I started planting my vegetable garden yesterday. The early things, peas, lettuce, swiss chard, starting them early gives them a head start. As I worked memories of my mother’s gardens went through my mind. She loved gardening of every kind, and always had many around her homes. As a kid growing up, we could always find her in one of them, even on her busiest days, it was one of her escapes from the tasks of keeping a large home, with seven kids. She would encourage us to join her, and we’d find ourselves talking, laughing, and pulling weeds. The huge tomatoes, from her vegetable garden would be on our supper table that night.
Her gardens had variety, and she never held to any set rules. There would be varieties of flowers in among the vegetables, and they grew in a crazy profusion, that was unique and beautiful. I have cherished memories of spending quiet moments of reflection in those gardens, and realize the wisdom my mother had in her approach to her gardens, raising us kids, and her life.
In her senior years, when her health suffered, and became wheelchair bound, gardening on my deck was something that helped her to recapture some of the pleasures of gardening she enjoyed, and joy we shared together in planning them, and working in them together. She spent many hours on my deck digging in the containers, planting, harvesting the tomatoes, peppers, etc., and we would enjoy them in our meals together that night. My little dog would be there surveying what we did, just happy to be there. There were always birds at the feeders, and butterflies lighting on the flowers in the planters mingled with the vegetables. These activities kept her mind alert, and her mind off of the disabilities that she had to deal with; she focused more on what she could do, and what was possible, than on what had been stolen from her. There was usually a lot of reminiscing, and laughter during those days.
If you have a loved one with disabilities, learning challenges, or someone who suffers from depression, this may be something to bring them a lot of enjoyment, and accomplishment.
Her gardens had variety, and she never held to any set rules. There would be varieties of flowers in among the vegetables, and they grew in a crazy profusion, that was unique and beautiful. I have cherished memories of spending quiet moments of reflection in those gardens, and realize the wisdom my mother had in her approach to her gardens, raising us kids, and her life.
In her senior years, when her health suffered, and became wheelchair bound, gardening on my deck was something that helped her to recapture some of the pleasures of gardening she enjoyed, and joy we shared together in planning them, and working in them together. She spent many hours on my deck digging in the containers, planting, harvesting the tomatoes, peppers, etc., and we would enjoy them in our meals together that night. My little dog would be there surveying what we did, just happy to be there. There were always birds at the feeders, and butterflies lighting on the flowers in the planters mingled with the vegetables. These activities kept her mind alert, and her mind off of the disabilities that she had to deal with; she focused more on what she could do, and what was possible, than on what had been stolen from her. There was usually a lot of reminiscing, and laughter during those days.
If you have a loved one with disabilities, learning challenges, or someone who suffers from depression, this may be something to bring them a lot of enjoyment, and accomplishment.
