant growing taller.
A splash of colour where there hadn’t been one the day before.
Those little moments reminded me that even though life had been interrupted, the garden hadn’t given up.
Neither had I.
Mother Nature Wasn’t Finished Yet
Just as life slowly started returning to normal, Mother Nature reminded me that she still had a few surprises left.
The heavy rains were eventually replaced by intense heat, humidity, and smoky skies from wildfires burning hundreds of miles away.
Some days, stepping outside felt like walking into a sauna.
Gardening became less about getting jobs done and more about working around the weather.
I found myself heading outside early in the morning or later in the evening, watering plants, checking on the flowers, and then retreating back inside before the heat became too much.
Even then, I couldn’t resist making several little trips outside every day.
Not because there was always work to do.
Simply because I wanted to see what had changed.
Maybe another flower had opened.
Maybe the cucumbers had grown overnight.
Maybe there was just one more reason to smile.
That’s one of the things I love most about gardening.
No matter how difficult life becomes, the garden always seems to give you something to look forward to.
Finding My Way Back
As I write this, August has arrived.
The weather has changed once again. Heat, humidity, and smoky skies now decide how much time I can spend outdoors. Some mornings are perfect for puttering in the garden, while others send me back inside long before I’d planned.
There is still plenty ahead of me. The basement repairs aren’t finished, and I’m still waiting for my insurance settlement. Life hasn’t completely settled down yet, but each day feels a little more like normal.
Even so, the garden keeps calling me back.
Every morning begins with a walk around the yard. I check on my flowers, water what needs watering, peek at my cucumbers, admire my calla lilies, and, of course, see if my little tomato experiment has decided to prove me wrong.
Then I stop and simply take it all in.
The bright colours, the flowers in bloom, and the plants still growing remind me why I fell in love with gardening so many years ago. They don’t erase the challenges of this past season, but they do remind me that there is always something beautiful worth noticing.
Sometimes I sit on the deck with a cup of coffee and simply enjoy the view. Other times, I wander through the yard just to see what’s changed since my last trip outside. Those quiet little moments have become some of the best parts of my day.
Little by little, I’m finding my way back.
The Garden Had One More Surprise
Not everything turned out the way I’d hoped this gardening season.
After everything that happened, most of my tomato plants had simply become too large and overgrown to transplant successfully. I was disappointed because I’d spent months caring for them, hoping they’d eventually make it into the garden.
One little tomato, however, never missed a beat.
Tiny Tim stayed healthy from the very beginning and finally found a home outdoors, along with my two cucumber plants.
The rest of the tomatoes had reached the end of their journey.
Well…almost.
I couldn’t quite bring myself to give up on one of them.
One struggling tomato still had three blossoms, so I decided to run a little experiment. I planted it anyway, just to see if it would surprise me.
Will it recover?
Only time will tell.
That’s one of the things gardening teaches us.
Not every plant thrives.
Not every season goes according to plan.
But every year teaches us something new, and next spring brings another chance to begin again.
In the meantime, my flowers are still blooming, my cucumbers are growing, and every morning the garden gives me another reason to step outside.
Summer isn’t over yet.
Neither is this gardening season.
Final Thoughts
Looking back, this certainly wasn’t the gardening season I had planned.
Life interrupted.
The weather interrupted.
And somewhere along the way, my writing did too.
But through it all, the garden never stopped growing.
Neither did I.
There are still projects to finish, repairs to complete, and plenty of things that need my attention. Life isn’t back to normal just yet, and that’s okay.
Because every morning, I can step outside, admire the flowers, watch the plants grow, and be reminded why I fell in love with gardening all those years ago.
The bright colours, the new blooms, and even the little surprises along the way have a way of lifting my spirits and reminding me that every season has something worth appreciating.
So, if you’ve been wondering where I’ve been…
I’m still here.
Still gardening.
Still finding joy in every flower that blooms.
And looking forward to whatever Mother Nature has planned next.
Thanks for sticking with me through this rather unexpected gardening season. I hope you enjoyed coming along for the ride.
Has life ever interrupted your gardening plans? Maybe the weather had other ideas, or life simply pulled you in another direction. How did your garden handle it—and what kept you going? I’d love to hear your story in the comments below.
Happy Gardening
Take Care of Yourself
Barb