Garden Diary: A Single Step

Write with your spade, and garden with your pen.
--Roy Campbell

Sometimes I think I like the idea of gardening--and having a neat and sparkling clean garden--more than the act of gardening itself. I do enjoy the work, but I have a hard time getting myself out there. I attribute some of that to the fact that I have a full-time job (for which I am grateful), a wife, three teenage children, and a grandchild. And an Xbox.

I have, however, made progress this early spring. I cleaned up most of the clippings from my massive pruning jobs and have only a neat pile waiting its turn for the green bin. I also prepared two rows of plantings, each about 12 feet long. I put in four tomato plants ('Better Boy'), six bell pepper plants, and several feet of kale seeds.

Progress!

The kale seeds sprouted quickly.

Since I promised Granny fresh tomatoes and cucumbers all summer (she mixes them with vinegar, salt and pepper), I will put in cucumber seeds later today. Granny is so cranky if she doesn't get her garden fresh cucumbers and tomatoes.

I had a delightful surprise this morning when I went out to water. The olive tree had begun to drop pollen and flowers all over my patio. This morning, I was seranaded by the hum of hundreds of bees happily picking over the flowers. The buzzing of bees is one of the most peaceful sounds in the world to me.