Stranger Days #24: Garden Updates

Estimated Reading Time: 2.5 minutes

Welcome to stranger days--my blog series exploring daily life, challenges in times of the COVID-19 pandemic, and just sharing insights or thoughts about how to make it through these days.  

So about 2 weeks ago (which is actually 15 years in COVID-19 time), I mentioned that I started a garden.  There aren't a lot of updates as the garden goes.  I mean, it's been two weeks in April with cool and rainy weather.  So the garden plot out back still looks much the same but the cardboard covering the ground to prevent the growing of grass and weeds is a bit stiffer, given the rain.  

The front yard we have managed to clean up a bit; we turned the soil, did some weeding, and added mulch to and top soil.  Our goal with the spot around the lamppost is to grow wild-flowers.  We'll see how that works out!.  

Meanwhile, I've started to try to grow some things from seeds to see if I got it in me to grow things indoors and transport outside. I've never tried it and I'm a little nervous, but something things are growing so I'm doing something right.  It's fun to watch these seeds that I could barely pick up with my (giant-appearing) fingers begin to breakthrough the dirt and rise up. 

I bought the container with seeds growing in it but then it encouraged me to look at other containers coming through and try to also grow stuff in them. I planted them yesterday so with some hope, you'll be seeing them next week with some sprouting going on.  

I am glad I've been given the extra time to get to do this during this pandemic as I find that there is a calming and valuable experience to get to dig into dirt with my hands or other tools; to put seeds in the ground, and toe enjoy seeing the results of attentive labor.  There's a lot about gardening that reminds me of my youth; from playing in dirt (and swamps--yeah, several years at camp, I was titled "Swamp King"--and you don't wanna know what you gotta do to earn that title!), to doing yard work, to helping my grandfather with his garden, it's something that I always found enjoyable work even if it meant getting dirty, sweating, and some soreness in the day after.  

Of course, I also love that I'll hopefully be producing vegetables to which I am quite a fan. But still, it's a pleasure and privilege to have some of this time to tend my garden.  

Take care. Be careful. Be care-filled.  Welcome to stranger days.

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