Investment

When I originally began planning the garden, I was excited by the prospect of fresh food.  Unprocessed, no chemicals, fresh, home grown produce.  It felt right to be eating pure food.  I am a bit of a purist when it comes to food anyway.  I don't like lots of sauces and condiments cluttering up the flavor of the food.  Light enhancement is the best for my tastes.  So, the thought of eating this pure food motivated me. 

However, a strange attitude is evolving since I have planted the garden.  Something I have heard about but thought was a bit exaggerated and maybe a little melodramatic.  I actually am noticing a feeling of gratitude and respect I am having for the dirt and the bugs and everything else that goes into the growth of my food.  It's strange and interesting.  I am also noticing more things around me.  It rains 9 months out of the year here in the northwest.  I am used to going about my business without heed to the weather.   Now, suddenly, the temperature and what the weather is doing is of utmost importance to me. 

So, it rained all day yesterday.  The peas are growing so fast I can almost see them growing.  I have heard that the onions will do well and go crazy and maybe even create stray plants and grow next year, even if I don't plant any-but there is no sign of that now.  The rain smashed down the tiny lettuce leaves. They seem so delicate that I am wondering how they will survive the elements and get to the point where I can eat the lettuce.  The books all say to "thin" the lettuce once it starts to grow.  Thin the lettuce?  It is pretty thin already, and if I pull up any starts I may never get a salad from the garden.   No sign of the beans yet.  I am crossing my fingers.

Today I plan to put the zucchini and the summer squash into the ground.  I am planning (against the advice of almost everyone) to plant 6 plants.  I want extra for my freezer so I can enjoy it all year round.  I am going to try my hand at baking zucchini bread.  I will probably be the neighbor that everyone hides from when they see me coming with armloads of zucchini to leave on their porch.  I have great faith that the squash and pumpkins will do well...at least according to the stories.  So, onward and ahead.  I am hoping to have peas in 3 weeks!!!!  Woo Hoo!  I have a vision of myself standing in my garden in the bright sun, picking snow peas off the vine and eating them warm and fresh.  We'll see what reality brings. 

I would love ideas from all of you.  I am willing to try new things and plant anything that might grow here in the wet northwest. Until next time....

Karen