According to Merriam-Webster —
Vicissitude–
1a: the quality or state of being changeable : mutability
b: natural change or mutation visible in nature or in human affairs
2a: a favorable or unfavorable event or situation that occurs by chance : a fluctuation of state or condition — the vicissitudes of daily life
b: a difficulty or hardship attendant on a way of life, a career, or a course of action and usually beyond one’s control
c: alternating change : succession
Vicissitudes of life are abundant in a family of five generations living in a small town. New changes unfold on a daily basis. Some gloriously happy. Other’s timely and full of sadness. And so life is here on the high desert plains of northwestern Nevada.
Some things in the garden never change. If you raise four zucchini plants, you will need lots of friends to take them away.
Of course, there are obvious changes heading towards autumn here on the high desert plains. With lower temperatures, the gardens of Winterpast heave a sigh of relief as they get ready for a fall bloom. The roses are expecting at least one more colorful show around the third weekend in September. And, our bees struggle on.
The big box garden center is closing down for the year. With deep discounts, a few straggly annuals are looking for homes. Now isn’t the time to buy new plants, but fertilize and care for the ones we have left. Knowing that, it took strength to turn away from the geraniums.
The best thing about gardening is that most things are predictable. There are remedies for pests and illnesses. Each plant has their time to shine and grow, followed by a predictable decline. The in-between is a gardeners happy spot.
And then, there’s the potatoes. If you’ve been reading awhile, you know HHH and I fell in love while harvesting the potato crop of 2022 and were married right after the 2023 harvest. With much sadness I must report that the 2024 potato crop was a total flop. Zero russets. About 2.5 pounds of very small potatoes out of three wine barrels. Such is the life of gardening.
Humans are much more complicated. Just when you think the changing winds of life have settled, new and challenging problems occur. 2025 graduations, new courtships, upcoming babies, first homes, and retirements are just a few of the happy changes in our family.
But, there’s another less happy one. Miss B, HHH’s mom, is moving from her beloved home into a more practical space. Yet another vicissitude of life. A hardship that’s often beyond one’s control. Age has a way of bringing hard changes to our door and the loss of independence comes sooner than expected.
Packing and making the move as a family is a beautiful thing to observe. Watching Miss B shine with courage and independence at this hard time in her life is an example to us all. There’s much to be learned while observing the vicissitudes others endure, both happy and sad.
Whatever you do today, think of your own personal vicissitudes and how you’ve gotten through by putting one foot in front of the other. It seems that works the best for most things.
More tomorrow.