One day last week when I walked into my back garden, I noticed that something was very different. I couldn’t tell what it was at first, but the whole area felt more open and lighter. It took me a few minutes to realize that the neighbors behind us had lowered the hedge separating our properties. Although it wasn’t a huge change – the hedge is now about seven feet tall instead of nine and a half – the increased sky and light make the area feel more spacious.

I’m feeling more light and space in my life as well. Yesterday was my last day of my half-time “office job” at the Cancer Agency and although I am going to miss some of the people I’ve worked with, I am glad it is over. Suddenly my life seems so much brighter and I have more space for everything else that needs attention: my family, my consulting practice, my neglected friends and my garden.

Over the next few weeks I am hoping to get everything back on track again, including the garden. The chard, arugula, radishes and kale are all still thriving in the cooler weather, so we are going to be eating those crops back under control. I have garlic to plant as well as some spring bulbs, lots of weeding and all the usual fall clean-up activities like bringing in the deck furniture and the hoses, and shutting off the water. We’ve had the branches of one of our “problem trees” trimmed so that we don’t have to worry about it collapsing if it snows, and I need to prune the apple tree and take care of some of the other hedges.

This is also the time to reflect on what worked this year and to plan for next summer. That will be the next blog……Right now I want to get outside and enjoy the fall sun.