Harvesting the Hops

Dear Diary,

Every September I harvest a small basket of hops to put on my bedside table. They have a lovely scent and they help you sleep. I could fill 50 baskets with all the hops that I have but one is enough.

Little garden rituals, like planting bulbs, dividing perennials, decorating the little porch with mums and pumpkins and harvesting the hops are what define the autumn for me. I find that I am more and more attracted to rituals as I age. It gives a sense of continuity to one's life.

Everyone has their own daily rituals and an important one for me is doing this journal. Seeing one's life evolve one photograph at a time is very pleasing and at the end of the year, it will be wonderful to hold the book in my hands and re-live the year page by page.

The pond has become another ritual for me and I have to get out there and see what new color has infused the hills. It doesn't last very long and with this beautiful weather we've been having, I need to take advantage of it.

Ritual is important to us as human beings. It ties us to our traditions and our histories.

Miller Williams