FALL IS IN THE AIR

                                              Fall is in the air ... temperature is dipping,
                leaves are bright and crinkly .... Jack Frost isn't far off. 

 "Oh no," said Little Girl at the Gate. "But the  rabbits, squirrels and chipmunks haven't collected enough acorns for winter feasting."

"Don't worry about me! My den is cozy and warm and full of nourishing veggies, fruit and berries I've collected from the Big Garden and Flower Garden. I'm ready for a nice quiet rest, snug and warm in my hidden nest."

Tom Turtle is not worried about Jack Frost nipping at his nose..... "My nose will be nice and warm inside my shell," he assured Little Girl at the Gate. 
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"But where will you hibernate when frost and freeze coat our Flower Garden?" she asked Fred and Frieda Frog.

"Right here in our hiding place...unknown by all."  croaked Fred. "But a secret well kept by Frogs and their kin since time began," added Frieda.

"Tige," Buster Brown announced loudly to his faithful companion, "We will leave our Flower Garden soon .... and where do you think the Master Gardener will place us for the long, cold winter?"

Tige didn't answer, only looked up at Buster Brown ... and would have wagged his tiny tail if it hadn't gotten broken off when the Gardener dropped them. Buster Brown glanced around the Flower Garden, at the bench where Black Cat once sat ... (now indoors to fix a foot that got chipped when Chicken Henny Penny hopped onto the bench and knocked Black Cat onto the ground.) and noticed so many flowers were still bright and beautiful.

"The deer will be here soon," Buster Brown told the others in the Flower Garden. "They will fill their tummies with red and orange, yellow and pink flowers that Master Gardener took such good care of."

 "I remember Master Gardener  ... sitting right behind me by the Amaranth and Gladiolas ..  she was singing a song ... 'Consider the lilies they toil not nor spin ...they bask in God's sunshine ..they drink in God's rain ....' Little Girl at the Gate hesitated ... "ummm, I'm  not sure of the rest because she spoke it in a soft whisper .... like in a prayer. But I did hear her say how well cared for are the birds of the air and all God's creatures." 

And just then, Master Gardener walked through the Flower Garden with her clippers, and basket, and digging tools .. speaking softly to each plant as she clipped and pruned, dug up and tended to plants ready to become compost and mulch for next year's Flower Garden. And as she passed through the garden, she glanced at Carnation, a small tear formed, but did not drop onto her cheek ..  Carnation was a gift ... her daughter's favorite flower. And it brought Master Gardener much joy to see it was still bright and beautiful.

 "I'm going to bring you indoors," she said. "As soon as a place for you is made ready inside my cozy little house."

That said, Master Gardener watered Carnation, pulled off the flowers that had faded, and continued pruning and trimming the remaining bushes and plants nearby, ensuring they would come awake again next spring with beauty anew. 

And so the circle of life in Flower Garden continues ... cared for .. nurtured ... pruned and protected ... awaiting the dawn of spring and new life.