A Day in the Garden

 This morning when the dog decided he needed out in the wee hours of the morning (okay it was 7:57) and once I was up, I decided I should do something with my morning. Since everyone else in the house was trying to sleep in, I headed out to the garden.

We have had such a mosquito problem during the past week that I was worried I would get eaten alive. Luckily, it was cool enough in the morning hours that those nasty little pests must have been snoozing still. I managed to water, weed, thin and re-fertilize the garden before it warmed up and I felt little bites on my arms.

Because the weather can be so unpredictable and harsh here, I had to force myself to wait to plant my crops. Working in my garden today, I realized just how rewarding waiting can be. My little babies are growing up so nicely.

Our weather has been nice and warm with occasional rain showers. I could be doing everything completely wrong, but so far growing delicious veggies has been much easier than I anticipated. Without the internet and thousands of people testing out new methods before me, I would be completely lost. Raised garden beds have to be the best invention ever for someone living in a rental. Having a gate on it also means I don't have to worry about the dog getting into it.

There is just something so incredible about simply putting a seed into the dirt, watering it, and then watching it turn into a beautiful plant pushing its way up through the earth.

Watching these tiny plants show such resilience and stand up in the face of so many storms is so inspiring. It sounds cheesy to say that I want to stand tall and face the world like a little seedling--cheesy, but true.

Gathering all the basic knowledge about growing these vegetables has really made me think back to times when it was commonplace to eat the food you grew in the ground and the livestock you raised yourself. The advancements that have been made in agriculture are phenomenal, but what's even more impressive are all the people who survived day after day without modern technologies helping them out. When I fertilized my garden today, I certainly had it easy pouring the granules out of the bag I bought at the big box store. When I have a question about my garden, I get on the internet or look in a book. When you start to get your hands dirty, you think about those people from the past and all the hard work and learning they had to endure just to survive. It also makes me glad that there are still families who pass on farming and ranching knowledge to their children. We might have modern conveniences that help us along the way or give us step by step directions, but I truly believe there are times that old-fashioned tips and tricks, learned by trial and error, will truly produce the best results.

So, the next time you step into your garden, I challenge you to think about those who came before you. Think about those who tilled the ground every year out of necessity. Perhaps you will get the same thrilling jolt of happiness that I do when I realize that centuries later, I'm growing those same vegetables in my back yard.

- - Happy Gardening! - -