All in favor of vegetable gardening

There is something good about planting a garden. Sure, its hard work when the garden is as big as ours. And more than once I have shared with my children how much I miss having them around to help out with the planting and the weeding. They were always such willing helpers. Singing together as they worked.

Often times I wonder if the world would be a kinder place if we all had gardens to work in. Seeing before you the cycle of life. Feeling the warm earth and watching plants grow into food for the table. Weeding gives you time to think, to solve problems and to plan and dream. Harvesting is a hopeful task....oh sure there are crop failures and years when the garden doesn't produce enough to be worth the work, but those are years that make you count the blessings of a good harvest so much more. Using a hoe is such good exercise and wears you out, so that the concept of insomnia is beyond comprehension. Dirty fingernails are the norm, so much so that you cannot even imagine having fake nails or having nail polish on.
The hem of my slip, dirt encrusted, a sign of where I have been most of the day. A cold glass of water, a delight beyond words. I sat on the cool earth and looked around me as I planted. A whole new view of life from ground level. Trees look huge, the clouds so high above me. Birds came close, as if I was no threat to them since I was nearly part of the earth.

Packets of seed, stacked up on the top of the washing machine, ready to be planted tomorrow... my days are planned out for me for a while now and I don't mind one bit.