With the click of a button and the closing of a book, our school year ended–at least for a brief time. Visions of next year are dancing in my head, but with nothing firm yet, I will perhaps update my curriculum page later. In the meantime, I would love to show you our garden’s progress.
A dear friend and fellow gardener once said to me that the hardest part of gardening is being content with what the Lord gives versus your own expectations. I am learning, albeit slowly, to exercise patience since we planted late to get past this freakishly cold winter and early spring. There is much about which to be excited.
One of the most exciting aspects of this year’s garden is the ability to walk outside the front door and gather salad fixings. If you can appreciate what has happened in about six weeks, here are shots of the front step in April, and then a day or two ago.
I so love how the lettuce curls around to reach the sun and continues to sprout new leaves. (You can clearly see that we have devoured what was old– 😉 ). Plus, I have been propagating basil cuttings as I pray about whom to bless with our extras.
And, because my hubby bought them for me, I planted kale alongside our rosemary and pineapple sage. Oh, and there’s more basil. LOTS of basil.
In my previous gardening post, I talked about learning to use alternative “planters” in a space-saving, downsizing effort in progress. Did I mention how well reusable grocery bags work as portable, lightweight planters? Poke holes in the sides and bottom for water drainage, and you are on your way!
I call the garden–at least at this stage–the “garden of promise,” for several reasons. First, other than the lettuce and herbs, there is not a lot to eat yet. But there is an indication, indeed, a promise, that this will be a special year.
Like these cucumbers, where flowers abound.
Or the peppers peeking through the ground and joining the okra, even if I had to plant them twice. (Sorry, my composting game is not yet strong; we just throw kitchen scraps out randomly).
The pole beans are saying “yes” as well.
I didn’t show our strawberry plants, which have yielded a small harvest thus far, but having companions like marigold and sage are, no doubt, helping the strawberries thrive.
We even have (the promise of) tomatoes and tomatillos!
Did I mention again how well reusable grocery bags work??!!
There are other “promises” as well. I did not capture the sweet potatoes, or the returning collards and green onion. A friend even blessed us with watermelon seeds, and I cannot wait to see what they do. I also did not elaborate on the promise of zucchini (featured above), but I will share more in the weeks and months to come.
From Deuteronomy 28:
‘If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. 2 All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God:
3 You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.
4 The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.
5 Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.
6 You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.
7 The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.
8 The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The Lord your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.’
AMEN.