“My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece” ― Claude Monet
The 3MPH Garden got a late start this year. It’s actually only just getting started, as far as planting anything’s concerned. Normally, at this time we’re already harvesting some early lettuce, spinach and Spring onions for a nice salad. Not this year, the wind kept blowing and the temperatures kept freezing and it was hard to get motivated to plant anything that was going to need to be covered or pampered; so we didn’t.
But it looks like the freezing temperatures are behind us. We even have a few 90 degree days scheduled this week. The wind doesn’t want to quit though and it sucks. I’m not sure if windy and hot is much better than windy and cold, where little seedlings are concerned. They’ll probably still need a bit of pampering to get them over the hump and that’s okay; I think we’re finally in the mood – the wind still sucks though. I hope it blows out soon, the entire Centennial State is feeling the pain and our neighbor to the South; New Mexico is struggling to contain major forest fires caused by the Red Flag Weather.
The cold didn’t seem to bother our little mini orchard as much as it bothered me. The Cherry, Apple and Apricot trees all put on some nice blossoms this year. The trees are all pretty young yet and we don’t expect to have enough fruit for wine or jam this year. It’s exciting to watch them grow to fruit bearing age and we should be able to create something, with next years harvest.
The Gooseberries and Jostaberries look like we’re going to have a bumper crop and I’m pretty sure we’ll be able to put up a 5 gallon batch of wine. Gooseberries are a favorite in Europe but a lot of Americans have never heard of them. They’ve done exceptionally well for us here on the High Plains, without much pampering. They seem to like it here like Vickie and I, so we’ve become pretty fond of them too.
Go Plant Something
Gardening creates harmony and balance. There’s beauty and power in the act and art of caring for plants. Whether we’re going to eat them, make wine or juice with them, sit in their shade or just look at them in wonder. We while away much of our summertime in the garden, interacting with the trees, bushes, vines, flowers and vegetables that share our space with us. It restores us and connects us to nature. Differently than the nature we experience when we backpack off into a mountain wilderness, where God has complete control.
Our Garden is nature that we share in creating, along side Great Spirit. We become partners; Garden Gods molding, shaping and creating our little green kingdom. We can feel the heartbeat of Mother Earth as we dig our hands into the soil, plant seeds or harvest a handful of bright colored carrots. Time spent in the Garden has numerous other benefits as well, providing stress relief and mental clarity to go along with the garden salad.
“Life begins the day you start a garden.” ~ Chinese Proverb