Garden Sabbatical

Dear Neighbor,

It has been so long since I have written, I barely remembered how to do so! Life has been pretty wild and too many unexpected things have happened since the fall of 2017. You may have read about my son and that alone, was life rocking. Then came to the event that took over my garden.

Last May we were given guardianship of two grandchildren. They were going on three and four, at the time. Our very non- long-term  child friendly home had to become child friendly pretty quick. We had 48 hours notice.

The kiddos are both boys and if you have ever been around toddler boys, they are truly like the Everready bunny. If I could capture one hour of their energy I would be a rich woman. They desperately needed a place to play and the only place that was visible from most of the house and already bedded with wood chips was my garden. 

My dear husband brought six tomato plants home one evening.

” I told you we can’t garden this year,” I replied looking at his box of plants.

“That’s not a garden, it”s six tomato plants!” he said incredulously.

“To most people, six plants is a garden!’Don’t you bring home another thing that needs me to keep it alive!” 

We planted the tomatoes,  which literally fell to disease and pests. I couldn’t save them. I was just too tired most of the time to remember them! We had two volunteer potato plants. We had  a nice meal from them. That was my garden experience last year. 

Incredibly, we sold all but two goats, the prior month. We had just formed a non-profit foundation and I knew I would be pretty busy with it. Little did I know.

So this year, I am taking a sabbatical from gardening. The thought nearly makes me sweat but we have so many nice farmers markets around me, I will find what I need. Oh wait, we will have the tiniest garden. I will have two plants:  a tomato plant and a cherry tomato, whos fruits rarely make it into the house because I eat them off the vine. 

We have so many wonderful resources for garden goods. Farmers Markets are my friend. I won’t go hungry and probably will even can some! I’ll have enough energy if I am not out pulling weeds all the time.

I will be living vicariously through you, my neighbors, as your gardens grow. Share your pics with me on Facebook. I look forward to seeing what’s new in your beds. 

Happy Homesteading,

Scarlett