I Garden

Shovel in hand, I am working the abandoned garden beds, digging and turning, pulling and crumbling. I feel the sun touch a sliver of skin that is exposed between the top of my pants and the bottom of my shirt. I think of very little. Right here, right now, I’m just living one shovel full of dirt at a time.

I stand up straight and walk up and down the beds examining the relationships between them, how straight they are, and where I will dig next. And then it occurs to me: I could never have said YES to this opportunity to grow food (a long time dream), if I had been successful in registering for the Danskin Women’s Mini-Triathlon.

At the time, I was pissed (see “I Surrender” post). I kept filling out the online form only to be dumped by their server each time I hit the submit button, until finally the event was sold out and I was left out. At the time, it was another failed attempt at fulfilling my 2008 plan.

But now, I am grateful. I let go and let goddess, and now I am in love with the soil, the sounds of the birds, and my tired muscles. I am talking about peas and red swiss chard, and exploring the virtues of peat moss and compost. I am a neophyte embracing a steep learning curve, but it’s not just about growing vegetables. I suspect the life metaphors I unearth will be as abundant as the summer squash in August.

You can check out my Growing with Vegetables blog if you want to read the more practical aspects of my gardening adventure.