Working Hard on the Garden

Well it’s hard work keeping a garden, at least when you’re doing everything else in life that needs to be done, like working and cleaning house and shopping, etc. I did get over to the garden and turned over a swatch of the plot on Friday. It wasn’t weedier than anyone else’s—so I’m sure I wasn’t the only one getting a letter. I think the timing is good to see what is there for the winter—some beets, some chard, some kale. I dug a few potatoes and picked the last of the tomatoes. It’s really not so hard—I just make it hard in my mind. I’m like that, resisting; actually I’m kind of beat.

I’ve been thinking about this a bit—my own resistance makes things hard. This is not just for gardening, it is also for making art. I have a resistance that makes things hard. I’m wondering if it comes from my childhood when I was made to do things I didn’t want to do—like go to work with my dad to stuff hundreds and hundreds of envelopes—when I really wanted to be playing with my friends in the sunny park. I wanted to be tending my own little garden in the back yard. Yes, just that. Or riding my bike.

Okay, so perhaps I have a bad work ethic—although everyone thinks of me as so hardworking, and really I’m pretty much non-stop. What the hey? So it’s an attitude—give up my resistance and see what happens next. That’s my goal.

So today again, I’ll work a little more on the plot. I’d like to find some leaves to top off the garden with for winter. And some chicken manure. I think I know where I can get both of these things. A strong man to help me in the garden would be nice. Or a strong woman, makes no never mind. But I’ll probably do it myself. That’s just me.

Talk soon, Flower

PS Check out the photo of the artichoke. Cool, huh?

Gray Sky, Blue Sky

Today, cloudy and warm. You can get burnt on a day like this--the sun's out behind those clouds. I checked my garden yesterday to see if it had enough moisture in the soil--all I see there is a bunch of turned over dirt and some tiny seed starts. And of course, my now hearty tomato plants. They are very green. They look good--being so green, and all. I'm going soon today and water them. I had planned to take the grandbaby yesterday, but instead, we did a couple of walks, went to lunch with a friend for his 86th birthday, and took naps. We also ate brownies and played with the cat. It was a good day. Lots of growing on the inside yesterday.

This artichoke is growing in a fellow gardener's plot. I've grown them in other gardens that I've had, but they never get very large. I suppose there are secrets to growing the big globe artichokes that you buy in the store, and some folks are privy to that secret. Maybe it is the right type of fertilizer used, although they look like cactus or thistle plants to me--which means they don't need much to grow. They seem to like hot and dry, and yet, here they are growing in the PNW--rainy feet. They take up a lot of space, so I won't be having them in my garden. Do you eat them with vinegar and mayo, is the real question. Or are you a melted butter fan. The first time I had an artichoke was with my highschool sweetheart who later became my first husband. His family ate artichokes--mine was a meat and potatoes gig. We dipped the leaves in sauce he'd made of mayonnaise stirred with a touch of vinegar. I loved them right off--and then there was the ritual of scraping away the thistles at the heart--use a spoon. And then--man oh man, dig in.

Now I like the artichoke hearts that come pickled-very delicious. Try them with your salads during the summer. Refreshing and good for you. Well, now I'm off to water; not much new in my life today--except for that I may decide to marry myself. Why wait around for someone else to make me feel special. I was with a friend this morning who is getting married. We stopped in at the jewelry store, and that's when I made my decision. I will get myself a ring--not yet, because I have some completing to do still with the ex, but soon. Maybe by the fall--I could have a fall wedding. Maybe in the garden. What do you think?

Ciao!