Spend part of Columbus Day outdoors

Happy Columbus Day.
Today is when we celebrate the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus. Never mind that he was half a world away from where he thought he was, or that plenty of people had already discovered and populated this country. Good old Chris is the one we honor.
There are usually a few beautiful days left in the year when Columbus Day rolls around. The trees are starting to reveal their brilliant colors and better yet, the air smells wonderful. Even chocolate doesn’t smell as good as a sunny autumn day.
The weather beckons us to enjoy the warmth while we can. Mother Nature tosses in a cold, dreary day every now and then to remind us that this time of year is fleeting and is best enjoyed while it lasts.
There aren’t a lot of traditions for October 12. We don’t dress up in odd costumes and demand candy, we don’t cook a huge meal and force every close relative we have to chose which side of the family to visit, we aren’t expected to buy presents or eat cake. As a matter of fact, I can’t think of a single tradition that involves the discovery of America by an Italian. There may be some in other communities, but not anywhere I have lived.
I intend to celebrate by planting blooming plants. We recently cleared out some volunteer maple trees and I am left with a bare spot. It has been said that nature abhors a vacuum. I abhor a bare spot. Abhor is not exactly the right word. It is more like an opportunity to give the resident alliums more friends. The tall purple orbs bloom in late spring before disappearing for the year. I want to extend the display by adding things that bloom at other times.
I have gathered pots filled with ferns from a friend, some unpronounceable newcomers that bloom in spring or summer along with a couple of bleeding hearts from a big box store. No, I don’t know if the bleeding hearts are liberals, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they were.
In addition to potted plants, there are sacks of bulbs waiting to be tucked into the still warm soil. As regular readers know, I love plants. It is nothing short of a miracle that a wrinkled brown bulb can produce a beautiful flower with the addition of water, dirt, and sunshine.
Planting assorted flora in anticipation of future beauty is a rite of autumn for me. My other rite of autumn has been completed in record time. All of the house plants have made the migration to their winter homes indoors after spending the summer outdoors. This is the first time the migration has been completely finished before the first frost. My living room looks like a miniature forest but I like it that way.
While I am busy planting things, the federal government celebrates the holiday by giving its employees the day off. For most of the rest of the working world it is just another day. If you are lucky enough to have some time, I challenge you to go outdoors and enjoy this day. Even if you think flowers are useless and Christopher Columbus wasn’t the guy we were taught he was, this is a wonderful time of year that is meant to be cherished and enjoyed. Happy Columbus day to one and all.