Today was an odd day. The sun was shining and there was a cool breeze–a perfect day for gardening. I planted dill, replanted my tomatoes, added some cukes (replacing the frozen ones) and then began to feel guilty for not working on the text book project or Video Letters. I snitted around a bit and then asked Milt to add a small table to our trailer so that I could spread out the three working manuscripts I need for the text book project. Within 30 minutes I was spread out in a corner of our trailer. The table will have to come down in time for the bed to come out–but it was so pleasant I got a lot done.
It is challenging living with less and making the best of small things. I like it. It makes me feel light on the earth, which was one of my goals. I look at that comma before which and wonder is that right? The text book I am editing is a grammar book, and I dream about dependent and independent clauses at the moment. I am hoping to have this part of the project wrapped up within a week and off to the printers.
“Going Green” has become a marketing tactic. I find that very interesting and a bit paradoxical because what we really need is to use less and find other ways to fullfill our desires. I think the spirit longs for great things and when we do not feed it great things, it settles for the small things.
One other thing I did today was work with a tiny space beneath a spruce tree. I’d found this metal bushal bin in the woods behind our trailer yesterday, and I have decided to turn it into my “Lisa” garden. I erected the “drift kabob” my sister gave me last summer (a metal rod with artistically drilled and stacked pieces of driftwood on it)/ Beside the bucket and the driftwood is a small windchime our niece gave us long ago. It is one of the few pretties that came with us to MN. What is a Lisa garden? When my daughter got married one of the guest gifts was a small packet of flower seed with their name and wedding date printed on the package. I ‘ve carried that around with me since they got married and now I plan to plant a mini Lisa garden. I think I will plant a small garden for each of my children, and whenever I tend it I’ll imagine all the good things that are growing or will grow in their lives as they mature.
I think the berry patch belongs to my mom. Last summer when I was maniacally picking blueberries, I was in the patch that my mom and I used to pick before she died. Even now, over a decade later, I would lift my head and imagine I could hear her calling my name. We used to call out to each other as we wandered the woods to keep from getting lost or too far apart. W also planted two Concord grape vines in there this afternoon.
I love that garden. It is across the meadow from my trailer and my newly developing gardens because we needed immediate access to water last summer.
It is clear that I am beginning to unwind from a hectic winter and spring. I’m not sure where my thoughts will take me. I just now overheard a couple screaming at each other, throwing the ‘f’ word around and calling each other effing stupid. I think about how gently I pulled those grape vines from their bucket this afternoond, taking care to expose as little as possible, adding water immediately, covering them quickly. People need to care for each other just as gently. We should watch our mouths. We need to be awake and aware and active. Now. In 20 years of marriage I have never used that word with Milt. Why would I want to hurt someone that I love?
For those of you who are tuning in, friends and strangers alike, take good care of those you love–the yield will be beyond measure.
Jamie
