My dear husband has been working on his garden for years. Since we bought our house. I think his favorite feature of having a house has been a yard. And a garden.
over the past almost 4 years we have planted a wide variety of plants and mini-gardens. We have the vegetable garden
some ornamental gardens
strawberries
potatoes and asparagus.
fruit trees
herbs
over the past almost 4 years we have planted a wide variety of plants and mini-gardens. We have the vegetable garden
some ornamental gardens
strawberries
potatoes and asparagus.
fruit trees
herbs
I would post pictures if they weren't currently under a layer of snow.
And we do it, our garden, our way. Slowly, one step at a time. We do not use any chemicals or pesticides on anything, including our lawn. That food that we will ingest. That lawn my child will play on.
If you look around our neighborhood, you will see some meticulous lawns. Overflowing gardens. Gorgeous flowers. If you look at ours, it is not meticulous. it is not neglected. It looks like nothing all that special. What it is, is cared for and watered and loved and used.
When we go for walks, it is so easy to look at what everyone else has. Some people have some pretty amazing landscaping. Some lawns are bright green with criss cross mowing patterns akin to a baseball field. My neighbors vegetable garden looks like the Garden of Eden. We look around. We compare.
And I wonder how much energy can get wasted looking around. Wishing. Envying. Working to make it be like everyone elses.
Rather than just tending to my own. Weeding my own. Covering and protecting vulnerable parts when the storms pass through. Cutting back and pruning when necessary. Picking the bounty when its ripe. Reading among my bulbs. Rolling in the grass with my son. Working within our own limits and values.
And we do it, our garden, our way. Slowly, one step at a time. We do not use any chemicals or pesticides on anything, including our lawn. That food that we will ingest. That lawn my child will play on.
If you look around our neighborhood, you will see some meticulous lawns. Overflowing gardens. Gorgeous flowers. If you look at ours, it is not meticulous. it is not neglected. It looks like nothing all that special. What it is, is cared for and watered and loved and used.
When we go for walks, it is so easy to look at what everyone else has. Some people have some pretty amazing landscaping. Some lawns are bright green with criss cross mowing patterns akin to a baseball field. My neighbors vegetable garden looks like the Garden of Eden. We look around. We compare.
And I wonder how much energy can get wasted looking around. Wishing. Envying. Working to make it be like everyone elses.
Rather than just tending to my own. Weeding my own. Covering and protecting vulnerable parts when the storms pass through. Cutting back and pruning when necessary. Picking the bounty when its ripe. Reading among my bulbs. Rolling in the grass with my son. Working within our own limits and values.
Watering my own garden.
What is the saying:? "The grass is always greener ... Where you water it"
Where else do we do this. In life. Compare and envy and judge and work against our own nature. Work. School. Parenting. Vacations. Money. Stuff. Politics.
And its not to say we cannot learn from each other. My neighbor has given us wonderful gardening tips. Some we take and use and have been utterly helpful. And some we choose not to. I see "information" people post on Facebook. Some I read and roll my eyes to and some I find pieces of value in for my own life and incorporate.
Where else do we do this. In life. Compare and envy and judge and work against our own nature. Work. School. Parenting. Vacations. Money. Stuff. Politics.
And its not to say we cannot learn from each other. My neighbor has given us wonderful gardening tips. Some we take and use and have been utterly helpful. And some we choose not to. I see "information" people post on Facebook. Some I read and roll my eyes to and some I find pieces of value in for my own life and incorporate.
Sometimes I need to just enjoy looking at what my neighbor has and appreciate. Sometimes I need to look ahead, put fb and my phone away. Sometimes I need to eliminate excuses and just get to work on my own piece of earth.
its hard to tend to my own garden when i am using all of my energy comparing it to everyone elses. It's difficult to appreciate by bounty, my blessings , when my focus is elsewhere.
its hard to tend to my own garden when i am using all of my energy comparing it to everyone elses. It's difficult to appreciate by bounty, my blessings , when my focus is elsewhere.
And when I tend to what I have. I find that I in turn have more to give. I can give tomatoes and applesauce back to my neighbors. Teach my son a new skill.
May I remember to let go of envy. And water my own garden.
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