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August 06, 2009
Bounty
When Robbi set out to plant her garden last spring, both of us were pretty sure it wasn't going to work. Not only does she lack the skill and experience to gently guide growing things on the perilous journey from seed to fruit-bearing plant, but the sorry stretch of soil in front of the barn gets only partial sun. Nevertheless, Robbi was set to try. And who was I to naysay?
Here's what the garden looked like on May 21, right after we poured in the topsoil and planted the tiny plants Robbi had been growing by the window upstairs (back then, before she was bitter and jaded, Alden was oh so easy to impress).
And here is the garden as of a few days ago.
Something happened while we were in Alaska. Tiny gnomes came in the night and built these lush green plants for Robbi's satisfaction. They even left some ripe red tomatoes for her.
Though a few are besotted with the rot.
A minor detail. It is the appearance of success that pleases us. It is the looks on the faces of the neighbors who now admit that they were highly skeptical that any sort of garden would succeed in such an unlovable stretch of land.
As is the case with all things that belong to Robbi or me, Alden immediately declared the garden her own and the fruits contained therein here property to sample and distribute as she pleases.
Alas her tiny mouth, though capable of producing mighty sounds, is not yet capable of opening wide enough to accommodate even a rather small tomato. Her embarrassment was evident.
She now claims that she "didn't want to eat that stupid tomato anyway," and that "gardens are for weenies."
Though once I might have been inclined to agree with her, I must admit that there is something satisfying about our unruly patch of ambitious plant life. It makes this barn a bit more home-like. It makes our growing roots feel just a bit more anchored in the soil.
Posted by bogenamp at August 6, 2009 06:36 AM