The Return of the Peaceful Gardeners; alternatively, We Are the Champions

Yes, we are the Peaceful Gardener Champions. What is so very fabulous about this is that there are no losers to not have time for. What's even better than 'very fabulous' are the not-always tangible (or edible) rewards that continually have presented themselves.


Its been about 6 weeks or so since our last correspondence. In that time, we've learned the lesson that our little loves, although affected by our actions, do not require our constant attention (or watering) to blossom into what their genetic make-ups so effectively dictate. Its true.

Apparently, they thrived when the craze of the holidays, so inherent to the human condition, tethered our intentions. Meanwhile, the tikes grew to proportions we had no idea they could, baring in mind that prior to 5 months ago, yours trulies here assumed that the iceberg lettuce was grown alongside the peas and carrots in the back of supermarkets in the smelly place next to where the bathrooms are.

Alas, there are so many opportunities to learn. Hey, lets think about how far we've come in just 5 months! We started with an inspiration, a fabulous facilitator, and a willing homeowner with a tiered sandbox for a backyard; built deep, raised beds; studied then started our own composting system utilizing Planet Earth Cafe's nutrient-rich kitchen scraps; amended the soil with free Organic King Harbor (sardine suicide) blend compost, some of our homemade humus (not the kind you want to dip your pita chips in), and a heap of the "Special Garden Mix" from the local dirt yard; sowed, coaxed, chatted up, sang to, and loved seeds into seedlings; weeded, trellised, organically sprayed, thinned as needed, said sayonara to some and stuck with others; and have now come to the point of starting to look up recipes for the beautiful fruits of our fun.

As the new year's first month comes to a mid-point, we're already considering what we dream of munching on this summer, along with renewing our efforts in the irrigation realm. We've come far, venturing with excitement to label ourselves "Successful Gardeners," and we sure have a long way still to go. But, in a good way.

Our 1st Golden Beet, picked on New Year's Eve, 2011