Everything I need to know I learned from my garden

There is something magical about gardening. Maybe it's just that way for me, but there seems to be so many parallels between life and growing things. I think every person should grow SOMETHING, even if its a little pot of seeds in the windowsill. Hard work, determination, patience, appreciation, health, science...all fruits of a garden.

If you want to attempt a garden this year, check out this book. Some of Mel's methods may sound tedious now, but TRUST ME it will pay off in the long run. Even if you only adapt some of the ideas in this book, it will make your garden experience a happy one.


My interest in growing things started when I had a roommate in college that grew plants in our apartment. I thought "that's pretty nifty, I wonder how she does that?" At the time the whole concept of caring for a living organism seemed so overwhelming I thought I'd never be able figure it out and didn't make an attempt until after I was married. So I know what its like to think "I could never get something to grow!" The thing that's cool about gardening is that you learn what not to do each time you kill something off.

While we moved around so much I had to beg other people to let me do free labor in their gardens in return for experience (I usually didn't have to beg too hard). Last year we finally had our own place and I had my OWN garden. Being the big naive dreamer I am, I planted a spot 100 feet by 150 feet (15,000 square feet for those w/o a calculator). I didn't realize it at the time but that is larger than the city lot I grew up on! I knew I'd have to get creative when it came time to do weeding.

To sum up the summer, I had a great time and learned a bunch from the success AND failures that I had. I learned that when you can't keep up with 15,000 square feet of weeds, a lawnmower makes a creative weeding tool! Just MOW down those rows and you don't need to invest all that money in a roto-tiller. Seriously though, that is something that I won't be doing again! I also learned that 47 tomato plants should give you boat loads of tomatoes (see photo), but that's not exactly what happens when you spray weed killer on a windy day..oops! What I'm trying to say is don't let your fear of failing keep you from giving it a go. Plant something this year!

Man's work

Wahoo, we are getting the fence up - all 1500 feet of it. This is hard work, I had no idea. Good thing I mostly just supervise. We planted pasture seed last fall but had so much wind this winter we are afraid it may have blown away. Hopefully April showers will bring May pastures or we'll try planting yet again--maybe the third time's a charm?

Some kids get swingsets or bikes, we give ours tractors! Meet the blue-goose, our trusty and a little rusty friend.

...and last but not least, a rewarding moment as a parent. Sometimes they DO get along, although I think they began shreiking at each other just moments after this shot was taken. Gotta love the spitfire...and why does everyone assume it comes from me?

I had this email forwarded to me awhile back (perhaps you did too) about the mom that auctioned her kid's Pokemon cards on ebay because they snuck them in the shopping cart. Well, I visit her blog from time to time and get a kick out of her posts. I truly believe motherhood's survival tools include a sense of humor, and this woman speaks my laughter language.

Check her blog out: http://mom2my6pack.blogspot.com/2007/08/adventures-in-grocery-shopping.html

Stop wasting time online

Awhile back I saw an article in the Ensign about volunteering to index names off of historical documents so that anyone can search thier ancestors on the LDS family search website. Well I downloaded the software the other day and have been busy here and there indexing names. I love it because I can spend as little time as a minute on it at any given time (moms with toddlers will understand why this is great). Last week I indexed names from Alabama's slave records -- very interesting because no names were given for the slaves--only age, gender, and race. Each was listed under the owner, the little babies all the way up to 97 year old men and women. I also indexed some of the towns near our last home in Wisconsin. A group of names belonged to a deputy's family and 6 prisoners he was holding.
If you want to volunteer and spend your time online for a good cause, check out:

http://www.familysearchindexing.org/en/index.jsp