8.21.15 In the beginning

     In the beginning , I left seed pods on garden plants because I didn't get around to trimming them off. Winter would come, and even through February, out there the birds and wildlife would be feeding upon Lupine and Echinacea and Goldenrod and succulent and Hosta and vegetable seeds . 
     Now , I let everything be, save when the Valerian goes to seed and after all the baby Sparrows alight , daily , happily picking them clean . 
     What we know now is that it's good to trim off rotting parts of plants and garden , but the Kale will return year after year , it's blossoms the very first food for insects - especially early butterflies and hummingbirds . 

     Out across the garden now are all the Lupine seed pods, that will be a gourmet breakfast come cold snowy months.
     So too, the mullein stalks, no longer gloriously yellow , will feed many all winter long .
     And now we know that mowing over our leaves may use gasoline , but save gas costs lugging to a landfill where the methane spikes from the piles of leaves. No nutrient value , but how broken down leaves increase the integrity of soil and insect and wildlife infrastructures .
                         After all, we're not the only ones here .