Friday, May 17, 2013

Gardening: inside & out

Once I get a project in mind, I am a cliff-diver.  I just jump off, head first, and there's no turning back. I do well with short-term projects: lots of intense energy and passion in a short time period, with a clear 'end' goal and the satisfaction of saying "all done."

Lately that project has been our gardens.  I don't pretend to be a gardener, in fact, I am quite bad at it.  I am not a researcher.  I want to jump in right away, and don't have patience for endless planning and fretting.  I just want to do it.  Now.  I want all the beauty with no maintenance.  Endless options aside, I just want flowers in the dirt so I can look out my window and not feel depressed.   However, I'm realizing that gardening (like so many things) just doesn't work like that.  I can shout "GROW" as loud as I can, to no avail.  I can leave the plants to the elements but then bugs eat them, weeds destroy them, and the sun parches them.  I can prune aimlessly, care for them without intention, place the flowers ad lib and hope for the best, or, perhaps...

I should amend the soil with nutrious manures
Dig out the rocks, by hand
Pull weeds
Work the soil
Water it
Pick plants carefully
Plant them strategically
and guard them continuously.

Okay, so I guess this is a long term project (drat).   The overwhelming nature of the task paralyzes me. But it's also teaches me about how to grow my character, how to grow my kids, how to live in general.  Everything takes time and cultivation, intention and work, thoughtfulness and watchfulness.  (And a bit of hoping, a lot of praying, and expectation of good things to come from the time investment now).

I have been having some help from our lovely women's pastor who has the most breathtakingly beautiful garden.  Here's a quick shot of what I have so far in my 'baby' garden:
Oops, not a baby IN the garden, supposed to be a picture of my baby garden...
how'd that sneak in?

This trellis has been attached to my home since we moved in, but it 
finally has some life on it! 




Doing some gardening in the kitchen too.....mother's day cupcake bouquet!

Love this idea!  




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