Two Gardeners in the Rain

Harsh.  Wet.  Cold.  Uninviting.  All winter I stared out the window at my faded vegetable garden.  I had to pull out photos of the 2012 garden to remind myself of its sun-kissed glory.  Luscious greens, plump cucumbers, overflowing cartfuls of bright orange, yellow, and green winter squash, all basking in the warmth of the sun.

I long for it to look like that again.  To hear the little girls giggle as they run and hide in their nasturtium teepees and crunch on freshly-picked snap peas.  To watch the bumpy beginnings of cooperation as the kids team-up to compost the beds.  Trying to laugh instead of getting frustrated as I watch them dump over the wheel barrow too soon.  Watching them work together to clean it all up, and eventually seeing them have fun side-by-side.

On Wednesday, those memories and recent hints of spring cast just enough of a warmish glow on all the winter dreariness, that I slipped into my red garden clogs and headed outside.

Of course, this is the pacific northwest in early March, so as probability would have it, it was raining.  So IN THE RAIN I started to loosen the soil in the new carrot bed.  I dug deep because I plan on growing longer carrots this year.  Not too much later, Tyjah showed up by my side, grabbing a nearby shovel.  That boy voluntarily worked beside me, digging up rocks, adding compost, turning over the soil, and even planting carrots, peas, lettuce, and red cabbage starts IN THE RAIN.  We spent two hours, just the two of us, IN THE RAIN, cursing rocks and creeping buttercup, laughing.  When we finally went inside, we looked like two pigs who had been wallowing around in the mud.  I wish I had taken a picture, but I was too afraid to touch my camera.

Its time again.  I can't wait to see the garden become anew all that it stands for.   Warmth.  Family. Bounty.  And good, old-fashioned hard work.