While we were at the beach last week, there were several evening thunderstorms that passed through the area and gave my backyard garden a much-needed boost. Before we even unpacked the van, I headed out to see what was growing. I came back inside with this:
Then I went back out with my scissors and brought in these:
Amazing. Growing vegetables and flowers is like watching a miracle happen right before your eyes. Dig a hole, plant a seed, water. And then...miracle. I love my garden. This year I planted huge sunflowers along the fence in my perennial bed.
You can see them from the street as you come down the hill in front of our house. They make me smile every time I come home. Next summer I'm going to plant them the entire way around the fence in our backyard and up along the deck. I'm already excited.
I have a little ritual going this summer. Every evening, after the kids are in bed and the dishes are done, I walk outside to the garden. I stand in front of each bed, hands on hips, and observe the progress. What's growing, what's turning yellow, what veggies are ready to pick, what flowers are blooming, what's being eaten by something other than me. I stare at each plant, take some mental notes, and whisper some encouragement (Grow, grow!). It's quiet, the temperature has cooled down, the light is perfect, and it's completely relaxing. Just what I need after a crazy day chasing two kids around. It's 15 minutes of time to myself, and I love it.
This year I'm keeping a garden journal to track the ups and downs of each variety so I can adjust, change, or keep things the same next year. I've read a few gardening books over the years, but one of my favorites is Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. Actually, I love anything by her, but this one is especially interesting because she takes you through a year of food life in her garden. Check it out. I think you'll love it.
What's growing in your garden? I'd love to hear.
This is the second year we've tried gardening and it isn't going very well. We don't have great soil here in Colorado and we don't devote a lot of time to the garden either. Our bean plants did sprout and they have produced a few beans. Two pea plants sprouted only to die a short death. We also have two cucumber plants that are blossoming (they were the most successful plant last year as well). We're about ready to give up on gardening or move to planting veggies in pots so we can use better soil.
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