A Day Late….

You’ve heard the saying “A day late and a dollar short”.

That is the story of my garden.

But then again, it can’t be the story of my garden because technically, my garden does not yet exist.

I knew – at least in my head – that early spring things need to be in the garden in the early spring. But I think the snow and cold lulled me into a false security, which left me woefully unprepared for the warm weather.

Of course my Amish neighbors were ready. When the sun finally broke through and the grass greened up, they watched their peas and lettuce burst out of the ground. They threw open their cold frames to reveal beautiful cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower plants.

They didn’t worry too much about the current weather, they knew that eventually spring would come.

And they acted accordingly.

Meanwhile, my garden remains untilled, my seed packages are sitting in the basement and my fresh lettuce salads live only in my dreams.

Somehow I lost sight of the fact of tomorrow in the midst of living today.

I forgot that winter doesn’t last forever. Spring happens. Always.

As I busied myself playing catch-up in the garden the last few days, I wondered just what other areas in my life have I been lulled into thinking that things would never change?

Are there relationships that need to be restored?

Forgiveness that needs to be extended?

Bad attitudes that need to be weeded?

Encouragement that should have been given?

Those cold dark season of life won’t last forever.

Let’s plant those seeds and wait.

Spring will come.

Always.

And Even More Extreme Planting…

Since we are into extreme planting these days (remember the 500 trees) – why not extend that to the garden planting?!

I guess if one buys hundreds of packets of seeds during winter snow storms, and then starts hundreds of tiny seeds in the grey days of early March, one should expect to plant many, many seedlings.

And so I did.

The 2 kinds of cauliflower, 2 kinds of broccoli, and 3 kinds of cabbage are in the ground.

Over 140 plants.

That is no joke. Jan counted them.

I’m either an overachiever or certifiably insane.

Or…maybe we just love cauliflower and broccoli.

At any rate, I should have enough cabbage to make sauerkraut for an entire German hamlet.

That is – if they actually grow.

And the bunnies don’t find them.

And the pigs don’t get out.

And the cabbage moths don’t infest them.

And the rains come.

And the creek don’t rise.

Okay – I’m certifiable.

Planting Trees

It’s been a tough a year for trees around here.

We lost one in a storm last fall; then 5 more to nasty pine beetles.

Now that Jan and the boys have finally gotten them cleaned up – it was time to replant.

Since we lost a total of six trees, we ordered 500 trees to replace them.

Yes – 500. That is not a typo.

I was half asleep the night Jan placed the order.

I vaguely remember the conversation.

Jan – How about white oaks.

Me – I like oaks.

Jan – How about red oaks?

Me – I like oaks. (yawn)

Jan – How about pin oaks?

Me – I like (massive yawn) oaks.

I must have been asleep when he asked about the chestnuts and hazel nuts.

I was, however, wide awake when the UPS man started delivering trees – hundreds of trees.

And by trees I mean short twigs with long roots.

My heart sunk as I thought of the time and work it would take to plant those things. We’re talking days, weeks, even months, to get 500 trees in the ground!

But I didn’t need to worry – they make a machine for that.

A handy-dandy tree planting wonder.

And – our county owns one.

And – we could use it for free.

And it was available right then.

Would you believe that in less than 6 hours Jan and Pedro had all 500 trees in the ground?
All of them.

We now have a hard wood windbreak started to replace the rotting silver maples on the north, and east. We have some beautiful oaks planted around the ravines to add some fall color.

And we planted several oaks in the yard, because they’re my favorite.

And because we need a new swing tree – although it will be many years before these twigs will support a swing! But that’s okay – there’s something hopeful about planting a tree.

Grow little twigs! Grow!

“Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.” ~Martin Luther