Dirt

Day 123.

Ahhh the simple joy of getting your hands dirty. I never could quite understand that. I don't like getting my hands dirty - I like them clean and free of germs or dirty fingernails. And let's be honest - I consider myself a black thumb. I have had few houseplants in my life, and they have all eventually died under my watch. They aren't needy enough to keep me focused (like children), but they aren't self-sufficient enough to let me forget about them completely (like fake flowers).

So, for some reason since we decided not to renew our CSA membership this year with Angelic Organics (mostly due to us not knowing for sure if we'd be living here this summer/fall), I caught a gardening bug. I just kept thinking - I know I can do this - and make it fun, pretty, and yummy! My friends Jeni and Joe had a garden last year and I have to say, eating their yummy yellow cherry tomatoes picked from the yard...was temptation enough to get me to the garden center this year.

So, I checked out the book Bountiful Container from our library, and I have been reading and studying it like my gardening bible. We don't have a yard to plant, so containers on my back porch must be sufficient. With Dylan recovering from the stomach flu, and who knows who else in our family incubating the virus, we stayed home from church today. And so, I suddenly had a couple of hours this morning where I could go garden shopping! (plus, Jason owed me a few hours after his daylong cubs game extravaganza)

I've spent all day on this project - perusing the garden center and quizzing the experts. Choosing a good potting soil and finding the right containers. Installing window boxes on my deck railing and failing miserably as I stripped the head of the screw on the plant hanger I was trying to install (my first attempt at power drill usage). But, I did it! So, my hanging basket is sitting on the porch table instead of hanging. So, I haven't figured out my trellis of string for my peas yet. So, I think I planted most of my pots too shallow...too late.

I am grateful for gardening.

Seeing what I created (not the prettiest, but someday this summer, hopefully the yummiest!) was so rewarding. My kids could join in on the fun too. I am so excited about the possibilities of my first garden! NOW, I get it. Getting your hands dirty...is the best.