OK, I said I was going to work out in the garden today. Those assignments that I needed to finish are in the can and most other indoor responsibilities will hold for another day. The problem? It’s icky and raining, miserable and damp – you know – the first day of Spring in Seattle!
As I sit here whining (and blogging) to put off donning my rain gear and getting outside it occurs to me that when growing ornamentals the weather can have its day. It’s the rare rose that can’t put off being pruned for one more day; young perennials have resided in their 4″ pots for months – they can take another day or two.
But growing your own food is different. Sure I could be a big baby and stay inside today – take a nap and maybe read a gardening magazine – but that means that homegrown salad, or beet, or fabulous basket of fava beans is just that much farther away from my table. It more than talking the talk. You (I) have to actually prepare the soil, plant the seeds, nurture the plants. Hardly a difficult task. In fact I would rather do that than just about anything indoors…except maybe nap.
I just checked Washington DC weather; Michelle Obama has a lovely day for breaking ground on the new White House Kitchen Garden (!!!!) 48 F., partly sunny – not too hot; gardening is hard work. Something our favorite First Lady is about to find out. I’m sure this occasion will be a photo op made in heaven. I can’t wait to see it spread all over this land in newspapers, websites and blogs just like this one. Maybe a 3rd grader will cut the article out of the paper and take it in to the classroom for their garden project; maybe the 3rd graders will decide to plant their own garden! Maybe the 3rd graders will EAT THEIR VEGETABLES!!!!
OK, here I go. You can even follow up on me if you want. Oh, and you might want to send this around to all those other gardeners out there hesitating to plunge into the drizzle and mud, sort of a gentle on-line kick in the seat of our collective pants. We all need the encouragement to keep on keeping on.
Growing your own vegetables is easy, sometimes forcing yourself outside is the hard part. But once I dry off this afternoon that nap will be even sweeter for my effort and those fava beans will be that much closer to my plate.
I do love me some fava beans!
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Sorry to hear about your Seattle rain. It’s 63˚ and sunny here in Boise……………..
I need one of your inspiring fava bean recipes! Oh, and the White House vegetable garden made Page One of the NYTimes on Friday AND Sunday . . . a horticultural first!