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This is the first sunrise of the New Millennium.
Shake
Hands with Creation
About Ground Hog Day I start getting the urge. I
study the catalogs and order my seeds and plants. I go out to my plot and
tear out the overgrowth and clean up the mess left over from last year. I
begin to think about how I want to rotate my crops around the garden. I
consider what supplies and fertilize I want to buy. Every year the catalogs
come up with some new gizmos that make the plants grow better supposedly.
This year I tore out the old raspberries and decided to plant them in the
center of the garden where I can weed them more successfully. Maybe I'll
plant the tomatoes where the raspberries were. I think I'll expand the
strawberries and move them away for the grapes. I set up the cold frame so
I can plant as early as possible and get my seedlings outdoors in the sun.
This is my garden of Eden. This is a sanctuary where I can go and no one
tells me what to do or critiques what I have done. And I am part of the
life process. I can run my fingers through the soil and feel its warmth. I
get to plant the seeds. I protect the sprouts from rabbits and birds. I
could pull the weeds if I decide to; but my philosophy is to do the minimum
amount of weeding. On this twenty foot by twenty foot square I am as close
to a god as possible.
Gardening is an example of a sustaining hobby that can be a great assistance
and support in retirement. My garden is three miles away from my home, so
it is a place to escape to. In the Spring and Summer I can go there
everyday and putter around for a while. By spending 30 to 60 minutes a day,
I can manage the garden.
Another thing I like about gardening is that it gives me a feeling of
productivity. I bring home the tomatoes, peppers, berries, onions, and
cucumbers. I'm a fresh vegetable provider.
Gardening is also a challenge because you are battling the forces of nature.
Will you get enough rain? What is the right amount of rain? How do you
maximize the productivity? When do you pick vegetables to optimize the
taste?
If only I could grow rhubarb in Virginia.
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