Over the past few weeks I have been ‘champing at the bit’ – as we used to say – waiting for the opportunity to prepare for growing plants for my garden.

A couple of years ago – I experimented in growing some flowers from seed. It was not a total success – but I was determined to try again – and I knew that I had to begin to prepare – for – “Preparation is everything”

I have only once owned a green house – and that was something that I decided I would love to have again. With my birthday approaching – this gave me the opportunity to achieve this – and so began some research – allowing me to find a solution that was achievable.

And so – when my birthday arrived – the greenhouse was there all ready to be assembled. However – the space outside – where the greenhouse would go – needed a good clean with the power washer. A wonderful opportunity arose – when we had a beautiful mild and dry few days. How exciting it was – getting all the preparation done – and the greenhouse up and ready.

Then of course – there was the next stage in my preparation. Seeds to be chosen and bought – along with the compost needed – seed trays and pots cleaned. Until – at last I was ready! Having checked the dates those different seeds could be sown – and the various methods I needed to use – all very necessary information for me – as an amateur gardener – the exciting part could begin.

I love this quote – “When you really have the preparation time – and things start taking the shape that they need – you have a beautiful feeling – that comes from the hard work”

Most of the preparation I had done was exciting – I could visualise my plans coming together – imagine planting those seeds – waiting for the first shoots – planting them out into bigger pots – and of course eventually filling my garden – with the fruit of my labours.

If I am honest though – some of the preparation was hard work – time-consuming – and quite a lot of it dirty too. To say I enjoyed it all would be an untruth.

Was it necessary though? – Certainly. Was it worth it? Without a doubt – “Preparation time – is never wasted time”

And – as I pause – and look back over my life – I see that so much of my time has actually been taken up with preparation. Many times this has been exciting – as I have focussed on the end result. However – at other times it has been tedious – and even difficult – but very necessary.

If I want results in my life – I have to be prepared – to prepare. To enjoy all I can – and to work on through those hard times too. It’s always worth it – and – at the end of the day – when I think about it – “The whole journey of life – is a journey of preparation”

Blessings – Lois