Over at Growing Curious there is a beautiful post about gardening and the impact that gardens have. I don’t need to re-write the whole thing here, or even go into much detail, she spoke what was in my mind so accurately. Here is the essence that I want to have painted up somewhere (maybe the side of the chicken coop…)
“I don’t think it’s possible to raise a garden without being changed by the experience. I have to go out there and water even when I’m grumpy. Sometimes I’ll be watering the tomatoes and realize that those big, succulent leaves on nearby plants aren’t leaves at all but are maybe a hundred cucumbers perfectly ready to be plucked. A discovery like that can change weekend plans.
And I witness death up close — daily.
I’m changed.
It’s hard to have an intellectual discussion about it all. I’ll try to participate in the talk because I do see how the intellectual, political, emotional, physical, social, and cultural layers work together. (There’s plenty of time to think about all of that while weeding.) But I’d much rather take turns meeting in our gardens — talking about big and small things (even political candidates) — while we admire the growth, share strategies, encourage one another.”
Now get out in your gardens! It’s going to go from absolutely gorgeously sunny back to wonderfully rainy this week, and then I hope to give some time to sharing more of my own thoughts of the importance and benefits of working your own dirt. For now, I am off to plant some plants while the sun shines.







by Barbara Kingsolver.