Today we spent nearly the entire day outside planting and weeding and tearing up and moving about. After ten days of rainy, foggy, cold coastal spring weather, the bright spot of sun that came out ever-so-briefly in the morning gave us all the push we needed to get out of our pj’s, down the last bits of coffee, and get into the yard for some fresh air. After a few minutes, the fog came back and stayed for a few hours before the sun broke through later in the afternoon, but that freshly washed spring air was something I’ve craved and needed.
We all needed it.
Although it seems as if Spring was stalled for all the cold that April held, things have been growing all around us. Some inside on our windowsills…
And some outside waiting for their chance to be put in the bed…
I’m afraid my cucumbers aren’t going to make it, but it’s OK, I have others germinating right now. To be quite honest, I fully expected the seedling project to utterly fail, so I planted things so much earlier than I should have. The tomatoes are still doing OK, although they need to be transplanted and out into some sort of greenhouse, but the cucumbers haven’t enjoyed the cold, windy weather we’ve been experiencing.
The peas, radishes, sorrel, leeks, beets, lettuce, escarole, bok choy, and tat soi are all doing well, although growing a bit slower due to the colder temperatures.
It was cold outside without the sun, and after an hour or so, the kids went back inside to warm up and grab some lunch while I stayed outside and planted the big bed. It took me five hours, but I got it done.
After many years of planning and dreaming, it is so gratifying to see it start coming together.
I am a little scared it’s going to fail miserably… I’m trying to work the bed with companion plantings which is entirely new and a little bit, well, uncomfortable for me, but I’m hoping and keeping my fingers crossed that it may just work.
And now we wait. It’s time for the roots to take hold. Because, of course, the dream was not only about a garden, but for a wish for a strong family, and a home to shelter us, and a community to ground us all. Watching a physical manifestation of that metaphor not only grow but thrive… well… it means so much more than a plate full of tasty vegetables doesn’t it.
But tasty vegetables would be awesome too.
