The Green Hand

Today was such a nice quiet day. Jane took a long nap so I got to work in the yard for a good solid hour. Spring is the perfect time for working in the yard because it never gets too hot and humid plus there are fewer bugs. Today I realized that one of the reasons I like physical labor (in moderation, of course) is because it keeps my brain from thinking, thinking, thinking all the time. It's a nice break.

When Jason and I were first married we had a little plot of ground under the stairs leading up to our apartment. It was Jason's idea first to plant things under the stairs and he boxed the space in with 2x6s or something like that and brought in some topsoil. He asked me to help out and I agreed not terribly interested. I don't remember much about that first vegetable garden except that it produced massive amounts of cilantro and some freaky broccoli that looked absolutely nothing like the stuff in the grocery store. We were too afraid to eat it.

At some point though, I completely took over this garden space. I grew all kinds of things in it, from corn to wildflowers. I even grew a pumpkin big enough to carve for Halloween. It was my only pumpkin and I coddled it like a baby. At some point I figured out that the little plot was south-facing which is a prime growing orientation. I started collecting books and planting things in just about any container that would hold soil. I told Jason that I no longer wanted cut flowers as I gift. I wanted something living and growing that I could keep forever. I still have an aloe, an African violet, and jade plants grown from leaves of the original jade plant he gave me. Lots of others have passed on to plant heaven since I had no clue what I was doing. I think I miss my jasmine bonsai tree the most. I really miss my little garden plot too. I meticulously manicured that space, picking old nails and construction detritus from when the apartments were built. I used the rocks I gleaned from the soil to make a drainage canal for the runoff from the roof to save my plants from drowing. No rain gutters in those apartments. I even started my first compost pile and collected rainwater to water my plants. Some days I would work outside for so long in the heat, forgetting to drink any water. I would come inside and get sick from being dehydrated. That only happened twice before I figured out what a dunce I was being. I was completely obsessed.

But when we moved away from our little apartment and I had children, my interest faded. I was too busy trying to keep little people alive. Several of my houseplants kicked the bucket during that time like that sweet little jasmine. My interest never completely died out but I struggled to find the time to garden. Now that time is returning. I've got to be outside at least twice a day to put Josh on the bus and meet him when he comes home. My kids love being outside and Josh would live outdoors if we let him. So I just putter around with my two different rakes, my spade, my pruners, my cultivator and my weed bucket. I've also recently become quite attached to our wheelbarrow and am using it to carry loads of plant matter to the massive compost pile I am creating. I was joking with Jason the other day that I need to rig something so I could strap on all my tools, even the rakes. I showed him what I meant with both rakes crossed behind my back like swords and then I realized I would look like a ninja gardener. How awesome would that be? My name could be The Green Hand. Weeds would fear me and plants would adore me.