Finally, we have something in our garden besides volunteers, which consisted of some sunflowers — the first of which bloomed this morning — some tomatoes and some sort of squash or melon (we’ll know when it gets bigger leaves or its fruit).  Now we have our intentional tomatoes (the salmonella-free variety), squash, zucchini, okra, cucumbers, sweet bell peppers, and seeds for basil and cilantro and flowers, soon.

Time in the garden inevitably reconnects you to the earth.  There’s rejuvenation in tending to the plants, noting the beneficial insects, removing the pesky ones (with a blessing and pardon).  Rising before the sun crests high enough to heat you through and through, it’s refreshing and truly signals the start of a new day with hope and promise.  You are at the mercy of nature, lacking the control to determine exactly how the crop turns out, but if you do your best, chances are you’ll be rewarded.

May we all be blessed with bountiful gardens, whether our plot is large or small, spreading across acres or spread around in containers.  Enjoy the bit of earth you are blessed to share, and tend it well.

A gardening book we were recommended and encourage others to look into as well:  John Jeavons’ How to Grow More Vegetables.

Today was Kids’ Day at our local farmer’s market, and we were happy to have an Earth Scouts booth there.  Not only were we telling other folks about this great alternative scouting program, but we were encouraging them to participate in The Great Sunflower Project.  Do take a look at the site, grow some sunflowers, count some bees and report your findings.  It’s a great summer project for those of you with kids old enough to understand it or at least get the general idea. 

Tomorrow we’ll be visiting our local botanical garden for a music/puppet program.  The summer fun never ends!  All the while, we’re getting a good dose of vitamin D, and the kids sleep well at night.

And, if you need a crafty floral idea, my mom sent me this link to make a pressed flower bookmark.  We’ve already bought a bunch of flower seeds.  Hopefully before the summer’s over I’ll be able to share some beautiful flower photos.  It would be even better to have my own flowers pressed into a bookmark.  Time will tell.

Enjoy the sunshine and watch for bees!

Spring awakens my senses, surging through my veins a desire to grow towards the sun, all the while digging my fingers deeper into the soil.  ‘Tis the season when the blossoming, growth and fertility all around us reflects the same within most of us, and it is a wonderful time to be alive.

Thinking of all the beauty around me, from rich earth to new green to smiling children, as I look out the door, a web of worms grows on our aging cherry tree.  The dialogue ensues.  This is a reflection of the beauty of nature, likening that to our own true selves.  Ugly worms don’t belong here.

Ah, maybe that’s why they’re in my line of sight today.

Left to its own devices, our earth has its own system of checks and balances.  There is no third party evaluation to discuss the ethics, and the consequences are known, precipitating the action.  Nature lives in balance

However, we as humans have the unique gift of free will.  We get to choose our way and find our own balance.  Where have your choices led you?  Where you are now, is all thriving?  Is there balance?  Or do you need a disaster to restore you closer to where you should be?

We receive signs, if we pay attention.  We receive assurance.  Like it or not, we are part of this “nature” around us, and I feel that if we pay attention to it, Nature will offer suggestions on how we should live, maybe even how we can make improvements.

The worms outside.  I will have to cut off that part of the branch and kill the worms to keep them from spreading before they outgrow their current nest of sorts, if they haven’t already.  I don’t like having to do that.  I apologize to the plants as I prune them back and wish insects light and love and a good next life before I squish them, apologizing after.  But I do what I feel I must to keep a balance, prevent an infestation that could further destroy the good thing I hope I have going.

Our cherry tree is on its last leg.  Already I’ve chosen a couple of its off-shoots to grow in its place, several feet away from the original tree.  Eventually we’ll have to cut down the beauty to allow room for the new trees.  I suppose it’s not unlike our love for our children.  We can’t live forever, overshadowing them.  It’s best that our ego takes back seat if not disappears so that our children can grow in their own light and live the lives they were brought here to live.

It is all an intricate balance, a web of life, not without death.  Verily, there is neither beauty nor disgust; there is just what is, and that whole is . . . just is.  I want to say it’s beautiful, but that would be me adding that which is excessive, tipping the scale.

I should take these lessons and practice them, mull them over and throughout, evaluating my own environment, removing what needs to be removed, nurturing what nourishes the whole.

Happy gardening to you, and may the music of spring sing in your soul.

Storms and all, Spring is definitely here, and I guess I’d rather stay up way too late cleaning than waste precious daylight.  The kiddos and I got our jump start on gardening, getting the straw for much.  What is some straw in the garden without the strawberries?  I bought two root bundles — that means 50 plants.  Yes, we take our strawberries seriously around here, though not scientifically seriously enough.  I’m not sure about the variety we got; I need to research the Chandler kind since that’s what we brought home!

So, 25 strawberry roots are already planted.  There are two groups of three near the red raspberries and lavender (both just in their second year in our garden) in the bed by the veggie
garden (not yet planted at all this year).  I’m
curious to see how and if flavor is affected by the nearness of the plants, but that’s a long-term project.  (I was inspired by the wine conversation in French Kiss, one of my hubby’s and my favorite movies.)  The other 19 plants are filling in unused sunny space. 

Our yard was landscaped when we bought it, but it’s largely ornamental, though good for animals/insects.  There’s lots of space we foresee filling in to make it more like an “Edible Estate.”  We have a long way to go and lots of research to do to make that happen, but it’s a goal.  You gotta have goals.

We didn’t plant today since I thought it would rain.  We’ll see what it’s like tomorrow afternoon because I just can’t wait to get all those berries started.  For me there’s nothing like a good day’s work outside to revitalize the soul.  Fresh air and a boost of vitamin D does a body good.  Now if I could just get my kids to be aware of that positive energy to dilute their angst and negativity, we’d all be better off.

Happy sunny spring days to you.