I come to the garden alone...



 Not sure if you know that hymn (I love the girl who sings on this link) but it is a good one.  It is also oh so true.  Spending time in the garden thinking and talking to God.  It is my favorite time.  I crave more time there. 

 

Sad little sunflowers were the only ones to come up.  But not to be conquered, I planted more seeds this week!

Beans are coming up!

Found a peanut!!  Seriously.  I make it a point to try something new each year.  This year it is 2 peanut plants and 3 strawberry pants.  We shall see.

 My solo time in the garden has to be stolen. . .nap times, the last few minutes of sunlight after the kids are tucked in, and sometimes an early morning.  Like fitting in exercise, if it is important, you find the time. 

 

A line of peppers. 

This looks like a mess right now but before too long they will be tomato trees!!!

Hi happy little 'mater!

But I do have to apologize.  If I have ever said to you, "Oh gardening is easy!  You just throw a plant in the ground and add water."  Just disregard that comment.  I must have made it in January, that month when gardening seems mythical and magical.  Gardening is rewarding but it is not easy. 

 

 

Faithful zucchini.

Teeny cucumbers.

 Take the picture below for example.  What was last week clean barren dirt is this week a matted pile of weed seedlings.  We had great rain and feel blessed.  This, however, was bound to come next.  I am not sure why the weeds have a deeper root and can withstand any torture you might throw at them while my precious garden plants like to wither if you look at them wrong.  There is a profound and spiritual theory in there somewhere.

 

Evil.

This is how they come up, in big clumps of roots.

 As I stoop over the weeds and whack at them with a hoe, I am reminded that not only is hoeing good for the garden, it is also good for my core!  So I guess I can't complain.  Hard work, sunshine, the dirt under my nails and the blisters on my palms are all signs of a healthy, capable body.  For that I sing praise.

 

Such vibrant green lettuce.  So good.

Been snacking on these babies,



with this baby.  He is my mini-me and I love him.

 

The only things that I really would like to rid our gardens of are rabbits, who are from the bowels of Hades and the sand-blasting winds which also seem to resemble Satan's craft.  Oh well, this is not Eden.  Its just the Texas Panhandle.  Semantics really.

 



We are trying roosters again.  Wish us luck!  Hopefully I will not have to relieve this one of his duties as I did the last. 
(The story is too gruesome to share here.)

Bees at the water.  The rocks keep them from drowning.

Corn!  This is the cute Indian corn that I got from my Papa.  Can you still say Indian Corn or should it be Native American corn? 

Even with all of the hurdles, I still love to be in my garden more than any other place.  Ok, so my porch swing comes in a close second.  So I will continue to come to the garden alone.  Hopefully that time will be more, "He walks with me and he talks with me" and less, "Don't go out there because mom is cussing the rabbits."  Hee hee.  We will see how the season goes.



Life on the Prairie is good.  The grass is greening from the rains and it makes for a lovely spot to sit and listen to Spring go by.  Praying the same for where you are!