Stop the rich
boomers taking cruise ships to fragile ecosystems and cultures. Stop the
economies of the U. S., Canada, Europe, China, et al, because their packaging
isn’t biodegradable. While we’re at it, let’s correct the electoral system to
ensure equal and fair representations of all voters. Right, let’s do that.
Sorry, folks, I’m
not buying in…again. Been there. Tried that and got my heart broke and, I hope,
picked up some major bits of wisdom on the way. For now my strategy is work on
Me and my small corner of influence in this world. Believe me, some days that
influence is tiny but it perseveres. There are many small people like myself
who tread lightly on the earth, leaving small footprints, who are ‘being the
change we want to see in this world.’ Staying in the present, being here now,
now here, … becomes a challenge when we are also expected, as responsible
people, to learn from the mistakes of the past and keep the future in mind too.
Sometimes now here feels like nowhere. How then does one live for today?
As with so much in
life we can go to the garden for answers. There, in soil cold from winter’s
ravages, we are given a new palette each spring. Bare soil today here now, soon
shows signs of previous years’ efforts. Where one dandelion was left to grow
free we’ll find five or ten waiting sun’s warmth to encourage roots and tops.
Our choice – let the dandelion grow or dig deep to make room for a different
plant of our choosing.
Our planting here
now is our plan for future eating and sensual delights. Will we grow favourites
remembered from gardens past or choose edibles untried? Will we grow enough to
feed ourselves as the garden matures through the season or are we planning this
year to ‘do down’ or ‘put up’ preserves? Jars of crunchy green dills, tangy
brilliant red tomato relish and deep brown pie filling made from green tomatoes
are all possible outcomes of the perusal of seed catalogues which will soon
land in our mail boxes.
The dreams of
today fill the shelves of tomorrow. Past gardening experiences and reading
journals of others gardeners serve as our touchstones to the past; they are our
teachers in the garden classroom helping us to develop our gardeners-eye and
palette /
palate. Local horticultural societies bring in speakers who share their
knowledge their shortcuts and their enthusiasm for the sport of gardening; they
spark visions of possibilities. Seeing the blank palette of soil, brown, wet
and covered in last year’s stubble can be daunting here now; we need eyes that remember
gardens past and hearts to vision gardens future, so that here now we act for
good results that will take us to the somewhere we want to be.
This triggers the
need for balance. Oh, how I sometimes detest that word! It demands coming down
to earth, shutting off my dream vision and making choices, and decisions that will make the dream a reality.
Will I choose to plant from seed or to buy plants ready for placing into the
empty bed? So much to think about;
the solution … a list to organize this bounty of possibilities.
Draw up a plan
–consider needs - how many carrots? How many tomatoes?
Find recipes and
methods - consider time outlays
Read how-to books
and books on vegetable gardening
Join a gardening
club or a horticultural society
Plan insect control,
available time, tools, storage, watering.
Order seeds or
purchase started plants
Environmentally
speaking, we gardeners preserve our planet one plant at a time. People who grow
gardens or who walk in the peaceful beauty of forests, are more apt to realize
the sense in maintaining natural spaces. We watch as nature destroys and renews
itself with windstorms, tsunamis, floods, and lightning fires. People are part
of nature. As long as we have been around we have made our mark with our wars,
buildings, agriculture, and clear-cutting; all change our earth as do anthills,
beaver dams, and beehives.
To do no harm
seems to me a worthy goal.
What makes it
correct for an air plane load of seal-savers to travel to a remote area to
engage in a battle that stops a way of life? As for me for now, I’m staying
home to tend my garden.
For info on
Ontario Horticultural Associations check out:
This is another
thought-provoking down-to-earth gardening site:
