Friday, July 13, 2012

A Little Patch of Dirt

When I was young, my daddy gave me a little corner of our huge garden to tend.  I could do whatever I wanted with it... which usually was just play in the dirt and plant the occasional annual or two.  Asparagus came up there also... it didn't matter, so long as it was mine.  There was something special about having a place to call my very own.

Years later, I knew I wanted my own children to grow up being in the garden.  As soon as my babies could go outside, I took them for walks to see what was growing, to hear the birds, see beetles and butterflies.  As they grew, giggles could be heard as we played with the watering hose and filled up the bird bath.  Digging and getting dirty was most enjoyable... and still is!

When my daughter was about 4, I asked her if she'd like her very own garden... she was so excited!  Sunflowers, zinnias, daisies, daylilies and a butterfly bush have all grown there, in "Olivia's garden."  She used to have a brightly colored birthday plate she loved so much.  She ate her dinner on it almost every evening.  Then one day, it slipped out of her little hands and broke.  She was devastated... until I suggested we use it to decorate her garden.  It's been out there a little over a year now, and she still points to it and tells people, "There's my favorite plate!"

My son has a garden also... although it's not as big as his sister's.  It's a little triangular plot, about the same size mine used to be.  We always put our pumpkins and squash there at the end of autumn, and by the next spring he usually has dozens of sprouting seedlings to take care of.  This year has been so dry, it's nothing but dried up grass and dirt.  Up until today, he's used it as a construction site for his tractors and backhoes... but today it's different.

Today, it's a rock garden.  My daughter informed me of her plan this morning, and the three of us went scouting around the yard.  A bit of a rock gatherer myself, I already had many stacked in borders around other beds.  We hauled over some of those ~ others were found in daddy's plowed up vegetable garden.  The finishing touch was a bit of hay placed around everything.

I realized I've been sad my son's garden didn't grow... even as he played in the dirt of the construction site, completely oblivious to my concerns.  He did ask me why there weren't any pumpkins this year, but then said, "It's been too dry, huh mom?"  Already knew the answer, and went on playing.

I stood back and watched as my two little ones showed me what it is to be happy, and make the most of whatever you're given.  Next year my son's garden may go back to being a place where green things grow, but for now, we're all pretty happy with the way things are, because it's not all about what you do for a garden, it's about what it does for you... even if it is only a little patch of dirt.


17 comments:

  1. I was a planter myself & a rock collector.

    Moving to Florida changed that - too many bugs to fight & drought.

    I really love your posts, especially how marvelous your children react to the world.

    They are truly precious. Thank you for sharing them & their insights.

    D :)

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    1. Hello Diane, and thank you! It sure has felt a lot like Florida in Ohio this summer!! We're supposed to be getting a little rain finally, and we sure could use it! Thanks for stopping by, have a great day :)

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  2. I agree with you...loved how you summed it up in that last line.It sure is dry here too.A few spots got rain tonight but not here.

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    1. Thank you Lucy :) So dry here still also... we had a passing shower Sunday morning, and a few *drops* in the evening, but hoping for more. Meanwhile, I watered the garden so it'll survive for a little longer. Leaves are falling everywhere... can't believe it's July, because it looks like late August/early September! Have a great day :)

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  3. sweet story. We're having a heat wave in Toronto, I was watering my lawn all day,the grass is so dry!

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    1. Thanks Christine :) Yes, we haven't had to mow our lawns around here for going on 2 months! Everything is so dry, the lawn crunches when you walk on it... but it's still mostly green somehow!

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  4. What a beautiful post. Thank you for your inspiring words of wisdom. xoxo

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    1. Thank you Pat ~ I thank my kids for being great teachers :)

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  5. I am 55 next month. I love to garden. I remember being in the garden with my father,and working with him while he told me stories. He made me help put one of his rose bushes in one with him, one day. He told me it was his very favorite rose, and it had a very special name, the Victoria rose. this was in the 60's. I was 5. I was an only daughter. My father and mother named me Victoria. My daddy died when he was 48 but I still have "our memories." I taught my children (now adults) to garden with me since they were very small. They both love to garden...We have made a lot of memories, but I will never forget being in the garden with my daddy.:)

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    1. Hello Victoria :) Thank you so much for sharing... I enjoy hearing stories of how one generation passes down their love for gardening to another, and another! What special memories you have to treasure... with your daddy and your children, and maybe someday grandchildren :) Have a great day!

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  6. I have to tell you how much this touched my heart. I even read it to my husband. He is the gardener and right now is going through some physical challenges brought on by emotional stuff from his past. We are working through it and have been going through some counseling and such. But this made me stop and realize how precious something small can be and how children see the good in things, where adults tend to see the bad. I hope to get my husband to view things more childlike - after all even Jesus said we should be like babes. Thank you so much for sharing this and please know that your little boy (and girl) will grow up to be much stronger because of their little patch of dirt. Hugs to you all!!!

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    1. You are so right about children seeing the good in every situation! My 2 have taught me so much about striving to have a pure heart, and staying positive. I'll be thinking about and praying for you and your husband for healing, emotionally and physically.

      I will restore you to health and heal your wounds, declares the Lord. ~ Jeremiah 30:17

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  7. I love this post Megan. You transformed what could have been a tragedy into a new dream for your children. The broken plate and a toy construction site, what better lesson could a child learn than to make what might have been perceived as failure into success by establishing new visions with what was in front of them. Thank you for sharing, August

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    1. Thank you August... you are right that we have to look at what we're given and be thankful instead of unhappy or resentful! I do hope they're able to remember that as they grow :) Have a blessed week!

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  8. I could relate so well to this and smiled through and through! Beautiful times:)

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  9. Oi Megan!!!

    Que linda história!!! Falar de nossa infância nos dar muitas saudades, mas o prazer de falar é enorme.

    Beijos

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  10. A beautiful blog! Like a flower garden!
    When I was a little girl I had a separate little garden. Later, my daughter.
    Mammka

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“Kind words can be short and easy to speak,
but their echoes are truly endless.”

~ Mother Teresa