(Wheelbarrow full of dead summer plants)

(Box of seeds)

As summer moves towards it’s close, S and I have had a lot to do in the garden. Summer plants had to be removed, the ground prepared, the water line fixed, and fall seeds planted.

Pulling up plants is kind of strange for me. I mean, some of them are still producing vegetables, yet need to be removed nonetheless.

The purge of plants – regardless of their fruitfulness – turns my thoughts toward cleaning up in other areas. It gives me a desire to purge my house of unneeded items we may have amassed.

It also makes me think of other areas of my life.

Too often there are habits we engage in, or relationships that we maintain, that are past the prime of their season. They may still produce good things for us, but are still not as productive as they could be if they were replaced.

It’s hard to step back from things we’ve outgrown or moved past. We had 5 cucumber plants that gave us literally hundreds of cucumbers over the summer. There were still some growing on the withered plant I pulled from the soil.

Regardless of the advantage I perceive, it’s time to move on. The cucumber bed will become something brand new, fit for the season.

What proverbial bed should you clean out?