Garden

Friday morning. Quiet, soul-enriching playlist on Spotify and my hands in the dirt, propagating life in the only way available to me now.

I receive an email from my landlord. Our lease here will be renewed for one final year. Two hours later, I plant the first seeds of spring in newspaper pots and set them under the grow light to germinate. I’m so far behind, but I couldn’t bear to start seeds this year, not with a household move looming. But now, this unexpected change of plans. I think I can catch...

I bought a fluorescent light fixture with two full-spectrum grow bulbs and installed it in our basement pantry. I made pots out of newspaper and we planted seeds. I water them twice a day and imagine them tall and strong in the sunshine.

In late winter we huddled around a Baker Creek seed catalogue and considered each variety. They ordered whatever struck their fancy. At sowing time they pushed the seeds into whatever corner of the raised bed felt right–their harried mama was in full surrender mode and did not pay attention to bush versus climber, big versus little, high versus low. The result? Jungle. I mean serious jungle chaos. Big Apple gourds,...

This early summertime has been lovely. Some notes: We waited with bated breath for cicadas to visit, but in the end had to settle for finding a few husks out at a friend’s place in Haymarket. My kids were the very first people in our community pool on the Friday before Memorial Day. It was 54 degrees outside. We three went strawberry picking, our first time ever. My first time...

I could have tried to describe with words the unbearable cuteness of the three tiny peppers that grew in my garden this summer, but the camera makes easy work of it. Next: Laura sews tiny clothes for the peppers and stages a pepper puppet show.

The succulents on our front steps look so beautiful after the rain.

I just love these little guys. Several times a day I open the tray lid, lower my face down to them and breathe in their warm, brown breath. Soon they will each have proper names, and we will take turns reading poetry and singing to them.