The Transformed Reluctant Gardener: Simple Joys

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Simple Joys

I have traveled the world, met many people and done lots of things.

However, few compare to the simple joy of gathering fresh fruit and vegetables that I have grown or are under my stewardship.

Today was a big pickin' day with fennel, Swiss chard, thyme, sage, basil, mint, oregano, kale, tomatoes, rosemary, bok choy, lemon grass, peaches and one mini white Japanese eggplant.

Goodness with a capital G!

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Discovering my green thumb DNA

"You want me to pull weeds?"

Shamefully, the teenage me uttered those words more than once. Anything involving dirt, heat and especially bugs turned me into a big whining wienie.

Green thumbery (if there is such as word) flows in my DNA.

My grandfather's Florida garden, full of kale and kohlrabi, thrived until he died at 90. During upstate New York's summers, my parents worked a 1/2-acre plot - abundant with tomatoes and beans, lettuce and beets.

Then four years ago, I had my first backyard.

Spring's early buds on my peach, apricot and orange trees unleashed my need to plant seeds - in the ground, pots (large and small) and tree baskets and containers along the fence.

Now during every season, something is growing.

Winter and spring has Swiss Chard and fennel, kale and herbs like rosemary and oregano. The full summer sun shines down upon a variety of tomatoes, squashes and eggplants. Herbs from basil to lemon balm and thyme to sage deliver added depths of flavor.

In late October's cool breezes, green tomatoes are harvested as are cabbages.

Gardening feeds me well and calms my soul.
The transformation is complete.

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Simple Joys

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