Tuesday, July 8, 2008

"Today's Progress"

Today was another progressive day. I potted the pieces of aloe that Martha sent me. I also saw some nice growth with my peppers and tomato plants. I don't know if the watermelon and greens were planted too late, the soil not rich or deep enough or what, but the growth has been minimal at best. Plus, something is eating through most of what I have planted in the ground. I am looking online to figure it out and am planning on writing my local extension office to see what I can find out.

This was an earlier picture of my tomatoes and peppers:

This is how they look today:

I have thin pieces of bamboo holding up the peppers and will either use more bamboo or tomato cages as the tomato plants yield heavier fruit.

Here is the aloe that Martha sent me. I hope that these pots will suffice for now and that the roots catch and grow.

My cantaloupe in the orange container is growing as well. Then:

Now:

There were times today when I was out in the garden that I felt overcome with emotion. Emotion for "finally" listening to the call of my heart that has for years been begging me to get more involved in my dream of "living off the land". Emotion for soon having to return to school and the books so that I might secure a job that will provide adequate care for myself and my  boys, as we will soon embark into an unknown future. Knowing in my heart that this is the kind of life that I have always craved deep, deep, down in my soul.  There is nothing like nature. There is nothing like working in the soil and reaping the benefits of the sweat of your brow. Absolutely nothing. It is a calmer, it a free therapy. It clears your mind and keeps things in perspective. It seems to me to be the way that things were supposed to be from the beginning. I have found that  not only will it provide me physical sustenance, but it will also serve to feed my soul..

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Excellent entry!! You plants are all really coming along! You've actually had a lot more growth than I have. I can't remember if you planted before I did or not. I've had things eating my plants too. I found one culprit, a green horned catepillar! I moved him far, far away!
I think everything looks great!! I agree, it does feed the soul as well as the the body!
FM :-)

Anonymous said...

It is truly amazing how quickly your garden is progressing. You can truly see that your garden is a product of your passion and love for the land. Great work!!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the invite, my friend. This is an awesome journal and wonderful entries. You are starting in a place I'm still working toward.

Good stuff and great motivation for me.

Thanks again,

Deb