Here it is July already. The sun and rain have created a riot of blooms in my yard and on my deck.

Bees, buzzing loudly in their effort, cannot flit quickly enough to visit each flower before it fades. Petunias, from brilliant red to the palest pink, wave in the breezes. Zinnias, verbena, and geraniums burst with color. The fat tomatoes are just beginning to give up their pale greenness. I'll have my first tomato sandwich soon.

Yet in the midst of all this I've found myself feeling a little off-center. I put my finger on the problem this week while reading from Simple Abundance. Just as plants do, I've become somewhat root-bound.

I need repotting so I'll have some room to grow. "We, too, need to consider repotting for growth. But when? When we wilt even before the day begins. When we can't seem to visualize. When we can't remember the last time we laughed. When we have absolutely nothing in the next twenty-four hours to look forward towe need to realize we are pot-bound. We need to gently loosen the soil around our souls, find something that sparks our imaginations, quickens our pulse"

So, I'm taking up ballroom dancing, finding a doable exercise class, joining a local writers club and researching the New England "Stillwaters" sect championed by writer and illustrator, Tasha Tudor. Stillwater followers believe that life is to be savored and Nature is to be revered.

Just as repotting a plant gives renewed strength to the leaf, stem and root, I hope my efforts renew my mind, body and soul.

Have a safe and happy 4th of July, and when the festivities are over, check to see if you have any personal repotting to do.