It has been such a long time since I posted. Once the weather got warm enough to spend time outside I quit thinking about writing and my blog. My energy turned to the garden. We built raised beds and planted them with vegetables using the square foot gardening strategy. After planting and watering, came the first harvesting. At every stage, I watched it grow, took pictures and created sketches of its progress. So far it has been a wonderful experience.
There are times the garden has been too crowded -- some plants just couldn't keep up with the stronger neighbors. They were pushed out of the way to wither in the shade of the more vigorous greenery. Those vigorous plants have grown huge and require pruning to ensure there are still pathways between the raised beds. The melons and pumpkins grow out of the garden with sprawling tentacles reaching across the hot sandy soil of the yard. The giant pumpkins are bigger every day, as are the few melons.
I was able to retire when I got sick. This was also a great blessing because I could hardly make it through a day of work. The hard part has been learning to be satisfied with just BEING rather than DOING all the time. I still have trouble with feeling that I am not contributing to my community and to my household. Yet at the same time I feel my life may lack meaning, I feel each day as though it were especially full and precious. The garden helps me find joy and a simple purpose everyday.
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