“It was such a pleasure to sink one’s hands into the warm earth, to feel at one’s fingertips the possibilities of the new season.” – Kate Morton, The Forgotten Garden
It’s true. I love spring for many reasons, but I especially love to watch the earth come alive, my perennial flower plants sprout up and the trees leaf out.
When I was a kid growing up on the farm, I wasn’t quote so philosophic about the whole thing. I remember my mother sending me out to weed the vegetable garden and me not being terribly happy about it. And for some odd reason, I remember my mother and I planting radishes, which I didn’t like then and still do not like. I am quite sure we planted many other vegetables but the radishes for whatever reason are memorable to me.
Ever since I have been an official adult (or so I pretend) with a bit of land behind whatever house I have lived in, I have had gardens. As I have grown older, I realize it’s the farm girl in me that takes great joy out of digging in the dirt, planting seeds, watching things grow and harvesting my crop. My Dad (the farmer), I am sure, laughs at this a little bit – especially considering I was the daughter who detested working on the farm and made sure I found a job as a lifeguard and swimming teacher at the local pool by the time was 15.
But that was then and this is now.
Over the years, my gardens have taken different shapes and incurred varying amounts of care. As a newlywed without a child yet, my gardens were pristine, weedless and perfect. Or so I thought. I had a lot of time back then to care for them, and I would spend time every night after dinner weeding, deadheading and watering. Now with a 9-year-old who has an extensive social calendar, a career that keeps me busy and a variety of hobbies (like this new blog), my plants need to be tough and handle a fair amount of neglect – at least once in awhile.
Tonight while Teacher Man and Joe were at baseball practice, I spent about an hour planting a few vegetables in my raised garden beds, including red onions, yellow onions, two kinds of carrot seeds and a medley of squash varieties. At one point I had a random thought that I should’ve probably waited to plant these seeds with Joe (a good learning experience for a kid, yes?), but I am going to admit that I decided, instead, to be just a little selfish tonight and enjoy the solitude of my gardens. I have more vegetable seeds and I know there will be more opportunities for Joe and I to garden together.
For tonight, it was just me and the black dirt. Well, and the toad that joined the garden party. A good night, all in all.
Do you garden? If so, what do you enjoy planting?
0 comments on Digging in the Dirt.
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Such memories you have stirred!!! We couldn’t bike to town until we weeded several rows in the garden when I was young 🙂 Every meal we ate my Dad had to point out what things we all grew – not a ritual I enjoyed! Kent plants for me 120 tomato plants down at the farm and then all of September and into October I make salsa!!! Along with bloody mary mix, spaghetti sauce, chili sauce, and canned tomatoes. Love the tomatoes best for sure 🙂
I am in awe of your 120 tomato plants, Lynn! (And how nice of Kent to plant them all for you – I need to tell my husband that – haha!) That is amazing – and I am sure all your salsa, spaghetti sauce, bloody mary mix, etc. is amazing as well. 🙂 Glad my post stirred up some fun memories for you. I loved your reference to “bike to town” – that was us too!