Blessed by the bounty

Valley Gardens

Beverly Hoffman

For the past eight years, I have added my personal sense of thanksgiving to live in this special place, a garden of great beauty. This is my ninth:

In Thanksgiving

I, the Great Spirit,

Ask you to join your artistry with mine

And, together, create a garden

Painted with nature's colors.

Choose from the hues I've given you -

Apple-reds and their tart-sweet intensity,

Yellow - the color of crackling fall leaves as luminescent as fireflies at midnight,

Deep purple, a sunrise in royal ascent backlighting the Olympics,

On-the-vine pumpkin orange,

Brown, an eagle's feather riding on the wind's currents across the strait,

And ever-greens, with scents of pine and junipers.

Rich soil will give

Sustenance to struggling seedlings

And, in time, fruit and vegetables will abound.

With quenching rain and warming sun,

Our gardens will flourish and will gift us

With great harvest.

May we, with our arms over-laden with eggplant, chard and squash

Fill others' empty baskets.

Then, in celebration, and together,

We will dance our joy

In great spirit.