Planting

Yippee!  The air has been warmer and the gardening bug has hit!  It's terrible, I lay in bed losing precious sleep trying to figure out where I'm going to plant all the veges, fruit trees and bushes; when I need to start planting them and where to add yet another garden!  Mark sleeps contentedly while my mind spins wildly!

Last evening was a great time.  The boys played softball in the lower yard, Mark continued to clear around the pond with a fire going next to it while I planted swiss chard and beets.  The night before,  Tim, Addan and Titus helped me plant rows of peas, lettuce, spinach and radishes.  Such a cozy feeling, especially last night as a storm was brewing, the sky getting darker and darker, the air wetter and windier!   Soon thunder and lightning came upon us and we all dashed into the house.

As I plant, I envision the crops that we'll be enjoying.  I find such fulfillment as we sit down together and most of the meal is the fruit of our labor.  

I also think of different people.  Both my sets of grandparents enjoyed gardening.  My maternal Grandfather actually bought the lot next to their house so he could have a large garden (this was when money was very tight and  he had 7 children).  I remember going to his house and seeing him come home from work and go to his garden and bring in veges to eat that night.  Such sweet memories.  I can also see my Russian Grandmother out in her garden with her apron full of veges. As she came into the house she'd say  "come eat, Tammy, good for you!"  in her broken English.  My Mother also loved to garden.  So maybe it's been passed down to me.  As I plant I often think of my sister Tonya as well, knowing that she too loves to garden and we can chat on the phone for hours about what's coming in now and how we're going to process it.  Last night as I planted the swiss chard, I was thinking of Tonya as she raved about it so much last season!  I also wondered what she has gotten into her ground so far. 

I often think of my Aunt Rosie as well.  She taught me the lasagna way to get the ground ready.  She did her whole yard that way,, covering her yard with old computer paper from her work and loads and loads of compost from a near by horse farm.  

I love turning over the dirt, seeing the worms and smelling the earth.  

Here are the planted rows of beets next to the lettuce.   As I planted them, it got me thinking of how gardening has so many life lessons.  One example is planting seeds is like having children.  We prepare for them, getting things ready and then  we then have them.  Care for them and feed them, watching them grow all with the goal of them, some day bringing forth fruit in their own lives.  As a follower of Jesus, that's our goal for our boys, that their lives bring fruit that glorifies our Savior!  My goal for the garden is not to see pretty plants but to see and have fruit!