That being said, even if I don’t apologize explicitly, I can a least point the finger at what is to blame. 1/3 of an acre of yardwork and gardening, that’s what. I’m convinced that my fingernails and finger creases won’t be presentable for the next three months. Which means that this blog, if it gets any action this summer, will likely be along the lines of “Adventures in Gardening Day After Day” or “What the Kids Do While I Garden…Actually I Don’t Even Know” or “How Many Places Can Lily Find Dirty Water to Splash in While I Garden?”
It all started with me being born of goodly parents who always had a garden. They were (and still are) like the Johnny Appleseeds of tomatoes and corn and peach trees. My childhood memories are peppered with recollections of dropping dried corn kernels into freshly turned dirt, lifting up bush plants to search for green beans for dinner, peeling back husks and silk to peek in at corn cobs, and long hours spent watering fruit trees with a faded old hose. Of course there were also earwigs, weeds to pull as punishments for fighting, and the interminable canning days each fall. But for all the annoying times, I am forever bound to gardening by my addiction to fresh peaches and ice cream, garden tomatoes to garnish mac’n’cheese, and corn on the cob as a perfect side dish to any summer dinner.
In all honesty, my husband does not love gardening. Which might have been a good issue to probe more carefully before we bought our yard (and house) last year. But I am totally content to do all the gardening. It brings me an inexplicable sense of contentment and fulfillment (and often gets me out of washing the dishes or putting the kids to bed). Barbara Kingsolver wrote this in her book "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" (which I am loving right now):
"Every gardener I know is a junkie for the experience of being out there in the mud and fresh green growth. Why? An astute therapist might diagnose us as a codependent and sign us up for Tomato-Anon meetings. We love our gardens so much it hurts. For their sake we'll bend over till our backs ache...We lead our favorite hoe like a dance partner down one long row and up the next, in a dance marathon that leaves us exhausted....What is it about gardening that is so addicting? That longing is probably mixed up with our DNA. Agriculture is the oldest, most continuous livelihood in which humans have engaged....Growing food was the first activity that gave us enough prosperity to stay in one place, form complex social groups, tell our stories, and build our cities...." (177-178).
14 comments:
This year is the first time we have planted a garden and we are loving it! Well not the weeding part, which has become impossible as I enter the 9th month of pregnancy, but watching it grow is so fun. We just started harvesting strawberries and snap peas. Yum! It is tons of work though and I get so sad when things don't grow right. I am mourning the loss of a cantaloupe plant right now:(
I wish you much gardening success! As for the title of this post I laughed right out loud at the What the Kids do While I Garden...Actually I don't even know! One for the books. I've been reading a bit of that same book too, skipping over a lot of the factual data and rants, cause I'm bad like that, but really enjoyed her real-life family experiences.
I sympathize, unfortunately for me all my gardening is flower based and I don't get any peaches and ice cream as a reward for hours of weeding. Just lack of guilt, which is an ok reward for me.
Long hours spent watering with a Nancy Drew book propped on the hose?
PS. I LOVE the garden ghome! What cute legs and cheeks. And probably 30% of my journal material is apologizing for not writing for so long! You are the funniest. Lovey the bloggy.
I can't wait to have a yard with a house too! will you come help me start my garden?
Super cute gnome- and super impressive gardening mommy! Good for you! I had one little garden once upon a time a couple years ago. And I keep saying I'll do it again.. . just not right now. :) You are inspirational!
I was thinking of offering to do your blogging for you if you did my gardening but I'd have to have that little gnome and I'm sure you won't part with her.
I would love to plan a visit so I can eat some of those tasty peaches again. They just aren't the same in the store.
I'm usually the gardener in the family, but seeing as planting season happened RIGHT when I was on bed rest, my husband took over. And has been obsessed ever since. (I'm totally reading him that quote ....)
the gnome! at least it wasn't a naughty gnome throwing sand in your face... :) Your garden is looking awesome!!!! Next activity for the den mother--Weeding Merit Badges!
Good for you. Can't wait to see it in a couple of weeks, maybe you can teach me a thing or two. Except you live where things grow well, not so much here in my desert.
I'm very envious of your gardening skills - If I ever have a garden of my own I'll know who to pester for tips :)
I love the squatting pose of Lily. P.s. you forgot to mention when we snipped off the tops of the weeds to get back at mom and dad for making us weed as punishment. Ha. We got them good...until they made us finish the job the right way a few days later.
I'm picturing your back yard and think that a garden is a PERFECT idea. Good luck! Maybe someday I'll have a yard to plant something in...first I need a house.
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