I spent another day in the garden. I had quite a few things that I wanted to work on. As usual, the day was brutally hot, so I put on a bandana around my head, a small hand towel on top of the bandana, and my straw hat on top of that. The towel not only helps to block the sun, but it helps to keep the creepy crawlies from going down your shirt. But I digress
I started the day working on my compost. I added a few more things to it, I turned it, and then I wet everything down and put the top back on it to cook.
After that, I worked on cleaning out the main gardening area. I decided to put the raised bed inside the fenced in area as it gets better sunlight and is not exposed to Pumpkin and or “Peter Cottontail’s” spawn. I saw a small bunny sitting in the very area that I had the raised bed. It was small enough to squeeze right through the fence. I tried to sneak up on it to take a picture, but it was too fast. That or I am too slow.
After hand-pulling weeds again, I raked the dirt over a few times to loosen up rocks and anything else that needed to be removed. I then put down a few pieces of black fabric weed material.
Once I placed the raised bed in its new home, I then filled it will soil and some compost and the put the grid on top.
I started filling it in with some of the seedlings that were more than ready for transplant.
I also replanted two of my pepper hot pepper plants that were not thriving at all. After carefully inspecting the soil, I found bugs at the base of one and the other was obviously not draining as well as it should have. I am hoping that in the new soil they will come around. I put in the two of the pumpkin plants and filled the back row with beans. I rigged up some netting so that I can hopefully train the bushes as they get taller and stronger. I won't add anything else until later for fall planting.
I also planted a container of beans in the other area against the fence. I hope to train them to grow upwards depending on the fence for stability.I am going to have to keep a close eye on them to make sure that the birds don’t feast on them.
Here are some of the baby watermelons making an appearance:
However, I think that one of the most important things that I did today was to refocus some misinformation that my children became privy to this weekend.
Apparently, it is the belief of some, that the contributions that a woman makes to the household are meaningless unless there is a paycheck involved. It is of no merit if she cooks from scratch, cleans, does laundry, handles the budget, shops frugally, raises the children, cares for the pet, does as much home and auto maintenance as she knows how, religiously brainstorms way to keep more money in the home than goes out, and also goes to school. No, according to the opinion of some, these are the things she is “supposed” to do. I wonder how many women these days would accept that line of thought and still "willingly" do those things? Granted, today prices are high and two paychecks are better than one.But isn't it just as important and helpful to work hard to make sure the money is distributed properly? Also, granted is the fact that I am aware that I am not employed. However, I am working on it. In the meantime, I do the things that I do without contest as my way of contributing to this household, until I can fully contribute to a household of my own. No, what I do might not “earn” me a paycheck, but at the very least, I think it should earn me some respect.
Still, I plan to lead my children by example and to involve them in as much of what I do as I can. Today I started with this:
I want my children to know that all work should be valued no matter what it is or who does it. Moreover, if living as a unit, everyone should contribute and everyone’s contribution should count. At least that is the way “I” think it should be. But hey, I’ve been wrong before.
Till next time…..
3 comments:
First off, it was very exciting to see the budding watermelon. I have never see that before. I can only imagine how exciting it must feel to you to see what your labor is producing.
As for working on raising a family and keeping a household healthy and functioning, you are absolutely right, it is worth far more than one can even put a price-tag on. Unfortunately for some people, things are only seen as having value by cost, or what a paycheck brings. It is very limited and backward to think of the world in those terms only. Yet sadly some people do. I am glad that you are trying to teach your children that work is valued in many different ways. I hope they learn that lesson.
Your plants and planting areas are really coming along. I love your new raised bed! :-)
As far as the other stuff goes, women in this day and age have it worse than ever as far as I'm concerned. Women our age got the raw deal. We are stuck in-between. We are expected to go out and work full time and match what the men make. On top of that, we're still expected to do everything at home and caring for the children. Some men are more evolved, but I think they are few and far between - and some are too eveolved! And here's the kicker - I think we chose the husbands we did because they were more old fashion in their way of thinking! LOL! You know what I mean?!
The value of each person is placed on how much their paycheck is these days and nothing more. It's very sad.
FM
Good for you. Family unit does not mean what it used to mean. We are so focused on making more and more money that families become disconnected because of parents pursuing careers.
I could go on and on but I will contain myself.
If we would just realize that we don't need half the junk we buy and adjust our lifestyle we could live fine on one salary and the family would be able to be more of a family.
OK I'm done. :-)
BTW, the plants and gardens are looking great!
Deb
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