Here in Australia it’s the end of our hottest summer on record. In my corner of Australia, the weather believes it’s still summer and I’m writing this with the air conditioner running — okay, maybe that’s also partly me being a wuss. But I’m thinking of what I intend to do when the season changes for real.

I have seeds to plant! I love planting seeds. It’s such a hopeful thing to do. This will be the first time I’ve tried to grow daikon, but I can’t start too early as I read that the reason radishes and turnips (and I’m guessing, therefore, daikon) turn out woody and nasty is that they’ve been water-stressed at some point. Since water stress is a real threat with the temperatures so high, I’m having to wait.

I also have a new type of mustard (well, new to me) and mizuna to try out.

Buying the seeds the other day, I found a last stray pot of okra seedlings. Although we’re pushing the end of the season. I planted it, babied it through the heatwave and I’m hoping to get my first ever okra from the garden before winter bites.

Writing is a lot like gardening. There’s a season for everything and you just keep moving forward. It all rests on hope. Sometimes plants won’t grow (or get eaten by snails – bah!) and stories won’t work, but you don’t give up. You learn and as the year circles around, you apply those lessons and grow something beautiful. Most importantly, when the plants are successful and the stories are written, you share them.

Life is beautiful, if you keep moving forward.