Sunday, June 5, 2011

Thyme to Garden!

I did not inherit my dad's impeccable green thumb. He has the finest knack for growing and nurturing all sorts of vegetables, herbs, flowers, and the like. Neighbours and strangers greet him and make efforts to speak to him when passing his garden because of it's beauty as well as its abundance. Regardless of whether it's leeks, asparagus, raspberries, mint, or thyme, they grow for him like a snake and his charmer. While not as seasoned or naturally talented as my dad, today I was tending to my vegetable garden and found incredible serenity in the process. I move awkwardly around the vegetables, teetering occasionally and in fear of falling on them and ruining the efforts put forth. I'm never quite sure if I've watered enough, or planted deep enough. I worry that my imperfect weeding technique (which sometimes involves hacking at a chunk of soil I've just turned in order to loosen the weeds to make pulling them out easier!) will result in my vegetables being choked out.

All this aside, I actually love it. There's something about literally sweating for my food that excites me. It makes me feel closer to Mother Earth--almost like she knows (hopefully) that this is my attempt (albeit sometimes feeble) to give back and appreciate her. Amidst the thistles, potato bugs, worms (and possibly red ants, if my eyes were correct today), I feel like I belong there as well.

So, for those of you out there who are already amazing at growing all things "green," then my hat comes off to you. But for those of you who feel that you could never have even the slightly green thumb, I say that if I can do it, then you can MOST DEFINITELY do it!

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